Don’t have a car and need a ride to the airport? Then you are probably thinking of using the Uber app to order a ride. Uber started as ridesharing that was offered in select cities, and has spread to hundreds of metropolitan areas around the world. Now using the service that is owned by a company based in San Francisco, you can also avail of bicycle sharing and food delivery via Uber Eats. With the continued rise in popularity of the service, we look at how Uber works and the ways in which it has simplified commute for those who do not have a car in cities.

The basic requirements for using Uber

A mobile device with access to the Internet along with a phone number and email address are the basic requirements for setting up and using Uber. Once registration with the service is complete and an account is operational, ordering a ride to the airport or a shop is easily done via a browser or the app which is available for Android and iOS devices.

Hiring a cab and the connection between drivers and riders

Uber functions as a service that connects drivers who often work part time, and riders. Drivers who are part of the service usually own their cars, and use a dedicated app that is different from the Uber rider app. To the rider Uber displays the different types of rides available, based on the size of the car and sharing with fellow commuters. Once the pickup area or location has been specified by the rider, along with the destination, the service automatically displays the approximate fare for the trip and details of the car. As the ride is booked, Uber selects an available car in the vicinity automatically and the driver has the option to reject the booking.

Safety features and checking the vehicle

The safety features that Uber has incorporated into the service have improved over the years. Among these features is the ability to check the name of the driver. Riders can also check the license plate and the route that the cab is taking to pick them up, and time when it is estimated to arrive. When meeting and boarding the cab commuters are required to check the license plate number to ensure that they are getting into the right car and thereby minimize the risk that they face. Uber helpfully has also rolled out an “SOS” button feature in some countries, and the ability to share the details of the ride with another person and these help improve passenger safety.

Different Payment methods

Paying for trips via your preferred method is one of the attractive features that Uber has. Once the trip is complete the payment is calculated and automatically deducted from a linked wallet or from Uber cash balance. Alternatively you can also choose to make the payment for the trip via credit card or hard cash.

User friendly features give riders the ability to rate a trip once it is complete and this allows for the feedback about the driver and the service to be gathered immediately. Other features include the ability to cancel trips without penalties. The ability to modify a pickup location and use the name of the business/restaurant instead of a full address, when booking a ride have all made Uber a hot favorite among commuters in cities.