Uber is a mobile app “that connects drivers with passengers at the touch of a button”. This service started in San Francisco and is now offered in over 100 cities across 32 countries.

How it works?
After downloading the app from the apple App Store/Android store/or Blackberry AppStore for free, users can request an uber-accredited car nearby at a location convenient to you. The app open up in a map interface where one can select from the different services that Uber offers in different cities like ‘Black Car’ where they send town cars/ sedans to you (good for up to 4 passengers) , ‘SUV’ where you get a car up to 6 passengers and the most popular, ‘UberX’ which is a service where anyone who owns a car can sign up and drive (drivers go through a stringent background check and it is safe so don’t worry about it). UberX is a the most economical option that they offer and is 25% cheaper than regular Taxis. In London(and maybe some more cities), Uber offers a more premium service called ‘UberLux’ through which they send you luxury sedans like the Mercedes-Benz S-class, BMW 7 series, Audi A8 or Jaguar XJ. In most cities you can also call for a regular taxi at an extra small-fee. All of these options are accessible from they app itself and are very easy to navigate through.

One of the main convenience that the app provides is the ease and clarity of payment. You can set up your debit/credit card to the app and it automatically debits it at the end of the ride . So you basically never need to worry about carrying cash or being confused as to how much to tip the driver as the app takes care of it. You can change the tip percentage through the app itself.

Among other conveniences, ‘Split Fare’ is a big one. Keeping tabs on friends or colleagues sharing a ride with you becomes difficult and this is a great feature that helps you split your fare with up to 3 more people from within the app.

Uber is very competitively priced and also features economical flat fares from most airports to the cities and other frequently travelled routes. All information regarding this is available here

Uber has grown rapidly in the last 2-3 years and it has been successfully backed by a great back-end customer service team. The allows for instant feedback after the ride. You have to rate your driver and you may write comments as well. Also, interestingly the driver rates you as well (so be at your best behavior). Incase you don’t enjoy your ride due to any reason, Uber (on most such occasions) refunds your money and/or gives you some promotional credit for your next ride.

One of the only drawbacks, so to say, that users come across is ‘Surge Pricing’, which is a rise in price due to high demand in the area. But again, the app informs you of this before you request one. It is also easy to cancel an Uber within 5 minutes of ordering one without the $5 charge, which is charged otherwise.

Uber has already been hit with legal action, protests and bans of various kinds in Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Houston, Portland, New Orleans, Seattle, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington DC, Vancouver and Toronto. These are primarily from Taxi drivers and Taxi company owners due to a significant loss of market share to Uber. They claim that uber is illegally operating and breaking taxi laws. But the company responded by saying that they are not a taxi company and do come under the laws that govern taxis.

Whatever the taxi companies may claim, I consider Uber to be a safer and more convenient service which I like to use in different cities that I go to. It is truly, as the company calls itself, “Everyone’s private driver”.

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