How will Uber work in Colombia?
Less than a month after the company said goodbye to the coffee nation, Uber returned with a new way of functioning.
Person with a cell phone in the ‘Uber’ application. / Photo: Freepik
LatinAmerican Post | Marcela Peñaloza
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Leer en español: ¿Cómo funcionará Uber en Colombia?
Through a mass email that reached all registered users in Colombia, on the morning of Thursday, February 20, Uber announced their return to the coffee country. In the statement, the company wrote: “Uber is reinvented for Colombia. We have created a new business model to operate in Colombia. This new model, which is temporary, allows you to reach your destination by renting a driver car. How? Accepting a contract through our application with one click. The new Uber also offers you more options to move around. ”
Un nuevo camino juntos. Conoce más en https://t.co/0ZeiAOV8Kt #UberSeReinventaPorColombia pic.twitter.com/RrkBQ7Tqcq
— Uber Colombia (@Uber_Col) February 20, 2020
This means that Uber will connect drivers and users to enter into a contract.
In the Uber blog, the company explains that the platform now has five services :
1. For hours: if you need a car for more than one route to get around different parts of the city, Uber offers you the option to rent a car and pay for the hours you use it.
2. Uber Ya: With this option, you can rent a car quickly to move where you need it.
3. Economy: you can rent cars for a lower price if they are of less recent models. This service will only be available in some cities of the country.
4. Comfort: if you want a premium experience you can rent a car with a driver and have a more comfortable ride.
5. UberXL: If you go with a large group or have a lot of luggage, you can rent a car where everyone is comfortable. Uber advises that the price of this service be divided among all users to make it cheaper.
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Uber's reinvention in Colombia came after the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce declared that Uber's operation was illegal as it incurred unfair competition. The ruling came on December 20 after a lawsuit filed by Taxis Libres and the operator Cotech.
The Superintendency also sanctioned the platform with a fine of $ 414,058,000 Colombian pesos. The mobility application stopped working on February 1 but announced that it would appeal the decision that was qualified as arbitrary. At the time, the 88,000 drivers expressed their disagreement with the decision as this left them without their main economic income. Now with the return of Uber, drivers can reactivate and work with the application again.
