On Friday, a judge will hear the city’s application for an injunction to stop Uber drivers from operating until new livery transport bylaws are passed. Uber is encouraging riders using the service to ask employees to subsidize their daily commutes. Through this option, drivers can more easily pick up customers on the way to the same area where they’re already driving.
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Rival Sidecar launched a similar functionality set several months ago as well.
Uber is packaging this as a feature that will increase flexibility for drivers, as drivers can filter out any requests that would force them to deviate from their planned route.
A blog post announcing the update says it’s ideal for drivers to earn a bit of cash while they head home, or for more part-time drivers to pick up fares on their way to the shops. You wouldn’t normally activate the app in Oakland because you prefer to work rides in the city.
For now, destinations can be set only two times a day, with the feature being initially available only in Bay Area in the US.
Also, considering the fact that quite a large portion of Uber drivers work part-time, the feature will allow them to make a few quick bucks even when they are on their own journeys – if they want, of course – say from home to college, or while taking a trip to the supermarket. As a result, Uber passengers are more used to entering their destination when they request a ride, the company said.
Initially just available in the Bay Area, the destination feature will be introduced elsewhere in coming weeks.
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If I were driving down to San Francisco from Portland for a conference, Uber may set me up with a University student heading back to Eugene for school.
