Tag: Uber

Uber is launching a cheaper new carpool option for the rush hour crowd | CNN Business

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Uber is launching a new service called Route Share, a carpool-like option aimed at budget-conscious commuters.

Route Share will function somewhat like a commuter shuttle: “consistent and frequent pickup options along direct routes,” running every 20 minutes during the peak commute hours of 6 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. on weekdays.

Commuters will walk a “short distance” to designated pickup and drop-off points, and they may share rides with up to two additional passengers, Uber said in its announcement Wednesday. The service will launch in seven major cities, including New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago, before expanding nationwide.

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Uber now lets users in India book three trips at once | TechCrunch

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Uber is rolling out concurrent rides in India, a feature that allows users to book up to three trips for any of their contacts, TechCrunch has exclusively learned and confirmed with the company.

The concurrent rides feature is the latest example of Uber developing products that will capture more customers, including those who don’t have the app or even a smartphone. In India, Uber even allows concurrent ride users to pay drivers directly with cash or via the app.

Uber quietly launched the concurrent rides last year in several global markets, including the United States. An Uber spokesperson confirmed the new feature is now available in India and will be rolled out in the country in a phased manner. The spokesperson would not confirm the exact details of the cities in which it is currently available.

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Uber for Teens has reignited an old debate over fingerprinting drivers | TechCrunch

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Seven years ago, Uber and Lyft blocked an effort to require ride-hailing app drivers to get fingerprinted in California. But by launching Uber for Teens earlier this year, the company inadvertently resurfaced the issue.

Now a broader debate is underway as startups, Uber, and California regulators hash out when a transportation service should be required to fingerprint its drivers.

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Uber will now let you book a shuttle to the airport | CNN Business

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Uber wants to make it cheaper to get a ride to the airport, concerts or sporting events.

The rideshare company on Wednesday announced the launch of Uber Shuttle, an offering that will let users book up to five seats in a shuttle from a central location to an event or the airport – for less than the cost of a regular Uber ride. The cost of the shuttle rides won’t be affected by surge pricing, a common affliction when lots of people are looking for rides at the same time.

Riders can book their space on the shuttles, which will hold between 14 and 55 seats, up to a week in advance and will receive a QR code ticket to board. Uber plans to partner with local shuttle companies with commercially licensed drivers to facilitate the offering, but users will be able to rate and tip drivers within the Uber app like with any other ride.

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Uber is shutting down alcohol delivery app Drizly | CNN Business

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Uber is shutting down its alcohol delivery app, Drizly, just three years after acquiring it for $1.1 billion.

Buoyed by the pandemic-era at-home delivery boom, Drizly had grown to become the largest online marketplace for alcohol in North America, but it will officially shut down at the end of March 2024, according to Uber.

The alcohol delivery service operated as a standalone app, and its technology was integrated into Uber’s delivery app, Uber Eats.

In a statement, Pierre Dimitri Gore-Coty, Uber’s senior vice president of delivery, said Uber had decided to focus on its “core Uber Eats strategy of helping consumers get almost anything – from food to groceries to alcohol – all on a single app.”

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Uber, Lyft to pay NYC drivers more by end of year | TechCrunch

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Uber and Lyft will have to increase the minimum pay rates for drivers in New York City by the end of the year, Engadget reports. The fare increase comes amid a driver shortage post-pandemic, in large part due to rising operational costs.

The city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) voted to increase the per-minute rates of ride-hail drivers by 7.42% and per-mile rates by 23.93%. Yellow and green cab rates will also increase by 23% by the end of this year.

The commission is hoping that increasing the pay rates will attract more taxis and drivers to the roads in order to serve increasing passenger demand.

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How to Become a Rideshare Driver | businessnewsdaily.com

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The entry barriers are lower than with most jobs if you’re looking to drive for Uber or Lyft. Here’s how to properly hit the road with these apps.

  • Driving for Lyft and Uber doesn’t require interviews or many hard skills, so there’s a relatively low barrier to entry. You’ll still need to provide valid auto documentation and pass background checks, though.
  • Uber and Lyft have slightly different requirements for drivers and vehicles. You’ll generally need at least a year of driving experience and a car in great condition.
  • You’ll need to get your car inspected before your app of choice permits you to drive. Depending on your location, you may need to get your car inspected every 4-12 months.

This article is for people interested in driving for Uber or Lyft.

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California’s Plan to Electrify Uber and Lyft Doesn’t Add Up | WIRED

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GABE ETS-HOKIN HAS been picking up Bay Area Uber and Lyft passengers in electric vehicles since 2018, and he says he is never going back to petrol. “The day-to-day reality of driving an electric vehicle is like a gasoline car, except it’s quieter, more fun to drive, more comfortable, and passengers love it,” he says.

EVs, he explains, are an especially good fit for the stop-and-start of driving in dense cities because they use regenerative braking, which captures the energy used to slow to a stop and “reinvests” it in charging the battery. Instead of tracking down public chargers, he hooks his car up to the charger he’s installed at his house.

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Uber Gives Up on the Self-Driving Dream | WIRED

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IN 2015, THEN Uber CEO Travis Kalanick pulled off a bold talent raid when he poached some 40 roboticists from the National Robotics Engineering Center at Carnegie Mellon. The move reportedly left the world-class engineering university reeling, and it seemed to signal that the world’s hottest startup was on the cusp of making self-driving cars a reality.

Now, that self-driving unit is no more, and the estimated timeline for robotaxi domination has extended well into this decade. Uber said Monday it would sell off the self-driving unit that was the result of that raid, the Pittsburgh-based Advanced Technologies Group. The 1,200-person unit will be acquired by the self-driving-tech developer Aurora. Uber will invest $400 million in Aurora as part of the deal, bringing Aurora’s valuation to $10 billion and tripling its workforce. Uber’s current CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, will also take a seat on Aurora’s board.

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