Uber Will Soon Test its Bus Service in Hyderabad and Mumbai

Nitin Konde, Varun Bhardwaj

Oct 25, 2024 — 2 min read

Uber Begins Testing Bus Service in Hyderabad and Mumbai

After Delhi and Kolkata, the ride-hailing app Uber plans to test its bus (shuttle) service in Hyderabad and Mumbai. The company is currently negotiating with a number of local stakeholders to obtain approval to launch in the nation's IT hub.

In an interview with the media, Prabhjeet Singh, president of Uber India and South Asia, stated that the firm currently operates Uber buses in two cities and that two more cities—Mumbai and Hyderabad—are set to follow. Regretfully, Bengaluru is not yet included in this list.

Bengaluru Being a Dream Project

According to Singh, Uber is actively negotiating with various parties to launch bus service in Bengaluru. "It's my passion project to make sure we can bring Uber buses to Bengaluru, assuming the regulators allow us to do so," he said, adding that it demonstrates the localisation process and how we are evolving to meet customer preferences.

Singh further added that Uber needs regulatory approval to proceed to introduce such a service, and we have failed to obtain it. According to him, company is actively negotiating with a number of parties in the hopes of receiving approval to proceed, but as of right now, company has not been able to strike a positive chord.

Urging Civil Society and Policy-Making to Open Up to "Such Innovations"

Singh also called on those involved in policy making and civil society to be more receptive to "such innovations."

"I would encourage a significant number of individuals in civil society to participate to make the working class' daily travel hassle-free with such innovations. Numerous businesses are eager for Uber Shuttle to be introduced. From Hebbal and ORR (Outer Ring Road), you could take a shuttle. Air-conditioned shuttles with reserved seats that run every two to three minutes. These are situations that might coexist with the city's other public transportation options. I hope policymakers are much more receptive to innovations like this," he opined.

Uber India’s Vision

The goal of Uber's public transportation integration strategy in India is to provide a smooth system that enhances city efficiency while saving passengers money and time. High-capacity vehicles (HCVs) are available for Uber Shuttle service, and reservations can be made using the Uber app. Before the shuttle arrives, riders can track it. Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Delhi NCR all offer Uber Shuttle service.

Uber has more than one million drivers, according to a media source, which CEO Dara Khosrowshahi revealed on the company's March quarter earnings call. According to Khosrowshahi, bookings and transactions show that India is one of the company's fastest-growing regions. Larger markets tend to grow more slowly, but India stands out as a major market that is expanding quickly, he added further.