Shillong, August 22: Uber, the ride-hailing platform, has unveiled a new feature called ‘Group Rides’ in India, enabling passengers to share rides with up to three friends traveling to the same destination.
As per IANS, with Group Rides, users have the opportunity to economize on their fares, potentially saving up to 30% based on the number of friends they divide the fare with.
Nitish Bhushan, Director of Central Operations at Uber India, highlighted the benefits of the feature, stating, “With Group Rides we are offering customers the option to save more while they are riding with people they know. Not only do riders save money and arrive at the common destination together, they also do the good deed of reducing vehicles on the road by getting more butts in fewer cars.”
To utilize the new feature, riders can include their friends in their Uber ride by sharing ride details through messaging apps. Once participants join the ride, they can indicate their preferred pickup locations, which will be incorporated into the journey.
Furthermore, the introduction of this feature aims to alleviate road congestion by reducing the reliance on individual vehicles when groups of friends, colleagues, or relatives are journeying to the same place.
Booking a Group Ride involves tapping the Group Ride icon in the updated Uber app, initiating a request for a Group Ride, and reviewing the booking particulars within the app. Passengers can invite friends to participate by sending them a link to the trip and allowing them to add their own stops.
Uber assured that the driver’s earnings won’t be adversely affected by this feature; they will continue to earn the same amount based on the route taken, comparable to what they would receive for an Uber Go or Uber Premier ride.