The photos of the lemon-green Bajaj and Piaggio rickshaws (aka Keke Napep) in the UK have been circulating online. Some people are not aware that these three-legged vehicles are originally from India.
An India-based ride-hailing company called Ola recently launched a fleet of the rickshaws to start operations in Liverpool.
The viral photos tell of the promotional launch event organised in Merseyside County. It had drivers wearing neon-green jackets carrying passengers in the “Keke Napep” free of charge around Liverpool. The portable rides are fondly known as “tuk-tuks” in India.
Liverpool is the fifth city in the United Kingdom that the company is launching in. The service has already launched in major UK cities like Bristol, Bath, Cardiff and Exeter.
The company, Ola, is planning on a huge expansion to take on Uber, the biggest rival and market leader globally.
Ola is looking to empower the drivers by sharing a larger percentage of the fares to its drivers. They intend to charge only 10% commission compared to 25% charged by competitors like Uber.
Ola will also be the only app used by both black cabs and private hire vehicles. They aim to increase access to taxis for customers by offering lower rates. It is also offering a 50% off on the first ride for customers downloading the app in the UK cities before the end of April.
Ola plans to expand to several other cities across Northern England in 2019.