Uber Expands New Service In US
Uber tests brand new service in USA
Taxi and car-sharing service Uber have been trialling new services in the United States following the success of their original platform on a global scale.
Diverse Offering
Since its launch in 2009, Uber has begun to diversify from simply offering an alternative cab service, most significantly branching out with Uber Eats, which delivers takeaways directly to consumers, and Uber Freight, which has been running successfully across the United States in a B2B capacity.
Now, with initial trials taking place in Chicago, USA, Uber is bringing their gig-economy success story to the temporary job market.
Uber Works
This week, Uber announced its new division Uber Works, which aims to provide temporary staff for large events, ranging from waiters and waitresses to security personnel.
With its large database of contractors, it hopes to offer a wide variety of temporary options for functions across the United States. Uber expects to expand this countrywide throughout the United States.
Initial trials for Uber Works took place in Los Angeles, down the coast from Uber’s San Francisco headquarters – and bosses expect this brand new service to be available within the next year.
There are currently no plans for Uber Works to cross the pond to the United Kingdom, but its expansion may be entirely dependent on its starting success in the USA.
Gig Economy
Many large economies are encountering a greater number of workers taking positions on a job-by-job basis.
With heavy use of zero-hour contracts in the UK and a growing number of freelancers entering a variety of markets, Uber may be tapping into a significant market niche that would directly connect workers to bosses, without the need for a middleman.
Uber Works is primarily being pitched as a B2B service, with professional workers being the only ones currently available through the database, though this could be expanded in the near future once these trials have been completed.
The service is set to work in a similar way to a zero-hour contract; according to a local advertisement for the trials, candidates must be ready to ‘be on call when the product is busiest (often nights, weekends and holidays‘.
The project is being led by Uber Executive Rachel Holt, who is also spearheading JUMP – Uber’s electric bike sharing service.
UBER To Float In 2019?
There are also rumours that UBER will look to go public in an IPO as early as 2019. Watch this space.