There’s no doubt that Uber has disrupted the international market. Since its inception, the online transportation network company has created a new market, inviting those that never used a taxi before to quickly order one right to their doorstep.

Alon Lits, GM for Uber in sub-Saharan Africa, only sees the service growing.

With more than half a million people using the service since its introduction into South Africa’s major cities – Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban – the common trend is that it’s people who own cars that are in tune with the service.

I mean, if you want to drink on a night out, there’s nothing better than hailing an Uber.

While people previously relied on metered taxis, it’s difficult to know whether they are registered, safe, and clean.

Not only that, but a common trend in the suburbs of Jozi is hailing an Uber for kids to get to school. After all, the public transport system needs some serious TLC in the country. World Wide Worx’s Arthur Goldstuck elaborates:

The thing about disruptive technologies is that existing operators seldom respond effectively — the only way they can respond, says Goldstuck, is to improve the quality and comfort they offer.

Hilary Joffe continues:

Those who use the service abroad might notice different cars and different standards, reflecting the fact that each city sets its own rules. But what is most different about Uber in SA is that the majority of its drivers are full-timers. The average number of hours logged per driver is significantly higher here than in the more than 400 other cities globally in which Uber operates.

While Uber continues to grow and disrupt the market, giving South Africans who haven’t travelled abroad an insight into a different sort of lifestyle, we can only hope that the changes will create a trickled down effect and seep into national transport services.

[source: bdlive]