When we first heard the Uber car booking scheme was coming to Hong Kong, we have to admit that we were a tad sceptical about how successful they’d be, given the fact that taxis are so plentiful and cheap here. But lo and behold, we were mightily wrong!
As the company announces Hong Kong to be its fastest growing market outside of the United States, it today rolled out its brand new Uber Taxi app, allowing users to book cash-free rides in normal Hong Kong red taxis for the normal metered rate! Users are also encouraged to rate their driver experience, so poorly scored drivers will be struck from the list. Oh the power, cue evil laugh.
Headquartered in San Francisco, Uber has taken the world by storm since its 2009 launch, and now operates in more than 150 cities. The classic service, which was launched in Hong Kong last month, allows users to book private cars via a smart phone, with the cost of the service automatically deducted from a credit card.
The average ride using the traditional service is said to cost 1.5 to 2 times more than a regular Hong Kong cab, making it more of a luxury option. However, by cornering the budget market too, it seems Uber may well blow its biggest rival in Asia, EasyTaxi, off the map.
Good on ya, guys. We had every faith!
