DUBAI — In the GCC, an average of 76% of the population are mobile subscribers and Saudi Arabia has a 68% subscriber penetration rate, making it amongst the most mobile savvy countries in the region. The abundance of mobile users, coupled with an 84% urban population, makes the Kingdom a top-priority market for the ride-sharing industry and particularly for Uber.

In recent years, the ride sharing industry has evolved rapidly, and alongside it customers’ needs have also shifted.

To better meet their needs, Uber is building locally for markets using its global experience; to understand and address challenges people in the Kingdom could face when it comes to transportation, and find solutions that meet their needs so that everyone can have access to reliable and convenient transportation solutions whenever needed.

By actively adapting to customers’ needs, Uber has emerged as a leading platform for mobility as the company aims to become a one-stop shop for a variety of mobility and delivery needs.

Uber has also proved itself as a significant economic contributor and investor in Saudi and the wider MENA region. To date, more than 200,000 Saudis are on-boarded on the app and benefit from the flexible economic opportunity the technology provides them with.

Through its operational excellence, tech innovation and global scale, the tech company has managed to achieve key milestones in the Kingdom and in line with Vision 2030, which stresses the importance of improving the quality of transport services across cities.

In an exclusive conversation with Mohammad Gazzaz, general manager of Uber in Saudi Arabia, he addressed how Uber has been supporting local communities, increasing mobility for individuals and providing accessible and affordable transport options to millions around the Kingdom.

Gazzaz said, “At Uber, we recognize the need to step up and support cities by working together on solving transportation challenges and improving the overall network to move in and around cities. We are continuously looking at being part of the future of urban mobility in the Kingdom and serving the needs of cities, riders and driver-partners.

“Additionally, I believe companies like Uber play an integral part in shaping the future of urban mobility in cities around the world, as the private and public sectors collaborate on ways to create smarter, safer and more efficient ways of getting people from point A to point B.”

The company has also always been a key advocate and a catalyst in women mobility. In 2018, Uber announced the launch of ‘Masaruky’ ("your path" in Arabic) in Saudi Arabia — an initiative that aims to increase women’s participation in the workforce through access to affordable transportation, in addition to increasing women’s access to flexible, part time economic opportunities through the Uber technology.

The company kicked off the initiative with an initial SR1 million pledge to make driving schools accessible to more women who are interested in learning how to drive but may not have the resources to do so. Furthermore, Uber partnered with Alnahda, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating more economic opportunities for women in Saudi Arabia, to work together towards empowering more women to drive.

This year the success of this partnership was brought to light in a special ceremony held in November by Uber and Alnahda, where the first group of more than 300 women who have benefited from the partnership between Uber and Alnahda, and earned their driver’s licenses from the Saudi Driving School (SDS), were celebrated at the ceremony, which took place in Riyadh.

Uber also has a strategic partnership with “Takamol Holding”, which operates Wusool, a program developed by the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF). The goal of the program is to enable working women in Saudi Arabia overcome transportation challenges to and from the workplace by providing affordable, subsidized transportation solutions and encouraging women’s contribution towards the country’s socio-economic progress, in line with the goals and objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

Uber has also launched a number of exclusive features dedicated for the Saudi market. The ‘Women Preferred View’, for example, was designed especially for the Kingdom and gives women driver-partners the choice to select a preference of women riders. A global first for Uber, this feature provides greater access to economic opportunities for Saudi women, while being mindful of the cultural context.

Gazzaz also stressed the importance of the launch of UberTaxi in the Kingdom — which positioned Saudi Arabia as the first in the GCC region to offer riders additional reliable and affordable options to move in and around their cities.

The latest introduced offering pairs Uber’s technology with many of KSA’s experienced and seasoned drivers to facilitate a technology-driven mobility option that involves upfront fare estimates, location sharing and many of the other benefits that riders enjoy with Uber. As a major partner to cities, Uber hopes to further support the development of transportation services, and be a part of the Kingdom’s future network.

Safety is a key priority for Uber and will continue to remain so in the future. The company has made significant steps to improve safety for both riders and drivers using the app. For example, Uber’s 24/7 “Center of Excellence" center which was set up in 2016, is the first and largest in the MENA region, with 700 staffers providing support to Uber and Uber Eats customers and couriers in English, Urdu, French, and Arabic.

Uber had also launched a “Safety toolkit” which introduces innovative features that aim to raise the bar on safety, and increase transparency, accountability and peace of mind for all users, and these include Emergency button, Trusted contacts, and Speed Alerts.

Other safety products provide transparency, accountability, and comfort for all users. These features built upon and strengthened some of Uber’s core safety offerings such as GPS tracking of all trips, and 24/7 support through its dedicated safety center, which houses Uber’s Safety Response Team and handles customer inquiries from across the region.

What’s in store for the ride sharing industry in 2020? Companies such as Uber will be looking at diversifying and developing seamless transportation modes to customers, making it easier to get around without owning a car.

In fact, Uber is expanding its options in the Kingdom and across the region to help create a future of transportation that reduces dependence on individual car ownership, expands access to convenient and affordable transportation solutions, and collaborates with governments towards improving the overall transportation network in cities. That's why Uber has rolled out services such as UberTaxi in Saudi, and we hope more will follow in the future.

In addition, the tourism sector in the Kingdom is booming and we expect to see even more visitors in 2020. Mass tourism will lead to an increased demand for reliable and affordable transportation modes.

Ride-sharing technology apps such as Uber give visitors the option to choose from a number of services at the touch of a button — by simply using the same Uber app they have access to in their home city. Key opportunities in 2020 for the ride-sharing industry will change the way people move in Saudi Arabia. — SG