Uber is looking forward to pilot two new car-pooling services in the US. The popular ride sharing service has announced uberHOP service for Seattle and uberCommute service for Chicago.
uberHOP service uses designated pickup locations and matches people going on similar routes. These riders are given directions to a pick-up location and a time when the driver will arrive. You will have to be at your pickup location where a driver and your fellow commuters will meet you. Riders will be dropped off at single location and they will have to reach the destination on their own. It will cost riders a flat fee of $5 for each ride, no matter how many people are in the vehicle. For the pilot, uberHOP will use uberXL vehicles that can hold up to six people.
Uber claims uberHOP will help reduce traffic congestion in major metropolitan areas by “getting more butts into the backseats of fewer cars.” The company already has UberPool carpooling service that is available in several cities worldwide. UberPool does not require riders to walk to pre-determined locations, instead having drivers pick up passengers at their exact location.
Along with uberHOP,the company is also testing another service called as uberCommute and this one will pilot in Chicago. The service will enable drivers who want to share their commute and recoup the cost of the trip. It will be available throughout the Chicagoland area from 6 AM to 10 PM, Monday to Friday. uberCommute is an extension of the company’s existing UberPOOL program, two or more commuters can share the ride in.
uberPOOL service is already live in Bangalore. In August, Uber started testing a “Smart Routes” feature that picks up passengers along specific routes.