Uber has launched a cheaper cab booking service called Uberx which can be accessed via a mobile app and it’s being offered as an alternative to the costlier UberBlack that’s already on the plate. It looks like Ola Cabs, Meru, TabCab and other competitors in the private car transportation game are going to have a problem.
With the latest launch, the Uber mobile app tied to the aforementioned luxury car renting service let’s you toggle between Uberx and its more expensive option. There’s no ‘one price fits all’ and the cost of a ride varies by city, even though everything from the base fare to the cancellation fee to the fare per kilometer is lower than what you’d have to cough up for UberBlack.
For example, the base fare is Rs 50 and per kilometer cost is Rs 15 in Bangalore. In that order, the rates read at Rs 40 and Rs 13 when you book an Uberx cab in Hyderabad however. The company has been known to increase fares during peak holiday season or when in high demand based on a ‘Surge Pricing’ model which means charging more when demand is high.
If you’re in Bangalore and are new to it, you can use the ‘IWANTuberX’ promo code to get Rs 500 off your first ride. Referring friends means you and your pals each get Rs 300 of Uber credit. The second deal is open to customers in Hyderabad too and there’s a Split Fare feature for those who wish to travel comfortably at even cheaper rates by sharing the cost with companions.
Uber began rendering its services in India in 2013, almost four years after it was founded. The start-up has a presence in 70 countries across the world currently and its cheaper cab hiring alternative is available in 16 cities across the US. They span Orange County, Seattle, Phoenix, Atlanta, Dallas, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Indianapolis and more.
Uber currently offers its standard services in India in the cities of Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune and New Delhi. Uberx has only rolled into New Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore for the present.