Following successful launches in Perth and Sydney earlier this year, ride-hailing platform Ola announced the launch of operations in Melbourne in an emailed statement.
In lieu of this, Ola is offering passengers free rides from Thursday, for a limited period of time.
Following the launch of operations in Australia, Ola has been positively received and achieved 15,000 registrations across the region, the company said. Ola said it offers driver-partners a market low 7.5 percent introductory commission rate and daily payments, helping them earn more money and access it easily.
"We've been humbled by the response from passengers and drivers alike in Perth and Sydney, and are incredibly excited about launching Ola in Melbourne. We hope commuters and driver-partners continue to share their feedback to help us improve our service, as we continue on our journey to provide Australia with the best ride share experience possible," said Chandra Nath, Vice President, Head of International, Ola.
Over the coming months, Ola said it would be working with local stakeholders to continue its rollout in Australia, with future launch cities including Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Canberra, Adelaide, Darwin and Hobart.
The company is also developing a number of new initiatives for its customers and driver-partners, it added. These include updates to the Ola app and building its local support team that will help build a better ride share experience.
Catch the latest from the Consumer Electronics Show on Gadgets 360, at our CES 2026 hub.