Uber may soon make Google Maps redundant for most public transport users. If you frequently plan your end-to-end journey by comparing various modes of transport in terms of time and fare, you can do it on the Uber app itself. Currently, users check out Google Maps' Directions feature to figure out how long a cab, metro or bus will take to reach from one place to another.
San Francisco-based Uber has partnered with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to bring Public Transport feature on its app. The feature will provide different mode options and transfers required on the route with details of fastest and cheapest routes using metro, auto, buses and walking directions.
Users will be able to see different transit options of public transport on the app where UberGo, Premier, Pool and Uber auto are showcased.
Delhi is the first city in Asia to have the Public Transit feature in the Uber app.
Dara Khosrowshahi, Chief Executive Officer, Uber said, "Just as Microsoft's vision was to bring a computer on every desk, we want to make available different mobility options in every pocket with the phone."
"With Uber's Public Transit we want to be the operating system for the public and want to replace your car with your phone by providing a range of shared mobility options in the Uber app."
Besides, in order to solve the first and the last mile connectivity issue, Uber has partnered with 210 metro stations in Delhi-NCR, which will either have Uber pick-up points or Uber kiosks at stations.
Pradeep Parameswaran, President, Uber India and South Asia said, the vision will be to create 'model Metro station' that will have designed areas for Uber's multi-mobility options such as designated pick-up and drop-off areas to complement public transportation with services such as Go, Pool, Moto, Auto, and Uber's Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAV). He added that they are currently detailing partnerships and investments required to create these 'model metro stations'.
This was the result of the Uber winning the public bid by DMRC to offer its mobility services at metro stations.
On the partnership, Mangu Singh, Managing Director, DMRC, said, "The Metro network today spans over 377 km with 274 metro stations covering not only most parts of capital city but also the NCR cities such as Gurugram, Faridabad, Ballabgarh and Bahadurgarh in Haryana and Noida and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. This new initiative integrating public transport with mobility operators like Uber will certainly boost first and last mile connectivity solutions for around 6 million passenger journeys performed in the system daily. DMRC has in the recent past encouraged the adoption of increased last mile connectivity solutions which are environment friendly, easy to operate and navigate in areas adjoining Metro stations like e-rickshaws, e-bikes/scooters etc."
Manik Gupta, Chief Product Officer, Uber said, "The goal is to partner public transport organisations to make cities sustainable, accessible and safe."
Uber Transit Journey Planning was first launched at the beginning of 2019. Since then it has been launched in eight cities worldwide - Denver, Boston, Chicago, Washington DC and San Francisco in the United States, London and Paris in the Europe and Sydney in Asia Pacific.
Also Read: Avanti Feeds share turned Rs 1 lakh into Rs 3 crore in 10 years, do you own it?
Also Read: Axis Bank posts Q2 net loss of Rs 112 crore on higher tax expense, operating profit jumps 45%
Also Read: Kotak Mahindra Bank Q2 profit jumps 51% to Rs 1,724 crore; NII up 25%