When he moved to Chelsea from Australia four years ago, Steven E. quickly found Uber to be a daily resource. With limited transportation options in his neighborhood, Uber provided him with a reliable and affordable option to commute to his tech job in Cambridge. Without Uber, his life would be drastically different, he says, as not having Uber would make having to work here very difficult for him.

“I’d definitely have to buy a car. I’d probably have to reconsider where I live, because I don’t think I could keep living in the same part of Massachusetts…I mean I’d probably even consider moving back to Australia.”

Boston is known for being a hub of innovation and with many of the tech centers of the city located in areas with limited public transit access, it’s fair to say that Uber is an important tool in retaining talent like Steven.

When he lived in Australia, Steven drove everywhere, but since moving to the States he has made the decision not to own a car, a decision that he says Uber played a big part in. Steve considered buying a car, but in general, he says, “I don’t like the idea of another car on the road.” Additionally, he found that commuting with Uber, especially with the introduction of uberPOOL made more sense than paying garage fees.

“By being able to rely on something like Uber, I can get away with not having a car.”

Steven was thrilled when Boston introduced uberPOOL. After trying POOL in San Francisco he couldn’t wait for the option to come to Boston. While he says that he used to feel a little bit guilty about taking uberX every morning—now with uberPOOL he really can justify his daily rides to and from work. And what’s more, POOL offers a uniquely social riding experience, “it’s kind of fun, you get to meet different people from all over the city.”

Affordable options like uberPOOL and uberX are helping to increasing transportation options in places like Chelsea, that have long been underserved by traditional transportation methods. By improving access to safe, reliable, affordable transportation in neighborhoods across Greater Boston and beyond, we’re opening up new opportunities to the people in those communities and attracting an even more diverse talent pool to the Commonwealth.