This archive report was first published on 17 November 2021.
After a 609-day hiatus, Uber has brought back its shared ride option in the US, allowing passengers to split fares with strangers at a reduced cost.
According to Andrew Macdonald, Uber's Senior Vice President of Mobility and Business Operations, the service has been reinstated in the US.
As a safety measure against COVID-19, drivers can only transport two customers at a time, and face masks are mandatory for everyone in the vehicle.
Uber's guidelines for the service emphasize the importance of wearing masks, even for vaccinated individuals, to help keep each other safe.
In some areas, customers may be asked to take a selfie to verify that they're wearing a mask before being matched with a driver.
Uber's ride-hailing business experienced a significant decline during the pandemic, but demand has returned faster than the supply of drivers, leading to increased prices and wait times for passengers.
To address this issue, the company invested in promotions earlier this year to lure drivers back to the platform.
