Overview
- The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued a directive dated August 11, 2026 telling motor vehicle aggregators to immediately remove any pre‑trip or mid‑trip tipping prompts from their apps.
- The order cites Clause 14.15 of the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, which allows voluntary tipping only after a journey ends and requires the full tip amount to be credited to the driver with no platform deductions.
- MoRTH named common examples of non‑compliant interface elements such as “Advance Tip,” “Choose an Add‑on,” and messages suggesting a tip could speed up confirmation or increase driver acceptance.
- The directive frames the move as a compliance requirement and does not set out specific penalties in the notification, making enforcement dependent on follow‑up inspections and how quickly platforms change their interfaces.
- The step responds to repeated consumer complaints and a 2025 LocalCircles survey that documented intrusive tip nudges, and it could force platforms to redesign booking flows and reassess revenue tied to add‑ons and nudges.