Singapore has and always will be a city of firsts for Uber. It was the first city in Asia to welcome Uber, the first city in Asia to adopt low-cost service uberX, and today it becomes the first developed city in the world to experiment with cash payments.
Why cash matters to our Singaporean riders
Even though credit cards are common you might be surprised to learn that cash payments currently make up over 30% of all transactions on the island-state.1 By introducing this experiment, we discovered four simple ways that cash could make a little bit easier for everyone who needs a safe, reliable ride in Singapore.
Removing the fear factor for first time riders
You told us you still have concerns about credit cards, and we listened. We want every Singaporean to have the freedom to choose the way they travel, and cash is a truly inclusive way to let everyone move around their city easily
No credit card? No worries.
Cash opens doors for more Singaporeans to take their first ride, and have a quality experience on Uber, whether you’re busy Mum, a student without a credit card or a senior citizen who’s more comfortable with cash
Showing more love to heartland neighbourhoods
We’ve seen in Uber cities around the region that cash payments can increase the adoption rate of new riders outside core service areas by an average 45% – that shows more love to more neighbourhoods and we think the heartlands could use even more UberLOVE
More riders means more driver dollars
When more riders choose Uber outside the business district, more driver-partners increase their average hourly earnings – taking longer trips to a wider variety of neighbourhoods and reducing the time they spend idle
How cash works
- Go to the ‘Payment’ section in the app
- Select ‘CASH’ as your payment option
- Confirm your pickup location and request your ride
- At the end of the trip, pay the fare directly in cash to your driver
- We want your feedback – Tweet us @Uber_SING to share your Uber experience with cash
Cash is an open-ended experiment so not all riders will see this additional payment option right away. The team at Uber in Singapore is looking forward to hearing more from you – our rider and driver community – so we can keep improving your experience and help make life just a little bit easier for more Singaporeans.
uber now accepts cash THANK YOU
— jermaine (@wheemione) April 6, 2016
1. [https://blog.wirecard.com/why-singapore-is-on-the-way-to-a-cashless-society]↩