Ola has announced that Ola Share has been launched for customers in Bengaluru and is being offered at an introductory rate of Rs 50. The announcement for the carpooling feature comes on the same day Uber started its own taxi-sharing scheme in the city.
Ola Share is still in its beta stage and is accessible by patrons in Bengaluru through the brand’s app. The service is probably seeking to distinguish itself from other pooling tools through its social angle, wherein people can choose to ride with folks from groups which they are members of. Individuals will be able to create multiple communities and share rides within them or opt to go with anyone.
Ola claims it uses advanced algorithms to match consumers who are going along the same path in real time. If a new rider is identified en-route, the driver gets an alert while they’re driving and is sent to the pickup location. The brand stated that only 3 people are allowed to share a taxi at a time. The tool is set to be rolled out to over 5 cities within the next 3 months.
Ola will be competing with Uber’s new carpooling initiative, dubbed UberPool. The service is similar but does not have an option to ride with people within the same social circles. It allows up to 4 people per ride and the cost depends upon the destination. The brand displays the fare at the outset, which will be applicable even if no matches are found for the destination.
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Ishan Gupta, the head of Ola Share, claims the new feature will result in a major drop in traffic, pollution and congestion in Bengaluru. And customers will benefit from cheaper travel of course.