App-based shuttles to go legit in Maharashtra

Commuters in Maharashtra, long frustrated by unreliable buses and crowded commutes, may soon find daily shuttles safer, more reliable, and easier to book.

- Sakshi Sadashiv

And app-based shuttle operators in the state may finally gain legitimacy.

A new draft policy—the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Rules, 2025—proposes to bring private buses and contract carriages under app-based aggregator norms for the first time. A draft, copy released on Saturday and reviewed by Mint but not yet public, mandates operators to hold valid permits and bars use of vehicles older than eight years.