Uber brings back carpooling service under new name

SAN FRANCISCO: Ride-hailing company Uber, which suspended its shared rides service -- Uber Pool -- amid the pandemic has now relaunched the feature under a new name, UberX Share, in the US.

The service is available in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Phoenix, San Diego, Portland, Oregon, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh. This formal launch follows a quieter debut back in November, when it was available only in Miami as part of a pilot test, reports Engadget.

The new shared rides feature is similar to Uber's pre-pandemic carpooling feature, but with an added cash incentive. Riders who select UberX Share will be matched with another co-rider who is headed in the same direction.

In exchange for the hassle and extra time spent on the road, Uber will give riders up to a 20 per cent discount on the total fare, the report said.

Even if riders do not get matched with a co-rider, they will receive an up-front discount on their ride that varies in the amount, the report said.

Fares for UberX Share will always be lower than an equivalent UberX ride, it added.