In January, Uber provided its millionth ride in Tucson! We’ve come a long way since first launching uberX in October 2013 and we want to thank you for helping Uber find a permanent home in Tucson.

While we celebrate our millionth trip, we also celebrate the many ways we have been able to become a part of the transportation fabric of the city. From sports to concerts to festivals, Uber has provided safe, reliable rides to several quintessential Tucson events. Check out the timeline of Uber’s journey in Tucson and how we’ve made a positive impact on the city.

  • October 2013: uberX launches in Tucson, with Calexico as Rider Zero
  • November 2013: Tap and Bottle becomes one of Uber’s first local bar partners
  • July 2014: Uber Ice Cream — first national on-demand event in Tucson
  • September 2014: Uber launches uberXL, meaning roomier rides for you and your friends
  • October 2014: 1 year after Uber launched, thousands of Tucson driver-partners are on the road
  • April 2015: Ridesharing legislation passes in Arizona
  • May 2015: uberESPAÑOL launches in Tucson, one of six initial cities
  • July 2015: Second Uber Ice Cream on demand, in partnership with Arizona-based Cold Stone Creamery
  • August 2015: Uber announces partnership with the University of Arizona’s College of Optical Sciences to focus on research and development in the optics space for mapping and safety  
  • October 2015: UberKITTENS. Uber partners with the Humane Society of Southern Arizona to raise awareness for shelter adoption
  • December 2015: UberSELECT launches as Tucson’s first luxury product, with Mayor Rothschild as Rider Zero
  • January 2016: Uber completes millionth trip in Tucson

Approaching this milestone, we wanted to see just how Uber has impacted Tucson, so we took a look at some data and crunched the numbers. What we found is that by providing safe and reliable transportation options available to anyone, anytime, anywhere, Uber has helped make Tucson a safer and more economically vibrant community.

9% of Tucson driver-partners are military spouses and veterans, 9% are uberESPAÑOL partners who speak Spanish fluently, and 28% are women

Uber has created thousands of economic earning opportunities in Tucson, helping individuals and families put extra cash in their pockets, achieve better financial security, or reach other goals. Uber driver-partners also choose exactly when and for how long they work. This flexibility allows parents to drive on the platform when their child is in school, or military partners to drive while transitioning from active duty.

To date, 9% of our driver-partners in Tucson are military spouses and veterans, 9% are uberESPAÑOL partners who speak Spanish fluently, and 28% are women, one of the highest rates of all the Uber cities in the U.S.

We’ve not only been able to create economic opportunities, but we have been able to provide these opportunities across Pima County, including some neighborhoods falling above the state average unemployment rate and below the average median income. Interested in Driving with Uber? Sign up here.

More Tucsonans rely on Uber for affordable transportation

In addition to becoming a more reliable and affordable transportation option, Tucsonans are using Uber more and more as an alternative to drinking and driving. Looking at our requests by time of day, we see that requests peak the same time Alcohol-Related Crash Fatalities are at their highest, which means Tucsonans have more options to make responsible decisions to get home safely.

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Uber offers reliable rides with an average wait time of 3-4 minutes throughout the city

Since launching uberX in April 2015, wait times for rides in Tucson have steadily decreased. With thousands of driver-partners out on the roads, riders are now seeing an average wait time of about 3-4 minutes, even in areas of the city previously underserved by public transportation. Around U of A campus, for example, an average wait time is under 3 minutes. Around La Encantada, average wait time is around 5 minutes.

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The most exciting element of Uber’s impact in Tucson is that the access, affordability, and opportunity benefits listed above are just the beginning. In the coming months and years, we can’t wait to see how our impact will grow and evolve as we continue to improve our technology to benefit the riders and driver-partners who use our platform.

Uber on,

Team Uber Arizona