Ola set to offer Uber drivers in London a new platform to work on as ‘onboarding’ starts

Ride-hailing firm Ola have today announced that it has begun registering private hire drivers in London as it prepares to launch operations in the city.

The Indian minicab operator has started the recruitment process just a day after its main global rival was rejected a new operator's licence in the capital.

According to Uber there are 45,000 private hire drivers on it platform. Ola are targeting those drivers to assure that they can continue to provide their services in London under a new operator.

The ride-hailing firm launched in the UK with operations starting in Cardiff in August 2018 and have been steadily expanding across the country, now serving users across Birmingham, Liverpool, Exeter, Reading, Bristol, Bath, Coventry, and Warwick. 

Ola say that they place drivers at the heart of its operating philosophy, charging favourable commissions to allow drivers to keep more of their earnings.

Simon Smith, Head of International at Ola, said: “Today, we are inviting the tens of thousands of PHV drivers across London to register themselves on the Ola platform, as we prepare to launch in the city in the coming weeks.

“We have built a robust mobility platform for London which is fully compliant with TfL’s high standards. We have had constructive conversations with the authorities, drivers, and local communities in London over the past months, and look forward to contributing towards solving mobility issues in innovative and meaningful ways.”