Bengaluru gets Ola Prime Plus for no-cancellation cab rides, with fares far higher than Uber

Featuring clean cars, top-rated chauffeurs and the cancellation-free extravaganza, Ola flagged off their full-fledged premium service, called Ola Prime Plus in Bengaluru, on Monday (July 10). But let's face it, aren't cleanliness, safety, and skilled drivers the basics that the cab-hailing service should be offering in the first place?

Ola CEO and co-founder Bhavish Aggarwal took to Twitter to express his delight about the new service after the successful pilot of Prime Plus in the Karnataka capital. He added the service will be extended to other cities in the coming month.

What's Ola Prime Plus?

• Prime Plus is a new premium category from Ola that offers various cancellation-free rides with top-rated drivers and clean cars.
• The only drivers who qualify to operate in this segment are the ones who have a high Ola rating. For the time being, Ola has floated 1,000 such drivers in Bengaluru to commence the service.
• Ola's introduction of a cancellation-free service comes at a time when customer dissatisfaction due to driver cancellations has plagued the ride-hailing industry in India.
• According to the Ola app, the Prime Plus fleet consists of sedans like Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, Toyota Etios, Nissan Sunny and Hyundai Xcent. These are the same car models Ola uses for Prime Sedan, and sometimes in the Mini category.

Prime Plus fare?

It's worth noting that Prime Plus comes with a far higher price tag compared to other categories.

• The Ola app shows a Prime Plus ride from the Kempegowda International Airport (BLR), Bengaluru to the Phoenix Marketcity on Whitefield Road (11.40 am on July 12) would cost Rs 1,475 (excluding coupons).
• The same ride on the next Prime Sedan showed Rs 1,247 (excluding coupons),
• While the most economical option, the Mini (hatchback), costs around Rs 1,067.

• The same journey, at the same time and date, booked on Ola's competitor, Uber, costs between Rs 726 (UberGo) and Rs 885 (Uber Premier). These prices exclude the promotional discounts.

Ola: The fare difference between the new Prime Plus and its next economical option, Prime Sedan is around Rs 200.

Uber: The fare difference between the Uber Premier and its next economical option, UberGo Sedan, is around Rs 60.

Reactions

The newly launched Prime Plus service has garnered a range of opinions, leaving a mixed bag of reviews in its wake.

• Among the several positives, one standout aspect revolves around the lightning-fast acceptance of ride requests, which could be attributed to the drivers lacking the option to decline.
• Additionally, some passengers applauded the thoughtful gesture of the air conditioning being already switched on when they stepped into the cab, minimal calling, and a hassle-free experience.

• However, not everyone is convinced by the service's offerings, with a considerable number of users perceiving it as a mere money-grabbing gimmick.

ALSO READ: I ditched Uber and Ola for a cab ride on inDriver app. This is what I found

Although Ola says it remains committed to enhancing the user experience and addressing challenges within the industry, a recent valuation markdown by some investors could have prompted the company to go after the crème.