Uber is a godsend; we all know that. Drivers are there for you when you need a ride home from happy hour, and they're ready to pick you up when it starts pouring during your walk to work. Whatever the situation may be, Uber will likely rescue you in a time of need — and their convenience is very much appreciated. However, the app is about to get even more convenient with a brand new service called Uber Express POOL. What is Uber Express POOL, you ask? Oh, it's only the cheapest and fastest new service on the Uber app. NBD.
If you live in San Fransisco or Boston, you might be familiar with the feature (it's already been piloting in your cities). However, on Wednesday, Feb. 21, Uber Express POOL officially launched in Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, San Diego, and Denver. Anyone living in those cities can experience the cheap fares Uber Express POOL has to offer, while everyone else in the U.S. will have to wait until it's rolled out later this quarter. (It's coming, so be patient.) If you already have access to Uber Express POOL, you should probably just use it as your main form of transportation.
What is Uber Express POOL?
Uber Express POOL is the quickest and cheapest service on the Uber app, because it uses a new system to seamlessly pick up POOL riders on a more direct route. To do so, they add walking to the mix. Yes, you read that correctly: Uber Express POOL involves walking.
By adding walking to the mix, Uber is able to add more riders to the car without driving in circles around a neighborhood. Once a rider calls an Uber Express POOL, they'll be prompted to walk to an Express spot nearby. Ideally, the rider's Express spot will line up with other riders' Express spots, which will make it easy for an Uber car to seamlessly drive on a route, quickly pick up riders, and bring them to their destination. This will result in cheaper fairs and a shorter ETA (#bless).
How does Uber Express POOL work?
It's super easy to use Uber Express POOL, and once you start using it, you'll probably love it. First, you must open your Uber app and choose Uber Express POOL as your rideshare option. The first time you use it, your app will prompt you with some useful information about it.
Once you choose Express POOL, Uber will start gathering information for your ride. They'll figure out the best pickup spot for you within a few blocks of where you currently are, and calculate your co-riders and driver. Once all that information is finalized, they'll assign your pickup location, walking directions, and the ETA that your driver is expected to come. In other words, you'll be taking a short walking to your pickup location to ensure your ride is smoother, quicker, and cheaper.
Once you're in the car, the driver will choose the best drop-off location (no, you probably won't be dropped off at the doorstep of where you're trying to go). Then, they'll give you walking directions to your final destination.
In other words, be prepared to walk a little bit if you order an Uber Express POOL.
Walking will be worth it, I promise. By walking to a convenient pickup spot, you're allowing the Uber driver to create a seamless path for riders that'll result in cheaper fares and a quicker ETA.
Also, trust me when I say "cheaper." According to Uber, an Uber Express POOL is up to 50 percent off UberPOOL, and 75 percent off UberX. You'll be saving a ton of money, and you'll get some fresh air. It's truly a win-win.
