Chennai, September 8^th, 2016: Uber, the smartphone app that is transforming the way the world travels today, has announced the launch of its innovative product uberPOOL in Chennai. Director Karthik Subburaj inaugurated the service in the city and became the first UberPOOL rider in the Chennai. uberPOOL enables people going the same way at the same time to share their journey–bringing carpooling at the tap of a button. With the launch in Chennai, Uber’s Carpooling service is now available six cities across India

More people in fewer cars means cheaper rides for passengers and less congestion over time. Since the launch of uberPOOL in Delhi and Bangalore, 25% percent of all trips in the two cities are on uberPOOL, while 20% of all trips in Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai are also on uberPOOL.

Announcing the launch, Bhavik Rathod, General Manager – South & West, India & Sri Lanka, Uber, said, “Celebrating cities is at the core of what we do at Uber. It has been an immense pleasure serving the city of Chennai for the last 30 months. Each day, this wonderful city and its people have shown us that the spirit of Chennai is best expressed, when its people come together. Today as we launch uberPOOL, our carpooling service in Chennai, we’d urge all our riders to use this innovative mode of transportation and join us in our effort to reduce congestion and pollution in our cities, by putting more people in fewer cars.”

Commenting on the launch, Karthik Subburaj, Director, said, “Uber has brought in a positive change to the way Chennai moves. I personally Uber around quite often because of the convenience it offers. Whether it is an early morning meeting or a night out with my friends, I rest assured because of Uber. The people of Chennai have always been open to new technology. With, UberPOOL, Chennaites can not only save money but also help in saving the environment by reducing congestion and pollution.”

uberPOOL is a proven model:

Since the start of this year, uberPOOL riders in India have cut down the number of kilometers driven by 12,880,000 kilometers which translates to over 605,000 litres of fuel saved

In Delhi and Bangalore, 25% of all trips are on uberPOOL and 20% of the trips in Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad are also on uberPOOL

1,400,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions cut

HOW TO POOL with uberPOOL

Selecting the uberPOOL option connects the rider real-time with 1-2 passengers heading in the same direction. Shared rides are up to 50% cheaper than traveling solo on uberGO, irrespective of the destination and adds just a couple of minutes to the total ride time.

Additional Information:

WHEN: The POOL option is available only between 07.00 AM – 11.00 PM, 7 days a week

WHERE: POOL trips can be requested from and to most parts of North, Central & West Chennai and some parts of East Chennai. Check out our uberPOOL coverage area map:

WHO: A rider can book a maximum of 2 seats per pick up

COST: The upfront fare shown to the rider while making the request is guaranteed whether or not the rider is matched during the trip! Here are a few sample fares during commuting hours:

About Uber

Uber is evolving the way the world moves. By seamlessly connecting riders to drivers through our app, we make cities more accessible, opening up more possibilities for riders and more business for drivers. From our founding in 2009 to our launches in hundreds of cities today, Uber’s rapidly expanding global presence continues to bring people and their cities closer. Today Uber is available in 450+ cities across 73 countries. The service is available in 28 Indian cities — more than any other country outside the United States and China. www.uber.com