Uber is one of the newer apps this year that is taking the world by storm. It is an app that instantly connects the user to drivers and ride shares.
Founded in San Francisco in 2009, the company has aggressively expanded to major markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, Seattle, Miami, Austin, amongst others. Uber services are currently available in dozens of cities in 44 countries.
After downloading the app, a profile is created in which your name and a credit card is linked. When the application is launched, it uses your phone's GPS to find your location. The map shows which vehicles are available, and an ETA is listed.
There are at least three uber services available. uberX is the lowest cost, and usually feature smaller vehicles like Toyota Prius' and the like. Black Car service consist of larger vehicles such as Camry's, Avalons, and Audi's - depending on the market. SUV service usually consist of Suburban's and sometimes Escalade's. Some markets will let you hail a regular taxi through the uber service, and bicycle messaging services are also available.
Pricing varies by market and the service you choose, but you can always get a fare quote by putting in your destination address. The specific charges are laid out in a straight forward fashion. This address also gets relayed to the driver, and their device (which is an iPhone with a special driver's version of uber installed) will automatically help navigate them using Google Maps.
Once you type in your destination and the service you want, it then prompts you to select a credit card to use. I have mine linked to an American Express card, and using uber nets you double Membership Rewards points on the trip. You may also use points to pay for your ride, with each point equaling 1 cent. Uber also accepts Visa, MasterCard and Discover.
Once you put in a request, the app will show you the make of the vehicle you're looking for, as well as the license plate and a picture of the driver. You will constantly be alerted with the driver's ETA, and some will even call you to confirm your location.
After the ride, the driver will close out the reservation on his end, and the total will show up your screen. There's no provision on the app to tip as it's discouraged, but you can always tip the driver in cash if you want.
After a few minutes, a receipt is emailed to you with your total and a quick overview of your trip.
I've used the app maybe 3 or 4 times in NYC so far. The service has been pretty great so far. Since a lot of the livery (black cab) drivers have been using Uber to pick up extra fares (as you're not allowed to hail them in the street like you can a yellow cab.), there are usually plenty of drivers available no matter what neighborhood you're in. The cars have been nice (mostly Toyota Camry's and Avalons), and the drivers have been friendly and professional. It's definitely a lot easier then trying to hail a yellow cab, and the cost is only slightly more.
I've yet to use Uber in my hometown, as I live in the Downtown area and usually walk everywhere. I plan on going to trying it since there are a couple of new places outside of Downtown that I want to visit.
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