Colombo, 11th August, 2021: Uber today announced that it will provide 50,000 free rides for citizens travelling to vaccination centers across Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara districts.
The initiative, part of Uber’s global commitment to provide 10 million free or discounted rides to ensure efficient and equitable access to vaccines, is in support of the government’s drive to vaccinate Sri Lankans by removing transportation as a barrier to people getting access to vaccines.
Earlier in June, Uber partnered with the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) to offer free transport to vaccine hubs for frontline healthcare workers, elderly and citizens from vulnerable communities. With this latest offer, it has now expanded this partnership to include members of the general public as well.
Applauding the joint initiative, Mahinda Rajapaksha, Hon’ble Prime Minister of Sri Lanka said, “After a successful joint programme to provide transportation to frontline workers, once again Uber Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society have partnered to provide 50,000 free rides to those facing difficulties in getting to the vaccination centres. I thank both organizations for stepping up in this hour of need.”
Speaking about the initiative, Prabhjeet Singh, President, Uber, South Asia, said, “We are privileged to be able to support the Sri Lankan government’s tireless efforts to ensure each and every citizen in the country is vaccinated. Safety has always been a priority at Uber and we are determined to offer our assistance to the local authorities in their efforts to battle COVID-19 across the cities we serve. Mass vaccination is the key to overcoming this pandemic and we are committed to providing safer and timely transport options for people travelling to vaccination centers. This, in turn, will help communities to recover quickly from the pandemic and rebuild their lives.”
How to Claim a Free Ride:
- Tap the menu in the top left of the Uber app and select ‘Wallet’
- Select ‘Add Promo Code’ at the bottom to add the promo code SL10M21V
- Vaccination Promo Codes will be applicable in the Uber app for all users, in cities where Uber operates, and across all our Products
- Select the nearest authorized vaccination centre in a Govt. or Private hospital and the return trip.
- Navigate to the app’s home screen and enter the pick-up/drop-off locations for yourself or the person you are booking for.
- Confirm your trip.
- The maximum value of each free ride will be LKR 200 and a rider is entitled to maximum of two free rides, to and from the nearest vaccination center
- The final fare displayed before confirming the trip will be inclusive of the discount
- The rider is liable to pay the excess trip fair in case it is over LKR 200.
In addition to supporting the ongoing vaccination drive, these free rides will further boost earning opportunities for Drivers on Uber’s platform during these challenging times.
To support the government’s drive to inoculate the nation earlier this year, Uber had announced discounts on its popular Tuk service for residents travelling to and from 13 vaccination centers across Colombo. Additionally, the company partnered with the Ministry of Health to launch a Covid-19 Awareness Campaign to reinforce safety and hygiene protocols for promoting best practices in safety.