Ola has introduced a new service called Share Express in its app. The new service will have taxis running on a fixed route and a rider can take a ride if the pickup and destination fall on that route. As of now, the new service has been launched in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, and Jaipur.
The customer will have to enter pick-up and drop points in the app, and if the route coincides with the express route, 'Share Express' option will appear in the app. The company claims that the rides are almost 30 percent cheaper than Ola Share rides, with prices as low as ₹30 on a 4-kilometre route.
"Having pioneered shared mobility in India, it is one of the key focus areas for Ola which enables far reaching benefits of reduced pollution and congestion on Indian roads," Raghuvesh Sarup, CMO at Ola said. "Ola Share is the most preferred and advanced ride-sharing offering in India today."
Right now, there are 100 express routes in the four cities where Share Express has been launched. The company plans to expand this service to 300 routes and a total of 10 cities.
"Advanced algorithms match a customer only with others who are traveling on that fixed route," Sarup explained. "With the introduction of 'Share Express', we aim to decongest the busiest routes in our busiest cities, while ensuring a quicker commute for our users."
One of the service's key features is the absence of surge pricing on these paths. Meanwhile, Ola's competitor Uber is looking to invest another $1bn in India. Ola chief Bhavish Agarwal has accused the American cab hailing service of growing its business by pumping cash instead of innovating.