The carpooling wave, partly spurred on by the Delhi government’s Odd-Even plan, is taking foot across the country. After starting off in Delhi, Uber has now launched UberCommute in Bangalore. Under this service, ordinary drivers will be able to offer their cars for pooling with people going their route.
Bangalore will become the second city in India to have UberCommute. The launch of UberCommute comes just over three months after Uber launched UberPool in Bangalore, with which riders can share their Uber ride and split the cost of their travel.
“By making it easier and more convenient for people going in the same direction at the same time to share the journey–as well as the cost of the ride–Uber can help cut congestion and pollution. We are excited to launch UberCommute in Bengaluru and offer Bangaloreans reliable, convenient and an even more affordable option to get around their city.” said Bhavik Rathod, General Manager, Uber South & West said.
To use UberCommute, drivers will need to register on the Uber website and upload the required documents. While driving, they will need to enter their destination to begin accepting rides. Riders will have to select the UberGo option to carpool with these drivers.
Bangalore already has several ride share options, including rival’s Ola and Meru’s ride sharing options, a slew of carpooling apps and shuttle services like Zipgo that enjoy varying degrees of success. But the entry of the global car hailing service indicates that carpooling is here to stay. And this might bring relief to Bangalore’s beleaguered daily commuters.