Following trials in the US and Canada, Uber has launched its ExpressMatch tool at India’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, also known as Kolkata Airport.
ExpressMatch anticipates demand and issues an alert to drivers, requesting that they wait briefl y at the pick-up kerb or at a secondary parking area nearby. The tool sends the drivers to the pick-up kerb only when there is suffi cient space available. Passengers are then matched directly with a driver.
This means that wait time is reduced to almost zero, leaving passengers better placed to observe social distancing measures. ExpressMatch improves overall passenger experience and helps reduce congestion at the airport, according to Uber. Furthermore, it optimises wait time for drivers by reducing idling at pick-up zones.
Airports involved in ExpressMatch trials saw a 40% to 65% fall in wait times, Uber reported. The company had deployed ExpressMatch at ten airports across the US and Canada by the end of August 2020. Kolkota is its fi rst location beyond North America.
