People rent cars for various reasons. Most people consider the advantages of renting to outweigh the disadvantages. Throughout the years, people’s transportation preferences kept on changing. Most prefer personal transportation over public transportation because of its benefits. Let us look at the distinct advantages and disadvantages of Uber car hire.
Advantages
There are plenty of people who choose to rent a car. This is because Uber and its competitors have many advantages over traditional taxis.
Trouble-free and cashless
Chasing down a taxi on a street is very stressful. Especially if you are on your way home from work. Calling and waiting half an hour for a car service does not help either. E-hail apps, like Uber, enable you to hail a car from any location and have it arrive within minutes.
You can have your credit card linked to your e-hail account. The e-hail app will deduct the fare from your credit card and you will receive the receipt via e-mail. YOu can walk out of the car as soon as you arrive at the destination. No need to look for any loose change.
Professional service
Most cars used in e-hail service are new or later models. They are well-maintained and chauffeured by professional drivers. They often have proper commercial insurance coverage.
You can track a driver’s position and route once he or she accepts the request. It is easier to communicate with the driver. The destination of the passenger will not appear immediately. It will be visible on the driver’s app once the fare starts or once the travel begins. This prevents drivers to refuse any request because of an undesirable destination.
Passengers are also encouraged to rate their driver’s performance. A low rating will cause the e-hail service company to remove the driver.
Affordable price
Most e-hail service, such as Uber, is more affordable. This is when compared to traditional taxis and other private car services. E-hail services have a fixed amount of fare whereas you are unsure of your fare when riding a taxi.
More safety and flexibility
The passenger can see information about the driver on the app. He or she can also send it to his or her friends and family. Information usually includes the plate number and make of the car. It also has the driver’s full name and birthdate. This increases the safety of the passenger.
Drivers can also feel safe because they do not have to face unpaid fares. They do not have to carry a sizeable amount of cash. This prevents the possibility of a robbery. The drivers can also rate their passengers. A consistent low rating and reports of untoward behavior can deactivate your account.
Disadvantages
There are a few downsides for both passengers and drivers. Most passengers tend to ignore the disadvantages because of the advantages.
Surge pricing
Passengers are often annoyed by the surge pricing or primetime pricing. It is a method of pricing in the free market. This involves raising or lowering prices depending on supply and demand. During primetime, the demand is always high. Primetime includes hours of school class dismissals and after work shift hours. The demand is high but the supply is very low because there are only a few cars left unhired. Prices can even become doubled or tripled depending on the availability of cars.
Cancellations of a trip
It is very exasperating when a driver cancels the booked trip. This is because it disrupts the passenger’s plan. All you can do is give the driver a low rating and negative feedback.
The negative impact of low prices
Price competition destroys any industry. There is a battle to provide the most affordable service. They usually compete with existing traditional taxi and car service groups.
