By Cullen Lea
Intern
Uber has been making waves in Wilmington, especially with the tech-savvy crowd, as the fifth city in the state to launch the ride-sharing service. Founded in 2009 in San Francisco, Calif., the company has since expanded into 45 countries and is currently valued around $18 billion. Uber surprised many when it debuted during June 2014 in the relatively small Wilmington market, but citizens were quick to take advantage of its functionality.
City Club member services director Sarah Wilcox said she first heard about the service through friends.
“It’s free the first time you use it,” Wilcox said. “I find it to be cleaner, cheaper and faster than regular cabs.”
Using Uber’s cab-alternative service is straightforward, which many say is the reason it has proliferated so quickly around the world. To use Uber, customers download the app on their phones and input their credit card information, allowing paperless payment. The application’s built-in GPS system locates the nearest driver. The app displays a graphic showing where the driver is and when he or she will arrive.
Wilmington resident Timothy Corcoran explained one of the benefits to being an Uber driver is each driver designates his or her times of service.
“I became an Uber driver predominantly because of the hours,” Corcoran said. “It’s a part-time job in addition to my small business. I can activate my services whenever I want, but I usually drive on Friday and Saturday.”
All Uber drivers have the driver version of the application that allows them to go “online” at any moment, making them available to people in need of their services. Uber recommends they own a late model four-door vehicle in excellent condition. It also requests its drivers be dressed professionally with clean cars.
“[Uber] checks your background and you have to own a personal license and car insurance,” Corcoran said. “You also have to be at least 21 years old. The process is simple.”
The future of an Uber driver’s job hinges on his or her rating of one to five stars, which a rider makes after he or she has paid the fare. If a driver consistently scores in the lower spectrum, he or she loses the Uber license.
Amy Rivenbark, dispatcher for Wilmington’s Katt’s Taxi, said Uber drivers have more to worry about than ratings.
“Uber drivers aren’t bound to the licensing fees and regulations that regular cab operators are,” Rivenbark said. “Their drivers also don’t have to check in regularly like cabs do, so you don’t know what they’ve been up to before they go online.”
Uber has also been the subject of controversy with the disabled community because its vehicles aren’t required to be handicap friendly. Additionally, Uber drivers involved in accidents may be left high and dry under their company’s vague umbrella insurance policy.
While Uber may boast faster services than Wilmington’s taxis, providing an approximately 15-minute wait during holiday weekends, it may not be any cheaper. Rates on Friday, October 31 from downtown Wilmington to Wrightsville Beach ran $25 for a conventional taxi compared to up to $60 for Uber, with some drivers reportedly providing bottled water and candy. Uber implements a policy called surge pricing, increasing its fees during busy periods. The Uber blog on its website states, “surge pricing helps maximize the number of Uber cars on the system during times of extreme demand, maximizing the chance that there will be a car available when you need one.”
