Indian cab hailing company, Ola, on Tuesday said that more than 10,000 private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers in London have registered with the platform within three weeks of announcing its plans to start operations in the city. In an attempt to incentivize drivers to sign-up for Ola, the company had extended a first of its kind offer that enabled drivers to enjoy zero percent commission for the first two months after the launch, thus, allowing them to retain 100 percent of their earnings from the platform during the period.
“We are pleased with the overwhelming response from drivers across London. Every interaction with drivers in the city has presented us with an opportunity to create a platform that best serves their needs, as well as those of consumers”, Simon Smith, Head of International, Ola, said in a statement. “We look forward to working with drivers in building a high quality and reliable mobility service for Londoners”, Smith said.
Ola, operating in the UK since 2018, obtained the license to operate in London earlier in the year even as its US-based rival, Uber, lost its license to operate in the city after the local transport regulator declared the cab aggregator ‘unqualified’ to offer its services in the UK capital following a spate of safety failures. Ironically, Ola announced its London plans just a day after Uber lost its licence.
Ola originally entered the UK last year by starting operations in South Wales. The company has since expanded to a number of prominent cities in the country, including Birmingham, Bristol, and Liverpool. Till now, the company has provided around 3 million rides with over 11,000 drivers operating on the platform around the country. The ride-hailing firm now also offers its services in Australia and New Zealand. Overall, Ola operates in around 250 cities around the world, including all major cities in India.
With Inputs From IANS
