Uber Japan announced that it will launch a "public ride-sharing service at post offices" in collaboration with Kaga City, the Kaga City Tourism Exchange Organization, and Japan Post, starting October 7th .
This initiative, the first of its kind in Japan, allows local residents, especially the elderly, to use ride-sharing services from post offices without needing smartphones or ride-hailing apps.
From left to right: Hiroshi Murakami, General Manager of Uber Japan; Toshiaki Yamada, Mayor of Kaga City; and Masaki Nomura, Department Manager of Japan Post.
In this initiative, dedicated Uber tablets will be installed in all 15 post offices in Kaga City, and postal workers will provide support for ride-sharing dispatch.
Users can pay the fare in cash at the post office counter by providing their name, phone number, and destination. Not only are there no fees, but post office staff will also provide support for using the Uber app on smartphones.
Masaki Nomura, Department Head at Japan Post
Ridesharing is a local transportation service where citizen drivers use their private cars to transport local residents and tourists.
Since March 2024, Kaga City has been promoting the provision of "Kaga City Ridesharing," a public ride-sharing service utilizing the Uber app. While it has become popular as a new mode of transportation in the region, the need to use a smartphone or app to book a ride has been a hurdle for people unfamiliar with digital technology.
In response to this, the aim of this initiative is to make ride-hailing services available to more users as a social infrastructure by having post offices, which have local networks, act as dispatch points.
The service is available at 15 post offices within Kaga City, and can be delivered to parts of Komatsu City, which is adjacent to Kaga City.
Mayor Yamada of Kaga City
Kaga City Mayor Toshiaki Yamada stated, "In conjunction with the opening of Kaga Onsen Station, we have established ride-sharing using the Uber app. We believe this initiative is not merely about advancing a single project, but also serves as an example of a new public-private partnership. We will work to ensure that the local community can also experience its results."
In addition, Masaki Nomura, General Manager of Japan Post's Regional Co-creation Division, stated in his address, "We will combine Japan Post's network in regional areas with Kaga City's regional transportation initiatives and Uber's ride-hailing platform. In particular, we want to expand transportation options for the elderly and others, and contribute to the enhancement of digital transportation in regional areas," outlining the key points of the collaboration and future prospects.
Uber Japan's General Manager Murakami
Hiroshi Murakami, General Manager of Driver Operations at Uber Japan's Mobility Division, expressed his enthusiasm for the announcement, stating, "Maintaining local transportation is a challenge in rural areas, and ride-sharing has been very helpful in solving this problem. However, simply securing transportation is not enough. The digital divide becoming a barrier to mobility was an issue that could not be overlooked when considering local transportation. This initiative is one answer to that problem, and it leverages the convenience of digital technology while not leaving out people who are not comfortable with digital technology."
Regarding future developments, he stated, "It is important to proceed while listening to the opinions of the local people. We hope that this model will be a success."
