§1What this business is
The owner buys one multi-seater jeep and plies it point to point on routes where buses are few. The profile is built on a 13+driver seat diesel jeep running 200 km a day for 300 days at ₹9 a km, which gives ₹5,40,000 a year. A driver (or the owner) and a helper run it. Where the State gives tax relief for taxis, the profile says it should be taken.
Capacity: 13 passengers plus driver; 200 km a day, 300 days a year.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A driver-owner on a busy village-to-town route who knows elementary repairs.
Who it is not for
An absentee investor; the profile says the owner should run the vehicle.
Advantages
- Villages and small towns have few buses, so seats fill
- 13 seats spread the fuel cost over many fares
- Can also be booked for weddings and tours
Drawbacks
- A large loan on a single vehicle
- Overloading is common on these routes and is illegal
- Vehicle loses value quickly on rough roads
Skills you need
- Commercial driving on hill or rural roads
- Basic diesel vehicle repair
- Route and fare planning
Why difficulty 2/5: Simple to run, but a big loan rides on one vehicle.
§3Market
Who buys
- Villagers and small-town commuters
- Groups booking for weddings, markets and pilgrimages
How it sells
- Taxi stand on a fixed route
- Phone bookings
Good to know
- The profile takes ₹9 a km for 200 km a day.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 13-seat diesel jeep (2,596 cc, 5 doors) with tax, registration and number plate | 1 | ₹5,06,400 |
From: NSTFDC model project profile — Trax Cruiser
- Diesel17 litres a day for 300 days; ₹1,83,600 a year in the profile
- Spare parts₹1,000 a month
§5Licences & registration
- Driving licence for a transport vehicle with badge where required
- Commercial registration and contract-carriage or stage-carriage permit from the RTO
- Insurance, fitness and pollution certificates
- Road tax as per the State
Start it in your state
Pick your state: today’s cost, central + state subsidy, raw material, land and help, on one page.
§6Schemes & subsidies
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
A vehicle loan under MUDRA (Kishore up to ₹5 lakh, Tarun up to ₹10 lakh) is the usual route. ST borrowers can ask their State Channelising Agency for NSTFDC term loans, which the profile is written for.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Vehicle ₹5,06,000 (with tax, registration and number plate) + preliminary expenses ₹1,000 + contingencies ₹1,000 + margin on working capital ₹3,000 = ₹5,11,000.
Working capital: Working capital ₹10,000: spares for a month ₹1,000, 5 days of receivables ₹8,000 and other current assets ₹1,000.
Year not printed on the NSTFDC profile and its rates are old — check current prices before you plan.
§8Export potential
A local service; there is no goods export in this business.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Accident with many passengers on board
- Diesel price rise
- Permit and route disputes with other operators
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working passenger jeep taxi (shared taxi) unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Driving licence for a transport vehicle with badge where required, Commercial registration and contract-carriage or stage-carriage permit from the RTO), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Passenger Jeep Taxi (Shared Taxi)?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.