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Uber Marks 5 Years in Hong Kong

Transforming the city’s transport system with safe and accessible Ride options 

July 2019 marks five years of Uber in Hong Kong! A big thank you to Hong Kongers’ support in Uber which made this milestone possible. To say it’s been an incredible journey would be an understatement. Five years in, our completed trips in the city covered over 368,627,360 kilometers (which is 480 round trips from the moon to earth, or 900,000 times around Hong Kong!). In our five years of getting riders safely from point A to point B, we understand that these “points” are not merely destinations on a map, and the journey between two points can be unforgettable journeys of a lifetime for both driver-partners and riders. 

Back in 2014, we came to the city with the mission of providing safe and reliable journeys to Hong Kongers, and till this day, safety remains our top priority. Hong Kongers have used Uber as a trusted transportation partner to get home safely late at night, Uber has completed over 3,200,000 trips home after midnight. On top of our GPS tracking function, we’ve also added features that make traveling with Uber a safe and reliable option, such as sharing your location, trip status, and related information with friends and family. Uber riders have shared over 555,000 trips, bringing peace of mind for their loved ones. 

Connecting Hong Kongers through technology 

During those 300 million kilometers, riders and driver-partners not only shared a car, but also many moments. From polite greetings to deep conversations, from a short ride to the grocery store, an important ride to a job interview, to milestones like taking a newborn baby home – Uber is there behind the wheel to help Hong Kongers move around the city. 

We are also pleased that riders are more than happy with our services during our time here. Over 88% of rated trips are 5-star trips and we’ve seen the number of Uber riders grow by 40 times (3750%!) between 2014 and 2019.  

Even though many argue that human connections are lost with the rise of technology usage, on the contrary, we found that Uber brings people closer through our services – from our rating and feedback system that ensures high quality service, to our lost & found function that has returned over 650 items back to our riders. 

For Hong Kongers, home is where the heart is, something that connects driver-partners with our riders. Recently, driver-partners shared their memorable moments with Uber over the past five years, and many stories have to do with bringing riders, their other halves, their parents, or those in need through Assist safely home – through rain or shine, after a long day of work, or from a holiday.

With Uber making travels around this hustle and bustle of a city effortless and hassle-free, our riders can sit back and focus on things that really matter – from calling back your family or preparing for that important meeting. As a ride is only a tap away, our riders can instead spend those extra minutes with a friend while waiting comfortably indoors. 

Hong Kongers pride themselves on their efficiency, and our data shows that they make use of every second, even during their rides! Many riders place Uber Eats orders during their Uber ride, and of those orders, around 50% of them take place during dinner time (6pm to 9pm), timing their orders so that meals arrive by the time they get home.

Advancing the future of urban mobility in Hong Kong 

Humbled by the embrace of ridesharing in Hong Kong – from both riders and driver-partners, we will continue to drive smart mobility options to meet the demands of Hong Kongers. And these demands are loud and clear, as earlier this year we found that 74% of surveyed locals believe that the Hong Kong SAR government should legalize Uber and regulate its services. 

This is giving us all the more reason and motivation to continue providing safe and reliable rides for many more years to come, as well as offering new types of services on the App – such as partnering with local taxis to offer Flash, matching riders to the closest UberX or Taxi –  to address the evolving needs for a greater variety of transportation options. 

With over 180,000 trip requests recorded within just one month of launching Flash, this is a true testament to how riders welcome new options that make traveling around the city more seamless and efficient. To express our gratitude to our loyal riders, for a limited time only, we are offering an Uber Taxi option for selected riders along with a 25% discount (valid up to HK$150 per ride) on their Uber app, now available until October 31, 2019. Watch out for emails to find out if you’re one of the lucky riders!

Let’s Uber On, Hong Kong!