Exclusive: Ride-hailing app Ola launches new corporate service
Ride-hailing app Ola will today launch a new service for its corporate clients, City A.M. can reveal.
According to the Indian firm, Ola Corporate, which will be available to businesses across the UK, could save firms up to 25 per cent on their travel expenses.
The firm said that it was cheaper than alternative services because it only charges for time used, not wait times or platform fees.
Corporate clients will operate the service using a personalised dashboard where they can add and manage employees.
Employees book their own rides on their app as normal and then tag the ride as a corporate ride, with fares paid automatically through the business account.
UK managing director Marc Rozendal said that the new service would show Ola’s ability “to grow and diversify in the UK”.
He said: “The new service will build on the success we have had, with our focus on quality, safety and reliability remaining at the core of everything we do.
“We look forward to working with businesses across the UK to meet their mobility needs and helping people to get back to work safely.”
The launch is the latest move Ola has made in its attempt to topple Uber from the top spot in the increasingly competitive ride-hailing market.
Although it launched in Cardiff in 2018, the firm only started operating in London in February this year.
Across the UK, it has around 3m users, and 25,000 drivers are on the app in London alone. By comparison, Uber has 45,000 drivers, while Bolt and Free Now have 35,000 each.
Ola’s launch comes as Uber begins its final appeal against a ruling that it should treat its drivers as employees and provide them with national minimum wage and holiday pay.
It is also preparing to appeal against Transport for London’s decision to strip it of its license to operate in the capital due to safety issues, which will be heard in September.
Last month Ola launched its new Ride Safe UK campaign, which will see it put £50m into a number of safety-related areas over the next 12 months.