Uber debuts commuter auto share service in China

UberCommute works in the same way as the regular Uber product in that users sign in to the app and let it know where they want to go before UberCommute then pairs drivers with passengers on the same route.

It is the most open to interpretation service Uber has launched, essentially allowing drivers that aren’t full time taxi drivers to pick up riders on their route to work, or days off. The app is easy to use and informs drivers how much they would get if they picked up extra passengers headed in the same direction.

Drivers can log into Uber, and see requests from riders going the same direction, along with what they’re willing to pay for the trip. The new feature has been named uberCOMMUTE, with the service undergoing beta testing in the metropolitan area of 14 million inhabitants before being scaled on a global base, according to a statement by the San Francisco-based company. Services with fewer users would make it more challenging to find passengers going to the same destination. It’s now Uber’s top city universally as far as normal every day finished rides, the organization said.

Uber says in a blog post that when people can push a button and get a ride in minutes they are less likely to drive themselves. “Instead of 30 people using their own cars, you have one vehicle serving them all”.

As the company points out, Uber itself contributes to the congestion and wastefulness inherent in the daily commute.

This isn’t the first or only carpooling service available, with existing companies like BlaBlaCar and Tripda offering a similar service. The service will roll out to other countries in time, Uber said, and will complement rather than replace its UberPool service, which it launched a year ago .