Uber Pool Explained
UberPool is Ubers ride share sharing service; this means that many passengers will be collected on the way to a specific destination, similar to a bus but in a car instead. This service costs much less than UberX and has its pros and cons.
Pros
- Price is shared between passengers
Cons
- Slower than a direct service
- Can have inter-passenger issues
Requesting UberPool
In the app, request a destination and make sure it is correct, once an UberPool destination is set you cannot change it. This is due to the algorithm that outlines a directional multi-passenger service, all points on the map are set for minimum driving irregularities, this reduces time and confusion. The system will send each rider their place on the pick-up list, riders can add an accompanying passenger, and once the total of four passengers is met, the pool will be closed and ready for service.
The maximum waiting time for an UberPool pickup is two minutes, so make sure you are waiting for the car and not the other way round.
In general, UberPool is a good experience, but there are more points of friction, and that leads to some unfortunate experiences. The bad rides are always discussed in public, so they seem to outshine the good ones.
Here are some of the friction points:
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The Essence of Pool
Most new pool passengers don't realize that a pool ride means that the driver is going to zig-zag around like a school bus, picking up passengers along the way, but not exactly along the shortest route to the final destination. Don't upset at the driver, it's the nature of the ride, and that is why it is cheaper for you. -
Lower Fees More Waiting
Since it is effectively only one ride, as all the fares are joined together to pay on the final amount. Sure, drivers do get a slightly bigger income, but per fare, you are getting more hassle, and they are driving around for a long time having to deal with irate passengers and traffic. The other factor is the parking for each pickup, finding a place to park or stand for every passenger is not as easy as it sounds, especially when police are prowling around and also weaving in and out of traffic can be problematic. The driver has to concentrate more, look out more and be aware of everything while dealing with a growing load of passengers. -
Rating Issues
While passengers pay less and you might be the last passenger picked up, you end up being driven around for a long time waiting to get to your destination. This always leads to bad ratings, so don't take this out on the driver and rate him high. -
Traffic
Since UberPool is priced at public transport levels, it creates more congestion on public lanes as more and more pool cars converge with their loads. More cars and added to the same level of public transport lead to more congestion. This is an unfortunate side effect of all pool ridesharing, so be patient when traveling in congestion and rush hours. -
Passenger Cohesion
The big "what if." What if everyone is happy and sing "kumbaya," sure, never happens. Since these are a group of different people, converging together in a confined space, it can lead to some heated discussions. Especially when discussing political issues, although you do get some interesting heated arguments on any number of subjects such as religion, technology, sex, sport, it just takes one jerk to be stubborn and loud, and the whole situation will spin out of hand. So we suggest that if you do meet such a person, your Pool nemesis, try to ignore him/her and smile. The ride will be over soon, and you can mention the incident in the rating section so the driver will know in future about the incident and passenger in question. -
Safe Driving
Safe driving is a must, but when the driver's concentration is split between a herd of angry passengers and an ever-increasing traffic jungle, add to that their apps and entertainment system, the driver needs to know where their eyes and hands will be at every given moment. Now, consider that the driver needs to change lanes in all of this. Pool riding is not for a beginner, it even taxes the most experienced driver, unless the driver was a bus or passenger van driver in the past, passengers should consider this and not tax the driver with unnecessary issues. -
Driver Stress
As you can see, or maybe you already felt in real life, pool driving is not for the faint of heart. The stress levels are high, and you have to consider that every pool ride is going to be the same. One scenario which may have been in is the late pickup cancellation when you arrive at a pickup, and there is no place to park. The driver double parks, causing traffic problems, the cops are not there, but angry drivers are, honking and cursing at him. He will call the passenger; maybe he is #4, and he tells him that he must cancel if he doesn't get in within 5 seconds, the fare refuses to cancel and won't be ready for another 3 minutes. You and other passengers are irate too; you hate to wait as much as anyone else does. Usually, the driver will cancel the ride and drive off. Bottom line, don't be late!
The UberPool Model
The UberPoolmodel is for fast driving to a single or similar destination with multiple pick-ups and drop-offs, it is not for calculating the wide variety of social, cultural and physical differences between customers. So, getting a cologne bathed actor with a cigarette infused executive and a morning drinking retailer can produce some interesting smell combinations that make driving in the rain a serious issue. Take that into account.