Make new friends and spilt your bill in half, as Uber introduces a new carpool service.

Since Uber’s inception in Australia back in 2012, savvy travellers around the nation have become well accustomed with hopping in a car with a perfect stranger. With that in mind, how do you feel about sharing your ride with other unknowing passengers? After taking the United States by storm with Uber Express Pool, Uber’s thrifty carpool service has at last arrived to Sydney.
Launching on 3rd April 2018, UberPOOL lets you share your ride with other passengers heading in the same or similar direction, effectively slashing your travel bill. The service comes in the wake of increasing competition in the ridesharing sector from Taxify and new Indian company Ola.
So how exactly does it work? Using the same app, opt for the POOL function. Be warned, you may have to wait longer than normal for your chariot to arrive or walk up to 300 metres to a communal ‘pickup spot’ to share a ride with other users travelling in the same direction. You may also have to make another short stroll to get to the final destination.
As for the obvious perks, Uber insist that the carpooling service can serve to cut your typical UberX bill in half in the introductory period. Long term, Uber have advised that the new service will slash your bill by approximately 30%. For the mean time, the carpool function itself will cover an area from Bondi in the east to Leichhardt in the west, and from Sydney Harbour in the north to Mascot in the south.
The savings will depend on when you use the service, with travel during peak hour travel times serving to save more than off peak travel. The Uber drivers will earn about the same as they would behind the wheel of a regular UberX service.