Ola ramps up its Bike category; organizes India’s first ‘Bike Driver Mela’ to onboard thousands of new driver-entrepreneurs
Hyderabad, December 18, 2018: Hyderabad is set to witness India’s first ‘Bike Driver Mela’ as Ola, one of the world’s largest ride-hailing platforms, today announced its plan to reach out to thousands of bike driver-entrepreneurs through a unique two-day event. Starting December 19th, the Mela will bring together a host of manufacturers, service providers, RTO representatives and financial institutions under one roof, to enable deep discounts and savings for aspiring bike driver partners. These partners will have the flexibility to choose between ownership and leasing (renting). Additionally, Ola will also help in conversions to yellow board plates. The two-day event will be inaugurated by Shri Jayesh Ranjan IAS, Principal Secretary of the Industries & Commerce (I&C) and Information Technology (IT) Departments, Telangana government and Shri Raghunandan Rao IAS, Hyderabad District Collector.
Ola Bike is a dynamic smart mobility option that enables first and last-mile connectivity in cities, specifically to help manoeuvre through congested roads. With low fares, and safety features such as mandatory ISI certified helmets, emergency button, 24/7 support for both, customers and driver-partners, Ola Bike is targeted at providing affordable mobility to cover short distances in a timely manner. Since its launch last year, Ola bikes have steadily grown to be a popular choice as a quick and affordable mobility solution for individual commuters during peak hours. On average, bikes help commuters save upwards of 30% of their commute time and see a reduction of more than 50% in fare as opposed to other means of transport.
Speaking on the occasion, Sandeep Upadhyay, Business Head at Ola, said, “With congestion constantly on the rise, Ola Bike offers a respite by making daily commute faster, greener and cheaper. Ola Bikes efficiently sneak past the traffic in the lanes and by-lanes of Hyderabad, making it a preferred choice of commute for hundreds of thousands of Hyderabadis. It also provides entrepreneurship opportunities to tens of thousands of unemployed youth, who can choose to either own or lease the vehicle. Melas provide a unique ‘one-stop’ solution to existing and potential driver-partners, who get access to range of services and offerings from the ecosystem. Taking inspiration from Ola’s successful cab and auto melas, we’re confident this first-of-its-kind Ola Bike Mela will help create a new set of entrepreneurs that are focused towards building robust mobility for all.”
The offering is equally popular amongst driver partners, especially first-time entrepreneurs, due to its low cost of investment, maintenance and significantly better returns. Moreover, the flexibility to choose working hours and the relative ease of operating in traffic makes it a viable option for students and women to supplement their income.
Potteti Shashidhar Reddy has been operating as an Ola Bike driver-entrepreneur for a year and has commented on his experience, “Earlier I worked as a delivery executive for a courier company which involved working for over 10 hours a day wherein I could make around Rs. 10,000 per month. After I joined Ola as a bike driver-partner, my earnings have increased two-fold, thanks to the sheer demand from customers. Most of my customers are office-goers and students who have to reach their destination quickly which wouldn’t be the case with bigger vehicles. The best part about driving a bike is the high fuel efficiency and the lower cost of maintenance, which directly translates to more earnings for me. I’m sure this Mela will give an opportunity to a lot of people to begin their journey as an entrepreneur with Ola.”
The Ola Bike Mela is scheduled for the 19th and 20th of December at two venues listed below. Apart from guidance on new two-wheeler purchase and finance options, the Mela will also have food-stalls, fun games and activities and a lucky draw that gives a chance to win a variety of prizes from smartphones, to motorcycles. The Mela will also provide guidance to existing bike owners on converting white number-plates to commercial yellow plates.
About Ola:
Founded in 2011 by Bhavish Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati, Ola is one of the world’s largest ride-hailing companies. Ola integrates city transportation for customers and drivers onto a mobile technology platform ensuring convenient, transparent, safe and quick service fulfilment. Ola is focused on leveraging the best of technology and building innovative solutions ground-up, that are relevant at global scale. Notably, in 2016, Ola Play the world’s first connected car platform for ride-sharing was launched, transforming commuting experiences and setting the tone for global innovation in this space. Using the Ola mobile app, users across 125+ cities, can connect with over a million drivers across a diverse range of vehicles. Driven by a hyperlocal approach, Ola is committed to its mission of building mobility for a billion people.
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