Page 15 - drive a2b july 2020 web

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Ridesharing will look

different after COVID-19,
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but it’s here to stay.

The new normal? trajectory”, says Smith. in which it won’t be the default
expectation that everybody comes
While Melbourne is still grappling So while the ‘new normal’ may into the office every day. When
with the spread of COVID-19, other mean the ridesharing industry looks people do, they will probably be
parts of the country are almost back a little different, Smith doesn’t more thoughtful about how they
to normal. believe it’s under threat. get in.”

Smith, predictably, doesn’t disclose The use cases of ridesharing have If they’re travelling into the city
just how significantly Ola’s revenues changed, and will continue to, he less often, people may be more
dropped during the worst of the says. Obviously ferrying travellers willing to spend more on taking a
health crisis, but he does say that in to and from the airport was once a rideshare, he suggests.
some markets things have picked large part of the business, and while
back up to almost pre-pandemic some people still come and go, that At the same time, there’s a growing
levels. by no means makes up the bulk of “social use case”, he says — that is,
the business any more. people using ridesharing services to
“Since restrictions started to ease, meet their friends.
we’ve seen very significant growth, Rather, as businesses are starting to
led in particular by Perth,” he says. make the move back into their office More and more, drivers are
buildings, Smith is seeing a shift delivering people to their mates’
“Our bookings there are on track for towards people using Ola instead of houses, a suburb or two away,
quickly getting back to pre-COVID public transport to get to and from rather than to CBD bars and pubs.
and possibly even better than that.” work, he says.
“We expect that behaviour to stay
Ola’s business in New Zealand, “They remain cautious about in place for a while as well,” Smith
which had a much stricter country- getting on public transport, and says.
wide lockdown has since all feel that catching an Ola is a safer
but eliminated the virus, is also alternative,” he says. by Stephanie Palmer-Derrien
now seeing a “fantastic growth SmartCompany
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DRIVE A2B magazine · www.drivea2b.com.au · July 2020 15