Shared rides
Uber uses technology to match people going in the same direction at the same time, so riders can share the trip and the cost.
How does Uber match riders with drivers?
When you’re on the move, every moment matters. We use technology to match riders and drivers in the real world—quickly and reliably. Matching riders and drivers more efficiently results in lower wait times for riders and more business for drivers. Over time, we’ve made our matching technology more aware of real-world factors like traffic, overpasses, and other geographical factors that add complexity, to create a seamless pickup experience for both riders and drivers.
How batched matching works
At any given moment, millions of people around the world are logged on to our app, with new people logging on every second. That means millions of possible matches between riders and drivers. In the seconds after a rider requests a ride, we evaluate nearby drivers and riders in one batch. We then pair riders and drivers in the distribution, aiming to reduce the average wait time for everyone, not just the closest pair. This helps keep things moving and rides reliable across the network.
How does UberX Share expand access?
With UberX Share, we use technology to match riders headed in the same direction at the same time. They share the ride and the cost, providing a more affordable way to get from A to B (and C), which means more opportunities to earn for drivers, and more affordable trips for riders.
UberX Share, door to door
With UberX Share, we’re continuing to innovate toward low-cost, reliable mobility and more opportunities for work. By enabling 2 riders to share the ride and the cost of a trip, door to door, UberX Share provides more affordable trips and available cars for riders, and more earning opportunities for drivers, because lower prices help generate more trips.
Waiting and walking for UberX Share
With UberX Share, riders are expected to wait a few minutes and walk to a nearby pickup location, so we can better match them with other riders. Better matching means more riders share the cost of a trip and everyone pays lower prices. And drivers get more demand, more direct routes, and more convenient pickups.
The goal: back-to-back trips
More time on-trip means more time earning for drivers. Imagine this: the driver picks one rider up, then picks up another, drops off the first passenger, picks up a third, drops off the second, and on and on. For as long as they choose, and as long as riders continue to request trips, drivers keep earning, uninterrupted.
Citywide benefits of shared rides
Sharing rides benefits the entire community. Lower costs can make transportation more accessible, and fewer single-passenger trips can help lead to less congestion on our roads over time. Every day, sharing rides on UberX Share saves one million miles versus the same number of rides on UberX. That’s 2 trips to the moon and back!
UberX Share in Ghana
With the new UberX Share rolled out in Ghana, you get everything you love about UberX for a more affordable price. Plus, you can save up to 30% off or earn up to 30% Uber Cash back if another rider joins your trip. If we can’t find other riders for you to share with – you’ll still save 5% of your regular UberX fare.
Stay on schedule
To make sure pick-ups and drop-offs don’t interrupt your schedule, you will only be matched with up to one rider heading in the same direction as you – and no more than one stop. You shouldn’t arrive more than 5 minutes later than a regular UberX ride so that you can get going with ease!
Steps we’re taking for your safety
- A maximum of two riders: To help with social distancing, the maximum number of riders per UberX Share trip is two – including you! This ride can only be shared with one co-rider at a time.
- Pre-trip safety checklist: Every ride with Uber has safety standards and requires riders and driver-partners to acknowledge their safety responsibilities in the app, before they ride or drive.
By sharing and moving more people in fewer cars you’ll also help reduce congestion and lower carbon emissions in your city. Remember, you can only order UberX Share if you are traveling by yourself.
Here are some helpful tips and things to remember:
- Masks are mandatory to protect you and your fellow rider and driver
- The Uber Driver app looks for an efficient route to pick up and drop off multiple riders along the way – as a result, the first rider picked up is not guaranteed to be the first rider dropped off
- Riders are not allowed in the front seat- You will share your ride with only 1 additional co-rider and will be required to sit in the back seat.
Posted by Emmanuel Smend
Get a ride when you need one
Start earning in your city
Get a ride when you need one
Start earning in your city
Related articles
Most popular
Making Uber’s ExperimentEvaluation Engine 100x Faster
Genie: Uber’s Gen AI On-Call Copilot
Open Source and In-House: How Uber Optimizes LLM Training
Horacio’s story: gaining mobility independence through innovative transportation solutions
Products
Company