In most parts of the country, there are no specific rules for carpooling in India, so you can say in a way that it is kinda legal in the country. But there sure are some rules that someone needs to follow before going down this path of carpooling and using their private vehicle as a commercial one.
So, What Exactly Is The Legal Status of Carpooling in India?
Just to be clear from the very start, you see, the law that is followed in India makes a differentiation between private and commercial vehicles. Firstly, private vehicles that are utilized for personal purposes have white number plates. But when we talk about taxis, well, they are commercial vehicles, and they display a yellow number plate. The crucial point that arises is the instance when people utilize their private cars to give rides in exchange for money by way of carpooling apps. This situation transfers the vehicle’s usage category to a commercial one which is not allowed for private automobiles.
To clarify: You can’t lawfully use your own car to make money through carpool rides. This act is considered unlawful since it changes your vehicle to a commercial service without the required permits and taxes.
Recent Developments in Bengaluru (Case Study)
And yes, it can be said that Bengaluru is one of the few cities in the country where this carpooling trend is rising fast and that’s because there is a lot of traffic in this very city. The Transport Department has got, or has rather, gone hard on complaints given by taxi drivers and has started stopping app-based carpools like Quick Ride and BlaBlaCar.
Taxi drivers have made it clear that they follow the set regulations including but not limited to, getting commercial permits, registering their cars as taxis, and paying taxes. On the other hand, private vehicles that are used for carpooling are not registered this way. That’s the reason why Bengaluru’s authorities have come up with the decision to stick to the car owners who offer carpooling services through the use of private vehicles through apps. If caught, the punishment could be as huge as Rs 10,000 and the registration certificate of the vehicle could also be suspended for as long as six months.
The above act by the authorities in Bengaluru showcases how stringent the rules can be when private cars are engaged in carpooling in such a way that it appears to be commercial activity through these digital apps.
