UberPool, the company’s taxi-sharing service, has come to India and kicks off operations in Bengaluru at select locations within the city. The new taxi-sharing feature allows users to share a cab ride with someone on the same route at a cheaper rate than the standard fee.
UberPool was previously introduced in cities like New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. It matches patrons in real-time and apparently takes only a few more minutes than regular rides. The brand asserts the service is 35% cheaper than UberGo for all destinations, although that’s a limited period offer.
To use UberPool, people have to tap on the UberGo option in the app, select their location and choose a drop-off point. They’ll get two alternatives, one for sharing and the other to get their own personal taxi. The former will display the reduced fare upfront, which will not change even if the user doesn’t get matched with anyone.
Each rider can bring only one other person with them for the trip, with a maximum of 4 people in the cab. Presently, UberPool is open only between 7 am to 9 pm, 7 days a week. Payment can be made through Airtel Money, PayTM, Credit Card and Debit Card. A cash option will be offered soon.
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Uber is starting the car pooling service at Indira Nagar and Koramangala for now. If a person gets successfully matched with someone, they get a notification with the individual’s name and information regarding who gets picked up first. Additionally, the driver is supposed to wait only 2 minutes to pick up a customer.
Users cannot change their trip details after a request is sent and will be charged Rs 50 if they cancel the taxi ride. The company is touting UberPool as an eco-friendly choice which results in fewer cars on the road, effectively reducing congestion.