On August 15th, 2014, Uber announced a Beta version of it’s newest product – UberPool. The startup location app has been widely popular across the United States in recent months. Users are picked up in a private car and can request a car before stepping out of the house. The service uses the GPS on your phone to accurately hail a cab. The taxi-company of the 21st century is a perfect example of how technology is making life easier. There have been a few issues with the service, but I am extremely pleased with Uber’s customer service and believe in the product they are selling.
One of the biggest drawbacks of Uber was price. Often more expensive than a regular cab, I found myself not wanting to pay for $50 Uber ride when I could spend $15 in a regular yellow cab. UberX presented a price solution, offering rides at or below taxi prices. The service is not to the level of a full scale Uber SUV, but it is also cheaper than a yellow cab, not to mention a newer, nicer, cleaner car.
Now, UberPool is here to offer an even cheaper offer. Basically UberPool turns your trip into a ride share program where passengers with similar routes are picked up and dropped off together. I am not sure how successful this will ultimately end up being for Uber. The thought of sharing a cab ride with someone else does not sound to appealing right off of the bat. Ultimately, I do think that this will help Uber continue to reach more consumers. If Uber can make this work, the company will have captured market share from the very top to the very bottom. The program has been up and running for slightly over a month. Maybe one day we will see it here in New York.
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