Uber will invest $200 million and hire thousands of engineers to bolster its two-year-old long-haul trucking venture, Uber Freight, the company announced today. The expanded business will be headquartered in a newly opened office in downtown Chicago where it will house up to 2,000 engineers that Uber plans to hire over the next three years.
Launched in 2017, Uber Freight connects truck drivers with shippers, much in the same way the company’s ride-hailing app pairs drivers with those looking for a ride. It’s part of Uber’s “other bets,” which includes its food delivery service, Uber Eats, and its New Mobility ventures like its Jump-branded electric bikes and scooters.
It’s a huge vote of confidence in Uber’s growing…