ABOUT THIS STORY
Whether it’s driving to work, taking MARTA to a Braves game or riding an express bus to one of our business centers, we all get stuck in traffic. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is taking a look at the problem — watch in coming days as reporter Andria Simmons tries to ride transit from Cobb County to Gwinnett County — and we offer some solutions, such as our story Monday about people who have begun working at home. Keep your eye on the AJC this week.
You’ve seen those stories about how people will line up around the block when Apple releases a new gadget or camp out overnight for a shot at free Chick-fil-A for a year when a new store opens. You’ve heard how folks will swarm the parking lot when Krispy Kreme enters a new market. (The Tampa Bay Times recently ran photos of the crowd that showed up when the hot light finally went on in St. Petersburg. You’d think they were handing out gold bricks instead of doughnuts down there).
But this is Atlanta. We’re all about our cars and dealing with traffic here. Is it any wonder people discuss a car-on-demand service like they are dictating a love letter?
“I absolutely love it,” said Maria Joyner of Brookhaven, a marketing vice president for a tech startup. “I love that I can push a button and a car appears.”
See what we mean?
Uber, the San Francisco-based company that operates in more than 20 major metro areas nationwide and nearly two dozen cities abroad, allows you to summon a black town car or SUV, if you’re traveling with a group or a lot of gear, by simply tapping a few times into your phone. Customers register ahead of time, and when you’re ready to roll, Uber uses the GPS function on your phone to send a driver your way. You’ll get a text message with a photo of the driver, and you can monitor his or her progress as the car gets closer.
Because customers input their credit card information upon registration, no cash changes hands. (See its website for information and registration, or download the app onto your phone.)
“Auto-billing to credit card is also great,” Joyner said. “We had a cabdriver we would call anytime for a pickup and, sadly, Uber has replaced him because of the convenience.”
Keith Marcel Radford, the general manager of Uber Atlanta, said trips to the world’s busiest airport do comprise a good amount of Uber’s business, but he’s seeing growth in people just looking to simplify their nights out.
“We see a large part of our trips concentrated on weekends around Midtown, Buckhead, Decatur and downtown, especially as Atlantans look to avoid the parking hassle and crackdown on DUIs,” he said. “We’re looking to truly change the way people move about Atlanta, so rather than strictly think of Uber as a weekend use case, we want to alter transportation habits of using Uber during the week.”
Drivers do not work for Uber, but rather sign up like customers do, provided they adhere to Uber’s guidelines on operating a clean, safe and inviting car stocked with bottled water, mints and magazines. The service then connects available drivers and their passengers.
Maurice Cherry, the owner of the 3eighteen media design firm and editor of a website called Revision Path, takes Uber about twice a month.
“Although I live very close to a MARTA station (and I use MARTA most of the time), Uber is convenient for those times where I need to get somewhere fast and don’t have time to wait for the train,” he said. “For example, last year I took Uber to jury duty. I woke up late and only had about 30 minutes to get there. The first thing I did was request an Uber car. After showering, shaving and getting dressed, the Uber car was here and I made it to jury duty in time.”
Of course, Uber is far pricier than MARTA, as retired school administrator Nancy Morrison, who lives in Gwinnett County, recently discovered the hard way.
“I recently used Uber for the first time after hearing my daughter and her friends rave about it,” she said. “I had flown back from an out-of-town visit and needed to get from the airport to Georgia Tech for a football game. The experience was very pleasant — until I got the charge on my credit card. I regret that I didn’t ask ahead of time about the cost, as the charge was $55. I should have taken MARTA!”
To appeal to a more budget-conscious traveler, Uber has recently unrolled UberX, which sends a more casual car, like a Toyota Camry or Honda Accord, your way. The base fare for an UberX ride is $3, and it’s $2 a mile after that if the car’s going more than 11 mph. If you’re crawling along at under 11 mph, it’s 35 cents a mile. On the top end of Uber service, an SUV trip in an automobile such as a Lincoln Navigator starts with a $14 base fare, plus $1 or $4.25 per mile after that, depending on how fast you’re going.
“I love the new introduction of the UberX fleet,” said digital marketing manager Darcey Hans, who lives in West Midtown. Because transit is very limited on our side of town, it is far more convenient. I love the service.”
About the Author
