Let us help with the commute: introducing uberPOOL in the East Bay
March 1, 2016 / San Francisco
More than half a million commuters make the trek from the East Bay to San Francisco every day and the number of trips is expected to grow by 70% in the next 20 years. Unsurprisingly, traffic jams happen daily and commuting times are increasingly longer in the Bay Area. Those trying to avoid traffic and get around the Bay on public transportation also find that most BART station parking lots are full by 8 AM. This kind of congestion is bad for productivity and the resulting pollution undermines everyone’s quality of life.
That is why we’re excited to launch our uberPOOL service in Oakland, Berkeley, and Alameda on Wednesday, March 2, just in time for the morning commute. uberPOOL enables people going to the same place at the same time to share the journey. It’s all about getting more butts into fewer cars. This means cheaper rides for passengers and less congestion over time.
Here’s how it works:
- Choose the uberPOOL option in the app slider. Enter your destination and request a ride.
- You’ll see your driver’s details straight away–name, photo and the details of the car. In addition, you will also see the exact cost of the ride up front in the app.
- uberPOOL will then match you with another passenger heading in the same direction:
- That passenger will either be in the car at the start of your trip, in which case you’ll see their name in advance; or
- Your driver will pick them up along the way, in which case Uber will notify you via the app.
- Whether you’re first or second into the car, Uber ensures that you’re never taken more than a few minutes out of your way.
- At the end of your trip, you’ll pay just like a normal Uber trip and receive an electronic receipt.
uberPOOL is a proven model.
- We launched uberPOOL in San Francisco a year and a half ago and it now makes up nearly half of Uber’s trips in the city. In one month alone, the service saved 120 tons of carbon dioxide emissions when compared with non-pooled trips, the equivalent to the output of over 128,000 pounds of coal.
Cheaper rides for passengers: uberPOOL is more affordable because the cost of the trip is shared. The fare per trip is set at up to 50% cheaper than uberX during commuting hours (7-10 am and 5-8 pm) and up to 25% cheaper every other time–whether Uber pairs you up with another passenger or not.
Less congestion on Bay Area streets: uberPOOL is a convenient way for people going in the same direction at the same time to share the journey. This helps cut congestion and pollution. And because uberPOOL is cheap and easy to use, over time it offers a credible alternative to car ownership. If you can press a button and get an affordable ride across town within minutes at any time of day or night, why bother to own a car at all?
Less time between trips for drivers: uberPOOL means less idle time between paying trips for drivers. It also means more demand overall because as the cost of a trip falls more people use the service– which means more rides for drivers.
uberPOOL will be available in Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda and other parts of the East Bay.
– President and CEO of SPUR, Gabe Metcalf
This weekend, Uber and Capital One are teaming up to help customers save while they get out and have fun. From Friday March 4 through Sunday March 6, Capital One customers who take uberPOOL will get up to four rides free–just input the promo code CAPITALONEPOOL and start riding.
Posted by Wayne Ting
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