UberMOTO launches in Thailand, providing customers with motorcycle rides

By Lulu Chang February 24, 2016

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If getting in an Uber car doesn’t make you feel safe, perhaps a motorcycle will assuage your fears. At least, that’s what the transportation giant is banking on now that it has launched its first motorcycle service in Bangkok. The new service, known as UberMOTO, has just debuted its pilot program in the Thai capital, and is meant for cities (particularly in emerging markets), where getting around in a four-wheeled vehicle is not very feasible.

UberMOTO will work just like traditional Uber — users will have the ability to hail a motorcycle ride from within the app, and the San Francisco-based startup promises that their motorcycle chauffeurs will have to pass the same background checks as their car drivers (though for some, even that’s not enough). And don’t worry — your physical safety won’t be predicated purely on your driver’s skill. UberMOTO drivers will be required to provide helmets for their riders, too.

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As of today, these motorcycle rides will start at ฿10 ($0.28), with the additional charge of ฿3.5 a kilometer ($0.10) and ฿0.85 a minute ($0.02). Passengers will be able to pay either with cash or credit card.

“Motorcycles are part of the commuting culture in Thailand,” Douglas Ma, head of Asia Expansion for Uber, said in a statement. He also noted that the new offering would resonate with Thai citizens and allow for “another easy and affordable option for short trips around town while creating tens of thousands of flexible work opportunities for Thais.”

While Uber has previously tried to expand its services beyond traditional cars, history hasn’t been so kind to these endeavors. Last year, Uber tried a rickshaw program in India, but rather unsurprisingly, it didn’t take off. Just eight months after its introduction, it was no more. Hopefully, UberMOTO will meet with more promising results. At least this form of transportation still has a motor.

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