"e27002 aurora" wrote in message
...


Has anyone used Uber? How does it work? What is the service like?

It depends a lot on whether the service even exists in your area (I know
people who use it from Heathrow) and how many active drivers there are at
the time you want to travel.

I set up my Uber account when I was in New Jersey on business for a couple
of weeks during the summer of 2015. It worked well there. You need the Uber
app on your mobile with a registration that is easy to set up.

After that the rules vary slightly by location, but the basics a
1. use the the app to book a ride
2. your car turns up and you get in. The app gives you the driver's name and
'phone number, and the registration/description of the car. The driver will
call you if they can't find you or there is a delay.
3. when you reach your destination you get out.

That's it: no fiddling with cash or hand-written receipts (I lost a wallet
this way in a taxi recently) - it's all done by payment card and email. For
Brighton and Sussex there is a guide he
https://www.uber.com/en-GB/cities/brighton-and-sussex/

Uber first became available in Brighton and Hove about a year ago but when I
tried it soon after the launch there were never any drivers available, so I
have always used one of the local taxi firms booking by phone from home or
by taking a taxi off the rank from a local station. However, when I arrived
at Brighton Station last Thursday evening the length of queue at the rank
suggested it would be at least 10-15 minutes before I would get a ride (for
a 5 minute journey); this is because the daft queuing system only allows 1
or 2 taxis to load at a time, leading to long queues of both passengers and
taxis at busy times.

I fired up the Uber app and there were cars available within a couple of
minutes from a pick-up point just outside the station so I went for it. The
driver told me there are now around 90 drivers operating in the area, and
the fare was quite a bit less than a metered taxi. I may well take another
look at Uber when I make the reverse journey at 5.00 am on Monday morning:
no more messing about with cash and and, if my initial experience is
anything to go by, nicer cars, nicer drivers and cheaper. What's not to
like?

--
DAS