FILE – An Uber sign is displayed inside a car in Palatine, Ill., Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. Citing record-high prices for gasoline, Uber is charging customers a new fuel fee to help offset costs for ride-hail and delivery drivers. The company announced Friday, March 11, 2022, that the temporary surcharge will be either 45 cents or 55 cents for each Uber trip and either 35 cents or 45 cents for each Uber Eats order, depending on location.
Uber's carpooling option will finally return to the transportation service app after being removed for years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
UberX Share, formerly called Uber Pool, was removed as a precautionary step in the early months of the pandemic, but has been recently relaunched under the new name.
According to the company, the shared riding service is available beginning in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Phoenix, San Diego, Portland, Oregon, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh, with more cities added later this summer.
Uber noted that the ride-share service is working to provide affordability to customers, "especially in the current economic climate," making carpooling a major step in that direction.
Guests who share a ride will receive a discount of up to 20% off the total fee if they are matched with a co-rider along the route, according to Uber's website.
The company also guarantees that passengers will arrive no more than eight minutes later than they would in a private Uber. Uber has also restricted rides to a maximum of two passengers.
Masks will remain optional while carpooling, but Uber asks that riders are respectful of others' preferences.
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