Atlanta-based tech company Routematch has been acquired by Uber, the ride-hailing service provider announced in a press release today. The multinational technological giant stated that the decision comes as a result of its efforts to make public transit more accessible. Routematch was established in 2000 and has been providing tech solutions for transit systems ever since.
Uber hopes that the move will combine its own experience and knowledge in the on-demand e-hailing sector with Routematch"s software services and solutions for transit agencies in the areas of paratransit, payments, fixed-route tools, and trip planning services to name a few. With the additional resources and expertise, the American ride-hailing company is hoping to come up with innovative new ways to make public transit more easily accessible.
David Reich, head of Uber Transit, and Pepper Harward, CEO of Routematch, jointly commented in the press statement:
"We are extremely excited to bring together ideas, products, and insights from our team’s collective expertise. As allies of public transit, we look forward to finding new ways our technologies can improve transit riders’ end-to-end experiences, and expand accessibility even further for those who need it."
Uber Transit allows users to view information about nearby public transit stops and departure details in real-time through the application. While Uber"s public transport service is already available in many cities, it still isn"t available as widely as the other services provided by the company, such as food delivery and ride-hailing. It will be interesting to see how the Routematch acquisition plays out in terms of the existing public transit services provided by Uber.