Uber has been introducing new features to their application in an attempt to win back users. Uber recently announced that they will now officially allow passengers to request a ride for someone else. Previously, you could request a ride for a friend through changing the pickup location, but it was never a seamless process to contact the driver.
Here are the steps you need to follow to request a ride for your friend (or relative)!
1. Open the Uber app. Tap the “Where To” button and enter your friends pickup location. It will default to your name on the top, assuming you are the person taking the ride. To request for someone else, click on the dropdown next to your name.
2. When you opt to switch the rider, you will be given a list of options. If this is your first time requesting a ride for someone else, select “choose who’s riding” from the menu.
3. Uber will ask to access your contacts. Press “OK” as this is how Uber will connect your friend to the ride. You must have the person you are requesting the ride for in your contacts with a valid phone number.
4. After giving Uber access to your contacts, you can search the name of the person you will be requesting for. After the name is selected, press “continue”.
5. Now, Uber will update your home screen to show your friend’s name that you have just selected instead of yours. Enter your friend’s TO and FROM destinations in the app as you normally would when requesting a ride.
6. And finally, you can track the location of the Uber you requested for a friend through the app. Since you shared your contacts with Uber, the driver will contact your friend if they need help locating them.
This product innovation was introduced in an attempt to make Uber available for everyone, even people who have trouble requesting a ride on their own. Those who have lost mobilty or are not up-to-date on technology will especially benefit from this feature.
We’re looking forward to seeing what’s next for Uber as they strive to make their service more accessible for everyone. The company is clearly putting effort into these innovations and we can expect to see more to come in the coming months.
