A new app-based driving service called Uber launched Thursday in Fresno and is offering free rides throughout February.
Uber, a San Francisco-based technology company, uses a software available through its app to pair people with drivers in the area. Currently, Uber is in 70 cities and 26 countries, with Fresno being the newest addition.
For the month of February, Uber is offering free rides up to $25 for anyone who downloads the app and enters the promo code “FRESLOVESuberx.”
“Right now, we just want to get as many people engaged with the ecosystem as possible,” said company spokesperson Andrew Noyes.
While Uber offers a variety of options including taxis, black sedans and SUVs in some larger cities, the company is currently only offering its “UberX” service in Fresno.
UberX customers are paired with drivers who use their own personal cars.By using Uber’s app, customers can request a driver for up to four people. Once a driver arrives, the process works similar to a taxi. They charge 30 cents per minute and $1.80 per mile, with an added base fare of $3.
Unlike a taxi, the whole process is virtual. Uber automatically charges the credit card customers keep on file with the app. Customers still have the option of splitting fares, but the paying process is done exclusively through the app.
The app also has the ability to track the driver’s location as they are en route to the customer, allowing for a real-time estimate of the driver’s arrival.
One problem customers faced in UberX’s opening weekend though was the lack of available drivers, leaving some repeatedly refreshing the app trying to claim the next driver.
To become a driver, applicants must pass a background check and adhere to car quality standards, Noyes said. Drivers must own a four-door car that is a 2006 model or newer. Hybrids are preferred.
Noyes said drivers receive 100 percent of the revenue from the rides they give, then pay a commission to Uber.
Uber is still looking for drivers in the Fresno area, according to a Craigslist ad posted Sunday.
One of Uber’s goals is to be 20 percent cheaper than traditional taxis, Noyes said.
Fresno City Council set taxi rates in 2006 at $3.40 for pickup and the first mile and $2.45 for each additional mile.
