The number of Uber drivers working in an area of Ukraine does not change after there has been a missile attack, the head of the transport service in the country has revealed.
You might expect workers to flee dangerous areas as soon as alarms go off, but according to Kateryna Netymenko, that’s not the case.
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, he said: “Every time there is an air alarm, the metro becomes a shelter and all public transport stops because it is too risky to carry passengers.” People have no other means of getting around, so drivers stay in line.”
Figures show that Uber has doubled the number of Ukrainian cities it operates in since the war began exactly one year ago, with more than 25,000 active drivers.
It has also provided an impressive 100,000 free rides for refugees, doctors, patients and essential workers.
The number of Uber drivers working in an area of Ukraine does not change after a missile attack, the head of the transport service in the country has said.
Uber drivers have delivered hundreds of tons of emergency supplies to areas experiencing Russian occupation or missile attacks so far.
Drivers serve a huge demand for rides, one that increased tenfold between March and December 2022.
When an area experiences a missile attack or power outage, public transportation services can be significantly reduced or stopped altogether.
This means that a smartphone app that can request a car in a few minutes, like Uber, becomes a lifesaver.
Ms Netymenko has been working for Uber since before the war started and says the drivers will continue to provide mobility for civilians, regardless of the Russian threat.
“There was a driver who was actually quite new to the platform,” he said.
‘When he finished his 500th journey he went home to rest and the area became occupied by the Russians.
“He was under the occupation for 35 days, but because he had his car with him, he provided internal transportation for the families who stayed there.”
Kateryna Netymenko (pictured) has been Country Manager for Uber in Ukraine since before the war started, and says drivers continue to provide mobility for civilians regardless of the threat.
Ms. Netymenko (pictured) was forced to leave Ukraine just days before the war started while she was 34 weeks pregnant, and was unable to return for a year.
Uber initially halted operations when Russia launched its full-scale invasion, but soon restarted when it became clear its services were needed.
Currently, the company operates at a loss to offer lower prices to customers and higher wages to drivers.
Ms Netymenko said: ‘Initially we were thinking about how to help Ukrainians with essential travel (including) their attempts to flee to safer areas.
‘We launched free rides to the Ukraine border and relaunched Uber Shuttle so they could accommodate more people in one ride.
“In fact, I was surprised by the number of drivers who provided evacuation services, around kyiv and other areas.”
Drivers also began taking trips without passengers on board, as they delivered hundreds of tons of emergency supplies to areas suffering from Russian occupation or missile attacks.
This is part of a collaboration with the UN World Food Program and involves using a customized version of their business platform, Uber Direct.
The larger vehicles face problems reaching needy Ukrainians in built-up areas, such as structural damage and a major threat of Russian bombing.
So the initiative uses a fleet of smaller Uber vehicles, like vans, to send relief items from warehouses to people in need in densely populated areas of the country.
In May, Uber also partnered with the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture to transport teams of conservationists to and help evacuate artifacts of national importance.
‘Uber for Ukraine’ has raised more than $3m (£2.5m) so far, enough for 50 ambulances. In the photo: Ambulance in Ukraine financed by Uber
Ms. Netymenko herself was forced to leave Ukraine just days before the war started while she was 34 weeks pregnant, and was unable to return for another year.
When he returned, he discovered that he was dependent on the app he manages, allowing him to listen to drivers’ stories about how the conflict had affected them.
‘Would you like to stand in a long line so they could finish their story!’ she said,
A driver told Ms. Netymenko that she had started driving for Uber because she was unable to continue working in her previous fruit import business.
“When the war started, the entire supply chain was lost,” he said.
“But he had some stocks in storage, so he donated all those fruits to isolated people in kyiv.
“Many people have lost their business or job and rely heavily on Uber as a platform to be their source of income.”
Of the 25,000 active drivers in Ukraine, more than 15,000 made their first trip after the full-scale invasion.
In May, Uber partnered with the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture to transport conservation teams to artifacts of national importance and help evacuate them.
Uber is launching a new feature available to users in the UK, ‘Uber for Ukraine’ (pictured), which allows users to add £1 to the price of their ride to be donated to Ukraine
Now, Uber is rolling out a new feature available to users in the UK, allowing them to add £1 to the price of their ride that will be donated to Ukraine.
Riders just need to choose the “Uber for Ukraine” option in the app to contribute to UNITED24, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s fundraising platform.
This is available to users in London from today and will roll out across the country over the next week.
The option has been available in a further 15 countries since March 2022 and has since raised more than $3m (£2.5m), enough for 50 ambulances.
Ms. Netymenko said: ‘It can be tiring to see and hear about the war every day, but for us, the war is not news; it is our daily life.
“We need support at all times and while a donation of $1 or £1 may seem small, it adds up to really help Ukrainians.”