Uber Easy

by Charmaine Houck

​Unless you are in NYC, the familiar Yellow Cab may not be as accessible as it once was. Today services like Lift and Uber are making their mark, even in NYC. This past summer, while traveling to Denver on personal business, I downloaded the Uber app (again) and decided to give it a whirl. I had previously downloaded the app thinking that I would use it on a trip to San Francisco but my husband was not okay with riding in a 'stranger's' car. Not having my husband along for this trip, I decided to give it a go.

The app download is easy to use; set up an account, add information to your profile at will, though email and mobile number are required, and start looking for a ride. Simply retrieve a car from your location to a destination of your choosing. You are able to see how many cars are near your location, the estimated time of pick up, and the estimated cost of the trip. On the four occasions that I used Uber while in Denver, I was never once disappointed. The drivers, all men in my case, were respectful, pretty easy to carry on a small polite conversation with, and had nice, clean vehicles. I never once felt the rate was overpriced or that I was unsafe in the slightest, granted there were at least two of us traveling together most times, other than my early morning commute to the airport. But even then, I got a nice older, retired gentleman named Marc and we discussed life, my kids, his grandkids, and the hope for his wife to retire with him soon so they could travel more together. 

As an event professional, I would suggest Uber to meeting and conference goers. I often travel in a whirlwind - make a plan, fly in, do as much as possible, and fly out. If you happen to land in a town you have never seen and want to explore an area further after your evening’s events, don't hesitate to use Uber to get out and enjoy the city. Locals are willing to talk about their favorite destinations, sometimes great places off the touristy path. And if you are willing to tip a little more, your host driver might be willing to show you landmarks and sights of interest along the way.

​Here is what you need to know:

1. Download the Uber App
2. Set up your profile
3. About 10 minutes before you want to leave, open your app - type in your current location and destination
4. See cars near by, click on request ride and a driver will accept your ride 
5. You will see the type of car, name and photo of driver with license plate number
6. You can click a button for estimated fare so you have an idea before you ride
7. Your card is automatically debited after your ride. (At the time of setting up your account you are able to set up a standard gratuity of 10-20%)
8. Have cash and tip extra when you have reason to, like good conversation or added features
9. If you are nervous you are welcome to follow along on your app to make sure your driver isn't taking you out of the way of your destination

Items to be aware of:

1. Make sure that the car and person picking you up match that of what was listed on your Uber ride acceptance.
2. Be aware of ‘surge’ times - During rush times or special events, Uber rates can increase drastically based on demand, be cautious and always check the estimated price of your trip. If there are questions, feel free to message your driver.
3. Uber drivers are required to have full background checks. If you are unsure, attempt to find a ride buddy or make a phone call while traveling, so that someone you know is on the phone and knows where you are at all times during your ride. (I have, more recently, called my husband and discussed my day with him while explaining where I was headed and the places I am passing in general conversation.)

There is also the feature of splitting a ride with someone, so don't forget to ask your colleagues if you want to go exploring during your downtime, or share that ride to the airport.