Spotted by TechCrunch and later confirmed by the ride-hailing company, “Smart Routes” highlights nearby streets (see image) where Uber rides can be grabbed at a discounted price.
Designated streets are likely to be main routes through busy parts of a city, so you shouldn’t have to wait too long for a ride.
To encourage users to walk a block or two from their current location to a Smart Route, fares will come with a discount of at least a dollar. OK, that might not sound like much, but over time it could lead to a sizable saving if you’re a regular rider, and think of the extra exercise you’ll be getting by making your way to the car instead of having it come direct to your door as usual.
The San Francisco-based company, which incidentally is where Smart Routes is currently being tested, believes the feature can also help its drivers by bringing them more business, which of course will mean more cash for the company.
But will the service prove popular? That all depends on whether riders feel the time and effort it takes to walk to a Smart Route is worth a dollar discount.
Smart Routes come a month after the company started testing a similar feature called “Suggested Pick-up Location,” which, as its name suggests, suggests a convenient meeting point for both driver and passenger.
There’s no discount for this service, but if you’re prepared to cross the street or walk a short distance to a street corner to help the driver, you have a good chance of reaching your final destination more quickly.
