Uber’s latest way of currying favour with the public while skirting municipal law launches today in Toronto.
Dubbed UberPool, the extension of UberX allows users to save up to 50% from the cost of a regular ride by partnering with another rider (or two) and sharing the cost of transportation.
“Our vision at Uber is to help solve the most pressing transportation problems that cities are facing. Congestion is a major pain point in Toronto, especially during the Games. We want to be part of the solution,” said the company in a blog post.
UberPool comes to Toronto after an extended gestation period in San Francisco, and since launching in New York the company has seen huge growth in that category.
Filling unused seats is a problem in most big cities, and UberPool attempts to match people in close quarters going to similar areas. Going to and from the airport is a good example of where UberPool excels, but during the Pan Am Games, UberPool rides will be able to take the various HOV lanes set up around the city.
While UberPool is only being marketed as being available July 13 to 26th, with free rides from 7am-9am and 4-6pm tomorrow, Tuesday July 14th, it’s likely the service will continue in Toronto afterwards. An Uber representative didn’t respond in time for comment.
Uber isn’t the only company launching a carpooling service in Toronto this summer. Another Toronto-based startup, Blancride, has also made inroads with its new app, available for iOS and Android.
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