On April 6, Uber announced it would test pilot a program in the UK that will allow users to book planes, trains, hotels, and rental cars through the app.
In a statement from Jamie Heywood, Uber’s general manager for the UK, the move is a step forward in the company’s quest to transform into “a one-stop-shop for all your travel needs.”
The San Francisco-based technology firm has had its sights set on becoming a global “super app” for years, but plans were put on hold when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 and the company shifted focus to its Uber Eats program.
“It’s fair to say that COVID made it a little bit hard for us to progress as quickly as we would like,” Heywood told the Financial Times. “With COVID behind us, with this big push into new modes of transport, we want to signal that this is a very important growth lever for us over the coming years.”
Unlike its ride-hailing and delivery services, which operate directly through the company, Uber will contract with UK transportation entities to sell the tickets. Uber plans to announce the partnerships in the coming months.
“You have been able to book rides, bikes, boat services, and scooters on the Uber app for a number of years, so adding trains and coaches is a natural progression,” said Heywood in a statement. “Later this year, we plan to incorporate flights, and in the future, hotels, by integrating leading partners into the Uber app to create a seamless door-to-door travel experience.”
The announcement comes a month after Uber revealed the launch of Uber Explore, now available in fourteen U.S. cities, including Dallas. The service connects users to local cultural and entertainment events, allowing them to purchase tickets, see reviews and get directions, The Dallas Express reported. The service also offers a one-click “Ride There Now” feature.
Worldwide COVID lockdowns and their lingering effects took a financial toll on Uber’s ride-sharing option. An article published by Nasdaq revealed revenue for the feature has yet to fully bounce back from the pandemic. Revenue through much of 2021 remained down 35% from 2019’s pre-pandemic numbers.
However, by the end of 2021, Nasdaq reported that bookings had risen to 84% of what they were in the same quarter of 2019; the Uber Explore program is an attempt to get more people to return to the app and further boost those numbers.
“Moving forward, we are poised to continue to grow at scale while expanding profitability,” said Nelson Chai, chief financial officer for Uber, in a February statement.
The pilot program in the UK is being rolled out just weeks after Uber secured a license to continue operating in London for another 30 months. The license was up in the air for years as city regulators had safety concerns about the tech company’s operation. On March 26, Transport for London announced they would grant the private hire vehicle operator’s license for another two and half years.
