Uber to start bus service in Kolkata for office goers

Ride-hailing app Uber on Wednesday announced that it will soon start a bus service in Kolkata for office-goers.

By March next year, Uber Shuttle will have 60 air-conditioned buses on predefined routes, connecting business districts with residential areas of the city, it said in a statement.

Uber will invest $10 million in the state by 2025 and create about 50,000 livelihood opportunities over the next five years, it added.

For the bus service, Uber signed an agreement with the state Transport Department at the Bengal Global Business Summit.

Like cabs, passengers can pre-book seats up to a week in advance for Uber Shuttle, track live location and route, and receive real-time estimated time of arrival (ETA) through the Uber app.

Uber Shuttle will offer commuters a seamless and convenient travel experience, the statement said.

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The service will also provide cashless payment options, round-the-clock safety support and a comfortable ride with air-conditioned buses running from 6 AM to 10 PM daily, it said.

"This unique partnership will bring the convenience and reliability of Uber rides to buses, contributing to our global sustainability goal of increasing vehicle occupancy, reducing traffic congestion, and lowering carbon emissions," said Shiva Shailendran, the director of operations at Uber India and South Asia.

"By providing commuters with more transport choices and creating livelihood opportunities for drivers, we are confident that this initiative will set us on a path of collective success," he added.

State Transport Secretary Saumitra Mohan said West Bengal was committed to enhancing public transport services and expanding available options to make commuting hassle-free.

Our partnership with Uber is another step in this direction, he said.