Uber was started by Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp because they were stranded in Paris on a snowy evening and couldn’t find a cab. What if you could just tap your phone to get a ride? they asked themselves. Since its initial introduction in 2009, the company has continued to expand.
Top 10 interesting facts about Uber
The CEO of this ride-sharing company is Dara Khosrowshahi. It takes some considerable expertise to be the head of a multinational company with over 16,000 people. Fortunately, Khosrowshahi possesses that. Prior to joining Uber, he was CEO of Expedia, an online travel agency. Having fled Iran after the revolution when he was just nine years old, he is also an ardent supporter of refugees in need.
Here are some lesser-known facts about Uber:
Uber’s first name wasn’t Uber
At first, Kalanick and Camp did not refer to their business as Uber.
UberCab was the original name, which unmistakably conveyed the essence of the business. However, San Francisco taxi and cab drivers objected to the name, arguing that it was inappropriate to refer to vehicles that weren’t clearly marked as taxis by using the terms “cab” or “taxi.” (In San Francisco, taxis and cabs are typically yellow with the word “Taxi” on them, but this isn’t always the case.)
And due to this very reason, they dropped the previous name when the official app was released in San Francisco in 2011, and it got the present name Uber.
Uber not the only Uber
Uber Inc., a design firm based in New York, and the ride-hailing corporation have the same name.
Due of the name similarities, Uber Inc. encountered some difficulties. Employees and customers of the ride-sharing company would contact the design firm to get their questions answered as ride-sharing company did not believe in providing a phone number for customer support.
Old cars can’t be used for Uber
Every vehicle that transports people via the Uber app needs to have at least four doors and be less than ten years old. The users’ convenience is the only reason for this rule.
Uber has a ‘kitten-sharing’ service
The ride-sharing company offers a plethora of subsidiary services, including UberEats, Uber Freight, and Uber Health, but one particularly endearing and unexpected service is UberKITTENS.
Seven US states offer this service, which lets people cuddle up with cats and dogs. It was started with the intention of encouraging people to adopt animals.
Uber’s exclusive magazine is only for its drivers
The ride-sharing company offers helpful affiliate services in addition to Momentum, its own print and digital magazine. However, Uber drivers are the only ones who can access this magazine.
Uber has a three-employee policy
The ride-sharing company typically only employs three people in each location, and those three people are in charge of running every aspect of that city’s operations. These three people need to be contacted if you have any issues.
This ride-sharing company operates in 65 countries
Major offices are located in London, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, and Amsterdam in addition to the IT hub of San Francisco. The ride-hailing corporation allows you to hail a ride in over 600 cities across the globe.
Ratings make a huge difference to Uber
Both Uber users and drivers can assign a five-star rating to each other. The driver’s profile may be deactivated if their average rating falls below 4.6.
Longest Uber ride was 3,631km
In 2017, Uber driver Anthony drove the well-known YouTuber Mr. Beast 3,631 kilometers from North Carolina to California.
The driver, a former truck driver, claimed that he didn’t mind traveling a great distance. The ride came at a total cost of $7,380. Additionally, Mr. Beast gave Anthony a tip of $7,380 to make his return journey worthwhile.
Uber ATG is working on self-driving technologies
Self-driving cars seemed like something out of science fiction not so long ago. However, innovation is at the heart of Uber, and the committed Uber Advanced Technologies Group is working to bring these ideas to everyone who rides. The first test was conducted in the United States in 2016, and the team is currently working on mapping, technology, and vehicle safety.
We hope you now have a better understanding of Uber and some interesting anecdotes to share with your driver when you have your next ride.
