Funeral ‘uber-like’ service is becoming a thing in Russia

These days, especially in Russia, even the hearse can be as efficient as Uber. File photo.

The rise of online transportation networks like Uber and Grab has surely made things more convenient for us common folks.

Aside from giving us rides to wherever we please, those platforms can also be used as parcel or messenger services. Now, we can even add ‘personal funeral service’ to the list.

Ushering in a new era of postmortem transportation, the app called ‘Umer’ promises to cater to bereaved Russians who will now be able to plan funerals for their deceased loved ones by simply using their smartphones.

The innovative app, which is expected to be launched in the next couple of months, will not only offer hearse rides but also detailed lists of local cemeteries, funeral directors and pricing information, according to BBC News.

After receiving the deceased’s name, date of death, religion, and address, Umer will even provide an operator who finalizes the necessary arrangements and handles all the requisite paperwork.

Although it has yet to roll out in the country, the controversial app has already raised some eyebrows of some Russian netizens for its perceived ‘distastefulness’ and ‘lack of class.’

Also, the service’s brand name ‘Umer’ is eerily similar to the popular ride service Uber, and even their logos look to be troublingly identical to one another.

The report, however, pointed out that ‘Umer’ translates to the phrase “he’s dead” in Russian and the app’s function has been supported by the local government. Khristian Ibarrola