Uber encourages car owners to hand over their keys
‘Car-free curious’ Aussies in one major city can now sign up to ditch their car for four weeksIt sounds like an inconvenient drama for most, but more than 2000 Sydney motorists will ditch their wheels next month, to take part in an Uber trial encouraging ‘car-free curious’ Aussies to become less reliant on private vehicles.
Tipped to help Aussies understand the barriers and opportunities to ‘car-light living’, those within the Sydney region are now able to sign up and hand over their car keys to try living wheels-free for four weeks.
Uber says the trial – which will run from March 17 to April 13 in the Sydney metropolitan area – could help shine a light on Australians’ ‘over-reliance on private cars’, as the ride-share service launches the next phase of its ‘One Less Car’ study.
Support for the trial comes from Transport for NSW, Lime, and Lug+Carrie, and will include several perks for those taking part.
To help ease the burden of suddenly ditching your car, participants will be offered exclusive perks including Opal public transport cards, along with savings on e-bikes and Uber rides, deliveries, and car rentals.
And for those interested there’s still time to sign up, but you must live within 20km of Sydney’s CBD, Parramatta, or Westmead.
Australia has one of the highest rates of car ownership globally, boosting congestion, pollution, and living costs. However, according to research carried out by Uber in 2023, most private vehicles sit idle for 95 per cent of the time – and ditching your car could reap savings of around $16,000 per year.
“Australia’s road to net zero relies on a fundamental rethink of how people move through our cities, which includes shifting away from our dependence on private cars,” said Uber Australia and New Zealand managing director, Emma Foley.
“Our first One Less Car trial explored both the appetite for a car-free lifestyle, as well as the positive impact it can have on individuals, cities and our planet.
“Now we’re kicking things up a notch, aiming to sign up more than 2000 Sydneysiders to have a go at ‘car-light living’ as we work toward a more livable, sustainable future that is less reliant on cars as the default transport choice.”
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