In some cities, Uber customers can choose to get a ride with UberPool, which allows users to share a car with strangers who are traveling along (or close to) their route. It seems the ride-hailing company is trying to nudge folks toward selecting that option, with a new test of an “upfront pricing” feature that displays prices for both UberPool and the more expensive option, UberX.
In an attempt to push UberPool, Uber is testing a version of the app that includes the “upfront pricing” feature during booking in cities including San Diego, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle, and some New Jersey markets, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Here’s how it’ll look, as seen in a screen grab we took using the app in Philadelphia — note that UberPool is the selected option by default:
In comparison, a New Yorker trying to get somewhere would have to toggle between the UberPool and UberX options to get a price estimate for each trip — though again, UberPool is the default selection:
Upfront pricing calculates things like time of day, distance to the destination, traffic conditions, surge rates and other factors to arrive at a total cost, and customers will never pay more for a ride than the price displayed, unless you choose to change your route and go somewhere else. Rides could be cheaper than advertised at first, however, which no one would complain about.
“More people choosing to share the ride instead of traveling alone is not only good for our cities and the environment, it’s good for the pocketbook,” said an Uber spokeswoman. “By ensuring that riders can easily see how much they can save by carpooling, we’re aiming to put more butts into fewer seats.”
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist
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