UBER Motorcycle Service Launched in Bangkok; Will India Get It?

he popular American multinational online taxi dispatch company- UBER has launched two-wheeler ride service in Bangkok, called UberMOTO. Launched as a pilot program, the service has been started aiming at cities in the emerging markets where traffic congestion is particularly severe.

The Uber users in Bangkok can use UberMOTO service as another option on the app after updating, and it operates just like its traditional car services. The two-wheeler drivers also have to pass the similar background checks those are already mandatory for the car drivers. The bike driver will be obliged to provide helmets for their passengers as well. 

The two-wheeler rides will be available at a base rate of ?10 (INR 19.20), plus ?3.5 a kilometer (INR 6.72), ?0.85 a minute (INR 1.63) and payment methods are similar to the taxi service.

According to Uber, the reason for launching UberMOTO service in Bangkok is the popularity of motorbikes in the country and traffic conditions there. This is not the first time when the company is experimenting with the form of transportation in emerging markets. In April 2015, it started an auto-rickshaw service in India, which did not go so well and shuttered just eight months later.

However, the new initiative taken by Uber in the field of transportation is not only economical but eco-friendly as well. Currently, some start-ups are providing such service on small-scale like the recently introduced "bike-as-a-taxi" service that is available in Gurgaon. We are not aware that how well they are doing with the small-scale project, but we can expect that if Uber comes with it on a large-scale, it could be a big hit in the market.