Uber Ups Ride-Sharing Ante With Higher Pay In China

In the ride-sharing wars that have been the hallmark of the Chinese battleground between Uber and Didi Kuaidi, things just got a bit hotter.

As reported by CNET on Tuesday (Sept. 29), Uber, which has been busy expanding around the globe — much to the opposition of “traditional” taxi and car services in, well, wherever the company does business — has boosted the financial incentives tied to its China operations.

The bonuses it is paying out to Chinese drivers can equate to as much as 130 percent of standard fares, the site reported, citing Australian Financial Review reporting. The move by Uber is one that is concentrated on market share and one that aims to increase supply in a marketplace that has seen surging demand.

The way that 130 percent tally shakes out: A 60 percent bonus on fares earned over the weekend, an 80 percent bonus on rides during rush hour and another 110 percent on earnings that come between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. Based on a booking rate of 50 rides weekly, that comes out to 130 percent.

And chief Chinese rival Didi Kuaidi is, of course, not taking this in parked mode. The company has been busy raising funds and forging relationships with Uber’s international foes. Didi said Sunday it is investing in India ride- and taxi-hailing app Ola, a move that comes after it invested $100 million in Lyft, which does business in the United States.

[bctt tweet=”And chief Chinese rival Didi Kuaidi is, of course, not taking this in parked mode.”]

Some more battleground news: Uber has also brought its UberX service to Brussels, which has been using professional drivers even as the country has been rocked by protests from the taxi industry. And France has seen destructive protests, which had the effect of getting UberX banned in that country. In Singapore, Uber has been battling against GrabTaxi for market share, and GrabTaxi even offered free rides from a fleet of seven vehicles.

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