Ola will be operational in London from February 10

• Indian ride-hailing platform Ola is all set to capitalise on Uber’s exit in London. It will be operational in the city from February 10 — with over 20,000 drivers.
  
• The cab aggregator is wooing its first-time riders by extending £25 worth of credit, if they sign up in the first week of launch.
  
• Ola claims to have provided over 3 million rides with more than 11,000 drivers in the UK so far.
  
• The decision to become operational in London came after Uber lost its license to operate there.

Indian ride-hailing platform Ola is all set to capitalise on Uber’s exit in London. It will be operational in the city from February 10 — with over 20,000 drivers. The cab aggregator is wooing its first-time riders by extending £25 (₹2,341) worth of credit, if they sign up in the first week of launch.

The company is positive about leading in the new market, thanks to the security features it offers. That includes 24/7 helplines for drivers and customers and in-app emergency button. It had earlier said that it will implement facial recognition to authenticate drivers. It said that it will not allow the drivers that have been blocked by the London’s transport regulator to operate on its platform — the mistake that Uber did.

With this, Ola has added yet another feather in its cap. The cab aggregator kicked off its operation in the UK two years ago. Since then, it expanded its presence across 28 districts in the region including Birmingham, Coventry and Warwick — that witnessed double digit growth in number of rides in the last quarter.

The decision to become operational in London came after Uber lost its license to operate there.

“The overwhelmingly positive reception to Ola since launching in the UK in 2018 illustrates the significant demand from drivers, riders and communities. We are working closely with drivers to build a high quality and reliable service for Londoners. Launching in London is a major milestone for us and we are keen to offer a first class experience for all our customers,” said Simon Smith, Head of Ola International.

The drivers associated with Ola will benefit from six weeks of zero commission and market-leading commission rates, according to the company’s statement. Ola claims to have provided over three million rides with more than 11,000 drivers in the UK so far. Apart from India and the UK, it operates in only two other markets — New Zealand and Australia.

See also:
Ola races for a London launch as Uber loses licence⁠— and it has facial recognition to vet drivers

Uber just lost its licence to operate in London