Uber launches UberBOAT in Mumbai

 by Priya Jadhav

~ Mumbai, first city where Uber will tap the potential of waterways as a transport mode~

~The service will be available to riders starting February 1~

Mumbai, January 30, 2019: Uber, the world's largest ridesharing company, today announced a pilot launch of UberBOAT service in Mumbai, in partnership with Maharashtra Maritime Board. The on-demand service will provide transportation from three of the city’s popular coastal routes namely Gateway of India, Elephanta Islands and Mandwa Jetty, via speed boats. Starting February 1, riders can access two variants of UberBOAT based on seating capacity - 6-8 seater for UberBOAT and 10+ seater for UberBOAT XL.

Uber’s vision is to transform into a multi-modal transportation platform in India. In line with this, UberBOAT will enable riders in Mumbai to request a speedboat at the tap of a button through the Uber app, thus making waterway commute in the city efficient and convenient.

Commenting on the launch of UberBOAT, Prabhjeet Singh, Head of Cities, Uber India & South Asia said, “We are excited to launch UberBOAT in Mumbai, in partnership with Maharashtra Maritime Board. As pioneers in the organized on-demand transport system, Uber’s vision is to create a multi-modal platform to better serve riders and the cities we operate in. With UberBOAT, we will tap the vast potential of the city’s waterways transport system. We aim to provide efficient and easily accessible services to riders who are looking at navigating through these specific routes. With this service, boat operators will be able to gain access to Uber’s highly engaged rider base and enhance their earning opportunity.”

Mr. Sanjay Bhatia, Chairman, Bombay Port Trust, said, ”Our vision is to make Mumbai as the sea transport and tourism hub of the country in collaboration with Maharashtra Maritime Board. It is a pleasure to launch UberBOAT in Mumbai, a step to make the waterway commute more efficient and convenient. As we continue to reimagine the waterways of Mumbai through a host of ambitious projects and partnerships, we believe UberBOAT will play a pivotal role in improving connectivity and will work closely with Uber to make this pilot a success.”

Mr. Vikram Kumar, CEO, Maharashtra Maritime Board, said, "We are delighted to see the first ever and unique initiative by Uber to launch uberBOAT service in Mumbai. We are confident that this will further bolster the city’s waterway transport facilities by providing locals/Mumbaikars as well as tourists a reliable and convenient ­­­­­­option to travel between Gateway of India, Mandwa and Elephanta. Additionally, Maharashtra maritime board will further strive and work with Uber to create  new possibilities and augment business for local boat operators.”

All UberBOAT rides will be equipped with best in class safety features including lifejackets, emergency contact details, printed collaterals along with a manual that highlights safety instructions. The rides are available at INR 5,700/- for UberBOAT (6-8 seater speed boat) and INR 9,500/- for BOAT XL (10+ seater speed boat) for all the active routes.

About Uber : Uber’s mission is to create opportunity through movement. We started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how do you get access to a ride at the touch of a button? More than 10 billion trips later, we're building products to get people closer to where they want to be. By changing how people, food, and things move through cities, Uber is a platform that opens up the world to new possibilities.