Booking a cab? Centre asks aggregators to drop pre-rid messages, tip prompts

Passengers booking app-based rides have been seeing prompts asking them to pay extra even before a journey begins. The road transport ministry, however, has now asked vehicle aggregators to remove such features from their mobile applications, saying they violate the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025. The ministry's advisory follows reports that some apps were displaying pre-ride messages and tipping options at the time of booking.

Ministry objects to pre-ride tipping prompts

The ministry said prompts such as “Advance Tip”, “Choose an Add-on”, “Improve your chances of quicker ride confirmation” and messages such as “A driver may be more likely to accept this trip if you add a tip” must not be shown before a ride is accepted or completed. It said no feature should create the impression that paying any additional amount could improve ride confirmation, driver acceptance, driver allocation, waiting time, or quality of service.

Tips allowed only after ride completion

Citing Clause 14.15 of the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, the ministry said passengers may give drivers a voluntary tip only after the journey is complete. It also said the entire tip amount must be credited to the driver without any deduction by the aggregator. “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,” the guidelines read.

Platforms told to ensure compliance without delay

According to the directive dated August 11, all motor vehicle aggregators have been advised to immediately review their mobile applications and digital platforms and ensure strict compliance with the guidelines. “Any interface or functionality inconsistent with the above provisions should be suitably modified without delay,” the ministry said. It added that no feature, prompt, message, add-on, payment option, or user interface element should be displayed before completion of the ride if it “directly or indirectly encourages, induces, or creates an impression” that an extra payment may lead to better service outcomes.

The advisory comes after the Central Consumer Protection Authority had earlier directed ride-hailing platforms to stop the practice. The ministry's position is that tipping must remain entirely voluntary, can be offered only after the journey is completed, and cannot be linked in any way to the chances of getting a ride or the quality of service.