Ride-hailing firm Ola kicks off operations in UK
Uber rival Ola today launched its first services in the UK, as it started operations across South Wales in Cardiff, Newport and Vale of Glamorgan.
The Indian firm, which has 125m customers worldwide, says it will offer drivers high introductory commission rates. Customers will also be given discounts on journeys using the ride-hailing app.
The company said it is the only ride-hailing app that gives customers the option of Private Hire Vehicles and taxis on one platform.
Ola has plans to expand further across the UK in 2018, and already has a license to operate in Greater Manchester.
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. We are determined to do a great job for the community and work closely with local authorities to help with their mobility goals.
One of its main rivals, Uber, has had a difficult time of late and recently reported losses of $404m in the last quarter due to mounting expansion costs.
Uber is also embroiled in a legal fight with London authorities, and last week mayor Sadiq Khan said he was looking to impose a cap on new licenses for ride-hailing vehicles.