The Central Government has taken a key decision concerning passengers who use ride-hailing apps such as Ola, Uber and Rapido. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has directed all transport aggregators to stop asking passengers to tip drivers before a ride begins.
Under the new directions, ride-hailing apps must not include any feature, message or option that encourages passengers to provide a tip before the journey is completed. The government has clarified that tipping must remain entirely voluntary and should be offered only after the successful completion of the ride.
No Tips During Booking
The government has specifically prohibited ride aggregators from asking passengers to select or pay a tip while booking a ride.
Passengers should not be presented with any option that encourages them to tip before the driver is assigned or before the journey starts.
No Pre-Tipping Before the Ride
Passengers must also not be prompted to provide a tip immediately before the ride begins. The government has raised concerns that such options could influence passengers into making additional payments even before receiving the service.
According to the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, particularly Clause 14.15, a tip is entirely a voluntary decision made by the passenger.
No Tip Prompts During the Journey
The new directions also prohibit apps from encouraging passengers to tip while the journey is still in progress.
The government said that passengers should not be made to believe that paying an additional amount could result in quicker driver acceptance, better service or other preferential treatment.
Tip Option Only After Ride Completion
Under the guidelines, the option to provide a tip may be displayed only after the ride has been successfully completed.
This ensures that passengers can decide whether to tip based on the service they actually received, rather than being influenced before or during the journey.
Centre Flags ‘Advance Tip’ and Add-On Prompts
The government recently came across instances where some ride-hailing apps were displaying messages such as “Advance Tip” and “Choose an Add-On.”
Such features could create the impression that offering a tip in advance might encourage drivers to accept the ride faster. The Centre has directed aggregators to remove such practices.
Tips Must Not Affect Driver Allocation or Service
The government has made it clear that ride-hailing apps must not introduce features through which additional payments from passengers influence cab booking, driver allocation, waiting time or the quality of service.
In other words, a passenger who does not offer a tip in advance must not be placed at a disadvantage compared with someone who does.
Entire Tip Amount Must Go to the Driver
The government has also directed that the amount tipped by a passenger must be transferred directly to the driver.
Ride-aggregator companies must not deduct any commission, service charge or other amount from the tip.
Consumer Protection Rules Also Apply
The Centre has warned that tipping mechanisms that mislead or manipulate consumers may violate provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Ride aggregators have therefore been instructed to immediately review their mobile applications and digital platforms and remove any features that are inconsistent with the latest guidelines.
The move is aimed at ensuring that tipping remains a voluntary choice of passengers, rather than becoming an indirect factor influencing ride acceptance, driver allocation or the level of service provided.
