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Uber in a flash, a hybrid of UberX and Taxis

From today onwards, riders in Hong Kong will have a new option for convenient rides at affordable prices with Uber Hong Kong’s latest transportation option – Flash. Flash matches riders with the closest vehicle, either a taxi or an UberX, without having to switch through different apps. Similar to other Uber services, riders will see upfront fares before requesting for a ride. Flash rides are priced the same as an UberX.

Ms. Émilie Potvin, Head of Public Policy for North Asia, said, “We are very excited to launch Flash today and prove to taxi driver-partners that Uber’s technology can significantly enhance their business. Our goal is to help taxi partners to be more efficient and make cities more accessible to all. We are committed to making a difference to Hong Kong and we welcome all taxi partners to join us and enjoy what our technology has to offer.”

Flash is powered by technology that unlocks the true potential of Hong Kong. With the introduction of Flash in Hong Kong, Uber remains dedicated to ensuring a seamless, reliable and quality experience for all riders and driver-partners. Uber’s mutual rating system and 24/7 in-app customer support infrastructure remain available and in effect to maintain these standards. Users who order a Flash will continue to enjoy all existing features within the App, including upfront pricing, estimated time of arrival (ETA), in-app communication, live GPS location sharing, estimated time to destination (ETD), split fare, lost & found reporting, and electronic payment, etc.

Uber has taxis on the Uber App in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and now extending this offering to Hong Kong. For taxi partners who are interested in finding out more about this product, please fill up an enquiry form at http://t.uber.com/taxihk_enquiry.

How it works

  1. Open the Uber app
  2. Enter your destination under the “Where To?” section
  3. Select “Flash” and click “Confirm Flash”
  4. A pop-up message will appear advising the closest Taxi or UberX will be matched
  5. Click “Confirm” to request a ride
  6. If you are matched with a Taxi, you’ll receive a record of hire by email
  7. Upon completion of each trip, fare will be charged to your credit card
  8. You will be able to rate the driver-partner and have the option to add a tip. An electronic receipt will be emailed to you afterwards.

All other Uber services remain the same, including UberX, Black, UberXL, and Assist.