Australia’s fastest growing rideshare app will launch locally with drivers to keep 100% of the fare

Byron Bay, 12 February 2020: Ola, one of the world’s largest ridesharing platforms, will be available to passengers in Byron Bay and surrounds in the coming weeks, as the company gears up to bring more competition to rideshare across the country.

The local launch of the popular app is part of a national expansion for Ola across 18 new regional hubs Australia-wide. The company is actively recruiting rideshare drivers in the Byron Bay and Lismore area and 17 other towns in Victoria, NSW, QLD, WA and Tasmania.

Ola has become Australia’s fastest-growing rideshare company with both customers and drivers gaining from its strategy of offering competitive fares and regular deals to passengers, and taking a lower cut of the fare from its drivers, which increases their earnings. When the next round of regional locations go live to customers this quarter, Ola rides will be available to nearly 90% of the Australian population.

Simon Smith, Managing Director of Ola Australia and New Zealand, says offering services in Byron Bay and the surrounding region will bring more competition and choice to both rideshare users and drivers in the area.

“Since launching in this country two years ago, millions of Australians have benefitted from riding with Ola and it’s time we gave the same choice to people in Byron Bay.

“We also want to offer drivers in the area the opportunity to make more money on their own schedule – whether it’s driving on the weekend, during morning and evening commutes, or just in their spare time,” Smith said.

Ola will give Byron Bay rideshare drivers who complete their registration before launch 100% of the fare on every ride they take with the platform across a four week period*. Ola has already attracted 75,000 drivers across Australia, by offering lower commissions than their largest competitor, helping drivers earn more on every Ola ride. Having access to a car means that people on a flying holiday can access the many very popular attractions listed at school holiday activities brisbane.

When Ola goes live to customers in the Byron Bay area soon, new users will receive 30% off all rides for their first two weeks from sign-up, up to a maximum discount of $10 per ride. Locally, the service will cover an area from Kingscliff to Wardell.

Customer experience lies at the heart of Ola’s service with state-of-the-art safety features including an in-app emergency button which enables customers to instantly share important ride information with friends, family and emergency services.

Ola has recently launched an industry first security feature that sends users a one-time passcode, matching the right car with the right customer. Once passengers have booked an Ola ride via the app, they are sent a unique four-digit code which is then shared with the driver before the ride can begin.

Currently operating in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Sydney, Newcastle, the Central Coast of NSW, Melbourne, Ballarat and Bendigo, as well as 15 locations in New Zealand, Ola has already experienced rapid growth and expansion across the Tasman.

Drivers can learn more about registering and driving with Ola and the 0% commission offer by visiting: https://ola.com.au/driver/

 

*see Ola website for full Terms and Conditions of all customer and driver offers.

Ola’s new regional locations announced today are:

 

• Bathurst NSW
• Byron Bay NSW
• Orange NSW
• Coffs Harbour NSW
• Tamworth NSW
• Wagga Wagga NSW
• Port Macquarie NSW
• Bundaberg QLD
• Hervey Bay QLD
• Gladstone QLD
• Rockhampton QLD
• Horsham VIC
• Shepparton VIC
• Warrnambool VIC
• Surf Coast VIC
• Bunbury WA
• Busselton WA
• Launceston TAS

Ola also recently announced it will launch soon in:

 

• Hobart TAS
• Darwin NT
• Wollongong NSW
• Townsville QLD
• Cairns QLD
• Mackay QLD

 

Ola’s launch offers in the Byron Bay area are:

 

Drivers

• When drivers in the Byron Bay area complete registration by 11.59pm on the day before launch, Ola will offer an introductory commission of 0% on all bookings for their first four weeks. For full T&Cs, see https://ola.com.au/blog/commissiontcs

Customers

• New customers who sign up to the app will enjoy 30% off rides in the new locations for their first two weeks from launch, capped at $10 maximum discount per ride. For full T&Cs, see https://ola.com.au/au30new/

How to get started booking rides on the Ola app:

• Download the free Ola app from the App Store or Google Play
• Sign up with your details
• Once you enter your destination address, tap on ‘Ride Now’ and you will be prompted to enter your discount code.
• Check the fare estimate before pressing ‘Confirm Booking’ and wait at your pick-up location for your driver to arrive
• Before entering the car, confirm the number plate and car colour match the details provided in the app
• Give your driver your four-digit one-time passcode, found in the bottom right hand corner of the app, so your driver can start the ride
• Enjoy your ride!

 

About Ola Australia:

Ola is one of the world’s largest ridesharing platforms, operating in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and India. Ola is available to passengers in 13 cities and regional hubs across Australia, as well as 15 in New Zealand, creating a seamless transportation experience across the Tasman. Founded by Bhavish Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati in India in 2011, Ola helps move hundreds of millions of users via its network of over 2 million drivers hosted across 250+ cities, through its rider and driver apps. Ola is in a period of growth and expansion across ANZ and with a unique focus on drivers, is providing a new option to increase earnings in these markets. Globally, Ola is committed to its mission of building mobility for a billion people and beyond.   For more details, visit www.olacabs.com/media.