Uber Connect has launched in Cairo. Egypt. This is the first market in the region for Uber to launch Connect.
Uber Connect is an easy, same-day, no-contact delivery solution that allows people to send items whether it’s a care package for a loved one, a gift for a friend’s birthday, an item you sold online or an important business document.
Uber Connect first launched this service in April 2020 in the wake of the decrease in demand for its ride hailing services due to the Coronavirus pandemic. At first launche, it was available in more than 25 cities across Australia, Mexico, and the US.
Here’s how it compares with normal package-delivery services
- No postage required.
- On-demand package delivery—no need to wait hours or days for it to arrive.
- The driver will transport the package on your behalf directly from your location
- No direct contact with others—physical distancing guidance approved!
Uber intends to offer two Uber Connect services to customers in Egypt through the Uber app:
- a door-to-door delivery service would enable users to send and receive packages to/from family and friends and
- a service that would allow users to request couriers to pick-up or purchase items on their behalf from nearby stores which could include groceries, laundry, or anything else.
Uber advises that:
- All deliveries will be made through scooters which accommodate small items. Please keep the maximum items per order at 10 provided their maximum total weight is under 10 kgs.
- Total value of items asked to be delivered should not exceed EGP1,000. Total value of items to be purchased on your behalf should not exceed EGP500.
- The items you need delivered or purchased on your behalf are not prohibited by any applicable regulations and are not, without limitation, any of the following items: cash, guns, drugs, alcohol, valuable jewelry or precious stones, medical equipment and cheques and similar methods of payment and credit and debit cards or original documents of value like passports and identification cards, food, medicine, any product that may be perceived contrary to public order and morality (like pornographic material etc.).
- Uber Connect is not recommended for valuable items such as mobile handsets, passports, wallets, cash or important and official documents.
According to information available on the app, Connect’s base fare in Cairo EGP 4. For every delivery, the users will be charged EGP 2.15/kilometer and EGP 0.25/minute.
Ahmed Khalil, the General Manager of Uber Egypt, commenting on the launch of Connect, said, “This is a proud moment for us as we add a new service to our app in Egypt, and is another first in the MENA region. Uber Connect has been designed to ease senders’ daily errands while empowering drivers with new earning opportunities.
“By launching Uber Connect, we are taking a step forward to accelerate our efforts to keep our community safe, which has been our goal since the start of Covid-19. Our role as a technology company won’t stop here; we will continue to evolve to effectively and sustainably define the new normal during this unprecedented time,” he added.
