Ola planning to expand in Australia; has started inviting drivers from Sydney, Melbourne and Perth to get on its platform

Indian ride-hailing company **Ola** is planning to expand its operation in the international market. The company has started inviting private vehicle owners and driver partners in various cities of Australia. [caption id=“attachment_4200121” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Reuters image[/caption] Ola is planning to start its operations in early 2018 in Australia and has started inviting drivers in the cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Perth to register on its platform. It will compete with its arch-rival ride-hailing company Uber in Australia. According to a report on ETtech, Satish Meena, senior analyst at research firm Forrester said that Ola will benefit from the presence of **Uber** in the country as drivers are already aware of how the system works. He also mentioned that the company might find it expensive to lure customers and drivers initially. “We are very excited about launching Ola in Australia and see immense potential for the ride-sharing ecosystem which embraces new technology and innovation,” said Bhavish Aggarwal, co-founder and CEO, Ola. He further added, “With a strong focus on driver-partners and the community at large, we aim to create a high-quality and affordable travel experience for citizens and look forward to contributing to a healthy mobility ecosystem in Australia.” Ola recently bought food delivery business **Foodpanda** in India. The company has also launched ‘Ola Lite’ app that uses only 1 MB storage and loads under three seconds. The ride-hailing company is testing an environmentally friendly **bicycle sharing service** on various campuses in the country. The Ola cycle can be used for “distances that are not far, but too far to walk”. College campuses, corporate parks or residential complexes are few of the places where it can be of good use.