Several drivers seen in the East Orlando area when service launched Wednesday.
By Jacob Engels
On Wednesday, uberX launched in the City Beautiful. uberX is the most affordable offshoot of Uber – a company that connects users directly with drivers through a smartphone application. You link your credit card to the app, riders can split fares, you receive clear pricing and can select which car you’d like to be picked up in.
During the past 2 years, I have used UberBLACK (which provides the towncars & limos) in NYC & LA as well as uberX. They will take you anywhere, unlike cabbies who you have to flag down, haggle about with price, and then ultimately get shoved out of the car when they are ready to move on.
With Uber, their drivers retain the majority of the fare – unlike cab & taxi services where drivers have to send a cut to the dispatcher, supervisor, and then end up seeing only 20% to 30% of the original payment from the traveler.
Uber connects drivers directly to the riders via their Uber application and cut out the middle man. Below is a video about the Uber service as a whole, a Q&A with Natalia Montalvo who handles press relations for Uber, and a video about uberX.
Uber : Everyone’s Private Driver from Uber on Vimeo.
How does Uber feel about coming to Orlando?
We are thrilled to launch uberX in Orlando. We’ve had tens of thousands of residents and visitors opening up the Uber looking for a reliable transportation options and we are excited to connect riders and drivers to a new way to get around the city.
Why Orlando was a priority for Uber in spite of the road blocks you faced locally and across the state?
The issues at the state level addressed the UberBLACK product that connects riders to local limo drivers. UberX includes ridesharing – it’s a modern, safe, innovative and affordable way to move around Orlando. Policymakers need to have an open mind about new transportation options and develop frameworks that are focused on protecting consumer choice and rider and driver safety, not limiting competition.
Explain to users what UberX is and when the full Uber service will be up & running?
Ridesharing allows drivers to use their own cars, choose their own hours and supplement their income by utilizing Uber’s technology. – and riders can connect to a safe, reliable and affordable ride at the touch of a button. We are up and running now, open the app and get a ride!
uberX: Why We Drive from Uber on Vimeo.
How did you interact with local lawmakers and what is Uber’s ultimate goal in Orlando?
Educating policymakers about Uber is essential in every market we enter, and our riders and driver partners are our best advocates. Ultimately, we strive to make cities more accessible, opening up more possibilities for riders and more business for drivers.
Jacob Engels, is the Founder of East Orlando Post & Seminole County Post. He is a seasoned political operative who has led numerous statewide political groups and has worked on several high-profile local, statewide, and national races. Jacob has been interviewed on national television & radio programs, with his work having been featured in the Orlando Sentinel, New York Times, Washington Post, Miami Herald and other publications nationwide. He can be reached at info@eastorlandopost.com
