With an investment of over US$6.8 billion, Uber has announced that it will further extend its private transport platform into 10 new cities in Mexico by December 2018, increasing its driver headcount to 500,000 in the country.

Most of the investment will be focused on generating demand, as well as improving safety systems for both drivers and users and implementing new technological solutions to improve the passenger experience.

Although the new cities have not yet been defined, the company’s plan will be to consolidate and strengthen its presence in Mexico with this investment.

Currently, Mexico City is the second most important city for Uber worldwide for daily trips — a deciding factor in this investment decision. The announcement also presents an opportunity for unemployment in Mexico to decline in the coming months.

Although they are not creating “formal” job offers and positions, Uber has opened the possibility for people to generate additional income or have a safe job that generates guaranteed daily resources. It also invites the population to move away from the informal economy or even crime, creating a much safer environment for the whole population.

Uber currently has 230,000 active partners in Mexico City, of which 12,000 are women. The company claims that 40% of these drivers were unemployed before joining Uber, and 70% of them entered into the formal economy for the first time when they became partners.

The company gave Mexico City commuters a shock last year, advertising their brand with an army of drones during peak traffic hours.