What is Uber Pool?
Uber Pool benefits both riders and drivers alike by operating as a carpooling service. It’s an affordable alternative to the standard UberX for riders. If you’re a regular commuter, you might want to consider Uber Pool if it’s available in your city. Rather than paying for the entire car, you can book a seat (or max two) in a shared vehicle for less.
Benefits of Uber Pool for Riders
The primary benefit of Uber Pool to riders is cheaper fares compared to standard UberX vehicles. However this savings comes at a cost as riders:
- Wait for the driver to pick-up other passengers
- Reach their destination later
- Ride with strangers in the vehicle
Depending on the situation, you might get lucky with booking an Uber Pool and still get an entire car to yourself. In certain areas where there are fewer Uber requests, this can happen more often. In more densely populated areas where many people use Uber, this would less likely happen.
Benefits of Uber Pool for Drivers
While riders save money, drivers also get to experience Uber Pool benefits including the ability to:
- Optimize overall driving time, gas use, and earnings
- Maximize seating in vehicle
- Reduce carbon footprint and traffic congestion
- Enable accessibility through lower individual fares
What About Other Vehicle Options?
As Uber Pool allows for a maximum of two passengers and requires a longer ride time, riders might want to consider alternative Uber vehicles. Please note that options may vary by city.
| Vehicle Option | Ideal For Riders Who |
|---|---|
| UberX | Want to ride alone or are in groups of up to 4 riders |
| UberXL | Are in groups of max 6 people |
| Uber SUV | Want to ride in luxury SUV (alone or groups of max 4 riders) |
| Uber Black | Want to ride in high-end car (alone or groups of max 4 riders) |
| Uber Select | Want to ride in high-end car at affordable price (alone or groups of max 4 riders) |
| Uber Wav | Need to ride in wheelchair-access vehicle |
Learn About Uber Vehicle Options
Final Thoughts
In addition to lower fares for riders, Uber Pool benefits drivers by optimizing their resources. Furthermore, riding and driving in an Uber Pool reduces our carbon footprint which is better for our environment. For riders that are traveling in more than groups of two or require special accommodations, Uber also offers a range of vehicle offerings.
