Uber has announced the ability to book rides in advance for some customers in London.
The ‘Schedule’ feature came into play for some Uber for Business users in London today.
Riders can book a car anything from 15 minutes to 30 days in advance, with Uber handling everything at the back end, Shortlist reports.
Although extremely limited right now, a wider roll-out would eliminate one of the few situations where a traditional taxi is preferable to using Uber.
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For example, if you’re heading to the airport, you don’t necessarily want to wake up at 4am to see there’s a long wait for cars in your area, especially with the first driver who accepts the ride often cancelling on you.
The rollout is sure to irk the cabbies, who’ve seen their business eroded by the lower-cost Uber service that does not require drivers to pass the Knowledge test.
In the US, Uber is currently accepting submissions from users for early access to Scheduled rides, so it seems the company is definitely planning on a wider roll out in future.
“Many of our riders, especially business customers, have asked us to introduce this feature and we’re really excited to bring it to Londoners from today,” said Uber’s London general manager Tom Elvidge.
“Whether it’s having a car ready at the end of a meeting or to take you to the airport, scheduling your Uber in advance means there’s one less thing to worry about.”
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