Ola set to triple its locations in Australia and New Zealand

With over 85,000 driver-partners signed up, Ola is the fastest growing ridesharing player in the region.

The company aims to double its scale by 2021, as it introduces technology and category innovations to cater to local mobility needs.

Australia and New Zealand are key markets for Ola, where a majority of the population living in metropolitan cities is dependent on ride-sharing services for mobility. Ola has differentiated itself by focusing on driver benefits and by charging industry-low commission rates of 15% in Australia and 18% in New Zealand.

This has significantly increased earnings for drivers, making Ola their preferred platform to drive on. The presence of a large number of cars has improved the customer-booking experience by decreasing the average wait-times, and making rides available quicker than before. Drivers have served well over 160 million kilometres with Ola across Australia and New Zealand since launch last year, which stands testament to the tremendous growth that the platform has experienced in such a short period.

Simon Smith, Head of International, Ola, said, “We have seen a phenomenal response to our services across Australia and New Zealand since our launch in February last year. Ola’s competitive edge lies in offering better value fares to customers and a better deal for drivers, who earn more from every ride, and bringing industry-leading safety-tech innovations to the local market.  Today, Ola leads the global rideshare industry by enabling higher driver earnings, demonstrating our driver-focused approach to mobility. We are excited to increase our presence in the region, while remaining committed to the development of pioneering technology and category innovations, as we build a safe, reliable and inclusive mobility platform for the world.”

Ola has consistently led mobility innovations to enhance the rideshare experience in its global markets. In the past year, the platform added two-step verification to begin rides via a one-time password (OTP) system. A norm in India, this was an industry-first for users in the ANZ region, and has ensured that each time, the ride begins only after the right passenger sits in the right car. Recently, Ola also launched a new Premium category in Sydney, which offers luxury cars within minutes.

Ola began its international foray last year with Australia being the first country to launch. Within a span of a few months, Ola expanded its services to the UK and then New Zealand in quick succession. Recently, Ola was granted a Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) license by Transport for London (TfL) and is subsequently starting to onboard drivers ahead of launching its service in London.