Lok Sabha Question No. 1141 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-05
Subject: Annual Pass System for Commercial Taxi Drivers
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Shri Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has considered extending the annual toll pass  system,  presently  available  only  for  private  non-commercial vehicles to commercial taxis, cab aggregators and fleet operators and if so, the status and proposed terms of such a scheme;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  any  data  on  the  State  entry  tax burden faced by commercial taxis and fleet vehicles operating across State  boundaries  and  if  so,  whether  any  policy  measures  are  under consideration  to  harmonise  such  taxes  so  that  a  single  national payment  mechanism  can  be  used  with  revenue  fairly  distributed  to States; and
- (c)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  put  caps  on  daily  driving hours  or  driver  rest  requirements  for  commercial  taxi  drivers  to enhance  road  safety  and  if  so,  whether  regulatory  or  technological mechanisms (e.g., digital logs or telematics) are being considered to enforce such limits?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

- (a)  The  issue  of  extending  the  benefit  of  annual  pass  for  noncommercial  vehicles  to  commercial  taxis,  cab  aggregators  is  not under consideration.  As per National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates  and  Collection)  Rules,  2008,  there  is  a  provision  for  other discounts in user fee for commercial vehicles registered in the district and monthly passes for regular users of National Highways.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1141 ANSWERED ON 5 TH  FEBRUARY, 2026

## ANNUAL PASS SYSTEM FOR COMMERCIAL TAXI DRIVERS

1141. SHRI GURMEET SINGH MEET HAYER:

Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

(b)  The  Motor  Vehicles  (MV)  Act,  1988  provides the legal  framework for  registration,  permits  and  movement of motor vehicles across the country.  However,  levy  and  collection  of  taxes  on  motor  vehicles, including entry taxes, fall within the constitutional domain of States, and  such  taxes  are  governed  by  respective  State  Motor  Vehicle taxation laws. (c)  Under  the  provisions  of  Section  91  of  the  MV  Act  read  with  the Motor  Transport  Workers  Act,  1961,  working  hours  of  the  drivers operating transport vehicles have been limited to 08 hours a day and 48 hours in a week. These regulations limit driving time and mandate rest  periods  to  prevent  fatigue  enhancing  road  safety  for  drivers  as well as passengers. Further,  in  compliance  with  the  Supreme  Court's  directions  dated 17.04.2025  in  IA  No.  127506  of  2024  in  WP  (C)  No.  295  of  2012 regarding  enforcement  of  statutory  driver  working-hour  provisions,  a committee  of  State  Labour  and  Transport  Secretaries  has  been constituted  to  recommend  actionable  measures.  The  committee  has submitted a consolidated report covering short- and long-term steps such as monitoring of driving hours, provision of two-driver systems on long  routes,  use  of  fatigue-monitoring  technology,  command-control centre  integration  and  mechanisms  for  improving  driver  welfare  and awareness.

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