Not long after Uber piloted a redesigned driver app in Atlanta, it has launched a more affordable version of uberPOOL in the city.
Express POOL allows people heading in the same direction to carpool, just like uberPOOL does. But the express option offers a cheaper rate — as long as riders are willing to wait a few minutes before their trips begin, and then walk a short distance to a nearby spot for pick up and drop off. Think of it like walking to a bus stop.
This will help Uber make better matches and provide straighter, faster routes with fewer detours, a press release said. Atlanta riders will now see both options in their Uber app.
Chicago, Seattle and part of New Jersey also launched the new option on Thursday. It began as pilot in San Francisco and Boston last year and then launched in Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver, Miami, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. in February.
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Kasra Moshkani, Uber’s southeast general manager, said more Atlantans are sharing their rides through POOL, including commuting to and from MARTA stations.
“It is a priority for us as a company to get more people into fewer cars, with cheaper rides for passengers, more trips for drivers and less congestion for cities over time — and launching Express POOL in Atlanta is an important step forward,” Moshkani said in a statement.
UberPOOL, which has been around since August 2014, makes up about 20 percent of all Uber trips in the cities where it’s available. Combined, those users saved more than 56,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2017, company officials said.
Here’s how to use Express Pool in Atlanta:
• Request and wait for your pickup spot: When you make the request you’ll wait a few extra moments so Uber can find riders along your route. Uber will show you where to meet your driver.
• Walk to your pickup spot: Walking to a corner helps avoid detours and make pickups faster. Walk to your pickup spot before the driver arrives so no one is kept waiting.
• Walk to your destination: Your trip ends at an efficient dropoff spot picked by Uber, so you’ll walk a short distance to your destination.
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