UberX Share Rides are continuing to expand. Before the pandemic, both Uber and Lyft allowed passengers to ride in a shared vehicle.
If a passenger wanted to pay a reduced fare and did not mind sharing a ride and taking longer to reach their destination, the shared ride made sense.
Last year, Uber brought back shared rides to several major US cities, and this year, the service has expanded to a few more markets.
This article will share some strategies to manage this service if you are in a designated market
There are some good points to this service and some difficulties associated with this service. Let’s jump in.
What is UberX Share for Drivers?
UberX is a service offered by Uber that allows users to share a ride with other passengers heading in the same direction.
This service is cost-effective and environmentally friendly as it reduces the number of cars on the road. UberX Share is an extension of the UberX service, and was previously known as UberPool.
How UberX Share Rides Works for Drivers
To use UberX Share, select it in your driver app when you receive a ride request. You can also reject these requests without penalty.
If you accept, the app will find other riders along your route and update your trip accordingly.
If your rider doesn’t show up within 2 minutes, you have the option to cancel and collect a fee.
Again you won’t be penalized if you reject or cancel UberX Share requests, and it won’t affect your Uber Pro status.
If you prefer to not receive UberX Share ride requests, you can opt out in Preferences, which is possibly one of the biggest benefits.
UberX Share Rides: Jay’s Take
As a driver, I did not like doing shared rides. However, I respect the idea, as this is a solid approach to taking cars off the road, reducing traffic gridlock, and reducing carbon emissions.
I would like to know what percentage of passengers select the shared rides versus the standard one-person rides.
As I recall, pre-pandemic, there were not a lot of them.
UberX Share vs UberPool
One change from UberPool is that each passenger will only be allowed to request a single seat now with UberX Share. Previously, passengers could request up to two seats for their pooled ride. Now, each can only request one seat and there is a cap of two total people per pooled ride.
Another change is that the front seat is now also no longer off limits.
UberX Share Rides: Current Availability
According to the Uber website, UberX Share rides are available in the following cities:
- Chicago
- Indianapolis
- Los Angeles
- New York City
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- San Diego
- San Francisco
UberX Share Rides: Coming Soon
UberX Share will be expanding this year to these additional five markets:
- Baltimore
- Miami
- Nashville
- Philadelphia
- Washington DC
Pros & Cons of UberX Share Rides for Drivers
Pros
The best thing about doing a shared ride is you can rack up the rides very quickly. Each individual passenger counts as one trip.
If you have a bonus that requires fifty trips, one shared ride could deliver two to six trips (this was the most I ever squeezed out of a shared ride, from one side of San Francisco to the other).
Another great feature is that Uber gives drivers the option to avoid UberX Share rides. If it all sounds like too much to handle, I suggest you stick to single rides. But if you want to live on the wild side and try it out, go for it.
The only way you can evaluate the pay is to accept some shared rides. It could be the pay is substantially better than the single rides.
If that is the case, I would be happy to do some shared rides.
Cons
Shared rides require more work on your part.
First, there is quite a bit more picking up and dropping off. Because of this, there will be times when you have two people in your car, and you will then wait four or five minutes for another person to get in the car.
Unlike a single ride where only you are waiting for a passenger, you will have other passengers in the car who are also waiting. Some passengers are in a hurry, so the stress level can get extreme.
The other thing that requires your work is ensuring the passengers get along.
I still recall having a passenger who was late to a meeting. There was nothing I could do to speed up the process. Uber told me to go and pick up another passenger. This created even more stress.
One passenger’s stress can easily spread to the other passengers. Believe me when I tell you that you will breathe a sigh of relief when some passengers exit your car. And the remaining passengers will then talk about the unruly passenger that just got out. Shared rides are not nice and clean like a single ride.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Uber Pool coming back?
Yes, Uber Pool is back, but operating as UberX Share rides.
Do drivers have to accept Share Rides?
No, drivers can choose whether or not to accept Share Rides. If they do not want to participate in this service, they can opt-out in their driver app settings.
How will drivers know if a ride is a UberX Share Ride?
Drivers will be notified if a ride is eligible for a Share Ride when they receive the ride request in their driver app.
What happens if a passenger wants to go to a different destination than the other passengers in the car?
If a passenger wants to go to a different destination than the other passengers in the car, the driver will drop off the other passengers first and then take the remaining passenger to their destination.
Are UberX Share Rides safe for passengers?
Yes, Share Rides are safe for passengers. Uber screens all drivers and passengers, and the company also has safety features built into their app, such as GPS tracking and the ability to share trip details with friends and family.
Key Takeaways
The original promise of Uber and Lyft was to take more cars off the road, clearly, that has not happened.
The only way toward that goal is the shared ride, and it does work, I have been witness to it working in San Francisco.
Sure, there are some hiccups, some passengers will make it difficult for you. However, if we get paid better for these rides and contribute to a cleaner environment and less traffic congestion, this is a winning product.
Give it a try, hit your bonuses faster, feel good about your work, enjoy the party vibe.
Be safe out there.
