
Updated · Mar 30, 2023
Updated · Jan 12, 2023
Hello boys and girls.
I have a question for you.
Do you know what you call a drunk woman?An Uber, so she can get home safe.
Yup, today we are talking about Uber.
I have a mind-blowing list of Uber statistics that will give you a view of Uber’s inner workings.
With Uber’s recent IPO and its vision for the future of travel, it’s undoubtedly an exciting topic.
But let’s kick it off with the history of Uber’s birth.
Let’s go back in time and visit the most romantic city in the world.
Paris.
The winter of 2008.
Snow is falling, and Christmas decorations are shining all over the city. Love is in the air, and Parisians await the birth of Christ. Little do they know of what else will be born that night.
Two guys – Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp attend LeWeb (which stands for “The Web,” but it sounds sexier in French.)
On their way back to the hotel they have a hard time catching a cab.
Back in the hotel, they get to talking about how hard it is to get a cab in the US as well.
That’s how the idea of Uber is born.
The next year they create the ride-hailing company in San Francisco.
Which leads us to today’s...
More and more people worldwide know how to use Uber today. Their number will increase in the years to come if the trend continues.
Uber’s value was around $60 million in 2011. How much is the company worth today?
(Source: BBC)
With the IPO of the company still in the future, Uber’s valuation is uncertain.
One year ago the company’s valuation was at $120 billion. As of 9th of April of 2019, the company’s value was expected to be around $100 billion. One month later – in May Uber's worth was $82.4 billion. The company's IPO raised $8.1 billion.
(Source: Backlinko)
Uber takes a ‘small’ service fee for every ride booked through its platform that goes towards its mobility revenue. In 2020, this mobility revenue was recorded to be $6.1 billion.
In 2019 however, Uber statistics showed us that revenue from this mobility segment was $10.7 billion. Since many people were forced to stay at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer Uber rides were needed.
(Source: Pew Research)
Almost every US citizen has heard of ride-hail (99%). More than a third (36%) of Americans use such a service – mainly with Uber and Lyft.
Scratch that. Most often with Uber. And sometimes with Lyft.
(Source: Second Measure)
Now.
This number is the most accurate you’ll ever come across - and it’s still misleading. Inevitably, some of the drivers choose to drive for Uber and Lyft.
Uber’s market share in the US is between 65%-80%, according to different sources. I guess tracking this industry is not an exact science.
So, how many people use Uber to ensure its dominance in the US market?
(Source: Uber, Newsroom)
Some massive numbers here, right? Not that anyone expected any different.
Now that we know how many Uber drivers there are, the next logical question is – where do they work from?
(Source: Uber)
Although Uber has reasonable coverage, the US represents almost half of its market. The same goes for profits. Around 52% of Uber’s revenue comes from outside the US.
As of February 2020, Uber trips are available in over 10,000 cities. Impressive for a 10-year old company, right? Especially if you consider the number of places where it wasn’t allowed because of legal obstacles.
(Source: Business of Apps)
As of May 2021, the average number per day is at 15 million!
In general, Uber did what every business should do. They found something people need every day and tried to make it better and cheaper.
That’s one of the ever-valid formulas of success.
The shared rides business raised many questions in the last few years. There are lots of issues with passengers’ security, drivers’ abilities, and unfair competition.
But do these issues have any effect on the industry’s progress?
Let’s see:
(Source: Statista)
Can you guess which country has the largest share?
And the answer is (drumroll) – China! Its ridesharing market is worth over $64 billion as of January, 2020.
(Source: Statista)
Today 8.1% of the world’s population uses ride-hailing services.
The revenue is expected to exceed $133 billion by 2023, with an annual growth rate of 12.8%.
And there’s one industry that’s not too happy about this.
Shared rides are taking more and more of the urban travel market. The taxi industry hasn’t come up with an effective response.
(Source: Backlinko)
These US cities are closely followed by New York, Chicago, and Boston.
However, Uber has the lowest market shares in Phoenix and Detroit, with only 56% market dominance.
(Source: Backlinko)
If you’re curious about just how successful Uber is in the US, Uber user statistics show us that about 63% of ride-hailing customers in the US use Uber exclusively.
In contrast, only 27% book rides on Lyft, and 10% of US customers regularly use both platforms.
In 2009, when Uber was founded, it started with 150 employees. But how many employees does Uber have today, 10 years later?
(Source: Wikipedia, S-1)
Like almost everything else in the company, the workforce is near-perfectly divided between the US and abroad.
Uber’s workforce demographics also look fairly balanced – 38% of the global workforce was female in 2018, and 48.6% of Uber’s US employees were white.
(Source: Backlinko)
At this point in the article, this stat shouldn’t come as a surprise.
In 2020, the Uber app was downloaded 95 million times on android and iOS devices.
In contrast, its competitor Lyft was installed only 25 million times in the same year.
(Source: Backlinko)
The monthly users of Uber took a hit when the pandemic started, dropping from 111 million monthly active users in Q4 of 2019 to 55 million in Q2 of 2020. Luckily, the numbers have been growing again.
(Source: Wallet Investor)
As of May 2021, Uber’s stock price was $51.73. However, financial experts predict a future value of at least $72 by 2022 and $169 by 2026.
(Source: Backlinko)
According to Uber’s S-1 form, the company has paid its drivers over $78.2 billion since 2015. The drivers also received $1.2 billion in tips.
But there is something that Uber stats don’t show. Although this is a substantial amount of money, Uber drivers often work 70+ hours per week to earn an income they’re comfortable with.
(Source: Statista)
Do you know what’s the favorite thing about Uber, according to US citizens?
“Convenience.”
Naturally, the most common reason people use Uber is to go to or come back from a dinner or a party.
It’s way easier when you are an Uber rider.
The era of the designated driver is over. Period.
With that said, regular folks aren’t the only ones who appreciate Uber’s effectiveness.
(Source: Backlinko)
In August of 2020, Uber launched its monthly pass subscription service. This service provides members with exclusive deals like ride and delivery discounts, as well as occasional free deliveries.
Currently, the service is in full operation in 16 countries worldwide, with plans of expanding.
Experts agree Uber provides a unique service. Here’s why this is a big deal.
(Source: Backlinko)
According to 2022 Uber stats, the ride-hailing company is far ahead of its competitors by a landslide.
However, compared to 2015, where it had a 91% market share, it’s safe to say that Uber’s competitors, like Lyft, are giving the company a run for its money.
(Source: CNBC)
Now, CNBC’s “Disruptor 50” is a list of startup companies, whose innovations change the world.
With that in mind, being number two is plain awesome.
I bet you wonder who is on the top of the list.
Unsurprisingly, it’s SpaceX.
As of June 2019, Uber’s revenue has other sources than just transporting people.
According to Gallup, 84% of US adults order food at least once a month. Uber surely wouldn’t like to miss out on that market.
(Source: Similar Web)
Like Walter E. Disney once said – “Whatever you do, do it well.”
Uber is in it to win it.
The food delivery app penetrated 1% of the total market with $7.9 billion of Uber Eats Gross Bookings.
The company believes Uber Eats is the largest food delivery platform outside of China. That’s downright impressive progress in just three years.
(Source: Business Of Apps)
The food-delivery platform has contracts with more than 600,000 restaurants all over the world.
But the company doesn’t transport only people and food. They are into goods-transportation as well.
In March 2019 Uber Freights expanded into Europe. You can say whatever you want for this company, but they aim for the top with every business venture.
(Source: CNBC)
In less than four years (Uber Freights launched in May 2017), Uber’s goods deliveries became a significant force in shipments.
The company has contracts with over 36,000 carriers, which have over 400,000 drivers. In Q3 of 2020, this part of the company made $290 million, a 30% improvement from the same period in 2019.
How about that?
Uber’s financials will go through the roof if this trend continues.
Now we reach the best part.
Ladies and gents welcome to the future.
No matter how you choose to travel, traffic is always a pain in the neck. Or is it?
How about we forget about the traffic jams and fly over them?
Yup – you read it correctly.
Buckle up; it’s time to fly.
(Source: Uber Elevate Summit 2018)
Uber bets a lot on aircrafts that utilize vertical takeoff and landing (or VTOL aircrafts). There are a few models already in production, and boy, they look breathtaking.
It’s like the imagination of science-fiction authors took shape and materialized as an aerial taxi. Sounds crazy, right?
That's not all:
The company plans to offer its app for long-distance flight, bus, and train bookings. A 2022 article states that it will launch its test project for that in the United Kingdom.
(Source: The Guardian)
When I saw Bell’s prototype, the first thing that came to my mind was:
I want a hibernation pod.
Like, right now.
But wait! There’s more:
(Source: Uber)
Yup, that’s right- five!
So we’ll see at least five models of aerial taxis! Can you imagine?
Okay, now that’s impressive.
But how can these markets affect Uber’s financial situation?
Let’s find out:
“When I’m having a bad day, I just go to our overall revenue graph.” - Travis Kalanick, Uber’s Co-Founder and former CEO.
(Source: Ridester)
According to Uber Estimate, the average trip distance is 16.16 miles. Simple math tells us the average Uber rates across the world are at about two dollars per mile.
With that said - if you want to ride in a luxurious vehicle with a professional driver (UberLux,) you’ll have to spend a bit more.
(Source: CNN)
Another exciting thing about Uber is that they are developing a fleet of autonomous vehicles. The company is already involved with Volvo and Daimler. Toyota is now the latest addition to its fleet.
Uber Advanced Technologies Group (ATG) is in charge of Toyota’s Sienna minivans transformation into autonomous vehicles. They expect to test the retrofitted models in 2021.
ATG is also working on autonomous trucks for Uber Freights.
(Source: Business Of Apps)
Although Uber’s financials look good at first glance, the company is losing money every year.
Uber stats show that its revenue in 2020 was 15.6% less than its 2019 revenue of $13.19 billion.
(Source: CNBC)
The company hasn’t been profitable for the last couple of years.
Still, there is a 20% improvement from 2019, when Uber reported $8.51 billion in losses. But the ride-hailing company isn’t the only one. The biggest of Uber’s competitors in the US – Lyft, is in the same boat.
(Source: Lyft)
As bad as that sounds, 2020 was a pretty good fiscal year for Lyft compared to 2019, where the company recorded a net loss of $2.6 billion.
Lyft and Uber share a lot of similarities. Both companies rent e-bikes and e-scooters, and their ridesharing platforms deliver excellent results.
So how are they different?
“Why do Uber drivers skip the gym?Because they don't even lyft.”
Both of these companies have the same goal – they want you to tap on their respective apps anytime you want to travel.
(Source: Statista)
Research has shown that as of April 2021, Lyft had a market share of 32% in the US. Its biggest competitor, Uber, has the lion’s share of the US ride-hailing market.
(Source: The Rideshare Guy)
In the survey, 58.7% of the drivers said they worked for Uber alone. Drivers, exclusive to Lyft, represented 16.8% of the interviewees.
(Source: Earnest)
According to Earnest’s data, almost half (45%) of Uber’s drivers earn less than $100 a month.
The majority of Lyft drivers (48%) make between $100 and $499.
Only 1% of Lyft’s drivers make a living out of ridesharing with earnings over $2,000. None of the Uber drivers reach that amount, according to Earnest.
Another survey shows the average earnings before expenses:
Keep in mind that ridesharing drivers are responsible for all vehicle-related expenses – like gas and vehicle maintenance.
(Source: Statista)
Lyft operates only in the US and Canada, which explains its lower revenue compared to Uber.
According to ride-hailing stats, Lyft had 12.5 million active riders in 2020.
(Source: Statista)
Lyft and Uber statistics agree on one thing – 22.1% of their US drivers drive a Toyota.
Although Toyota isn’t the top vehicle manufacturer in the US, the company owned the lion’s share of the global automotive market last year – 9.46%.
If you’ve asked yourself “How many drivers does Uber have?”, by now you should already know. Now it’s time to see who they are, and why they work for Uber.
(Source: Ridester)
There is almost a perfect split between Uber drivers – 50.3% of them work for Uber alone. The other 49.7% drive for Uber and work somewhere else.
The majority of drivers – 74.7% drive for UberX, while only 0.5% provide the UberLux service.
(Source: The Rideshare Guy)
The sharing economy offers a lot of options.
Flexibility is among the crucial factors that can get someone to become a Uber driver. More than one-third (35%) say the ability to work whenever you want is why they became Uber drivers.
The main reason, however, is money. More than half (55.2%) work for Uber because of the (extra) income.
(Source: Ridester)
Uber stats show that only 11% of drivers have worked for the company for three or more years. Around half of the drivers (46.4%), started in less than 12 months.
(Source: Economic Policy Institute)
The on-demand economy is far different from the typical nine-to-five job. Drivers get paid only when they have customers. Simple as that.
According to EPI’s research, the typical Uber driver works for 17 hours a week and earns an equivalent of $9.21 in hourly wages.
(Source: Statista)
Lyft enjoys a better reputation – 48.4% of them are “somewhat satisfied” with the company.
(Source: Statista)
This is quite interesting, considering that 17% of all US cab drivers were female in 2017, and 36.1% of Uber drivers were female that same year. The number has been growing since.
(Source: The Rideshare Guy)
Uber user statistics show ridesharing is most common amongst young people – 37% of consumers aged 16-24 have used a ride-hailing app.
However, the demographics of Uber drivers are quite different. Almost two-thirds of Uber drivers are 51 or older.
Some of the Uber drivers have another “hobby” as well. Let’s see how some of them actually abuse their position as an Uber driver.
Some people use Uber as a cover for their less-than-ethical enterprises.
But Uber’s problems don’t end with its drivers – there were hundreds of protests against Uber, organized by taxi unions.
(Source: CNN)
Uber and Lyft drivers have been incriminated of at least eight different categories of crime, including:
Yikes. Well, when you have that many riders, some of them are bound to be criminals.
(Source: Morgenpost, Reuters, Vox)
Taxi companies, in general, don’t like Uber at all. The main accusation is of unfair competition.
There were hundreds of protests against Uber all over the world.
In the key period just before the IPO, three major protests occurred.
Around 5,000 taxi drivers protested in Berlin, Germany on the 9th of April. The reason was the planned loosening of Uber-related regulations.
Another protest, which also involved thousands of drivers, took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on the 11th of April.
Finally, a protest took place in LA after Uber cut its per-mile pay by 25%. This time the protesters were the actual Uber drivers.
(Source: Gizmodo)
Reduced pay and lack of benefits have pushed some of the Uber drivers to launch a protest in May.
The 12-hour strike included seven US cities and aimed to change the status quo.
On April 26th, Uber announced its drivers would receive up to $40,000 as a “driver appreciation reward.” Hopefully, this cooled down the protests a notch.
And since most of these affairs are relevant to the company’s IPO, let’s take a look at some numbers in regard to this event.
The billion-dollar startup’s initial public offering didn't justify the experts' expectations.
(Source: Business Wire)
Since the company wasn't able to achieve its $100 billion valuation, Uber raised only $8.1 billion. The ride-hailing company chose the New York Stock Exchange for its stock listing.
Remember when we mentioned how Uber’s drivers would receive bonuses before the IPO?
Well, Uber had a directed share program to allow several qualified drivers to buy from the company’s shares with their bonus. It didn’t work all that well for Lyft, which had the same idea, but their stock price fell rather fast.
Uber's stocks also fell, but at a rather smaller margin. One month after the IPO they waver between $42-$43 per stock. In January, 2020 they fell to $36.19.
So if you are an Uber driver who took the money instead of investing, at least you saved a couple of bucks per stock.
(Source: CNN)
“Private placement” is a term used to describe the sale of stocks directly to a private investor rather than as a part of a public offering.
Although institutions like Barclays and Citigroup were hungry for shares, Paypal was on the list too. In short – Uber got $500 million more, in addition to its IPO earnings.
(Source: Yahoo Finance)
Although Uber's IPO didn't start as strong as expected, things are still going down, one month later. At the time of writing Uber's stocks are traded for $42.98 each. And the company is worth almost $73 billion, which is quite a drop from the previously expected $120 billion.
Phew! There is a whole bunch of Uber stats out there!
Let’s finish with something more entertaining.
I was on an Uber today and the driver said:"I love my job, I'm my own boss. Nobody tells me what to do..."Then I said: "Turn left."
Uber isn’t only money, shares, and statistics. There are many amusing facts about the company as well.
(Source: Inc.)
The idea behind UberKittens is to allow people to buy 15 minutes of cuddle time with a kitten from a shelter. This business idea reminds me of a café I read about – the Casual Cat Café.
The idea is rather good, though. Spending some time with these kittens may turn you from a customer to a happy owner. And if not – at least everyone is happy for a while.
(Source: NY Post)
In 2005 Zanna Gilbert and David Horvitz were expecting their firstborn.
At 5 a.m. on the 30th of March, Zanna woke up with contractions. David hailed an Uber car to get to the hospital.
What they didn’t expect was that little Ela Melanie didn’t intend to wait that long. Her mother gave birth to the little girl on the back seat of a Nissan Altima.
Isn't that a story to tell your grandkids one day?
That’s the history of Uber’s first baby in short, but thankfully it all ended up well. The baby and its parents reached the hospital safe and sound.
(Source: Uber)
Alright, let’s check out the weird stuff people lose in Uber drivers’ cars.
I will try to restrain myself from commenting.
Here’s the top 10 list...
Well, honestly, those are a bit milder than expected.
(Source: Youtube)
If you type “Uber rapper” in Youtube’s search, you will see tons of videos.
Ollie B (who is now a Lyft driver) and HiRez are the most famous ridesharing rappers on the Web.
It’s an excellent way to promote your music while earning a dollar on the side.
Alright.
I hope you enjoyed this part. Because now it’s time to say goodbye.
(Source: Uber)
As crazy as that sounds, research has shown that is a fact!
Now the reason for this is something we’re yet to discover. But it’s still interesting to know.
And it isn’t just AirPods that riders forget, by the way. Some other items that are commonly forgotten in uber cars include cell phones, wallets, and keys.
That’s all folks! I hope you enjoyed this article as much as I did writing it.
We discovered an entire universe of exciting stuff about Uber. We now know how many users and drivers Uber has. Not only that, but we also found out Uber’s revenue and its plans for the future.
Uber is a fantastic company and a prime example of how a simple idea can turn into a massive company.
I hope you found out everything you wanted to know. As always, you can count on Techjury to bring you the best Uber statistics you can find on the Web.
Keep dreaming, dear readers.
“Adventure with a purpose is what we do.” Travis Kalanick
Deyan Georgiev
Deyan has been fascinated by technology his whole life. From the first Tetris game all the way to Falcon Heavy. Working for TechJury is like a dream come true, combining both his passions – writing and technology. In his free time (which is pretty scarce, thanks to his three kids), Deyan enjoys traveling and exploring new places. Always with a few chargers and a couple of gadgets in the backpack. He makes mean dizzying Island Paradise cocktails too.
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