You’ll soon be able to get an Ola down under! According to a statement by the India-based cab aggregator on Tuesday, 30 January, the service is set to expand its base to Australia, intensifying competition with its US-based rival, Uber.
We are very excited about launching Ola in Australia and see immense potential for the ride-sharing ecosystem which embraces new technology and innovation.Bhavish Aggarwal, Co-founder and CEO, Ola
The SoftBank-backed firm said it is now bringing owners of private hire-vehicles in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth onboard its service, the statement on 30 January said.
Ola plans to launch its services in Australia in early 2018, it added.
The company aims to create a high-quality and affordable travel experience for citizens with a strong focus on driver-partners and the community at large.Bhavish Aggarwal, Co-founder and CEO, Ola
Ola was founded in 2011, and has over 125 million registered users, and over a million drivers across 110 cities in India at present. The company told TechCrunch that it is working to gain the necessary approvals to launch its service in Australia, initially in Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth.
Ola's primary competitor in the Australian market would be US-based Uber. The companies are already locked in an intense battle for leadership in the Indian market.
Uber launched its operations in Australia in 2012 and currently operates in 19 Australian cities including the major cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Canberra.
Founded in 2011, Ola has over 125 million users and more than one million “driver-partners” across 110 cities on its platform in India.
The Bengaluru-based company serves as many as a billion rides annually, through its platform.
(With inputs from PTI & TechCrunch)
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