The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has expanded its OneGov rideshare partnership with Uber and is offering complimentary Uber One memberships for all participating federal employees as a way to realize additional savings and strengthen the program within agencies nationwide, according to an announcement. Uber One is Uber’s paid membership program that offers discounts and other benefits.

Since GSA launched the Uber partnership last July, said the announcement, agencies have reported over 50% savings compared with other ground transportation options and more than 80% savings by replacing costly shuttle contracts with on-demand transportation. GSA alone saved taxpayers nearly $1 million last year by removing over 170 underutilized fleet vehicles, thanks to employees using the rideshare program, according to the announcement.

Federal employees with Uber One will now earn credits on eligible rides during official travel, increasing potential savings. Increased program usage translates to greater taxpayer benefits. If all taxi and unmanaged rideshare expenses shifted to GSA’s Uber partnership, the federal government could save over $46 million annually, said the announcement.

By using Uber for Government, agencies benefit from upfront discounts, tax-exempt pricing and controls that limit premium vehicle use, all of which help cut travel expenses while improving mobility for employees. 

Josh Butler, global head of sales, Uber for Business, said, “GSA is leading the way in providing a faster, more reliable mobility experience for federal employees, government-wide, through the OneGov-Uber for Government partnership.”  Together, he said, “we are reducing costs across travel, transportation and fleet management and helping agencies plan budgets more strategically.”