Uber Canada and Revera, a Mississauga-based owner of 500 senior living properties across Canada, the US, and the UK, announced a partnership in an effort to help senior citizens access ridesharing services. Revera is the first company in Canada to pilot UberCENTRAL.
UberCENTRAL will connect users without smartphones with transportation by allowing businesses like Revera to request, manage, and pay for multiple Uber rides on behalf of others.
“At Uber, our mission is to provide convenient, reliable transportation for everyone, everywhere. We know that lack of transportation is a barrier to freedom and improved health for many retirement home residents who need to get to medical appointments or spend time with family members,” said Sheldon McCormick, general manager of Uber Toronto “That’s why we’re so pleased to be piloting UberCENTRAL with Revera to help increase the independence and mobility of their residents.”
UberCENTRAL plans to expand beyond seniors’ centres, and will eventually include retailers, car dealerships, and hotels.
“At Revera, we’re always looking for new and innovative ways to enhance our residents’ lives,” said Trish Barbato, senior vice president of innovation and strategic partnerships at Revera. “We share Uber’s goal of enabling seniors’ mobility and independence, and we’re pleased to hear from residents of The Annex retirement community in Toronto that UberCENTRAL has exceeded their expectations for convenient and reliable transportation. We look forward to completing this pilot and fully evaluating the results.”