Uber Connect expands its services to Mumbai in second phase

This picture has been used for representational purposes

Uber on Tuesday expanded its recently launched package delivery service ‘Uber Connect' to Mumbai and 13 other cities for enabling residents to send and receive parcels from each other and also order items from shops within city limits while maintaining social distancing.

Uber Connect's second phase of expansion will see the new service launch in Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Bhubaneswar, Bhopal, Coimbatore, Indore, Mysore, Patna, Kota, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Ludhiana Nashik and Mumbai bringing the total count to 25 cities.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Uber piloted the new service last month in 11 Indian cities including Kolkata, Jaipur, Guwahati, Gurgaon, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Chandigarh, Noida, Bangalore, and Pune.

All packages should be transportable on a two-wheeler vehicle, be under 5 kilograms in weight, securely sealed and not include prohibited items such as alcohol, recreational drugs, or dangerous and illegal items. Similar to on-demand trips, customers will be able to continue monitoring the trip's progress prior to pick up, en route, and at the dropoff. Customers can also share the delivery status with the recipient of the package. In case customers want to order items from nearby shops, they can simply put the shop address as the pickup location, place the order over the phone, and have the items delivered at their doorstep.

Prabhjeet Singh, Director-Operations and Head of Cities, Uber India, and South Asia, said, "We are thrilled to scale Uber Connect to more cities across the country to help citizens send parcels to friends and family. They can also order items from shops during this crisis, without having to step out of their homes. Uber Connect is a prime example of how we are adapting our platform to meet the needs of our communities, which still need to practice social distancing in these challenging times, along with creating new earning opportunities for our drivers."

Uber Connect said they will adhere to all rules and guidelines laid down by the government and local authorities. All driver-partners have been given virtual training to maintain strict health and hygiene standards and to avoid direct contact with customers during delivery.

Getting started with Uber Connect is easy:

• Download the app - Get the free Uber app from the App Store or Google Play on your smartphone and open the app to create your account
• After adding your pickup and delivery address, Uber Connect will appear in the Uber app as a new option in the vehicle selection scroller
• You'll be prompted to agree to package delivery T&Cs and confirm that your item complies with those terms and request delivery
• You'll receive a notification once the driver is on their way to pick up your package. You can contact the driver directly for any special pickup or drop-off instructions
• You can use the "Share My Trip" feature with your recipient so they can track the delivery and meet the driver to collect the package.

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