Uber partners Australian transport app to support public transit options
Uber has partnered with Australian ride-hail app TripGo to improve its services in cities including Melbourne, Perth and the Gold Coast. The partnership will allow users of the app in Australia to access real-time ride-sharing and public transport data so they can seamlessly synchronise Uber rides with “under-served” public transport services. The news comes shortly after both Uber and Lyft reported similar deals with various public transit providers in America with the dual aim of increasing ride-hail ridership and ease of use of public transport services. 

Uber has partnered with transport app TripGo, helping to synchronise users’ travel with public transport networks in various areas of Australia.

Today advising of the partnership, Uber stated that it will “complement and extend the reach of public transport networks”, with it to be available in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth, the Sunshine Coast and Sydney.

“To give local residents a more reliable and convenient option to connect with public transport, TripGo and Uber have created a seamless way for people traditionally under-served by transport to plan, book and track door-to-door multimodal trips,” Uber stated.

In what Uber states is an Australian first, TripGo users will be given access to real-time ride-sharing and public transport data, allowing for users to request and synchronise Uber rides with public transport connections.

“Enabling users to book their trip from start to finish in one app brings us closer to providing true mobility as a service (MaaS),” Claus von Hessberg, TripGo CEO and founder, commented.

“It also gives users more flexibility to adapt to changing plans, traffic situations, etc, as they can manage and update their trip directly within the TripGo app.”

David Rohrsheim, Uber Australia & New Zealand general manager, stated that the alignment of “ride-sharing with public transport systems is one of the smartest ways to help people move around the city without the need for costly infrastructure developments or owning a personal vehicle”.

“Uber is working with cities and local transport systems around the world to solve the first and last mile problem, and this partnership will help feed more people into and effectively expand the reach of existing public transport services,” Rohrsheim commented.