What is Uber all about? Fun facts about Uber’s history

What is Uber? We’re so glad you asked, because you’re not the only one. We’ve noticed that it’s a popular question—is it a taxi service? Not quite. Public transport? Another good guess, but actually, Uber is an app that connects drivers with riders. It’s as simple as that. To help you get a better idea of what it’s all about, we’ve put together a list of some Uber fun facts that cover the who, what, where and why.

Uber’s history started when Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp found themselves stuck in Paris on a snowy evening, unable to find a taxi. They asked themselves: “What if you could request a ride simply by tapping your phone?” 

The thought of using a cell phone to order a ride from the exact location you were standing was revolutionary. People would no longer have to wait, hoping for a car to pass or walk the streets in search of one. This seemed to please many people, as Uber quickly became popular in big cities like San Francisco and Paris.

Heading up a global business with more than 16,000 employees requires some serious expertise. Luckily, Khosrowshahi has just that. Before taking his position at Uber, he was the CEO of online travel company Expedia. He’s also a passionate advocate for refugees in crisis, having left Iran during the revolution when he was just nine years old.

Whilst its main headquarters are in the tech haven of San Francisco, there are also major offices in London, São Paulo, Mexico City and Amsterdam. You can request a ride with Uber in more than 600 cities worldwide.

UberElevate is our plan to introduce air transport into urban transport. Using VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft, it could cut down on commuting time and provide quick and reliable links between the suburbs and the city – that could mean a two-hour drive through San Francisco cut to a 15-minute trip, or a 90-minute commute in India turned into a 6-minute one!

Since it’s rise to global prominence, Uber has not only been moving, but supporting the cities in which it operates. Whether we’re transforming city spaces or supporting campaigns to empower women, we want to push forward the wider communities in which we work, as well as our drivers and riders.

So, that was just a quick ride through Uber history. We hope you feel a little more familiar with Uber—and now you’ve got some fun facts to share with your driver on your next ride!