Uber announced the launch in Portugal of a new service, UberX Share, which allows users to share rides with strangers who go to the same area of ​​the city. At the moment, the functionality is already available in Lisbon, Margem Sul and Greater Porto. According to Francisco Vilaça, general director of the company in Portugal, the solution allows users to save “up to 30%” on the price of a trip.

On the other hand, a few minutes are added to the trip, and at the moment shared trips can last up to “eight minutes” longer than private trips. The new modality places up to three users, two in the back seat and one in the passenger seat, sharing a car. For the driver, according to Francisco Vilaça, it is the “equivalent of taking a longer UberX trip.” “Chaining users makes the trip longer, [mas] always paid during the entire trip”, explained the person in charge, adding that this option is “better than chaining several UberX trips.”

When adding users there is always an adjustment to the fare and all extra trips made by [o motorista] If you have deviated from the route to pick up another person, they will pay you,” said Francisco Vilaça, this Wednesday, during an event to mark the 10 years of Uber in Portugal.

For Uber, putting more people in the same cars is a way to “promote not only the decongestion of cities, but also, along with electrification [dos automóveis]unequivocally promote the reduction of emissions” in cities.

When asked if this functionality could be seen as a response to possible discontent among drivers, who were on strike last month, the manager responded that the company respects the “right to demonstrate.” “Something that is essential to remember is that we work to create an offer of mobility services. And bringing a solution like UberX Share is exactly an investment in technology that generates more demand and, consequently, more revenue,” he added.

Ten years, 200 million trips and a trip between Lisbon and the south of France

In Portugal since July 2014, Uber shared with journalists some data about its performance in this market over the last 10 years. More than 200 million trips have already been made, in 195 cities throughout the country. Around 12 million passengers used the services across the country and 70,000 drivers also used the app.

“The most active user has already made more than nine thousand trips in Portugal (…) the biggest, longest trip was made between Lisbon and the south of Francedemonstrating that Uber can be a solution even when the plane fails,” highlighted Francisco Vilaça.

Regarding sustainability, the company said it has already invested more than €1.5 million in Portugal to “encourage and support the green transition”, with the aim of “doubling the investment in the coming years”. The investment, according to Uber, “is materialized through partnerships with insurance company entities, car manufacturers, rental companies or electric charging companies.”

In addition, Uber said it has the “largest center of excellence in Europe” in Lisbon, which has more than 400 workers, which involved an investment of 91 million euros.

As for StopClub, a Brazilian company that entered Portugal last month to help drivers understand which trips are worth it (and which one is taking Uber to court in Brazil), Francisco Vilaça told the Observer that he found out “at through the company’s media. introduction of this business in the country. At the moment, Uber in Portugal has “no position” to take, as it is “analyzing information” related to the company.

StopClub, a Brazilian company that is fighting Uber in court, arrives in Portugal to help drivers realize that trips are worth it