Ola to start car-pooling service

Taking cues from Meru and Uber, taxi aggregator Ola may soon launch a carpooling service.

Industry sources say that Ola (run by Mumbai-based ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd) is set to unveil Ola Share, its new ride sharing facility for user travelling along a similar route

The development was first reported by Medianama. A spokesperson for Ola did not comment on a Techcircle.in query.

The Medianama report suggested that Ola Share has been in pilot stage for one month. A formal launch is expected next week. Ola Share will be available in five metro cities in the initial phase.

Ola Share is said to be similar to Uber's UberPool, which will be launched in India next month. Uber had claimed that its car-pooling option would be cheaper than using and maintaining a personal car.

The service will be highly localised and users can split fare with people they share the ride with.

Earlier this month, Meru Cab Company Pvt Ltd, one of India's oldest radio taxi firms, ventured into the car-pooling space by launching a new service for customers travelling to the same area.

Though there are a number of ride-sharing apps in the market, Meru was the first taxi company to venture into this nascent but highly advocated business.

Online travel group Ibibo had launched a carpooling app named Ryde in April.

WestBridge Capital-backed Carzonrent India Pvt Ltd, which runs radio cab services besides offering self-drive car rental and fleet management services, recently acquired Bangalore-based 42 Solutions Pvt Ltd, which runs a ride sharing app RidingO.

Accel Partners and Index Ventures-backed online carpooling venture BlaBlaCar forayed into India in January while Rocket Internet-backed carpooling firm Tripda entered the country last year.