New Delhi: Taruna boards the Uber Shuttle at Noida Sector 62, picks up the biography of an American monk from the bus’ mini library and turns to page 34. It was where she had left off during her previous day’s commute. Taruna is not the only one.
Inside the Uber Shuttle, a handful of seats are filled. There is pin-drop silence, with phones kept aside, passengers are glued to their books.
This is Uber’s latest initiative: #UberReads.
The ride-hailing company has partnered with Penguin Random House to provide a free library, from which passengers can pick up a book to read during their journey.
From Steven Bartlett’s The Diary of a CEO and Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens to Indians by Namit Arora and Amrit Kal Ka Bharat by Shashank Mani — the library includes 80 of Penguin’s most popular titles. The collection ranges from fiction to biographies, and from self-help books to mysteries, offering passengers the chance to revisit the joy of reading.
This month-long initiative, which started on July 30, aims to reduce ‘doomscrolling’, a behaviour wherein individuals mindlessly scroll through social media, often while travelling.
“It’s a nice addition. A bonus I would say,” said Taruna.
However, it is not the free library, but a safe and comfortable ride for which Taruna books an Uber Shuttle.
“Metro is super crowded during office hours. It’s a nightmare. The Uber Shuttle certainly comes to our rescue. Safety is not a concern because the crowd is decent. And you can also track the live location and route of the bus,” she said.
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A pilot test
#UberReads is a pilot test. It might get scrapped or could be expanded to other shuttle buses as well. The decision solely depends on the passengers’ interest.
The EV buses that offer the #UberReads service are currently available on a single route — from Noida Sector 137 to Udyog Vihar, Gurugram, covering 37 stops. The library has been added to only two of the total four buses on that route. The first trip starts at 7am and the buses run 20 minutes apart.
They connect some of the most traversed commute routes between business districts and large residential areas.
“We wanted to do something cool and different. That’s how the idea of the library came into being,” an Uber spokesperson told ThePrint.
However, for Penguin India, it was an opportunity to showcase its range of books, ensuring that there is a book for every kind of reader.
“It also demonstrates that reading can happen anywhere, even on the go,” said Gaurav Shrinagesh, CEO, India, SEA & MENA, Penguin Random House.
With the shuttle, Uber aims to target an untapped market—people who can’t afford daily cabs but are ready to spend more than what they would pay for a metro or DTC bus ride.
“We have only scratched the surface when it comes to people who have downloaded the ride-booking application. Not even 10 per cent. So with Uber Shuttle the goal is to expand the consumer base,” said the Uber spokesperson.
Currently, Uber has 40,000 monthly active users for its shuttle services. It has also been running in Kolkata since November, last year, under an MoU with the West Bengal Government.
In Delhi, passengers pay close to Rs 150 for 30 kilometres in an Uber Shuttle. However, the first six rides are free of cost.
“They have hit a sweet spot. A package which serves both the pocket as well as the comfort of the passengers. As far as books are concerned, I am not an avid reader. I like my music while travelling. Let’s see if they are able to make people like me pick up a book…. but it’s not gonna happen overnight. It will take quite some time,” said Ishaan Kohli, a design intern, who was travelling from Noida to Okhla NSIC.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)