It is that time of the year again. We look back at how Indians Uber-ed their way through the outgoing year. 

At a challenging time, we did our bit to support the communities we serve by helping make India ‘Safer for Each Other’. Riders’ behavior changed as cities opened up and the demand for mobility needs tailored to the new normal went up. 

By the numbers

We supported India in its fight against COVID by encouraging rider and driver-partner vaccinations and providing safe, reliable, and affordable rides.

  • More than 300,000 drivers received at least one vaccine shot: Drivers drove with confidence after getting vaccinated and benefiting from our initiative to compensate drivers for time spent in getting the shots.
  • Supporting vulnerable communities; helped vaccinate 100,000: We helped vaccinate the vulnerable elderly and underprivileged communities by providing free rides for vaccinations to NGOs such as HelpAge India, the Robin Hood Army, and the American India Foundation, among others.
  • Nearly 90 million mask verification selfies: Our industry-first, technology-enabled mask verification selfie feature triggered selfie requests for both riders and drivers at random. In India, nearly 90 million selfies were taken to help ensure safer rides during the pandemic by helping Uber implement its ‘no mask, no ride’ policy better.
  • Committed INR 100 Crores for driver welfare: Drivers are the power behind every ride and we had their back. We took several steps to support drivers during the pandemic, including an Uber Care Driver Fund, COVID financial assistance, safety kits and safety screens, free online doctor consultations for drivers’ families; microloans to meet important family needs, and cash incentives to get vaccinated.  

As cities opened up, the demand for Uber rides grew significantly – here is how we rolled:

  • 100 cities: Eight years after its India launch in 2013, we achieved this milestone in 2021 with the launch of its Auto and Car services in Warangal, Telangana. 
  • Uber Connect’s demand grows 5x: Our point-to-point package delivery service between friends and families grew significantly during the pandemic. New use cases emerged with many people using the service to transport grocery, non-prescription medication, medical devices, and food items, among other things.
  • Uber Auto marches ahead: Mumbai sees 2x demand: Riders prefer e-hailed autos as a safe, convenient, and affordable transport mode to move around town. Cities such as Mumbai and Bhubaneswar witnessed a 2x demand compared to pre-covid levels.
  • Riders love Rentals; demand nearing 2x: Demand for Rentals, which allows riders to book affordable multi-hour, multi-stop options to travel, grew significantly. This was fuelled by new use-cases including sightseeing, local shopping, visiting places of worship, traveling to family get-togethers, and traveling for business meetings, among others. 
  • Rise in Road-trips fuel Intercity demand: Pandemic shaped customer preferences, as people picked road trips over other means of getting around. Many chose to get into an Uber for the first time for their intercity travel needs resulting in the demand for Uber Intercity growing higher than pre-COVID levels. Popular routes saw increased rider demand including Mumbai – Alibaug and Lonavala; Delhi – Agra & Jaipur; Chennai – Puducherry, and Chandigarh – Delhi among the top few.

With new products and features along with strengthened support, we remain committed to serving our riders and cities better and will work round-the-clock to make every ride magical in the new year.  #APACsocialimpact