Uber Japan has launched a trial of using vehicles for car-sharing services to transport customers under its ride-hailing services in Tokyo, with the aim of securing a sufficient number of ride-hailing drivers.
Tying up with taxi company Royal Limousine and car-sharing service provider Times Mobility, the unit of U.S. ride-hailing service provider Uber Technologies began a trial on Tuesday designed to enable ordinary drivers to offer ride-hailing services even if they do not own vehicles, making it easier to get into the business.
In the trial, which will run through Nov. 30, drivers recruited by Royal Limousine will use two vehicles owned by Times Mobility to operate ride-hailing services in central Tokyo’s 23 wards and the western Tokyo cities of Musashino and Mitaka. Uber will consider whether to fully launch such services based on findings from the trial.
In April, the government partially lifted a ban on ride-hailing services, allowing individuals to use their private vehicles to offer paid rides. But the services have failed to spread as much as expected due in part to time and area limitations.
“We hope ride-hailing services will expand by allowing people to work (as drivers) without owning cars,” Kazuo Horie, adviser at Royal Limousine, said at a demonstration event for the media on Tuesday.