Is the weird UberPool experience worth saving $3?

We’ve been waiting for Jonathan for six minutes. Where is he? I mentally curse the decision to choose the “carpool” option as my Uber driver taps his fingers on the wheel with increasing force. Jonathan finally emerges from the house, but so do three of his mates.

“Oi, Uber for Jonathan?”

My driver explains to Jonathan he can only book one passenger for UberPool. Jono doesn’t care. His friends pile in beside me. “He said no!” I say. “Did you read your phone when you clicked it?” After a long battle, Jono and co retreat, and I’m driven to the safety of the bar wondering whether it was worth the $3 difference between inconvenience and an Uber trip solo.

If you’re not familiar with UberPool the app beckons you with “up to 30 per cent” off the fare if others can share your ride. Those passengers are riding in (arguably) the same direction as you. Uber introduced the option in Australia in 2018. After a bumpy start (given the plague) it returned in May 2022.

Uber refuses to share statistics on how many people use the service in Australia, but a New York Times article in 2016 found UberPool accounted for more than half the Uber trips taken in “many cities”.

I can’t say Uber Pool is affordable compared to public transport, but after a few pints, a little discount looks appealing. Should I pay $22 to get home like a king, with a personal chauffeur and a direct route? Or $19 with the potential of being within arm’s reach of a stranger and discovering where Bellfield is.

An Uber spokesman told me, “Uber Pool offers a fun, affordable way to get around town – and the chance to make some friends along the way.” What they didn’t mention was that sharing a ride with a stranger is like rolling the dice on human behaviour and praying for the best. It can be awkward, aggressive, fun, and mischievous; but rarely ever normal.

And by “normal” I mean saying hello and making a little small talk, then basking in the silence. It has the same energy as sharing an elevator, except for 10 minutes. Sometimes longer. Uber says the pool option shouldn’t take more than 5-10 minutes than an UberX. I can say with absolute certainty this is not the case.