Uber Ridesharing: Changing the Face of Public Transportation

If you live in a big city, traffic and transportation almost always give you a daily dose of stress. Hailing a taxi cab might have been a convenient ride of choice in the past decade or so. But in today’s society, it seems like a chore. You have to wait in a long queue of other passengers trying to catch a taxi cab. And even if you did manage to get into one, getting stuck in traffic would mean your meter is going up by the minute. The next alternative would be to drive your own car to work. But that isn’t too practical either. The cost of fuel to drive to work from home (and vice versa) would be too expensive in the long run. Plus, you are contributing to further road congestion. Enter Uber rideshare into the picture.

If rideshare services sound familiar to you, it’s probably due to the massive success that Uber has had in the past few years. More and more commuters are choosing Uber over traditional taxis and it’s not just to hop in on the bandwagon.

Transportation 101: Ridesharing Concept

At its current state, the traffic and public transport system is bad enough within densely populated areas. How bad is traffic where you live? Even modern and advanced metropolitan cities in Australia could not escape the wrath of traffic congestion. Traffic jams and congestion are becoming a common sight in news headlines. Top cities like Sydney and Melbourne are expected to experience the worst of them all. Specifically, a survey done among motorists in Sydney reveals that the traffic situation is getting worst. A solution has to come out in order to resolve traffic congestion in the form of Uber.

As the famous anecdote says, “necessity is the mother of invention”. The concept of Uber rideshare was introduced into the market and promises an innovative solution to low-cost and reliable transportation. In the long run, it promises to alleviate traffic congestion problems too. And it makes a lot of sense in its minor but significant contribution to traffic jam situation in major cities in the world, not just in Australia.

According to Uber, it aims to move more people with fewer cars. The rideshare service provides riders with the opportunity to share a ride with other commuters. This is a win-win concept for the commuters. You are transported from point A to point B in a convenient and clean vehicle. No more fighting for a spot in a commuter train or running around the streets trying to find an empty taxi cab. The driver will pick you up from your destination – it’s like having your own driving service – and then drop you off where you need to go. It is similar to the convenience of having your own private vehicle without the hassle of maintaining your car or driving through the traffic jam.

The ridesharing concept allows you to share a ride with other commuters headed to the same direction as yours. The driver will drop people off along the way and you get to split the rate for the ride. It is cheaper, convenient and moves more people with just one vehicle. A truly economical and practical choice!

Uber vs Taxi

This is where the big debate lies since the inception of Uber rideshare services. The first area of debate has been: where will taxi cabs get their source of earning now that Uber has taken over the market? The truth is, taxi cabs remain the number one choice of transportation for public commuters on land. However, the introduction of Uber and its ridesharing services provide a great alternative for commuters who want a faster and more reliable way to travel.

Taxi cabs will always remain an icon of a busy metropolis, like the yellow cabs of New York. However, the advent of Uber services will stiffen up the competition in the public transport system for major cities. While there is no guarantee that Uber is going to solve the long-term issues of traffic, in some ways the service can alleviate road congestion with the ridesharing service concept.

Cashing in On Uber

Probably the best part about Uber, and one that has contributed to its success, is the ability to make money when you drive for Uber. Using your own private vehicle, you can register to the Uber market to be able to accept bookings to drive commuters to their intended destination. Even without your own vehicle, there are companies that offer rental services like Keyz so you can use them to drive and make money with Uber. This has opened up the opportunity to earn livelihood for those looking to make extra cash.