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The ride-hailing firm Ola has announced that it’s starting operations in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, New Zealand. The SoftBank Group Corp-backed cab aggregators Ola will test the waters where its larger rival, Uber Technologies Inc is currently operating.
The Bengaluru-headquartered firm said that it’s starting operations in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. To build its market presence, the company has appointed Brian Dewil, co-founder and director of the robotics startup Horizon Robotics, as country manager.
Bhavish Aggarwal, co-founder and chief executive officer of Ola, said in a statement, “We see a real opportunity in New Zealand to provide a fair alternative in the rideshare space for both customers and drivers.”
New Zealand’s ride-hailing market came under the attention earlier this month when Uber said it would not allow customers with low passenger ratings, to use its services. “Kiwis have had too little choice when it comes to rideshare,” Dewil said.
Ola currently operates in across seven major Australian cities, where it has close to 50,000 registered drivers. Founded in 2011, it caters to about 125 million users overall. In India, it has a presence in about 110 cities.
The ride-hailing firm which is administered by ANI Technologies Pvt. Ltd., said it’s inviting private vehicle owners to register on its platform and is offering an introductory commission of 9 per cent.
