Uber Rides for ambulances: Uber launches new rides option to raise support for Ukraine

‘Uber for Ukraine’ dispatches a regular UberX trip plus 1 EUR (1£ in the UK) to help buy urgently needed ambulances for Ukraine.

Funds are being raised in partnership with UNITED24, President Zelenskyy’s international fundraising platform. Through previous campaigns, Uber has already raised more than $3 million – enough for 50 ambulances – via both user donations and the company’s matching grants.

The UK is one of 17 countries in Europe where riders will be able to select the Uber for Ukraine trip option. 

“As the brave people of Ukraine stand strong into a second year of full-scale war, we must continue to stand with them. Together with riders from across the world, we’ve already donated 50 urgently-needed ambulances to Ukraine. But we must keep going. And so, beginning today, people all across Europe can now make showing their extraordinary solidarity a part of their everyday life.” 

Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO, Uber said.

Uber has been operating in Ukraine since 2016, and currently operating at a loss in order to offer lower prices to riders for their essential daily transportation needs, and higher earnings for its 25,000 drivers in the country. Uber initially paused operations when the full-scale invasion began last year but soon restarted, with the Ukrainian government requiring assistance with essential transportation.

Since then Uber has doubled its service in Ukraine, from nine cities to eighteen. Since the invasion Uber has provided more than 100,000 free rides to Ukrainian refugees; rolled out free transport for medical staff and patients at 300+ hospitals; and built a customized logistics platform for United Nations relief agencies to deliver emergency aid. 

Most recently Uber has built a custom version of the Uber app to provide free on-demand transport to teams of conservationists from Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture to locate and protect thousands of artifacts of irreplaceable value to Ukrainian cultural heritage and independent national identity. 

In addition to direct work on the ground, Uber raised more than $8.5 million via a combination of contributions from users worldwide and direct grants.