Ola adds in-app tipping feature for driver partners globally

Ride hailing major Ola on Tuesday said it has rolled out an in-app tipping feature globally to allow users to pay an additional amount to driver partners to express gratitude, while helping driver-partners increase their earnings.

The feature has been rolled out to all Ola users across India, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom and will benefit Ola's over 2.5 million-global driver community, Ola said in a statement.

The feature allows customers to express their gratitude and independently reward drivers for going the extra mile to deliver a safe and high-quality ride experience, it added.

Customers can choose to voluntarily tip their drivers and the amount will be credited to the drivers' account in its entirety as part of the regular earnings cycle. Drivers will retain 100 per cent of the tip to benefit from the additional earnings, the company said.

Ola's rival Uber had introduced the tipping feature over two years ago and in January this year, it had added the feature in India as well.

"Since the beginning of the pandemic, our driver-partners worked tirelessly to enable essential travel for all those in need, despite facing their own challenges. As services resume, they continue to personally invest in ensuring the safety of their customers and deliver a comfortable ride experience.

“Linking rewards to higher-quality services, we invite our customers to join us in sharing our appreciation and supporting them during these trying times," an Ola spokesperson said.

Starting Tuesday, the cashless tipping feature will appear in the final step of the payment phase and will allow customers to select a fixed or customised amount. This will be available across all vehicle categories.