Uber to celebrate one billion trips made in the UK

Uber has announced that it is set to complete one billion UK trips, almost 10 years since the first trip was taken in London on 29 June 2012. Since then, Uber has transformed the way that people move and earn in the UK, and will ensure that the platform is powered by electric vehicles in future. 

The one billion trips that have taken place across the UK have changed the way that people move around towns and cities. In the last month alone (October 2021), riders have taken at least 400,000 trips to hospitals and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, NHS staff took over 3.8 million discounted rides, helping them as they worked tirelessly on the frontline against COVID-19. 

In just the last three months (August, September and October 2021), 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 (October 2021) are airport terminals or train stations, highlighting the crucial role that Uber is playing in getting people moving after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber‘s 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 earning 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.” 

Uber has empowered riders to replace their car with their phone, and private car ownership has declined in a number of urban areas since 2012. As Uber embarks on the next one billion trips, its focus 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 electric, and Uber is working with London boroughs to invest £5 million in charging points across the city. 

Uber has also transformed the way that tens of thousands of people across the UK are able to earn money, offering good earnings through flexible independent work. Only on Uber do drivers receive holiday pay, pension contributions, and at least the national living wage guaranteed.