Uber 'UberReads' - Books on Delhi-NCR Shuttles

New Delhi, Jul 30 (PTI) Close on the heels of starting its shuttle bus service in the city, Uber has teamed up with Penguin Random House to stock some popular books and best-selling titles on select routes in Delhi-NCR, for commuters keen on reading on-the-go.

The month-long initiative will see 'UberReads' EV buses ply through predefined routes in Delhi that have some of the most traversed commute routes between business districts and large residential areas, the company said.

The popular ride-hailing platform received a license from the Delhi Transport Department to operate Uber Shuttle under the Delhi Premium Bus scheme, in mid-May. The Uber shuttle was initially piloted in Delhi-NCR.

At the moment, Uber Shuttle air-conditioned (AC) buses run on 50-plus routes in Delhi, and according to the company it has 40,000 monthly active users. Uber Shuttle is also operational in Kolkata since last year through a pact with the West Bengal government.

"The new fleet of electric Uber Shuttle buses (in Delhi-NCR) will come stocked with popular books and best-selling titles from Penguin Random House India to encourage riders to read during their rides," according to a company release.

A premium offering, Uber Shuttle aims to offer riders the convenience of pre-booking seats up to a week in advance while being able to make cashless payments, follow the live location of the bus on the Uber app, and have access to a safety helpline, the company said.

Riders will have the choice of picking a book during their journey and are expected to place the book back in its place for the next rider while exiting the bus at their stop.

Amit Deshpande, Head - High Capacity Vehicles, Uber India and South Asia said, "By bringing to life 'UberReads' through our partnership with Penguin, we want to remind people of the conscious choices that are wholesome in more ways than one.”

Gaurav Shrinagesh, CEO - India, SEA (South East Asia) and MENA (Middle East and North Africa), Penguin Random House noted, "We are thrilled to partner with Uber in this innovative initiative, demonstrating that reading can happen anywhere, even on the go".