Uber started offering, last Tuesday (4), a new mode of transportation in the city of Cairo, Egypt, called Uber Bus. It consists of booking seats in the company's own minibuses that run through different parts of the city , following fixed paths. When requesting the service, the passenger is directed to board at the point closest to his current location, and must take the vehicle that arrives the fastest at the intended place of disembarkation.
READ: Uber's 'Rival' has even cheaper races; Look
The Uber Bus minibus fleet, led by drivers who are partners of the company. All vehicles have air conditioning and guaranteed seats. It is not possible to travel standing. As the service is shared with several people, users pay much less compared to private cars.
Uber: know the difference between UberBlack, X and POOL
Want to buy cell phones, TV and other discounted products? Meet Compare dnetc
The new service is only available in the latest version of the app for people in Cairo, Egypt. After defining a starting and ending point, Uber does a quick survey to determine whether both locations fit into the routes traveled by the company's minibuses. If so, the Uber Bus mode and the price of the trip are displayed to the user, among other options, such as UberX, Uber Pool, etc.
When opting for the Uber Bus service, the user reserves a seat and, within five minutes, the application sends all the necessary information, such as the nearest boarding point. The passenger is always directed to the bus that will make the fewest stops, taking into account the intended route.
Minibus model used in the Uber Bus Photo: Reproduo / Instagram
The Uber Bus minibuses stop for two minutes at each stop, so it is important that the passenger is already waiting at the indicated place. As with cars, you can follow the application in real time, where the vehicle is.
When boarding the bus, the passenger must show the driver a barcode that is sent by the Uber app. If you do not have a credit card number previously registered, payment can be made on the spot in cash.
During the journey, the user receives a notice of the most suitable landing point for their trip. When exiting Uber Bus, it is possible to consult the application map and follow the indicated walking directions to reach the final destination.
For now, Uber Bus should only work in Egypt, with no plans to implement it elsewhere, as the rules for offering public transportation in each country or city do not always allow this type of service.
