Uber was officially launched in Malta on Thursday.
The American giant said that from today it is available on the island, with users being able to call drivers for its various ride-sharing services.
In April, Malta weather reported for the first time that the company will begin operating in Malta.
Uber’s presence in Malta is backed by business empire Alf Mizzi and Sons and will be led by the former CEO of what will likely be its biggest rival, Bolt.
San Francisco-based Uber, which allows users of its app to request a ride or order courier services, was founded in 2009 and operates in about 65 countries around the world.
As with other options already available in Malta, when a nearby driver accepts a customer’s request, the app displays an estimated time of arrival for the driver heading to the pickup location.
Often described as a market disruptor, Uber has come under fire for its treatment of its drivers, who are construction workers and independent contractors.
The app opened thousands of times before Uber arrived
Uber said on Thursday that although the service did not have a presence on the island in 2021, the app was opened around 10,000 times to request a ride in Malta.
This figure reached 80,000 in 2019, reaching peaks in the summer when thousands of tourists flock to the island.
“Our data shows that there is a strong demand for Uber in Malta, especially during the tourist season. For this reason, we have decided to launch the application in the country and we are happy to do so with a partner like Alf Mizzi and Sons.”
“Our goal is to bring value to the entire transport system in the islands, to be absolutely compliant with local regulations and to allow people to travel reliably and safely through our app,” said an Uber spokesperson.
Passengers will be able to benefit from all the features of UberX, such as the ability to get driver information, car model and know the fare in advance, split the cost of the trip, view the their trip itinerary and , passengers and drivers will be able to get in touch by phone or chat without sharing their phone number.
In terms of safety, riders will have the ability to access the Uber safety toolkit and get assistance when needed.
In addition, Uber XL will offer the possibility for up to eight passengers to travel together; Uber Comfort, finally, will offer a more upscale vehicle and more legroom.
Independent journalism costs money. Support Times of Malta for the price of a coffee.
Support us
