Last year was a challenging time for all of us, especially for Uber, a company built on the business of moving people. With lockdown restrictions in place, we urged riders to stay home but we never stopped moving what mattered most; transporting frontline warriors to work, helping residents send packages to loved ones and empowering driver partners to earn. 

We dedicated our technology to innovate and integrate products that would meet the evolving needs of our communities, establish industry leading safety standards, and help Bangladesh slowly move again as cities started opening up. 

By the numbers

  • 10 Million: Provided 10 million rides and deliveries of food globally to healthcare workers, seniors, and others in need, free of charge to #MoveWhatMatters. In Dhaka, we partnered with The Earth Society for their project, ‘Crack Platoon,’ to provide reliable and timely transportation for frontline healthcare workers to and from their homes and across 40 hospitals. 
  • $50 Million: Allocated $50 million to purchase health and safety supplies for drivers across the world. In Bangladesh, Uber distributed free safety supplies like masks and sanitizers to drivers, amounting to a total of BDT 5 million.
  • Transport Safety Alliance: Uber spearheaded the formation of a Transport Safety Alliance (TSA) with Dettol, Fresh, DBL Pharma and Zantrik to generate safety awareness amongst consumers, and to equip drivers with health and safety supplies, including tissue boxes, sanitisers and masks. 
  • Two New Services: As cities opened up and people resumed travel, Uber prioritized safety for the evolving needs of our communities. It launched two new services, including Uber Connect, a  package delivery service that enables customers to transport packages from the safety of their homes and Car Rentals, which allow riders to book affordable multi-hour, multi-stop options to travel in the ‘new normal.’ 
  • Contactless Payments: In August, Uber partnered with bKash to provide contactless payment options for riders to help sustain physical distancing and a step towards keeping everyone who uses the Uber Platform safe by making the payment process contactless, cashless and secure.
  • 24×7 On-Trip Safety Helpline: In November, Uber launched its 24×7 safety helpline which allows riders to get in touch with Uber’s safety team for an urgent, non-emergency issue, such as reporting a dispute with a driver or a break-down, while on a trip. The safety line is in addition to the in-app SOS 999 button already available in the safety toolkit, which allows riders to connect to law enforcement authorities in case of an emergency.
  • Four years in Bangladesh: Uber marked four years of operations in Bangladesh in 2020, announcing that over the years it has served more than 4 million riders and created livelihood opportunities for over 175,000 driver partners. 

With Bangladesh now moving again, Uber remains committed to offering riders convenient, safer and affordable mobility solutions at a touch of button, helping cities ‘Build back better’. Thank you for safely riding and driving with Uber in 2020 – and we look forward to being a part of your 2021.