It’s easy to fetch a ride in an Uber car.
I’m not all that tech savvy and did it after downloading the app on my iPhone and plugging in my credit card info.
A notification flashed on the screen that a car driven by Brian, whose photo was included, would arrive in about 10 minutes.
Instead of saying, “Oh, good,” I used another four letter word after the “Oh.
That’s because I didn’t actually mean to order an Uber. I was playing around with the app, tapping the ETA and fare estimate functions, when I inadvertently finalized the request and summoned a car.
I managed to cancel it before Brian pulled up at my door.
Still, I got a $5 charge applied to my credit card. I probably could have had it reversed, but I had taken up Brian’s time. Uber drivers are independent contractors.
User-friendly technology is a double-edge sword.
The ease is part of its charm. Uber, and other app-driven services such as Lyft, is fast and efficient. It’s all done in the palm of a hand.
The app has built-in prompts to protect from “pocket” ordering, though it’s obviously not foolproof from fools like me. On the other hand, fools like me can use it.
Riders can call a taxi service or wave a cab from the curb, but you have to use an app to use ride-sharing platforms like Uber.
Uber is not a taxi service, which has its fares regulated by local government. It’s a tech company that uses an app to connect riders and drivers.
Taxi services are also embracing new technologies.
“It’s the wave of the future,” said David Maynard, general manager of Yellow Cab of Washington.
He said his Everett-based office, which has a fleet of 42 cars, plans to add the app AsterRIDE. (I fiddled around with it and found it easy to use.)
“We have added an online ordering form,” Maynard said. “That has been pretty successful.”
Maynard said most riders call rather than order online.
“We will always have callers,” he said. “Probably some of the younger users will move toward an app.”
Uber drivers use their personal vehicles. It’s not like a taxi service, where the cars are emblazoned with identifying logos.
So how do you know who’s picking you up?
“In the app, when we accept the ride, it sends them a license plate number and picture of us,” said Uber driver Sharon Booker of Everett.
She said she likes it that the people getting in her car, although strangers, have an electronic footprint.
Click here to meet Everett Uber driver Sharon Booker in this week’s The Chat.
She drives an UberX, the standard car option. UberBlack is a high-end sedan service with tiers of black cars with black leather interiors.
Booker, a former Boeing contract worker, began driving with Uber a year ago after buying a white, four-door Camry with leather interior.
“I bought it brand spanking new a year ago,” she said. “It has 78,000 miles on it.”
She basically sets her own hours, mostly during the day. She turns on her Uber driver app when she’s ready to roll. Her phone beeps and flashes when a passenger request comes in. She has to accept or reject it within seconds.
She often starts her day by taking an Everett-area rider to Redmond or Seattle or Sea-Tac. From there, most requests are in King County, especially with tech workers. She averages 12 to 15 riders a weekday, with as many as 20 on a weekend.
“I’ve had days where the person barely gets the door closed and I have another request coming in,” Booker said.
She lets riders chose the music and where they want to sit. Payment is done through the app.
“The only time we have cash is if someone will tip us. It is not expected or necessary but sometimes people will want to,” Booker said. “The app doesn’t allow them to add that on their card; for UberBlack it does.”
After your Uber ride, you rate the driver.
And the driver rates you.
“A lot of people don’t realize that,” Booker said.
What an Uber costs
UberX fare estimates* from The Daily Herald newsroom, 1800 41st St., Everett. The free app is available on iOS and Android:
Sea-Tac: $75 to $101
Alderwood Mall: $18 to $25
The Anchor Pub (Hewitt Ave): $4 to $6
Tulalip Casino: $17 to $23
Pike Place Market downtown Seattle: $43 to $57
* Fares may vary due to traffic, weather and other factors. Surge pricing may apply during times of heavy demand.
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