Uber

Uber, everyone’s private driver, is now a popular transportation service that gets you from point a to point b from the convenience of your own smartphone GPS. Last week, I had to be on campus by around 7 in the morning and since the shuttle could only drop me off half an hour earlier, I had to find an alternative form of transportation. I remembered that my friend was able to get me a free Uber ride when I signed up with his promo code. Just as I took my phone out, a wave of concern came over me. I was actually afraid of taking an Uber alone. Just the thought of a random person with their own car picking me up for school scared me. So I decided to look more into it.

In New Jersey, Uber works by applying a base fair of $1.25, $0.18 per minute, and $1.10 per mile. When you go on the app, you are able to see al lof the Uber drivers available around your area. You choose the pickup and destination using pins on your mobile GPS, via the Uber app. When you drop your pin, it tells you the estimated waiting time for an Uber driver to get to you. From there, the Uber driver uses the app to calculate everything, and the cost is directly charged to the card number you put in the app. When you get assigned an Uber driver, the app provides the name of the driver, his/her picture, his/her car, and his/her reviews.

Upon my research, I found that the legality of Uber has been brought up by governments and taxi companies, who claim that its use of drivers who are not licensed to drive taxicabs is actually unsafe and illegal. This is when I looked more into Uber New Jersey.  According to the Uber website, the requirements for being an Uber driver are as follows: The driver doesn’t need a special driver’s license or previous experience required. They are required to have 4 door cars.  Drivers can pick up anywhere there are willing riders but they can’t pick up people from New York, and they can pick up people from CT and Philly. The drivers can keep their own insurance as a special/specific insurance.

There is so much controversy over Uber, today. In Toronto, yellow cab drivers are protesting by parking in mass, blocking major traffic areas. Taxi services aren’t happy with Uber’s competition. New York City taxi services believe that Uber should be subject to the same regulations as traditional taxi services. Also, tighter regulations and more and more laws are being pushed into Uber’s requirements which is making Uber safer but more under the control of the government.

I decided to use Uber that day, and it was fantastic. The car was clean, the driver was kind, and I felt safe. I didn’t have to dig into my wallet and calculate a tip for the driver. I got to school in a couple of minutes, safe and sound.