ONE BILLION UK RIDES: Uber driver set to win new £30,000 electric minicab to mark milestone
Ride-hailing firm Uber is set to complete its one billionth UK trip, almost ten years since the first trip was taken in London on 29 June 2012.
To celebrate the milestone, prizes will be awarded to both the rider and driver who takes the one billionth trip. The driver will receive a brand new electric vehicle worth over £30,000 and the lucky billionth rider, will win free Uber trips for a decade worth up to £10,000.
The one billion trips that have taken place across the UK have changed the way that people move around towns and cities.
In just the last three months, riders from more than 130 countries have used the app in the UK and since 2012 over 28,000,000 trips have been taken to or from UK airports. All of the top ten drop-off locations in the UK over the last month are airport terminals or train stations.
Uber’s busiest day in the UK so far came in the run up to Christmas in 2019, with over 1,085,000 completed rides in 24 hours on 14 December.
Uber’s focus now turns to being a fully electric platform in London by 2025 and all major European cities by 2030. Over 90 per cent of all new cars that join the platform are said to be electric, and Uber is working with London boroughs to invest £5million in charging points across the city.
Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber CEO, said: “This is an incredible milestone for everyone who has used the Uber app to ride or earn in the UK. Since launching nearly a decade ago, we have transformed the way that people get from A to B, and have provided genuine earnings opportunities for tens of thousands of drivers across the country. This is just the beginning and we now look forward to the next billion trips, and our electric future.”
Jonathan Esseku, driver who uses the Uber app, said: “I have been driving with Uber since 2014, and it has completely changed my life. I am able to turn the app on when it suits me and fit it around my busy life. Over the past 7 years I have met thousands of incredible people each with their own story, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Uber.”
