The state Transport department signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday with Uber to launch Uber Shuttle bus services.
By March 2024, Uber will run approximately 60 air-conditioned buses on predefined routes in Kolkata.
As part of this MoU, Uber has proposed to invest 10 million US dollars by 2025 in the state and create approximately 50,000 job opportunities in Kolkata in the
next 5 years.
The MoU was signed at the Bengal Global Business Summit by Dr. Saumitra Mohan, Secretary of state Transport Department and Shiva Shailendran, Director - Operations, Uber India & South Asia.
“Bengal remains committed to improving public transport services and expanding available transport options. Our partnership with Uber is another step in this direction.” Mohan said.
With the launch of Uber Shuttle, commuters will now be able to pre-book seats up to a week in advance, follow the live location and route of the bus and know its expected time of arrival (ETA), just like they can do with an Uber cab. This will bring alive a convenient commute experience with no standing passengers, cashless payments, and round-the-clock safety support from Uber including having access to a 24X7 Safety Line. Buses will run on each route from 6 am to 10 pm daily.
Each Shuttle vehicle will have a seating capacity of 19 to 50 persons. The buses will be run by local fleet partners using Uber’s technology.