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Taxi-hailing firm Ola starts operating in Wales Taxi-hailing firm Ola starts operating in Wales
(about 1 hour later)
Indian taxi-hailing giant Ola begins operating in Cardiff, Newport and Vale of Glamorgan on Monday. Indian taxi-hailing giant Ola begins operating in the UK on Monday.
The company announced earlier this month it would be moving into the UK, with south Wales and Greater Manchester its first ports of call. The company, a challenge to taxi app giant Uber, has launched a "soft pilot" in south Wales before it plans to expand into Greater Manchester next.
Founded in 2011, Ola continues to challenge Uber around the world and has 125 million customers and a presence in 110 cities. Ola, which has 125 million customers around the world, is available Cardiff, Newport and the Vale of Glamorgan.
The firm said it hoped to expand across the UK by the end of 2018. The firm was founded in 2011 and Ola's UK boss Ben Legg says his company will pay drivers more money than Uber and will offer work to licensed drivers.
Ola said it would be the only ride-hailing app in south Wales to offer customers the option of private hire vehicles and black taxis on one platform. Ola previously operated in two countries after adding Australia to its Indian operation earlier this year and the UK will be its third.
Ben Legg, managing director of Ola UK, said: "This is an exciting moment for everyone at Ola and we are very pleased that south Wales is where we will be starting our UK journey. The company said it hoped to expand across the UK by the end of 2018.
Ola, which has a presence in 110 cities, said it would be the only ride-hailing app in south Wales to offer customers the option of private hire vehicles and black taxis on one platform.
Mr Legg, Ola UK's managing director, claimed his firm will pay drivers more money, offer work to licensed taxi drivers, provide "much better safety" and work more alongside local government.
Uber told a court earlier this year it accepted its London operating licence should not have been renewed in 2017 but said there has been "wholesale change" since then.
Mr Legg said the Ola app had features which allow passengers to alert police and loved ones at the touch of a button.
"This is an exciting moment for everyone at Ola and we are very pleased that south Wales is where we will be starting our UK journey," said Mr Legg.
"Over recent weeks, Ola has received positive feedback from drivers in south Wales and looks forward to providing passengers with a dynamic, new responsible service.""Over recent weeks, Ola has received positive feedback from drivers in south Wales and looks forward to providing passengers with a dynamic, new responsible service."
This move is the first serious challenge in the UK to market-leading taxi-hailing app Uber, which was founded two years earlier than Ola, has three million drivers and operates in 600 cities in 65 countries.This move is the first serious challenge in the UK to market-leading taxi-hailing app Uber, which was founded two years earlier than Ola, has three million drivers and operates in 600 cities in 65 countries.
Ola only operates in two countries - the UK will be its third - after starting its first operations in Australia earlier this year.