When Uber debuted their scheduled rides feature, riders were excited that they could schedule their favorite form of transport for those important meetings and strict airport departures. However, riders soon learned that Uber’s scheduled rides are not guaranteed and that in some cases using a local car service might be the better option. Here are our thoughts on when not to use Uber or Lyft’s scheduled rides feature.
1. If you live in the burbs.
If you live in a quiet residential area, a commuter ride away from your home city, we would recommend not using Uber’s scheduled rides feature if you have somewhere important to be. While Uber’s scheduled rides are not guaranteed, they can work quite well in densely populated areas where there are always lots of drivers available. When you live in a quieter suburb there is a smaller chance that Uber will be able to find a driver for your scheduled ride.
2. If you absolutely cannot miss your ride.
If you are scheduling a ride for something that you absolutely cannot miss, perhaps an important plane departure or a multi-million dollar deal discussion with a client, then we recommend that you skip Uber’s scheduled ride feature and book a dependable car service instead. It might be slightly more expensive but you will have peace of mind knowing that your ride is 100% guaranteed.
3. Airport Arrivals
We get asked all the time if riders need to schedule a ride from the airport to their destination. Our answer: absolutely not. Airport arrival pickups are very easy to get on demand, many drivers station themselves near airports as they are almost guaranteed someone is going to ping them for a ride. When you plane lands and you have retrieved your luggage simply make your way to the rideshare pickup area and request a ride. You should have a car waiting for your in 5-10 minutes! Plus, by reserving your ride on demand, you don’t have to worry about flight delays and missing your scheduled Uber.
The good news!
Uber has recently rolled out a “scheduled rides guarantee”. When you schedule an Uber ride at least 30 minutes in advance of your trip, Uber guarantees that your driver will pick you up within 10 minutes of your desired departure window. If an Uber driver does not arrive within 10 minutes, Uber will send you a $10 Uber credit to use on a future trip.
While this is a nice bonus, $10 most likely will not make up for the aggravation of missing a flight or that all-important company meeting.
Please note, this guarantee only applies to UberX, XL, Black, Select, and SUV.
