Uber receives aggregator licence to operate buses in Delhi

Ride-hailing app Uber has received an aggregator license from the Delhi Transport Department to operate buses in the national capital under the Delhi Premium Bus Scheme, the company announced in a statement.

Delhi is the first state to award a license for bus operations, making Uber the first aggregator to be granted a license under the Delhi Premium Bus Scheme, according to the statement.

“Following a successful pilot program, where we witnessed significant demand for buses, we are thrilled to officially introduce the convenience of Uber rides to buses in Delhi,” said Uber Shuttle India head Amit Deshpande.

Customers will be able to pre-book seats on their preferred routes by choosing the ‘Uber Shuttle’ option on the Uber app.

The formal launch of Uber Shuttle, a bus service designed for daily commuting needs, culminates a pilot program initially tested in Delhi-NCR and operational in Kolkata since last year under an MoU with the West Bengal government, as per the statement.

Commuters will be able to pre-book seats up to a week in advance, track the live location and route of the bus, and view its expected time of arrival (ETA) — all through the Uber app.

Each shuttle vehicle will accommodate 19-50 passengers and will be operated by local fleet partners using Uber’s technology. (With inputs from PTI)