Why Everyone Should Be Using Uber (A Guide to the Millennial Taxi Service)

(Written by @elburkee978 who knows all about technology but can’t friggin post her own blogs!)

 

 

First I want to start with a quick definition of the word “Millenial”. It’s a noun, it’s an adverb, its a lifestyle. It’s basically every Snapchat-ing Face-timing social media obsessing person between the ages of 15-35. It’s the era of everything in the “cloud”. The internet always existed (for the most part; being on the cusp of this generation I most certainly remember Dewey Decimal and Encyclopedia Britannica, but also always had computer class playing Oregon Trail on a black and green computer screen), and there’s an app for everything from cheating on Scrabble to tracking your ex boyfriends current location. So it was only a matter of time when the world’s safest taxi service was created.
Here are the Top 10 Reasons why I’ve become uber obsessed with Uber:
1. The town I live in doesn’t have a cab service. If you want a cab, it costs an insane amount of money. Even when using Uber in the city, I can’t believe how much less it is to get places. Taking a cab from Fenway Park to North Station is a $13 cab ride, plus a tip. Uber is around $8, with the tip included. That’s a beer and Fenway Frank in savings!

2. There’s pretty much always an Uber driver available. The longest I’ve ever had to wait for a ride was 15 minutes, which wasn’t even bad. At any given time, there’ll be at least 5 drivers 10 minutes or less away from where I need to be picked up.

3. When your Uber driver is on their way, you get their name, a photo of the driver, the license plate number, and make and model of the car. Each driver is screened before allowed to drive, so you KNOW you won’t get a sketchball pulling up. That’s not to say I haven’t had some… eccentric drivers. (No joke, one guy was actually telling my friend and me about a comic book he was working on that had Katy Perry coming back from the dead as a grandmother.. or something)

4. The cars are so clean! I hate climbing into cabs and not wanting to touch anything because it has a film of dirt all over the interior. Each Uber driver has to maintain their car to a certain standard, and I’ve never been in a car with even a random piece of paper on the floor. The cars are pretty nice too- I’ve had Dodge Chargers, brand new Nissans…. sure beats a Crown Vic from ’95 with no AC.

5. Each driver follows the Uber GPS, which you can visibly see from the back seat. Which means you’re not getting the cab driver taking you through the scenic view of the city to rack up their fare.

6. Uber is linked up automatically to your credit or debit card. Which means there’s no money exchange during the ride. It’s always creepy when the cab driver stares at you while you take all your crumpled ones out of your pocket, or trying to drunkenly figure out the whole money thing with friends.

7. My parents always tell me how proud they are that I don’t drink and drive. The sentence after that is usually them telling me to stop leaving my car in random parking lots and to clean my act up. With uber- I can leave my car at home. I mean honestly, how many times can you have your car towed from the same parking lot in the morning. (woops?)

8. One of my personal reasons I love Uber, it has reduced my walk of shames. Oh, your ex is at the bar and wants to give you a ride home? Sorry pal! I have Uber on my side. I’ll ride home with Harvey in his Chevy Malibu tonight, and wake up happily in my own bed after a peaceful night’s sleep without any snoring or stealing of my blankets. (This reason why Uber is the greatest may not apply to all users)

9. You rate your driver after you get dropped off- this helps you see which drivers are better, and if you’re going to get the Katy Perry comic book dude or someone who actually focuses on the road.

10. And drumroll please….. the best reason to use Uber is because for everyone you get to sign up, both you and they will get a free ride of up to $20- which is like a 10 mile ride. HOLLER.

So sign up HERE https://www.uber.com/invite/leahb311 , get your free ride, and see what all these Millennials keep talking about. As cell phones have replaced the gross gas-station pay pones, I see Uber as the new taxi cab of the future.

(Authors Note: this is NOT a customer review or advertisement for Uber. I’m just a gal who spent an entire week on vacation relying on the service, and am totally happy with my experience.)