Uber Rolls Out ‘Group Rides’ Feature In India To Offer Cost-Efficient Travel Options

Ride-hailing major Uber has rolled out a new feature, ‘Group Rides’, in India that allows users to share trips with up to three other people while travelling to a common destination.

With this new feature, users can start a group ride by extending invitations to their friends through messaging apps. The passengers would have the option to add their own pickup locations once they join the trip, and those locations will be automatically updated in the ride route, Uber India said in a statement.

The new feature will help users save up to 30% on their fares without negatively impacting the driver’s earnings, the company claimed. 

“With Group Rides we are offering customers the option to save more while they are riding with people they know. Not only do riders save money and arrive at the common destination together but they also do the good deed of reducing vehicles on the road… ,“ said Nitish Bhushan, director of central operations at Uber India.

The new feature is similar to Uber Pool service, which was suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic. Ola also offers a similar service under the name Ola Share.

In the statement, Uber added that the company intends to reduce traffic on the roads with this feature and minimise the dependency on individual vehicles while carpooling with friends, coworkers, or family members. 

The development comes at a time when the Indian government as well as companies and startups are working on reducing their carbon emissions and aiming for sustainable growth.

Earlier this year, Uber India introduced 25,000 electric vehicles (EVs) in the premium category service on its platform in partnership with Tata Motors.

Uber’s archrival Ola is also looking to strengthen its premium electric vehicle (EV) segment and promote sustainable transportation by deploying a fleet of 10,000 EVs. 

Uber India’s net loss declined 35% to INR 216 Cr in FY22 from INR 333.9 Cr in FY21. Revenue from operations rose 4% year-on-year (YoY) to INR 396.95 Cr in FY22.

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