CITY AIR TAXI TRIAL
UBER CONSIDERS CUT-COST 14-MIN FLIGHTS TO MELBOURNE
A 14-MINUTE trip from Geelong to Melbourne on a flying taxi is one of the potential services being flagged by Uber for its futuristic UberAIR program.
Geelong Chamber of Commerce president Mark Edmonds said the exciting project would further enhance Geelong’s reputation as a clever and creative city.
A 14-MINUTE trip from Geelong to Melbourne on a flying taxi is one of the potential services being flagged by Uber for its futuristic UberAIR program.
The Uber Elevate team has this week been in Melbourne and Sydney in its search for an international trial site for the service involving vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft.
Its Melbourne route exam- ples include a flight from Melbourne Airport to the CBD in five minutes and Geelong to Melbourne CBD in 14 minutes.
UberAIR plans to fly from rooftop to rooftop on “vertiports”, with Los Angeles and Dallas already enlisted as launch cities. Testing is due to start in 2020.
It is looking for a third international city for the trial and, with Melbourne and Sydney on the short list, the company this week met with both state governments and other stakeholders.
The head of Uber Eats Australia, Jodie Auster, told a future of work forum in Geelong yesterday that the ride-sharing app aspired to provide a platform for different modes of transport from electric bicycles to flying cars.
“We are going to find the best way to get you from A to B,” Ms Auster said.
“If you want to jump on an UberAIR, a vertical takeoff and landing vehicle, that maybe in Geelong will take you to Melbourne in 14 minutes and then hop off, and we know you need to get just two kilometres down the street, so we put you on an electric bike.
“In the app, you will be able to navigate those options seamlessly.”
Uber estimates the total end-to-end journey for a Geelong to Melbourne commute at 18 minutes.
Geelong Chamber of Commerce president Mark Edmonds, who was at the future of work forum, said the cham- ber would follow up with Uber to support the trial coming to the city.
“We are really impressed with what Uber is doing,” Mr Edmonds said.
He said the exciting project would further enhance Geelong’s reputation as a clever and creative city.
Ms Auster said new technology would bring new transport options as autonomous vehicles took drivers off the roads.
“They are going to need thousands of pilots to be in these vertical takeoff and landing vehicles,” she said.
The themes of embracing change and ongoing skill development in the workforce were central to the Strong Australia forum on the future of work hosted by the Business Council of Australia.
Sky News political editor David Speers facilitated the discussion, which also involved MYOB chief executive Tim Reed and Australian Unity chief executive Rohan Mead.