In the recent Budget 2018 announcement, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat identified key themes that Singapore hopes to achieve for the future. Through Uber’s continued investment in Singapore, we strive to support the government’s aspirations of an innovative economy, liveable car-lite city, and a socially cohesive country.

Develop a vibrant and innovative economy

Minister Heng highlighted that firms should embrace innovation and make the best use of new technologies. As Singapore continues to evolve as a Smart Nation, Uber has leveraged on the many opportunities to use technology to improve the way people move and earn. We have already seen how technology has improved safety for riders and drivers in ways that were not possible before smartphones – like cashless payments and knowing your driver before you ride.

Technology also offers an inclusive and practical model that allows more people to earn money at the push of a button. Today, tens of thousands of Singaporeans, including stay-home parents, retirees, those who are in-between,  choose to drive on Uber because they love the flexibility the offered. They are now given flexible earning opportunities which may not have been available to them before. We will continue to leverage on our tech leadership to offer a reliable product for all our riders and drivers in Singapore.

Build a smart, green, liveable city

The minister spoke about enabling our city to be more carbon efficient. Today, private cars in Singapore emit 3 million metric tons of CO2 per year, enough to fill National Stadium 300 times according to a BCG report. Through public adoption of ridesharing services like uberPOOL, we have started seeing positive impact and in one year, helped save 206,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions.

With such an impact, our hope is to turn every journey into a multi-modal journey using a combination of ridesharing and mass transit. There is an opportunity for Uber to continue encouraging more Singaporeans to use these services, not through coercion but choice. As Uber continues to innovate and offer more solutions that meet the needs of Singapore, we are privileged to play an active role in unlocking the city’s potential to become a car-lite nation.

Foster a caring and cohesive society

The minister has stressed the need to better care for seniors, with 1 in 4 people aged 65 or older by 2030. Added funds from the budget will help seniors in Singapore by extending subsidies on assistive devices, transportation needs, and government-funded health care services.

Uber stays committed to providing increased mobility to all riders through the use of technology, and we are pleased to partner with Agency of Integrated Care (AIC) to introduce uberASSIST last November as an added transport option for caregivers to get around with seniors for daily routines and medical appointments. Today, over 800 uberASSIST drivers have been trained to support seniors and persons with disabilities who need assistance to get in and out of a car. As of January 2018, uberASSIST drivers have covered over 2,080 rides. We look forward to growing this number, alongside with AIC to better serve the needs of the nation.