Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines Issued To Regulate Shared Mobility

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2020. The objectives of issuing these guidelines include regulating shared mobility and reducing traffic congestion and pollution. For this the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 has been amended by the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, 2019 to include the definition of the term 'aggregator'. The aim is also also provide ease of doing business, customer safety and driver welfare. The guidelines state that license issued by the State Governments is a mandatory re-requisite for permitting business operations by the aggregator. In order to ensure compliance with the license requirements the Act stipulates penalties under section 93 of the Act.

Fare regulation, drivers welfare, service to citizens parameters and ensuring safety will be ensured.

The guidelines seek to establish a regulatory framework to ensure that the aggregators are accountable and responsible for the operations executed by them. This will also enable the Government to achieve its goal of ensuring maximisation of using public transport, reduced fuel consumption consequently reducing the import bill and reduced vehicular pollution thereby reduced harm to human health. Electric vehicles and vehicles running on Ethanol or Methanol are exempted from the getting a permit.

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Electric vehicles and vehicles running on Ethanol or Methanol are exempted from the getting a permit.

According to the Centre, proposed guidelines will ensure regulation of aggregators, eligibility conditions / qualifications for of an entity to be an aggregator and compliance with regard to vehicles and drivers. In addition to this manner of fare regulation, drivers welfare, service to citizens parameters and ensuring safety will be taken car of. Evolving concepts like pooling and ride sharing in private cars will also be looked after.