Indian taxi-hailing firm Ola is entering the UK market, adding a further challenge to Uber as it expands worldwide.
Founded in 2011, Ola currently serves 125 million customers in 110 cities. It has obtained licences to set up operations in South Wales, beginning with Cardiff, Newport and Vale of Glamorgan. Services will also begin in Greater Manchester within the next month.
Ola’s UK platform will offer customers a choice of either a private hire vehicle or a traditional black cab. The company says it is seeking to incorporate additional transport options in future.
The firm is working with local authorities to expand across the UK by the end of the year.
Ola offers passengers DBS-screened drivers, 24/7 voice support, options to share ride details with emergency contacts and in-app emergency features.
The platform launched in Australia in February 2018, where it now operates in seven major cities.
Bhavish Aggarwal, co-founder and CEO of Ola, commented: “Ola is excited to announce its plans for the UK, one of the world’s most evolved transportation markets. The UK is a fantastic place to do business and we look forward to providing a responsible, compelling, new service that can help the country meet its ever-demanding mobility needs. We look forward to our continued engagement with policymakers and regulators as we expand across the country and build a company embedded in the UK.”
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