Uber riders can now pick precise pickup spots, ask drivers to choose a different route
The feature Uber riders probably want most right now is a return to pre-pandemic pricing. In many markets, fares have jumped considerably over the last few months — personally, I've been giving most of my ride-share business to Lyft, which consistently wins the pricing battle each time I comparison shop before I request a pickup.
At least in part, that's an issue of supply and demand — in some cases, there are more riders than drivers, and the app automatically adjusts pricing up so the riders who are willing to pay higher prices get matched with a car.
Wednesday, Uber announced two new features — and no, sadly they don't have anything to do with lower fares. Still, they're intended to help improve the pick-up and en-route experience, while hopefully freeing up drivers to get to their next customers more quickly in the process.
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The first is what Uber's calling "Side of Street," and it functions exactly as the name implies. Rather than seeing a random pick-up pin location, drivers will be able to see exactly which side of the street their rider is standing on, potentially trimming off several minutes of searching or "looping around" on busy streets.
As Uber explains, with this change, "drivers will now be shown what side of the street the rider is on as well as a descriptive landmark to clearly decipher the rider's location."
Related: An Uber driver talks how to be a better traveler
Perhaps even more exciting, once you're actually in the car, drivers will now have a choice of three routes they can use to get you to your destination. The driver app will also "predict traffic congestion" when identifying ideal routes. Hopefully, that'll help minimize the risk of getting stuck in unnecessary traffic if you end up with a driver who insists on following Uber's built-in navigation.
I'm definitely pleased to see that Uber's making an effort to eliminate some long-time pain points — while the impact may be marginal, any action that helps free drivers up more quickly is a win for riders, drivers and the platform alike.
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Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel75,000 bonus milesAnnual Fee
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The Capital One Venture X card is one of the best all-round travel credit cards ever launched. Not only is it offering a tremendous welcome bonus, but cardholders can earn tons of miles on everyday spending and receive a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus to boot. Its annual fee is $395, but cardholders can count on up to $300 in statement credits toward travel booked through Capital One Travel each year and other valuable benefits like access to Priority Pass lounges and Capital One’s own growing family of airport lounges.Pros
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- Up to $300 in annual travel statement credits toward bookings make through Capital One Travel.
- 10,000 bonus miles (worth $100 toward travel) each account anniversary.
Cons
- The $395 annual fee might be expensive for some, but this card’s benefits provide much more value than that.
- If you don’t travel frequently, this might not be the best card for you.
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive up to $300 back annually as statement credits for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
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- Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Named editors' choice for "Best New Credit Card of 2021" by The Points Guy
- Earn 10 miles per dollar when you book on Turo, the world's largest car sharing marketplace, through May 16, 2023