Uber to bring back shared rides with new name

Uber suspended its Uber Pool car-pooling feature in March 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the company promised earlier this month that it planned to bring shared rides back, reports The Verge.

Ride-hailing major Uber is reportedly bringing back shared rides with a new name, UberX Share, which is a revamped car-pooling product and is available first as a pilot in Miami, the US.

Uber suspended its Uber Pool car-pooling feature in March 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the company promised earlier this month that it planned to bring shared rides back, reports The Verge.

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Uber prices have gone way up recently, so a car-pooling option allows the company to offer cheaper costs that could make taking an Uber a more popular transportation option.

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On an UberX Share ride, users will only ride with one other person (in addition to the driver) during the trip. Everyone in the car must wear a mask, even if they are all vaccinated.

UberX Share rides will have a 5 per cent discount, and users will get Uber Cash if another person is picked up during the trip, the report said.

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It is unclear when UberX Share might expand, and the company said on Tuesday it did not have anything additional to share about future rollout plans to other cities.

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Uber rival Lyft brought back shared rides in July after also suspending the feature in March 2020. Similar to Uber, only one other rider can join, and everyone must wear a mask.

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