If you need to get around town without a car, but are pretty strapped for cash, this new Uber feature is about to make your rides even cheaper. You'll just have to walk for it.
The new option called “Express Pool” allows riders to carpool after meeting at a central location no more than two blocks from wherever they are, according to Fortune. The ride-sharing company announced the new service Wednesday, and then immediately made it available in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Denver. On Thursday, the service will expand to Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and Miami. The nationwide launch date hasn't yet been announced.
Express Pool works by corralling multiple people at one location, instead of picking up riders separately. The new service could also add to the typical wait time by up to two minutes, but the benefit of the option is that it’s way cheaper. Uber says that Express Pool will be 50 percent cheaper than UberPool and 75 percent cheaper than UberX. “Walking and waiting help us make more optimal matches and provide better, straighter, faster routes with fewer detours, delivering an even more affordable and consistent option than POOL to consumers,” Ethan Stock, Uber’s product director for shared rides, wrote in a blog post announcing the new service.
This new update definitely doesn’t quiet concerns about Uber’s underpaid workforce or a variety of other safety concerns related to the app. But if you love walking, carpooling, and saving money, this is your moment.
