Uber Singapore on Wednesday (Mar 14) launched UberCommute, a carpooling service where drivers pick up commuters going the same way. It is the first such service rolled out by the San Francisco-based ride-hailing firm in Asia. The new service will be up to 51 per cent cheaper than UberX — the company’s standard private-hire car service — and commuters can schedule their rides up to one week in advance, or request a ride within an hour.
The firm noted that Singapore’s regulations stipulate that fares for carpool activities are limited only to the costs and expenses incurred while carpooling. Uber Commute fares are calculated based on the estimated driver cost per kilometre comprising fuel cost, wear and tear, insurance, and road tax. Commuters will know the upfront price before booking a ride.
Uber Commute drivers will bear the cost of Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) fees. “In cases where drivers have to enter an ERP zone to pick up or drop their rider thereby incurring additional fees, drivers may gently ask the rider to share the cost,” the company said. “We encourage drivers and riders to discuss this before the start of the trip to avoid disputes.”
The service is the latest offering from Uber, which currently provides uberPOOL, UberX and UberFLASH — or “on-demand services that are subjected to dynamic pricing, and driven by private-hire or taxi driver-partners”.
In comparison, Uber Commute is a “peer-to-peer product that allows riders to pre-book their rides with drivers who are open to sharing their daily commute to and from work with individuals travelling in the same direction”.
From Thursday to Mar 30, riders will receive a automatic 30 per cent discount off their Uber Commute rides, Uber said.
Uber Commute, which will be available on Thursday, “makes it easier for people to share their car as they go about their daily commute, unlocking Singapore’s vision of becoming a car-lite society”, it added.
