To attract local drivers, Ola will sacrifice its normal 18% commission for the first four weeks for drivers who sign up by the roll out date, it says.
Uber, by comparison, takes an estimated 25% — though what drivers actually make can be variable, according to rideshareconsultants.co.nz
The rideshare app is also offering new customers 30% off all rides for their first two weeks, as well as a $20 credit when they refer a friend.
The launch of the app in Dunedin is part of an expansion for Ola across 11 more cities and towns in New Zealand, as it brings more competition to rideshare throughout the country.
Hamilton, Tauranga and Queenstown went live in mid-December.
Brian Dewil, country manager of Ola in New Zealand, said Dunedin drivers were already registered on the platform.
‘‘We’ve seen strong interest from rideshare drivers in the Dunedin area so far and are expecting to see the number of cars on the app grow over the coming weeks as more drivers join us for the new 0% commission offer.
Ola has already attracted 9000 drivers across New Zealand, by offering lower commissions than Uber.
Dunedin residents can download the Ola app from the App Store and Google’s Play Store and with Apple Pay integration.