News for 'ride-hailing'

Consumer protection agency sends notice to Ola, Uber

Consumer protection agency sends notice to Ola, Uber

Rediff.com21 May 2022

CCPA said the primary issues raised in the notices included 'deficiency in service'. This includes lack of proper response from customer support, driver refusing to take payment by online mode and insisting for cash only.

The Challenges Before Ola, Uber...

The Challenges Before Ola, Uber...

Rediff.com3 Mar 2023

In many states, aggregators operate without a licence; in others, with the risk of the licence being revoked by any regional transport office on the slightest pretext.

SoftBank-backed Ola raises $500-mn term loan

SoftBank-backed Ola raises $500-mn term loan

Rediff.com17 Dec 2021

IPO-bound mobility platform Ola, said it has successfully raised $500 million via a Term Loan B (TLB) from marquee international institutional investors. This term loan has no impact on the valuation of Bhavish Aggarwal-led Ola. The Bengaluru-based firm recently raised $139 million. This is part of a $1 billion funding round for which the company is in talks with investors, increasing its valuation to about $7.5 billion, according to the sources.

Jio-BP partners with BluSmart to set up EV charging infrastructure

Jio-BP partners with BluSmart to set up EV charging infrastructure

Rediff.com9 Sep 2021

Jio-BP, the fuels and mobility joint venture between Reliance Industries and UK's BP, on Thursday announced a partnership with BluSmart - India's first and largest all-electric ride-hailing platform - to set up a network of commercial large-scale EV charging stations. As part of the partnership, Jio-BP will set up these stations for passenger electric vehicles and fleets across the country, the company said in a statement. "Through this partnership, both companies will collaborate in planning, development and operation of EV charging infrastructure, at suitable locations across cities where BluSmart operates," it said.

Uber likely to sell 7.8% stake in Zomato for $373 mn

Uber likely to sell 7.8% stake in Zomato for $373 mn

Rediff.com2 Aug 2022

Ride-hailing app Uber is selling off its entire holding in Indian food delivery company Zomato for at least $373 million (Rs 2,939 crore) through a block deal of shares, merchant banking sources said on Tuesday. The development comes on a day when the Zomato scrip witnessed a nearly 20 per cent surge to close at Rs 55.60 apiece on the BSE. The sources said the offer price range for the deal to be carried out on Wednesday will be between Rs 48-54 per share.

Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal to focus more on long-term strategy

Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal to focus more on long-term strategy

Rediff.com13 Apr 2022

Ola founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Bhavish Aggarwal will step back from day-to-day operations to focus more on engineering functions, team building, and products, apart from focusing on long-term strategic projects, such as two-wheelers, cars, and innovations in quick commerce and international expansion. "I'll be spending more time with all engineering functions, team building, and on products," said Aggarwal in an internal note, adding, "I'll also be increasing my focus on our longer-term strategic projects, including new two-wheeler products, our car project, innovations in quick commerce, electrifying ride-hailing, our cell research and development (R&D), international expansion, building our Pune technology (tech) centre, and Futurefoundry UK." To drive scale, speed, and quality, Aggarwal said he is expanding Ola Group's chief financial officer (CFO) G R Arun Kumar's role to help him steer 'day-to-day operations' across the group.

Moody's assigns first-time 'B3' ratings to Ola

Moody's assigns first-time 'B3' ratings to Ola

Rediff.com29 Nov 2021

Moody's Investors Service on Monday said it has assigned a first-time B3 corporate family rating (CFR) to ANI Technologies, which operates ride hailing service Ola. Moody's CFRs are opinions of a corporate family's ability to honour all of its financial obligations. It has also assigned a B3 rating to the company's proposed senior secured term loan.

Delhi Police asks Uber to verify drivers before ride

Delhi Police asks Uber to verify drivers before ride

Rediff.com29 Nov 2022

The Delhi Police on Tuesday asked ride hailing firm Uber to verify past records of drivers before onboarding them and suggested that the company put a mechanism in the cab to check their alcohol consumption levels. While speaking at the safety feature launch event of Uber, Delhi Police additional commissioner Mahesh Chandra Bharadwaj said that drunken driving has been a major factor in case of rule violations. "If a driver is drunk then you should have some kind of mechanism to know that your driver is drunk. We test drunk and drive through the alcohol meter.

With Zepto Becoming First Unicorn of 2023, is Funding Winter About to Thaw?

With Zepto Becoming First Unicorn of 2023, is Funding Winter About to Thaw?

Rediff.com7 Sep 2023

Quick commerce startups hope to race towards better days. Can they crack the execution code?

Uber announces new measures for better experience

Uber announces new measures for better experience

Rediff.com19 May 2022

Uber on Thursday said it is now showing trip destination to drivers before they decide to accept a ride to enable them to make informed choices as the ride-hailing app announced a host of new measures promising to improve platform experience for drivers as well as riders. Upfront destination feature is already live across 20 cities and will be expanded to all others, Uber said in a statement. The move assumes significance as the government recently warned cab aggregators, including Ola and Uber, of strict action unless they improve their systems and redress mounting consumer complaints.

Gadkari gets tough with EV companies

Gadkari gets tough with EV companies

Rediff.com21 Apr 2022

With increasing incidents of electric two-wheelers catching fire, Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said the companies found negligent will be penalised and a recall of all defective vehicles will be ordered after receiving the report of an expert panel that has been formed to enquire into the matter. In a series of tweets, Gadkari said several mishaps involving electric two-wheelers have come to light in the last two months. "We have constituted an expert committee to enquire into these incidents and make recommendations on remedial steps.

Tata Motors to supply 10,000 XPRES-T EVs

Tata Motors to supply 10,000 XPRES-T EVs

Rediff.com6 Jun 2022

Tata Motors on Monday said it has bagged an order for supply of 10,000 XPRES-T EV units from BluSmart Electric Mobility. The deployment of 10,000 units makes this the biggest ever EV fleet order in India, the auto major said in a statement. With deliveries starting soon, these vehicles are an addition to the 3,500 XPRES-T EV order, which was signed by both the companies in October last year, and will be used across the country for commuters, in turn helping minimise the carbon footprint.

Ola reports first-ever operating profit of Rs 90 cr in FY21

Ola reports first-ever operating profit of Rs 90 cr in FY21

Rediff.com2 Nov 2021

Ola has reported its first operating profit of Rs 89.82 crore for 2020-21, even as the ride-hailing company's revenue declined 65 per cent to Rs 689.61 crore amid COVID-19 induced lockdowns. As per regulatory documents filed by ANI Technologies - the parent company of Ola - it had logged standalone operating profit (profit before finance cost, depreciation, amortisation and tax (EBITDA)) of Rs 89.82 crore in FY21 on a standalone basis, while it had registered a loss of Rs 610.18 crore in the preceding fiscal year.

Uber's business shows strong recovery signs post lockdown in India

Uber's business shows strong recovery signs post lockdown in India

Rediff.com2 Mar 2021

As Indians start travelling in the new normal, strong recovery in smaller towns underscores success for ride-hailing giant's 'India to Bharat' strategy, which offers new products in regional markets.

Ola's COO and CFO to exit firm amid its plans to go public

Ola's COO and CFO to exit firm amid its plans to go public

Rediff.com20 Oct 2021

Mobility company Ola's chief financial officer Swayam Saurabh and chief operating officer Gaurav Porwal are leaving the company. These developments come at a time when the SoftBank-backed company's core ride-hailing unit is planning to go public and for which it raised $500 million from Warburg Pincus and Temasek in July this year. These investment firms had partnered with the company founder Bhavish Aggarwal for this round.

Ola eyes Australia, New Zealand for expansion

Ola eyes Australia, New Zealand for expansion

Rediff.com11 Jan 2018

The two new markets are overwhelmingly dominated by US ride-hailing giant Uber, which has been able to edge out local start-ups

Ola spreads wings to 2 more UK cities

Ola spreads wings to 2 more UK cities

Rediff.com2 Oct 2019

Customers in Coventry and Warwick will also enjoy competitive pricing -- with new users receiving 50 per cent off on all rides for the first two weeks, according to the company.

Why winning in India is so important for Uber

Why winning in India is so important for Uber

Rediff.com4 Aug 2017

The Indian arm is the second largest unit for the company, crosses 500 mn trips milestone

Uber to hire about 250 engineers in India

Uber to hire about 250 engineers in India

Rediff.com9 Jun 2021

Ride-hailing platform Uber on Wednesday said it is recruiting close to 250 engineers for its teams in Bengaluru and Hyderabad as it continues to expand the scope of operations for its engineering and product work in the country. The current round of hiring will strengthen the company's rider and driver growth, delivery, eats, digital payments, risk and compliance, marketplace, customer obsession, infrastructure, adtech, data, safety and finance technology teams, a statement said. These roles are currently split between the company's Hyderabad and Bengaluru tech centres, it added.

Paytm flops on debut; tumbles over 27% during day trade

Paytm flops on debut; tumbles over 27% during day trade

Rediff.com18 Nov 2021

Shares of One97 Communications Ltd, Paytm's parent company, on Thursday made a tepid market debut, listing with a discount of over 9 per cent from the issue price of Rs 2,150.

Uber to drive into Indian sunset?

Uber to drive into Indian sunset?

Rediff.com20 Jan 2018

Comment by SoftBank board member sets off talk of Ola-Uber merger.

Why your Uber/Ola surge prices won't soar anymore

Why your Uber/Ola surge prices won't soar anymore

Rediff.com28 Nov 2020

New norms issued as per the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2020 have mandated a cap on surge price, preventing aggregators from charging more than 1.5 times of the base fare.

Ola Electric to create 10,000 jobs

Ola Electric to create 10,000 jobs

Rediff.com17 Dec 2020

Upon completion, the factory will create almost 10,000 jobs and will initially have an annual capacity of 2 million units.

Ola to unveil one of India's 'fastest' cars; 0-100 Km/h in 4 seconds

Ola to unveil one of India's 'fastest' cars; 0-100 Km/h in 4 seconds

Rediff.com20 Aug 2022

Bhavish Aggarwal, the founder of ride-hailing firm Ola who disrupted the electric scooters market in the country, is planning to launch an electric sports car in 2024. The plan will put it in competition with Indian players, such as the Tata group and Mahindra & Mahindra, and global giants like Tesla and Hyundai. Aggarwal, recently, took a group of reporters to the firm's design studio at the Ola campus in Bengaluru where his teams are working on several EVs, including scooters, motorcycles, sedans, and SUVs - and even robotaxis.

India Inc's missing whistle-blowers

India Inc's missing whistle-blowers

Rediff.com21 Jul 2022

The latest whistle-blower revelations of multiple shenanigans at global ride-hailing app Uber, coming thick and fast after serial exposes of various dodgy practices at Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google in the recent past raises uncomfortable questions about India Inc. If the FAANGs, Twitter and Uber can be guilty of multiple and diverse transgressions what's happening in Indian corporations? It can be nobody's case that India's largely family-owned and - managed private sector is a beacon of transparency or best corporate governance practices, bolstered as it is by an informal omerta among employees, managements and even boards.

Demystifying the new Motor Vehicles Act

Demystifying the new Motor Vehicles Act

Rediff.com28 Sep 2019

While some states have proposed to dilute the hefty penalty provisions in the Act, there are those like West Bengal which have refused to implement right away.

Ola rewards employees with Rs 400-cr stocks

Ola rewards employees with Rs 400-cr stocks

Rediff.com29 Jul 2021

SoftBank-backed mobility firm Ola, announced expansion of its employee stock options (ESOP) pool to Rs 3000 crore. Ola is also allocating an additional Rs 400 crore worth of stocks to employees in the run up to its IPO. The allocation rewards Ola's high impact employees and will lead to long term wealth creation for them.

Sachin Bansal invests Rs 650 crore in Ola; may join board

Sachin Bansal invests Rs 650 crore in Ola; may join board

Rediff.com20 Feb 2019

With regard to his investment in Ola, Bansal said that on the one hand, the ride-hailing major had emerged as a global force in the mobility space and on the other it continued to build deeper for various needs of a billion Indians through its platform. This is the largest funding by an individual in the app cab.

Uber to launch ride-booking via WhatsApp in India

Uber to launch ride-booking via WhatsApp in India

Rediff.com2 Dec 2021

Uber and WhatsApp on Thursday announced a partnership that will allow people in the country to book a ride via WhatsApp - a global-first initiative by the ride-hailing platform. With this integration, riders will no longer need to download or use the Uber app. Everything - from user registration, booking a ride and getting a trip receipt - will be managed within the WhatsApp chat interface, a statement said. The integration is a global-first for Uber, and it will make booking a ride as easy as sending a WhatsApp message, it added.

Ola expands global footprint, gets London licence to take on Uber

Ola expands global footprint, gets London licence to take on Uber

Rediff.com7 Jul 2019

In the UK, Ola is the only app that offers black cabs and private hire vehicles, giving both the driver-partners as well as the users, more choice.

Why Uber's APAC head was fired

Why Uber's APAC head was fired

Rediff.com9 Jun 2017

He was illegally probing a 2014 Delhi rape case using the victim's medical records to find out if it was a ploy by Ola to sabotage Uber's operations

Show-cause notice to Amazon India over Rs 175 cr tax demand

Show-cause notice to Amazon India over Rs 175 cr tax demand

Rediff.com13 Jan 2021

Probe has allegedly found calculation errors by Amazon. The company paid higher GST but instead of claiming refund took wrong input tax credit.

Uber to hire 500 engineers for its India tech centres

Uber to hire 500 engineers for its India tech centres

Rediff.com13 May 2022

Uber Technologies said it is doing a fresh round of recruitment for its India tech centres and is planning to hire 500 more tech employees by December. The app-based mobility and delivery company has a 1,000-member tech team across its centres in Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The firm said the hiring plan is a testament to Uber's commitment to India, and its recognition of the engineering talent in the country. Uber hired 250 engineers to its India teams in 2021.

How Maruti plans to serve customers better

How Maruti plans to serve customers better

Rediff.com5 Apr 2018

The move is prompted by the disruption in the car usage pattern caused by the app-based ride-hailing companies such Ola and Uber

China's Ola of bicycles pedals into India

China's Ola of bicycles pedals into India

Rediff.com16 Jan 2018

Chinese bicycle sharing giant Ofo launches service in seven Indian cities.

Beware FoodPanda and Swiggy, UberEats is here!

Beware FoodPanda and Swiggy, UberEats is here!

Rediff.com8 May 2017

Uber would look to expand the service to six Indian cities

Ola to launch electric two-wheeler in New Zealand

Ola to launch electric two-wheeler in New Zealand

Rediff.com9 Dec 2020

Ride-hailing major Ola on Wednesday said it will launch its electric two-wheeler range in New Zealand. This will help support the New Zealand government's goal of bringing on road 64,000 new electric vehicles by the end of 2021, while also helping the public sector become carbon neutral by 2025, Ola said in a statement. According to the industry sources, the company plans to launch the range in New Zealand over the next 6-9 months.

84% Indians feel it's safe to return to office

84% Indians feel it's safe to return to office

Rediff.com22 Sep 2021

An overwhelming majority of Indians (84 per cent) feel it is safe to return to their workplaces, according to a Deloitte survey that suggests consumers in India are showing a positive spending intent and brighter outlook towards the future. The latest monthly analysis (wave 220) of Deloitte's Global State of the Consumer Tracker, signals a cautious consumption revival in the country, aided by the decreasing number of Covid-19 cases and an improved vaccination drive. The Global State of the Consumer Tracker is an online survey based on responses from 1,000 people each in 18 countries including India.

Ola's Mission Electric: 1 mn EVs on Indian roads by 2021

Ola's Mission Electric: 1 mn EVs on Indian roads by 2021

Rediff.com17 Apr 2018

Electric mobility in India is touted to be the way to the future, but implementation of large-scale projects to bring infrastructure for charging is still lacking.

No threat from taxi apps, say auto majors

No threat from taxi apps, say auto majors

Rediff.com12 Feb 2018

Ride-hailing firms claim penetration is still low and there is a huge upside to grow the market and make owning a car pass.