The ride-hailing firm, Ola, has launched in the UK capital, London. The service, which went live at midnight, offers three ride classes: Comfort, Comfort XL, and Exec, delivered by over 25,000 drivers that have registered so far.
Ola is touting its safety credentials as part of the launch. It said that it has made three partnerships with “established leaders” to raise driver standards. The three partners are DriveTech (part of the AA), Mercer, and Pearson. Drivers will get training from Mercer to improve driving skills, driver customer service, and communication skills. Pearson’s Versant spoken English test will also ensure drivers can communicate well with passengers.
To further boost safety, Ola runs an AI and machine learning tool called Guardian to detect irregular vehicle activity, a ‘Start Code’ feature ensures drivers and passengers are correctly matched, drivers and riders can access 24/7 voice support, and drivers will be limited to a six penalty point policy before being kicked off the platform.
Commenting on the launch, Simon Smith, Head of Ola International, said:
“We are thrilled to now be live in London. This is a major milestone for our business and represents the next step in our ambitions to connect people in cities throughout the country. We are proud of the progress Ola has made in the UK and we look forward to building on our success by offering a differentiated service to Londoners, focused on quality, safety and reliability.”
Drivers that join the platform will get six weeks without having to pay a commission and passengers will also get £25 worth of ride vouchers for signing up in the first week after launch.