I’m often slow to join the latest trends, so it’s not surprising that I finally tried Uber for the first time just last month. It got me to wondering if other moms out there have been hesitant to try the latest craze in transportation. After all, catching a ride with a total stranger can be intimidating, and the technology aspect of using an app to make that ride happen could discourage less tech savvy moms.
It was my husband, who often travels for work, who encouraged me to give Uber a chance when I needed a ride to the airport to join him on a business trip. I usually beg a girlfriend for a ride to the airport, but I figured I should see what all the Uber fuss is about.
I downloaded the app to my phone, created a profile, entered a credit card number, and was ready to go. The thing about Uber is that you don’t request a ride until the moment you are ready to leave. Trust me, if you live in a metro area, someone is going to be within 10 minutes of your location and ready to claim your request for transportation.
I entered my request for a ride to the airport and within seconds I saw that my driver’s name was Chuck and he would arrive in 8 minutes. The app shows me a photo of the driver, the type of car they will be driving, the driver’s rating (out of 5 stars), and a real time GPS map of their location and predicted arrival time.
He arrived right on time and I received a text that my Uber driver was here. He loaded my bag into the trunk and opened the back seat door for me, much like a taxi driver would. Chuck chatted with me in a friendly way, and filled me in on what it’s like to drive for Uber. The company treats its employees well, and has many features in place to protect the safety of both the drivers and passengers. Drivers undergo rigorous background checks in various categories (criminal, financial, driving safety, etc.) There is a 2 way rating system for drivers and passengers which builds good reputations and encourages professionalism.
Uber drivers provide and maintain their own cars which must meet the guidelines of the company. Because these are their personal cars, they are often taken care of much better than taxi cabs. And there are so many people driving for Uber that it’s possible to schedule a ride extremely fast without much of a wait. I discovered that taking Uber was actually faster, safer, cleaner, and cheaper than a typical taxi ride.
Yes, cheaper! The Uber app shows the predicted range for the fare before you go on your journey. And it’s all cash free. No need to rummage through your purse for small bills to tip the driver because the fare includes tip and is processed easily on your credit card which was already entered into the app.
My Uber driver told me that people are using Uber for date nights, girls’ nights out, and after events like concerts and athletics because it’s a convenient way to get home especially on an evening when you might have a few drinks or not want to mess with parking.
Now that I know Uber is a great solution for the common mom headed off to the airport or wanting to hit Bishop Arts district with a group of friends, I’ll be using it much more often!
I’m sharing a coupon code that will save readers up to $20 on their first Uber ride, so if you’ve wondered like I did why Uber is so popular, I invite you to try it. I used a $20 off code on my first trip to the airport and my fare ended up being $6 after the discount. That’s so much better than making one of my friends spend an hour and a half of their time driving me there.
Use the code tgh5y to save up to $20 on your first Uber ride, and my driver Chuck (who drives in his spare time to raise money for his daughter’s best friend who is fighting cancer- so many Uber drivers have cool, unique stories about why they do this job) will receive a benefit, too.
This post is not sponsored by Uber or anyone affiliated with Uber. I am sharing my personal experience with a service I found to be helpful with other moms so that they might also benefit from it.
Correction- Your uber payment does not include a tip for the driver, only lyft gives you the option in the app. Infact because uber keeps lowering rates many drivers stopped driving because the cost on their personal vehicle (maintenance, gas insurance) and time was not even being met by the money they would be making. A lot of uber drivers only make profit to make it worth it from tips that are handed to them.