Uber to launch taxi service in Dhaka soon

For Dhaka commuters, taxi woes may be over soon.

Uber, the global taxi service company, is all set to hit the Dhaka roads within weeks. With Uber taxis plying around, Dhaka’s commuting experience will change forever.

“Bangladesh has similar traffic chaos like in Indonesia” said a source linked to Uber. “Our service will help ease the situation. We have been preparing the ground to launch the service in Bangladesh for the last eight months.”

An American multinational online transportation network company headquartered in San Francisco, California, Uber offers App-based taxi service allowing customers with smartphones to submit a trip request.

The software program then automatically sends the request to the Uber driver nearest to the commuter, alerting the driver to the location of the customer.

Uber does not own any taxi. But anybody with a private car can join the Uber team.  In many countries, a passenger can share the taxi service with others to minimize cost. However, this facility will not be available in Dhaka right now, a competent source said.

If the Uber car is travelling at a speed greater than 18 km/h, fare is calculated on the basis of distance, otherwise, it is calculated on the basis of total travelled time.

Fare also depends on supply and demand. It means fare is higher during peak traffic hours and less during lean time so that more drivers are encouraged to operate their cabs during high demand.

Passengers can rate a misbehaving driver and similarly a driver can rate an errant passenger. Bad ratings can bar both the driver and the passenger from availing the Uber service.

Uber has actually revolutionized taxi experience worldwide. Many other companies have started copying its model and given birth to the word “Uberisation”.