The following information is from the official Uber blog. According to it, a pilot service for Uber (an app-based transportation network and taxi company) begins today, Feb. 5, in Fukuoka City.
(from the Uber Blog)
We’re thrilled to announce a pilot program, Everyone’s Uber, an innovative ridesharing service offered by the drivers of Fukuoka, for the people of Fukuoka. Available from 10AM today, February 5, this is an unprecedented collaboration between Uber and the Kyushu Technology Licensing Organization (TLO) to support research institutions analyze the city’s commuting patterns.
Fukuoka becomes the 282th Uber city globally, and the second city in Japan alongside Tokyo. We have long admired the city’s vision to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, led by Mayor Takashima, which ultimately creates more employment and business opportunities. With a young, growing population that is economically active, the energy in the city means people are constantly moving around the city, making Fukuoka the ideal place for Uber’s first ridesharing pilot in Japan.
Our mission for embarking on this pilot program is to understand the transportation needs of the city and its people. With that, we are grateful for the support and partnership with the Kyushu TLO to support research around building a smarter city in Fukuoka. Through the partnership, Uber will provide anonymized and aggregated trip data to Kyushu University Center for Co-evolutional Social Systems and Fukuoka Directive Council’s Smart City Working Group, who will assess needs around mobility services and transportation options in various parts of Fukuoka City.
Sign up by downloading the Uber app on your smartphone. While it will prompt you to enter your credit card information as our default registration process, rest assured that Everyone’s Uber in Fukuoka is free for riders during the pilot.
Rides starts AND stays within Fukuoka City, Kasugashi, Shimemachi, and Kasuyamachi.
– Your ride is less than 60 minutes long.
– You don’t take more than 5 rides per week.
