Uber App Now Offers Public Transport Tickets For CO Riders

Uber is rolling out more ways to get around with expanded train and bus tickets for its customers in Denver, Colorado.

The ridesharing leader has its sights set on becoming the smartphone app everyone looks to for a lift—no matter the mode of transportation.

“For the first time ever, taking an Uber trip can mean taking public transit,” David Reich, Uber’s head of transit, said in a press release. “With this step, we are moving closer to making Uber’s platform a one-stop shop for transportation access, from shared rides to buses and bikes.”

Denver residents can now use Uber’s app to buy tickets from the city’s buses and trains operator, Regional Transportation District (RTD). The price is the same as other purchasing options, Uber said in a statement.

More than 1,200 public transportation tickets were sold through Uber’s app since May’s rollout, Uber said, and use has been growing an average of 42 percent each week.

The Uber app for RTD lets users purchase and redeem a range of tickets, including three-hour, daily and monthly passes. Users activate tickets, which are stored in the “Transit tickets” section of the app, when boarding a bus or train. Once purchased, tickets are available even when the phone is offline.

While nearly two-thirds of tickets sold were for local rides, airport trips were the second most popular option for in-app ticket purchases at 23 percent, according to an announcement from RTD.

Uber’s move is part of a progression that includes not only transit options, but also dockless scooters and bikes available for rent, all in-app.

Uber plans to partner with other public transit agencies worldwide to fill in gaps where buses and paratransit options don’t provide adequate service or are too costly. Denver marks its first attempt to integrate mass transportation options directly into its app.