Ride-hailing app Ola launches services in Coventry and Warwick

Ola, one of the world’s largest ride-hailing platforms, launched its services in Coventry and Warwick.

For the past three weeks, drivers from across these communities have been busy in training, after local councils granted the technology and transport pioneer with both taxi and private hire licenses - a first for these areas.

Ola's easy to use ride-hailing app will transform the use of transport for the 600,000 locals in the area. The local community and visitors will benefit from greater travel choice, with quicker and easier access to taxis. Customers will also enjoy competitive pricing - with new users receiving 50% off all rides for their first two weeks, as well as important 24-hour safety support with Ola's in-app customer care and emergency service.

Alok Pandya, Ola's Regional Manager for the West Midlands, Coventry and Warwick, said: “We are thrilled to expand our service to Coventry and Warwick, having launched in Birmingham earlier this year. We have learnt a huge amount in the twelve months since launch and feel immensely proud that our drivers have already provided over one million rides across the UK. Coventry is the home of the black cab, and as such we are delighted to be able to boost the employment opportunities for local drivers. We are leading the way with driver benefits and are the only app in the area to include black cab drivers in our dynamic fleet.”

Ola is the only app that can be used by both black cabs and Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) in the area, giving both drivers and riders even more choice. As part of their pledge to empower drivers, Ola offers the highest driver rates compared with competitors. This industry leading rate also enables passengers to enjoy industry-leading prices.

To encourage inclusivity for their drivers, Ola has committed to make black cab and PHV ride options equally as attractive to app users, by ensuring that they are competitively priced. Black cabs do not ‘peak', meaning that they can be cheaper when PHVs are in high demand.

Passengers have taken more than one million rides across the UK through Ola's ride-hailing app since the company launched in Cardiff in August 2018. Since then Ola has been warmly welcomed in Bristol in October; Bath and Exeter in November; and Liverpool, Birmingham and Reading this March. Coventry and Warwick will be the eighth and ninth UK launches, with the company set to begin operations in London before the end of the year.