Uber marks 6 years in Sri Lanka

• Invests Rs. 337 m to empower local communities during pandemic in past 2 years

Uber is celebrating six years of providing affordable, convenient and safe mobility options to the people of Sri Lanka. 

Uber said it rolled out Rs. 337 million worth of initiatives to relentlessly support local communities over the last two years of the pandemic.

It includes an investment of Rs. 250 million to support drivers on its platform to ease their financial burden during the series of lockdowns this year. 

Leading with action, Uber continues to make significant contributions to support the nation build back better. It doubled down to make the platform safer for everyone by investing Rs. 20.5 million in safety supplies and PPE kits for driver and courier partners. It distributed face masks, sanitisers, disinfectants and installed safety screens in over 4,000 cars and tuks last year.

Going beyond its ecosystem of driver and courier partners, Uber said it spent Rs. 66.5 million on dry rations and free vaccination rides in partnership with local NGOs, to better aid vulnerable communities across all provinces. It includes free rides worth Rs. 25 million provided to frontline healthcare workers and the elderly in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, this year. Uber also provided Rs. 11 million worth of free rides to the general public in partnership with the Prime minister’s Office, to travel to and from vaccine centres.  Commenting on its sixth anniversary milestone, Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said: “I’d first like to congratulate Uber for reaching the six-year milestone in Sri Lanka. I’d also like to thank them for stepping up and supporting us during the pandemic, by offering 50,000 free rides to the Ministry of Health to safely transport frontline healthcare workers and vulnerable communities, in partnership with the Red Cross Society of Sri Lanka. We truly appreciate Uber for the solidarity shown during these challenging times when we required this critical assistance.”

Uber launched in Sri Lanka in 2015 and it quickly became the ride sharing platform of choice by offering convenient, affordable and safer modes to get from point A to point B. Since then, it has served over 2.4 million unique riders and drivers till date.

Uber Sri Lanka Head Thanushika Sivanathan said: “We are proud of what we have achieved in the last six years, and our service to the broader community. I would like to thank every driver and rider on our platform, because we wouldn’t be here without their support. Our journey is only just beginning and we look forward to celebrating many more milestones in the years to come. Our pledge to provide free vaccine rides to support our communities, distribution of dry groceries to unserved communities, PPE supplies to drivers, and creating livelihood opportunities are just a few of the ways we stand committed to moving our country forward.”

As cities move, Uber is seeing strong signs of recovery and it remains firm in its commitment to create micro-entrepreneurship opportunities for thousands of Sri Lankans.