Could Uber run the London bus network? It’s complicated

U

ber wants to run city bus systems. And, as the UK’s bus coverage hits a 28-year-low, unless government and local authorities invest more in public transport, we may well have to give the taxi firm a shot.

Dara Khosrowshahi, the firm’s CEO, says he wants Uber to become a market for transport options from bikes to food delivery and more. "Cars are to us what books are to Amazon," he said at a conference outlining his vision for the company. "I want to run the bus systems for a city," he added. "I want you to be able to take an Uber and get into the subway… and get out and have an Uber waiting for you."

Those plans are already in motion. Uber has a slice of food delivery via UberEats, is trialling bike sharing in San Francisco, and has been mocked for reinventing the bus via its now defunct UberHOP service. More successfully, it also introduced UberPool, its shared ride-hailing option. Beyond that, Uber is already working with US cities to offer discounted rides to train stations for commuters living in areas with poor transport options, and offering ride-sharing to a small city in Canada as a cheaper alternative to rolling out a bus network.