Low-cost uberX comes to Joburg

The hugely popular Uber private taxi service has introduced a lower-cost option in Johannesburg, under the uberX brand, at prices that compete with metered cabs.

Uber, a service that connects commuters with private taxi drivers, launched its low-cost option – uberX – in Johannesburg today. uberX comes in alongside the high-end UberBLACK service, which has been available since August last year.

Alon Lits, General Manager for Uber Johannesburg says: “We are thrilled to launch uberX in Johannesburg today. This new service means that you can now enjoy the efficiency and safety features of Uber at an affordable price. We are humbled by the response of Joburg to Uber and we are already providing thousands of safe rides on a weekly basis.

uberX means more commuters can enjoy the benefits of the cashless, transparent service that Joburger’s love. Riders requesting a ride using the application will still be able to see their driver’s photo, name and registration before they get in the car. They will also still have access to a live GPS-enabled map throughout their journey so they can let their friends know when they’re likely to arrive.

Lits says that a big part of Uber’s local strategy is to promote entrepreneurship and job creation. “Traditionally the metered taxi industry is one where drivers are salaried employees working specified shifts, without much freedom or flexibility. We partner with independent business owners, who now have the flexibility to work as much and whenever they want Drivers make far more – and with greater flexibility – than any other option available to them.

Today’s news follows the announcement yesterday by Discovery Insure that its members will receive a 25% upfront discount on Uber trips, which provides a personal driver for their clients keeping them safer. In addition clients who pay for their trip with a Discovery Card are able to receive a cashback of up to an additional 20% of the net spend. Should a Discovery Insure client with a valid claim be injured in an accident and unable to drive, they are able to waive their car hire benefit in exchange for Uber personal driver services of up to R5 000.

We are excited about the partnership to allow our members to obtain additional benefits from Uber’s great services. At Discovery, we constantly look into ways to harness the power of technology to deliver solutions for our clients, adding value to their daily lives and having an impact on society,” says Discovery Insure CEO Anton Ossip.

Uber believes in the benefits of progressive and safe transportation, and we have already seen the way that the Uber service is revolutionising the way Joburger’s go about their daily lives. Our vision is that uberX will be so affordable, reliable and efficient that the need for car ownership in the city will soon become a thing of the past,” adds Lits.

One of Uber’s top riders, the beautiful and talented Boity Thulo, was the very first rider of uberX in Joburg this morning. She kicked off the free weekend, where new and existing users can enjoy free uberX rides from now until 23h00 on Sunday 17 August.

To request a ride, users must download the free application for Android, iPhone, Windows Phones, Blackberry 7, or m.uber.com

What to expect when you request a ride:

Pricing

Price Example:

Price Example:

Car types

uberX

Base Fare: R5

Fare per km: R7.50

Fare per Min: R0.75

R195-R300

R20-R36

Toyota Corolla

uberBLACK

Base Fare: R15

Fare per km: R11

Fare per Min: R1.10

R344-R454

R53-R66

Mercedes C-Class:

BMW 3 Series

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