Ola Revives Carpooling Service After 4-Year Hiatus
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Ola restarts carpooling service after 4 years
Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal had also announced the feature at Ola's annual community event 'Sankalp' on August 15 Bhavish Aggarwal's Ola Consumer has relaunched its carpooling feature known as 'Ola Share,' Moneycontrol reported. This comes after nearly four years after the service shut down due to Covid-19. Aggarwal had also announced the feature at Ola's annual community event 'Sankalp' on August 15. "We are bringing back Ola Share for cheaper rides, with lower cost rides. This time the experience is much better with AI driven algorithm...We will look at expanding to other cities soon," Aggarwal said. On similar lines, Uber had launched its Group Rides in Delhi and Rapido launched its carpooling services in Bengaluru.
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Ola relaunches this service 4 years after its suspension: What CEO Bhavish Aggarwal said - Times of India
Ola has officially relaunched its car-pooling service, Ola Share. Starting with Bangalore, this service will allow Ola Cabs users to share their rides which were suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, Ola paused this service to curb the spread of coronavirus. At the company's recent 'Sankalp' community event, CEO Bhavish Aggarwal announced the return of the feature.Watch the event here (cue 3:11:50): "We are bringing back Ola Share with cheaper and lower-cost rides. This time with a much better AI-driven algorithm," Aggarwal said at the Sankalp community event. The service has already gone live in Bangalore. Aggarwal confirmed that the service will "expand to other cities soon." Ola Coins loyalty program introduced Apart from announcing the return of Ola Share, Aggarwal introduced a loyalty program named Ola Coins that will offer customers benefits for using the company's services. "A loyalty program across all Ola services. You'll be able to earn and redeem these coins with every transaction. You'll have personalised loyalty benefits," Aggarwal added. This service has also gone live only in Bangalore. Aggarwal said that this loyalty program will be scaled up across other cities "very soon." Earlier this month, Ola Electric Mobility, became India's first electric vehicle manufacturer, to get listed on the stock exchange. Ola raised over Rs 5,500 crore through the IPO, with plans to allocate a significant portion of the funds towards various initiatives. The company said that it will invest Rs 1,600 crore in research and product development, repay debts with Rs 800 crore, and allocate Rs 350 crore for organic growth. Furthermore, Ola intends to utilise Rs 1,227.6 crore to expand the capacity of its cell manufacturing plant from 5 GWh to 6.4 GWh. The TOI Tech Desk is a dedicated team of journalists committed to delivering the latest and most relevant news from the world of technology to readers of The Times of India. TOI Tech Desk's news coverage spans a wide spectrum across gadget launches, gadget reviews, trends, in-depth analysis, exclusive reports and breaking stories that impact technology and the digital universe. Be it how-tos or the latest happenings in AI, cybersecurity, personal gadgets, platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and more; TOI Tech Desk brings the news with accuracy and authenticity.
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Ola, the Indian ride-hailing giant, has reintroduced its carpooling service after a four-year break. The move aims to reduce traffic congestion and offer more affordable rides to customers.
Ola's Carpooling Service Makes a Comeback
Ola, one of India's leading ride-hailing platforms, has announced the revival of its carpooling service after a four-year hiatus. The company's CEO, Bhavish Aggarwal, took to social media to share the news, stating that the service is now live and operational
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.Addressing Urban Mobility Challenges
The reintroduction of the carpooling service comes as a response to the growing concerns of traffic congestion and the need for more sustainable transportation options in urban areas. Ola's carpooling feature aims to tackle these issues by allowing multiple passengers traveling in the same direction to share a ride, potentially reducing the number of vehicles on the road
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.Cost-Effective Solution for Commuters
One of the key advantages of the carpooling service is its potential to offer more affordable rides to customers. By sharing the cost of the journey among multiple passengers, the per-person expense is expected to be significantly lower compared to individual rides. This cost-effectiveness could make the service particularly attractive to budget-conscious commuters and those looking to reduce their transportation expenses
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.CEO's Vision for the Service
Bhavish Aggarwal expressed his enthusiasm for the relaunched service, emphasizing its potential to make a positive impact on urban mobility. He stated, "Carpooling is back on Ola app! A sustainable solution to traffic and a pocket friendly option for daily commute"
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. This statement underscores the company's commitment to addressing both environmental and economic concerns through innovative transportation solutions.Related Stories
Previous Iteration and Regulatory Challenges
It's worth noting that Ola had previously offered a carpooling service called Ola Share, which was discontinued in 2020. The service faced regulatory challenges in some regions, with concerns raised about the legality of private car owners using their vehicles for commercial purposes without proper permits
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.Future Prospects and Competition
The relaunch of Ola's carpooling service comes at a time when the ride-hailing industry is evolving to meet changing consumer needs and environmental concerns. As urban areas continue to grapple with traffic congestion and air pollution, carpooling services like Ola's could play a crucial role in promoting more sustainable and efficient transportation options. However, the success of the service will likely depend on factors such as user adoption, regulatory compliance, and the company's ability to balance the interests of riders, drivers, and local authorities
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