As rideshare prices surge, wait times at busy locations are worse than ever. Uber hopes recent updates to their app will help the problem.
Chicago's Cloud Gate, otherwise known as "The Bean" to locals, is rated in the top five worst places across the country for Uber drivers to find their riders.
Worst spots to find your Uber driver
The ride-hailing service recognized these pick-up spots as the most difficult in America:
- Cloud Gate, Chicago
- Jefferson Square, San Francisco
- Regency Hotel, New York City
- Sherman Circle, Washington D.C.
- Westchester Shopping Center, Miami
The biggest issue with these areas is when a driver comes to pick up their ride, they struggle to know which side of the street the passenger is waiting on.
Update to Uber app
A blog post from Uber states, "Drivers have told us that one of their biggest pain points when driving or delivering is navigation. This is equally stressful for riders—especially those who are visiting or unfamiliar with the area. They often don’t know which direction their driver is coming from or if the driver will arrive at their pickup spot or across the street."
Uber's app works by dropping a pin on the map for the location of the passenger. But in busy areas, the pin may fall in the middle of the street, or on the wrong side, creating confusion and delaying wait times.
The update will give riders a more accurate location of which side of the street the rider is waiting on, along with a descriptive label.
According to Uber, "Drivers will now be shown on their map what side of the street their pickup will be so there is no confusion."
The post continued, "Additionally, drivers will be given a more descriptive label in the app of where the rider is. For example, the driver will see “Pickup near Starbucks at 100 Market St” instead of “Pickup on 100 Market St.'"
Uber is also giving riders the choice, once the ride begins, of up to two different routes. Passengers can select the option they prefer based on distance and time.
And, they are currently working on "traffic-based rerouting" to help make ride times faster.
Demand has increased, but supply is still down
These updates come at a time as the ridesharing industry is facing increased criticism for long wait times and price surges. Now that cities are reopening, demand for Uber rides can be high, and prices have gone up.
Donna Powell told ABC7 Chicago that the cost of her daily ride has risen from $12 up to $20 to $30 during the week, and even higher on weekends. Powell has been avoiding public transit during the pandemic.
Hani Mahmassani, director of Northwestern University's transportation center told ABC7 that the reason for the rate increases is that demand has gone up, but drivers are still scarce. "Demand is exceeding supply and so you can price a little higher."
Cabs have become harder to find. But if you can find one, you may get a better deal, as taxi fares are regulated by the city. Rideshares like Uber and Lyft are not regulated. And when demand exceeds supply, prices go sky-high.
Chicago Ald. Brendan Reilly wants to put a stop to exorbitant rideshare fees. Reilly has introduced a city ordinance to cap "surge pricing" fees during high-demand times.
Reilly said in a statement. “I hear from women working late hours in the hospitality industry, who can no longer afford a safe car trip home from work late at night. Instead, they are forced to risk their personal safety using the CTA system. That wasn’t a problem before the obliteration of the taxicab industry.”
If the proposed bill gets passed, Chicago riders might get a break in the exorbitant fees that rideshare companies charge during times of high demand. In the meantime, we will have to wait and see if the app updates to Uber make a difference in the ridesharing experience in Chicago.