Uber slashes fares in Chennai, Kolkata

Leading taxi aggregator Uber has slashed its fares by up to 25 per cent in Chennai and Kolkata, with an aim to attract more customers.
As per the revised tariff in Chennai, a journey in a hatchback costing Rs 8 per km earlier has been revised to Rs 6 per km, Uber said in a statement.
Similarly, it has reduced fares for sedan to Rs 7 per km as against Rs 9 earlier.
The base fare of UberGO has also been reduced from Rs 40 to Rs 30, while that of UberX remains same at Rs 40.
While in Kolkata, uberGO will now charge Rs 7 per km from Rs 9 earlier. The base fare has been reduced from Rs 40 to Rs 30.

"We are hoping this price drop creates more accessibility for people in the city. Higher demand also means more trips for our partner drivers, and increased earnings for them," Uber India General Manager South and West Bhavik Rathod said.

He further said that pricing is a "science" with every city having different economic circumstances, regulations and competition.
"We've learned over the years that we do best when we test new things. With each new test - small or large - we learn more about the choices riders make, and how those choices impact earnings for drivers," he added.
The company is witnessing a strong competition from domestic players like Ola as well as local taxi operators.

"Our goal for 2016 is simple: better, smarter way of getting from A to B that saves riders money and increases earnings for drivers," Rathod said.
Uber has presence in over 361 cities in 66 countries. In India, it has services in 26 cities, the highest compared to any other country outside the US.