Uber launches Uber Connect same-day delivery product with pilot schemes in three UK cities

Uber has launched a new same-day delivery service called Uber Connect in the UK. Costing the same as a regular UberX journey, the new product will initially be available in Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds as a pilot programme.

Uber Connect allows users to deliver parcels and packages quickly by tapping into the existing Uber network. Users can order in-app, with the same notifications and ability to track the parcel in real-time.

Jamie Heywood, regional general manager for Northern and Eastern Europe, Uber, said: “Daily life remains very different this year and we want to help people keep in touch while staying safe at home as lockdown continues. Uber Connect means you can send that last minute gift that you accidentally forgot, share a book you loved with one of your friends, or documents for a work colleague.”

This is an additional way Uber’s platform can provide support during this difficult time and help ensure people can get the items they need, when they need them. It also provides driver-partners on the Uber platform a new earnings opportunity.

The new product is set to prove popular this weekend as couples living in different houses send each other Valentine’s Day gifts, while it’s also expected the product will be used regularly by those working from home to courier documents and parcels.

To send a package, users need to select Connect in the Uber app and enter the pick up and delivery details. Sealed packages should be loaded into the boot of the vehicle when the driver arrives, and users can then follow the journey in app to see it arrive safely with the recipient as a contact-free delivery. Packages can be valued up to £100, must weigh under 13kg and must not contain any prohibited items.