[shifu]

^^
Meru gaurantees a cab for a trip to the airport. They confirm the driver details 15mins before the time at which the cab is requested. But it is gauranteed that you'll get a cab if your destination is the airport.

Edit: I just found that this "Assured Airport Drop Service" is only valid in Mumbai, Delhi, Benagluru and Hyderabad.

https://www.merucabs.com/smart/book/terms/

[Rehaan]

Something rather strange happened to me yesterday.

I was in an Uber, about 500 meters away from my destination. Trip still active.

The top of the driver's mobile suddenly showed another pick-up request for him!

He asked me if we were close to the end of the trip, and i said yes, so he pre-accepted the next fare!

I guess Uber is using this method to minimize down-time between rides. (Or could it be UberGo was automatically doing some sort of carpooling thing?).

However, from a customer's point of view I wonder what that new rider would be shown? The Uber going down the wrong street to drop me off at my destination?

[DevilsCry]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

However, from a customer's point of view I wonder what that new rider would be shown? The Uber going down the wrong street to drop me off at my destination?

I've been a "new rider" once. I saw a similar screen as shown below.

[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

The top of the driver's mobile suddenly showed another pick-up request for him!

He asked me if we were close to the end of the trip, and i said yes, so he pre-accepted the next fare!

Yup this happens when we enter a destination into the app. One tech savvy driver told me about this, and was claiming that most didn't know how to use the features. When close to the destination entered, other trips may pop up which the driver can accept. This reduces waiting time for the drivers to get another trip.

[slicvic]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

I was in an Uber, about 500 meters away from my destination. Trip still active.

I had a similar experience on Uber Pool, as I was nearing my destination the driver got another ride, however in the opposite direction.

He dropped me took a U turn and then went on to drop the next passenger.

No incovenience to me, but the next passenger had a 1.5 KM detour meaning 15 mins extra in the car. Wonder if the next passenger saved any money at all by using Uber Pool

[tanwaramit]

Ok, so this is the reason why my Uber took 30 mins to reach me despite 5 mins away. I kept on calling the driver, he kept on saying 2 mins, but reached good 30 mins late. When asked, he told me that there was a fare issue with the last passenger and it took some time to sort that out (app showing disconnected, passenger saying xxx money charged).

It just means that the last passenger was still in the car when he accepted my request and that trip took a long time to end instead of the said 5 mins to reach me.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by tanwaramit

Ok, so this is the reason why my Uber took 30 mins to reach me despite 5 mins away. I kept on calling the driver, he kept on saying 2 mins, but reached good 30 mins late. When asked, he told me that there was a fare issue with the last passenger and it took some time to sort that out (app showing disconnected, passenger saying xxx money charged).

It just means that the last passenger was still in the car when he accepted my request and that trip took a long time to end instead of the said 5 mins to reach me.

No I dont think your assumption is correct. The ETA shared to you is what the system estimates to be the arrival time of the driver to your point. The same is made available to the driver and the new trip is also assigned to a driver who has very less time left to complete the trip. Now he cant be 30minutes away from you and still the app will show 5 min ETA. I would rather believe the drivers take, ie the previous customer would have held him for a fare issue.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by audioholic

No I dont think your assumption is correct. The ETA shared to you is what the system estimates to be the arrival time of the driver to your point. The same is made available to the driver and the new trip is also assigned to a driver who has very less time left to complete the trip. Now he cant be 30minutes away from you and still the app will show 5 min ETA. I would rather believe the drivers take, ie the previous customer would have held him for a fare issue.

It could also be traffic related.

[sswaroop]

Just used Uber for the first time ever today, both ways to and from work. Unfortunately missed out on the free first ride offer from PayTM which was the only sensible payment option apart from Cash. Weirdly, it is not yet showing me the credit card option. Both drivers were courteous, the morning one more chatty than the guy in the evening.

I had a question. My workplace is about 9.5 kms from Home. Morning ride via UberGo was about that distance. Evening ride via UberX was about 11.1 kms. I checked the exact route taken after reaching home in the evening and it is showing 9.8 Kms. Has this happened to anyone else?

[tanwaramit]

Originally Posted by audioholic

No I dont think your assumption is correct. The ETA shared to you is what the system estimates to be the arrival time of the driver to your point. The same is made available to the driver and the new trip is also assigned to a driver who has very less time left to complete the trip. Now he cant be 30minutes away from you and still the app will show 5 min ETA. I would rather believe the drivers take, ie the previous customer would have held him for a fare issue.

I missed your reply earlier. True, as you said, the driver was close by and was visible on the maps, but despite being shown a time of 6 mins, he took nearly 30 mins late. Also, the car was close to my home, then it went a little ahead and was stuck there for a looong time before taking some weird turns and moving in different directions (sometimes ahead, sometimes back), the cab finally reached me.

I was getting nervous for I had to catch a flight.

Fellow BHPians, even if Uber says 5 mins and you see the car, still you cant be sure that the driver will reach you in 5 mins, as he could be still on the way to drop earlier passenger and who knows how long that passenger might hold him for the payment Or confirmation of trip completion.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by tanwaramit

It just means that the last passenger was still in the car when he accepted my request and that trip took a long time to end instead of the said 5 mins to reach me.

Similar thing happened to me once in Chennai. I guess drivers will be able to select next ride only after closing current one.

When this happened to me, I doubted that driver was using both Ola and Uber at same time. He selected by ride request on Uber, crossed my pick up point and went some 1 KM ahead to drop the current Ola customer, returned back and picked me.

This is just my guess based on the fact that drivers use both Ola and Uber apps at the same time.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by tanwaramit

Also, the car was close to my home, then it went a little ahead and was stuck there for a looong time before taking some weird turns and moving in different directions (sometimes ahead, sometimes back), the cab finally reached me.

This sounds more like either the last passenger was causing some issues, or the driver was doing something else. Months back I've had a driver stop and have lunch whilst on his way to pick me up!!

Originally Posted by tanwaramit

Fellow BHPians, even if Uber says 5 mins and you see the car, still you cant be sure that the driver will reach you in 5 mins, as he could be still on the way to drop earlier passenger

If this is the case, the app will inform you of it. See the screenshot in post #843 at the top of this page.

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Similar thing happened to me once in Chennai. I guess drivers will be able to select next ride only after closing current one.

No, its actually a new Uber feature.

Sometimes a cab that's still on a trip, but with a drop-off close to you can reach you faster than an available cab that's further away.

See the screenshot at the top of this page.

[Rehaan]

Has anyone used the newly launched UberPool in India?

I've taken 3-4 rides in UberGo since the launch, and asked the drivers; but none of them had had a ride-share as yet.

Uber is now offering guaranteed arrival times for its carpooling service [in the USA] — and they'll give you money back if they're late

...
...
"The time that we show you is a fairly conservative one," he said. "The vast majority of the time you'll get there earlier."

Even if you match the maximum number of people who can fit in the car and make multiple stops along the way, Uber's estimate is intended to be accurate.

If something unfortunate happens, and you get there later than the estimate, Uber will give you $2 off your next Pool ride.
...
...

http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-...berpool-2016-6

[djpeesh]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Has anyone used the newly launched UberPool in India?

I've taken 3-4 rides in UberGo since the launch, and asked the drivers; but none of them had had a ride-share as yet.




http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-...berpool-2016-6

Used it in Delhi twice this week. Once from the Shivaji Stadium airport metro station to Transport Bhavan (cost me 32 rupees) and once from Transport Bhavan to T1D. That cost me 114 bucks. Possibly the cheapest commute, including auto rickshaws in Delhi.


In the first case, there was a girl sitting in the back and I just jumped into the front got dropped off and she went on her way. In the second, we had to stop to pick up someone from Malcha Marg. Both times it was just two people in the car.

[nareshov]

I've taken the UberPOOL a few times when not in a hurry or when commuting back home. But yesterday's experience was new.

Wife and I booked one at Lalbagh west-gate and we started off as the first set of occupants. There was a pool-match which the driver accepted and we went off to Jayanag 3rd block bus stand to pick up this person who was in a heavily inebriated state. He was with one more who wasn't drunk but was quiet and visibly uncomfortable with his mate's behaviour.

This drunk person started off with his drink-induced behaviour trying to be anal about the volume of the radio and then went on to ask where we were going to get down. It started getting annoying and wife and I decided to get off near Vijaya college.

Not to get too judgmental, but this looked like a rowdy involved with illegal activities (the way he made the driver take a wrong turn, park at a no parking space while he went to collect "change" from people who looked like him). When I got off abruptly, the driver had a look in his face as if he was afraid of being left alone with these two. Probably won't be taking another UberPOOL now.