Ola removes service fee for Auckland drivers in October

As Aucklanders begin to venture out again after a second lockdown, rideshare company Ola is removing its service fee, entitling drivers on the platform to take home the full fare for the trip.

For October, Ola drivers in Auckland will retain 100% of their earnings when taking rides through the app as the company works to support its driver-partners.

It usually charges 18% commission.

Ola NZ managing director Brian Dewil says like many small businesses, Ola drivers have had a challenging year and were particularly impacted by lockdown restrictions.

“As we continue to increase our weekly trip volumes in Auckland we want to give back and help our drivers improve their income by removing our service fee for a month.”

Auckland Ola driver Manoj Trivedi says drivers welcome the initiative.

“I’m very grateful that Ola is taking such a significant step to help its drivers and put more money in our pockets during October.”

Ola is one of New Zealand’s fastest growing rideshare platforms, with more than 10,000 driver-partners registered since its launch two years ago.

The rideshare platform is available in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Taupo, New Plymouth, Napier, Hastings, Palmerston North, Nelson, Queenstown and Dunedin.

Ola is known for providing industry-leading safety features such as Start Code, 24/7 customer support and the in-app emergency button.

A decision on whether Auckland moves from COVID-19 alert level 2 to level 1 is expected on October 5, with any change likely just before midnight on October 7.