New cab aggregators' guidelines you must know: Passengers may now voluntarily tip, choose same-sex driver

Passengers can now voluntarily tip their cab drivers and also choose a driver of the same gender, including an option to select women drivers, as per the new amendments in the Motor Vehicles Aggregators Guidelines, 2025, notified on December 15, 2025.

What does amended rules say?

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways notified amendments in Clauses 14 and 15 of the Motor Vehicles Aggregators Guidelines, 2025, on December 15. They say:

1. The digital aggregator platforms (like Ola, Uber etc) may provide a feature for passengers to give a voluntary tip to the driver. However, such a feature shall only be visible after the completion of the journey, and should not be available at the time of booking, before the commencement of the journey or during the journey.
2. The entire tip amount shall be credited to the driver without any deduction by the aggregator
3. No tipping feature or mechanism shall be provided in the App that is misleading, manipulative, or otherwise in violation of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and the rules and regulations made thereunder.
4. A passenger must be able to choose, where available, a driver of the same gender, including an option for women passengers to select women drivers.

Motor Vehicles Aggregator Guidelines, 2025

The Motor Vehicles Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, were notified by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on July 1 this year, regularising fare and requiring the aggregator to ensure compliance with several conditions related to the safety of the passengers.

It allowed dynamic pricing but within defined bands, permitting aggregators to reduce fares by up to 50 percent below the state-notified base fare while limiting surge pricing during peak hours to a maximum of twice that base fare.

"The aggregator shall be permitted to charge a minimum of 50% lower than the base fare and a maximum dynamic pricing of two times the base fare specified under sub-clause (17.1) above," as per the guidelines.

The guidelines also stated that the driver must follow the route indicated in the App through an in-built mechanism. "In case of any deviation, the App shall signal the control room, which shall then connect with the driver and the passenger immediately," it said.

The ministry also proposed certain guidelines for the cancellation of rides.

"On cancellation of a booking by a driver after accepting a journey on the App, a penalty of 10% of the Fare not exceeding ₹100, shall be imposed where such cancellation is made without a reason identified as valid by the aggregator and duly and specifically mentioned on its website and App," it said.

The guideline added that a fee of 10% of the fare, not exceeding ₹100, shall be collected when cancellation is made by a passenger after booking a journey on the app, without a valid reason.

"Such fare amount shall be divided between the driver and the aggregator in the same proportion as stated under Clause 15 of these guidelines," it added.

The notification further listed rules for the "Suspension of aggregator Licence."

It said the licence granted to an aggregator may be suspended for reasons in writing (“Suspension Order”), by the Competent Authority, either on its own or on receipt of a complaint against the aggregator, after an inquiry conducted by the Competent Authority.

It stated that the period of suspension may extend to three months.