After a successful launch in Australia, ride-hailing platform Ola has launched its services in the United Kingdom. The inaugural services were launched across South Wales on 20 August. The company says it will offer customers the option of private hire vehicles (PHVs) and taxis from its platform.
Celebrating its UK launch, Ola is offering some discounted rides. Customers in South Wales can download the Ola app on Google Play or iOS App Store and open an account to begin booking rides.
“Ola welcomes drivers to its platform to reap the benefits of market-leading introductory commission rates – as low as 10% for PHV drivers and 5% for Taxis – as well as payments made daily, to help them earn more money and access it easily,” the company said in a statement.
Ben Legg, Managing Director of Ola UK, said: “This is an exciting moment for everyone at Ola and we are very pleased that South Wales is where we will be starting our UK journey. Over recent weeks, Ola has received positive feedback from drivers in South Wales and looks forward to providing passengers with a dynamic, new responsible service.”
Ola plans to expand across the US by the end of 2018, and has already obtained licences to operate in Greater Manchester.
The company says it engages Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) screened drivers and boasts of 24/7 voice support, options to share ride details with emergency contacts and in-app emergency features.
Ola launched its services in Australia in February 2018, where it now operates in seven major cities. According to the company, over 40,000 drivers across Australia have registered with Ola and completed millions of rides.
Ola has more than 1 million drivers and 125 million customers in over 110 cities, and the company says it now conducts 1 billion rides each year globally.