If you live in New York and don’t mind sitting in an Uber with a complete stranger just so you can get to where you’re going for far less than what you would normally pay for, then this is going to interest you. Uber has announced that it’s now going to offer flat $5 carpool rides in Manhattan during peak hours. Riders can hail cars in Manhattan below 110th street during the 7-10am and 5-8pm peak times from Monday to Friday.
A flat $5 fee for a ride through some of the most congested roads in New York doesn’t sound like a bad deal, but there’s more here than meets the eye.
In this case, the Uber doesn’t come to you, you go to the Uber. Riders will have to walk a few blocks to reach a particular intersection so that the routes can be aligned more efficiently. What this means is that riders will essentially be walking to a bus stop for Ubers.
This applies to both ends of the trip so the driver will drop passengers off at a similar intersection, riders will have to walk to their ultimate destination. “Corner pickups and drop-offs make driving routes more direct, so you’ll save time and arrive at your destination faster,” Uber explains.
Uber is saying that this new service is just a pilot for now so it’s unclear when the pilot would end or if it’s going to be expanded to cover more areas in New York City. It’s hoping to gain feedback from riders on this to decide whether or not this is something it should continue to offer.