Heartlanders make up bulk of uberPool users

SINGAPORE — The majority of Uber’s carpooling users hail from the heartlands, with Jurong, Serangoon and Tampines being some of the more popular starting and end destinations.

Giving an update on its first-year operations here, Uber Singapore said that the number of trips to and from suburban areas has grown 360 per cent since the launch of its uberPool service last July.

The mobile-app-based ride-sharing service allows drivers to take up to four bookings per car, with passengers who are heading in the same direction. The upfront fare does not change regardless of the given number of passengers.

The company said that the fares for uberPool are up to 40 per cent cheaper than uberX, which is its least expensive private-hire service.

Its general manager Warren Tseng, 34, said at a media briefing on Friday (July 14) that “it makes sense” that uberPool is popular among heartlanders. “Because the point of having this additional choice is to reduce the price and to give people the access to reliable and affordable transportation,” he said.

Uber is also introducing a scorecard just for this month for carpooling passengers to track their carbon footprints. The system keeps track of the distance travelled and the carbon emissions that one saves as an uberPool rider. They will be ranked based on the frequency of their carpooling, and the scoreboard can be viewed only on uberpoolscore.sg, not via the Uber app. Riders stand to win S$100 in credits if they share their score on social media.

Since the start of this month, new regulations for the private-hire car industry have kicked in, requiring all drivers who want to provide chauffeured services to obtain a Private Hire Car Driver’s Vocational Licence. Applicants for the licence must pass background checks, health tests, and a training course.

Mr Tseng said that Uber drivers now have to do the same. He added that the company plans to further use its in-built app features to prevent accidents on the road. Drivers are notified via the app when they accelerate past their speed limit and when they make hard brakes or accelerations. They are also reminded to place their cellphones on the phone stands when they are driving, Mr Tseng said.

On July 9, a 22-year-old Uber driver hit a tree along Xilin Avenue off East Coast Parkway, killing his 31-year-old male passenger. The driver was arrested for causing death by a negligent act.