Afloat reported last week, the later than planned opening of Dublin's 'seasonal' Liffey Ferry service due to Covid-19 travel restriction measures which too were eased in the UK where the London based year-round operator Thames Clippers began service seven weeks ago.
It was notably today that the first branded 'Uber Boat' by operator Thames Clippers set sail on the famous river, as the shuttle service marked the start of a partnership between Uber and the waterway's operator providing commuter and tourism links connecting west and east London..
Among the fleet of 20 boats employed by Thames Clippers, the Jupiter Clipper (see: debut in 2017) and fellow fleetmates: Meteor, Neptune, Typhoon became the first of the 'clipper' catamaran craft to carry the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers brand. Together, the fleet departs from 23 piers across London from Putney in the west to Woolwich (Royal Arsenal) in the east.
According to Thames Clippers this will help commuters travel into the city in space and comfort. While leisure travellers will also be able to use the service, as city visitors look to safely travel across London as it gets moving once again.
Uber is rolling out the service on its app, meaning users can purchase tickets in advance to guarantee a seat and then use QR technology to board. The payment will be processed using the Uber account details.
Over 4.3m people use the River Thames for commuting and leisure trips each year on the Thames Clippers network. The increased space per passenger and fresh air are part of the reason why over 40 per cent of river commuters are planning to increase their use of the service in the future, according to recent research carried out by Thames Clippers.
Ticketing within the Uber app is powered by Masabi, the UK-headquartered company bringing Fare Payments-as-a-Service to more than 80 public transport operators and cities across 11 countries. Masabi has provided mobile ticketing for Thames Clippers since 2014, as well as Uber’s mobile ticketing partner in Ohio, Denver and Las Vegas.
Passengers will still be able to purchase tickets via the existing Thames Clippers’ sales channels, including touching in and out with contactless or Oyster to pay as you go and via its own ticketing app.
The boats and piers will be branded with a newly-created Uber Boat by Thames Clippers brand but the service will continue to be fully operated by Thames Clippers.
There is no change in Thames Clippers’ ownership; AEG, owners and operators of The O2, own the majority stake in the company. AEG’s sponsorship division, AEG Global Partnerships, brokered the deal between Uber and Thames Clippers.
Following a temporary suspension due to COVID-19 lockdown measures, Thames Clippers resumed operation on June 15 with a number of changes to its services:
- Making all journeys fully contactless
- Supplying PPE for all staff
- Blocking off seats and providing floor markings to ensure distancing
- All passengers have to use face coverings if they wish to use the service, in line with government and TfL guidance