In addition to airport transportation, Uber Shuttle will also be offered at major events, including certain concerts at Live Nation venues in Charlotte, Chicago, and Pittsburgh. In those cities, fans will be able to board a shuttle in accessible downtown pick-up spots and be transported straight to the venue. The service will also be available at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins and Formula One Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix.
The company has tested out its Uber Shuttle service in India and Egypt for daily commuters in highly congested areas, le Roux says. In those markets, there are more factors to consider since riders are boarding at various times and going to different places on both ends. “We learned more and more about how to move large numbers of people between specific locations at specific times,” he tells Traveler.
Bringing that principle to the US with the set location of airports and venues will simplify the equation, since volume can be predicted in conjunction with peak airport hours and event start and end times.
Offering these higher capacity vehicles also will eventually help reduce congestion on the roads. “Whether it’s going to an airport or moving people around the city, because we’re using buses, we’re taking many cars off the road,” says le Roux. While the exact math of how much the carbon footprint will be reduced will depend on how various markets take to the service, the impact is “obviously going to be positive,” he says.
In addition to Uber Shuttle, the company has also announced the ability to schedule an UberX Share in advance, which allows riders to pre-plan those shared rides as early as 30 days before departure. The feature will help keep fewer vehicles on the road, while saving riders an average of 25% compared to regular UberX rides.
Camiel Irving, Uber’s vice president of rides operations, said at the company’s Go-Get 2024 conference Wednesday morning: “We are continuing to lean in to shared rides, even though other companies are leaning out because we believe that sharing is an essential part of the future of cities.”
This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
Leave a Reply