Passengers booking cabs through Uber, Ola and other ride-hailing platforms will no longer be asked to pay a tip before their journey begins. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has directed motor vehicle aggregators to remove pre-ride tipping prompts from their apps with immediate effect.
The government has said passengers should not be encouraged to make an additional payment with the expectation that it could help them get a cab faster, improve their chances of ride confirmation or influence the quality of the service.
The direction comes after reports of ride-hailing platforms displaying messages such as “Advance Tip”, “Choose an Add-on” and “Improve your chances of quicker ride confirmation” while passengers were booking their rides. Such prompts raised concerns that passengers could believe paying a tip would increase the likelihood of a driver accepting their booking or result in a faster confirmation.
No more ‘tip to get your cab faster’
Under the latest direction, motor vehicle aggregators have been asked to immediately review their mobile applications and digital platforms and remove features that do not comply with the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025. An app cannot display a tip prompt, message, add-on or payment option before the completion of a ride if it suggests that paying extra could influence the availability or quality of the service.
This includes factors such as whether a driver accepts the ride, how quickly the booking is confirmed, which driver is allocated or how long a passenger has to wait for the cab. In simple terms, passengers should not be made to feel that paying an additional amount upfront could improve their chances of getting a ride. The government has directed aggregators to make the required changes without delay and ensure that their platforms comply with the 2025 guidelines.
Can passengers still tip drivers?
Yes. The government has not banned tipping.
According to Clause 14.15 of the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, passengers can voluntarily tip drivers after completing their journey. However, the option to tip can be offered only after the ride has ended. The guidelines also state that the entire tip should go to the driver, with aggregators not permitted to deduct any amount from it. The distinction is therefore clear. Passengers can choose to reward drivers for their service after completing a journey, but a tip cannot be presented before the ride as a way to improve the chances of getting a cab.
The latest directive follows concerns over the use of pre-ride tipping options by ride-hailing platforms. The Central Consumer Protection Authority had earlier also directed ride-hailing platforms to stop the practice. The government’s latest action reinforces the position that tipping must remain voluntary and cannot be directly or indirectly linked to the availability, acceptance or quality of a cab service. For passengers, the change means there will be no need to consider an upfront tip simply to improve their chances of securing a ride. They can continue to decide whether they want to tip a driver, but that choice can be made only after the journey is completed.
The move is aimed at ensuring greater transparency in cab bookings and preventing passengers from feeling pressured to make an additional payment for a service they have not yet received.
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