Uber has addressed structural changes to the old industry where people had to physically wave at a taxi or call a local car service to reserve a car. Although it dramatically changed the personal transportation industry in recent years, it has resulted in both advantages and disadvantages for passengers and drivers. One is, Uber had made it possible to secure a car or taxi only with the use of a smartphone from any location. Its drawback is that this innovation has reduced the market share of traditional taxi services and lowered the overall profits of the conventional taxi drivers.
Today, we will provide you a list of the advantages and disadvantages of Uber.
Pros
Convenient and Cashless
It enables users to hail a car from any location and have it arrive within only a few minutes instead of chasing down a taxi on the street or wait half an hour for a car service.
Though it is still possible to hand in cash, Uber passengers can link their debit or credit card to their app account. It is both for the benefit of the drivers and passengers not to get bothered about giving money change. Receipt will then be sent via email.
Safety
This is the biggest advantage for Uber drivers. Since transactions are cashless, a driver doesn’t have to encounter unpaid fares or need to carry money that might attract robbers.
Drivers can also rate their passengers who are rude, aggressive, and disruptive. These kinds of passengers can be weeded out from using the service as consistent low ratings or disturbing behavior reports toward drivers can cause the deactivation of their account.
Professional Service
When a driver accepts a car booking, passengers can track a driver’s location and route and are able to communicate with their driver whenever necessary. A driver will only know the passenger’s destination when the fare starts. This is to avoid being refused as some drivers may not want to travel to undesirable destinations where the passengers want to go to.
Further, passengers are being asked to rate the driver’s performance. So an unprofessional driver can be suspended or forced out of Uber if he or she consistently gets a low rating.
Flexibility for Drivers
Uber drivers can enjoy greater flexibility and freedom. They can log in and log out of the system anytime and select their desired time to drive. Therefore, they can make their own schedule.
Good Pricing
Compared with the traditional taxi and local car services, Uber charges are way less expensive.
Cons
Surge Pricing
Surge pricing is a major annoyance for most passengers. Depending on supply and demand, Surge pricing is the increasing or lowering of fare prices. “Supply” means how many cars are available to provide the driving service, and “demand” means how many passengers want to ride in them.
During intense peak times, fares can possibly be doubled. This happens mostly during rush hours or rain and snowstorms.
Car Maintenance
Being an Uber driver, you are an independent contractor. So, you have to pay for certain expenses. Driving a car with Uber means you need to maintain your vehicle. The cost may be dreadful at times, but your car won’t last long if you are not keeping it up consistently.
However, you can find an uber car hire who offers their customers roadside assistance and maintenance so you can stay on the road to make money.
Trip Cancellations
Uber may be a lot less expensive and convenient than a local car service or traditional taxi, trip cancellations both by drivers and passengers are still possible. And it can cause disruptions to both party’s plans.
