Uber North Carolina has reached an incredible milestone. In the two years since we launched in the Tar Heel State, our thousands of dedicated driver-partners have completed more than 5 million trips in North Carolina.

Since Uber began operating, safe, affordable rides have become more reliable, communities more accessible, and economic opportunities greater for North Carolinians from the mountains to the coast. And now, two-thirds of NC residents has access to Uber, and more than 23,000 driver-partners have an unprecedented way to earn income on their own schedule.

NC_5-Million-Trips_job_blog-body_960x450_r1-2Economic Opportunity

As demand for convenient and affordable rides has increased, so too has the number of people taking advantage of the freedom and flexibility Uber provides to earn an income on their own time. Our driver-partners are busier than ever, which means more completed trips and increased earnings. In fact, over the past two years, uberX driver-partners have taken home nearly $50 million.

nc_uberX_earnings

We’re incredibly proud of the growing impact Uber has had on the North Carolina military community. From Asheville to Wilmington, military veterans and their families have partnered with Uber to help readjust back into society, increase their earning potential and serve their communities. Our UberMILITARY partners, like local Charlotte partner Bob, have earned nearly $4 million across North Carolina. We’re honored to partner with such amazing individuals, and look forward to continuing to provide work opportunities to even more veterans and their families.

Reliability

As we’ve expanded and more drivers have partnered with Uber, the availability of a convenient ride at the touch of a button has greatly improved. The average wait time for an Uber ride has gotten shorter, from over eight minutes in October 2013, to just over five minutes two years later. Riders across the state count on Uber every day to run errands, get to work, arrive home safely after a night out with friends, and everything in between.

As wait times have decreased, the demand for hassle-free rides has skyrocketed. In fact, North Carolina riders have referred the service to over 450,000 of their friends—that’s over 15x the undergraduate student population at UNC. Over the last two years, driver-partners across the state have logged nearly 30 million miles—that’s over 120 trips to the moon!moon_blog-body_960x450_r1

Safety

This year a study conducted in partnership with MADD revealed that when empowered with more transportation options like Uber, people are making better choices that save lives. In North Carolina, the results are no different. The chart below shows how Uber ride requests peak at the same time DUI incidents are at their highest and safe rides are needed most. nc_weekend_demand
We’re humbled to be such a valuable and growing part of North Carolina’s transportation ecosystem, and thrilled to see the positive impact we’ve had across the state. Uber is committed to improving the communities we serve and we look forward to the next 5 million trips and what the road ahead will bring.