Tag: Uber

Cancun Authorities Warn Tourists Of New Fake Uber Scam That Could Put Them In Danger

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It seems Cancun’s never-ending war on scammers is intensifying once more after reports of fake Uber drivers targeting tourists in central areas started circulating. Now, authorities are urging them to be cautious when booking rides through the popular app, as they could be extorted, or even put their lives in serious danger.

This year, Cancun has taken additional steps to ensure visitors feel safe and enjoy a stress-free vacation in the city, deploying more police units to beach hotspots and increasing surveillance in the Hotel Zone, all the while under the scrutiny of the mass media and the U.S. Government. Naturally, when actual security concerns do arise, tourism officials react swiftly.

For now, you may want to reconsider using rideshare applications in Cancun, where taxi scams are becoming increasingly common:

Scammers In Cancun Are Hacking Into The Uber Platform For Personal Gain

Following multiple reports online, including a number of TikTok videos where tourists claim to have fallen victim to scammers, the President of the Mexican Association of Travel Agencies confirmed those who use Uber in Mexico ‘could be in danger’, as the service remains poorly regulated across the country, and criminals have been known to operate in the field.

Mr. Eduardo Paniagua stated ‘personal safety’ is endangered, taking into account Uber’s restricted reach in the Mexican Caribbean, attributed to the ongoing resistance of the regional taxi monopoly, has paved the way for scammers to present themselves as drivers, especially in recent months, when fares in Cancun and Tulum began spiraling out of control.

At present, a large number of taxis are deliberately overcharging tourists or running on inflated fares higher than Manhattan‘s, thus influencing tourists to seek other cheaper alternatives for moving around the zone. Ironically, they are resorting to unlicensed Ubers and putting themselves in danger as a result of the local taxis’ own corrupt practices.

Is Lack Of Competition To Blame For The Phenomenon?

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In the words of Travel Noire, the conflict between taxi unions, whose members would like to stave off the competition at all costs, and budget-friendly rideshare apps have led ‘hackers’ to clone Uber accounts for illicit purposes. Cancun’s beaches may be the most secure (and cleanest) they have ever been, but road safety is a different matter altogether.

Essentially, the aforementioned hackers are cracking into the WhatsApp account of certified drivers and accessing the Uber database to prey on naive passengers. Travel Noire notes that, unless a customer acts carefully, they could be entering an ‘unknown vehicle’ driven by someone who has not been inspected nor approved by Uber.

Interestingly, the Government is yet to outline a strategy to combat scammers, in stark contrast with its previous, well-documented, and effective actions to quash crime in tourist spots, after a number of gang-related shootings took the headlines by storm earlier this year.

Comparatively, the lack of competition on the transportation front, and its subsequent effects, are yet to be addressed.

Americans Must Avoid Using Ridesharing Apps In Cancun

Customers are being urged to cancel an Uber ride immediately after realizing it could be a scam and reporting any dodgy accounts to the relevant authorities. Booking Ubers, in general, is now strongly discouraged, but in case they decide to take their chances, American tourists must beware of some red flags and keep a high level of situational awareness.

A simple way to spot a fake Uber driver is to pay attention to unnecessary questioning. Drivers do not need to ‘verify’ any of your personal details other than perhaps confirming your name, and to an extent, you should never share your own credit card details or other sensitive information either in person or online chats.

Additionally, checking the car plate and that the car matches the description on the booking is, of course, advised. Until the state of Quintana Roo cracks down both on ill-intended drivers, and the loopholes left open amid the fierce opposition of taxi unions to external competition, it’s best if you stick to hiring private drivers or booking transportation in advance.

That is particularly true arriving at Cancun Airport, where travelers must walk through the infamous shark tank, or ‘gauntlet’, an arrival hall lined with yelling drivers who will do anything to grab your attention, including standing on your way and snapping their fingers.

The best way to avoid feeling overwhelmed by this and taken advantage of is, again, to arrange transportation beforehand. Currently, as a result of resisting taxi drivers who rely heavily on the ‘shark tank corridor’, there is no Uber service leaving from Cancun Airport.

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November 24, 2022
Uber Is Bringing Carpool Rides Back To The U.S. For Cheaper Transportation Options
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Now that millions of Americans are thinking twice about traveling this summer, due to the crippling price hikes for both fuel and flight tickets, Uber is relaunching an old feature many thought had been permanently removed – and one that may help travelers on a budget save money on short trips. Uber Pool is official back, with a few twists.

The Covid-induced inflation and its long-term impacts have changed the travel landscape abruptly in the last couple of months. We went from post-pandemic excitement to a full blown fuel and aviation crisis in only a matter of weeks, pushing up the price of travel and casting doubts on the long-anticipated economic recovery.

Fortunately, Uber is doing its part in easing the burden currently shared by all travelers:

Taking An Uber In 2022 Is About To Become Much Cheaper

Two years after having suspended the Pool feature, as a result of the conflicting Covid regulations across different countries, and the need for social distancing, Uber is bringing it back under a new name: UberX Share. Besides the rebrand, the service provider has also made some major upgrades to the feature.

Between 2019 and 2022, Uber fares rose by a staggering 45 per cent, as confirmed by Bloomberg, largely due to the rising cost of fuel in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Even though the tragic events in Europe are an ocean away from the States, the embargo on Russian oil is hitting Americans in the pocket.

Under the current circumstances, filling up a car can easily cost over $100 in several U.S. states, affecting both drivers and customers relying on platforms such as Uber. With the return of the Uber carpool – re-titled UberX Share – passengers will be able to share a ride with other commuters to save on cash, making trips much more accessible again.

Uber Pool 2.0 Has Some Major Improvements Over The Original

Starting this summer, riders will be able to ‘Share a Ride, Get Savings‘: in simpler terms, they will be entitled to an ‘upfront discount’ when choosing to travel with UberX Share, or up to 20% off the fare when succeeding in matching with a co-rider on the way. Taking an Uber to and from the airport has never been easier – or cheaper.

Besides the discount, Uber is guaranteeing drivers will ‘Stay on Schedule’. Unlike the extinct Pool, UberX Share will only match co-riders traveling on the same route, allowing both drivers and passengers to optimize their time, and preventing the dreaded pickup, drop-off delays associated with carpooling.

Additionally, UberX Share drivers are being instructed to arrive no more than 8 minutes later than their UberX counterparts, further improving service reliability for the summer season. While there is no way of predicting whether a flight will be axed or not amid the ongoing travel chaos, one thing is for certain: your Uber driver will be there.

Besides the aforementioned improvements on co-rider matching and wait times, UberX Share will be limited to two passengers at a time. You read that right: no more sharing the car sandwhiched between three other strangers all heading in completely different directions. With this update, Uber rides are set to become a lot more comfortable.

Lastly, by improving the carpooling experience and fixing a few of Uber Pool’s most common errors, the company promises to match ‘more people in fewer cars faster’. Coupled with the discounts, this will help lower fares drastically, as less fuel will be required and gas emissions per passenger will be curtailed.

Where Is UberX Share Available?

So far, only a handful of cities in the U.S. have the feature available at the time this article was written. However, as summer rolls in and more travelers hit the road, more spots across America will be getting the long-awaited upgrade as well. For now, only commuters residing in the following cities can use UberX Share:
- New York City
- Los Angeles
- Chicago
- San Francisco
- San Diego
- Phoenix
- Indianapolis
- Portland
- Pittsburgh
For more updates on the UberX Share rollout, including new launch dates in specific cities, please refer to the Uber Newsroom.

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June 22, 2022
Uber Will Allow Travelers To Book An Airport Ride 30 Days In Advance Amid Summer Travel Chaos
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Whether it’s domestic or international, travel has underwent significant changes, even some permanent ones. Covid may no longer be a huge concern at a majority of destinations worldwide, but its impact is still being felt across different sectors of the industry, where staff shortages are contributing to a summer of travel chaos.

Flight disruption is now becoming the rule rather than the exception, and the huge influx of passengers is resulting in excessively long delays at some major international hubs. In a bid to ease the traffic into and out of airports and reduce wait times, Uber will now allow travelers to pre-book their transfer up to 30 days in advance in several destinations.

If you’re planning on traveling in the next few weeks, this is your chance to secure a ride to the airport before most drivers are unavailable:

Airport Transfers Are About To Become A Lot Smoother

Uber is paving the way among same-category service providers in allowing customers to schedule a ride this far ahead, and they have a very good reason for doing that. This year, passenger traffic at U.S. airports has more than doubled compared to 2021, according to data provided by the Transport Security Association (TSA), and it could increase even further.

Now that the U.S. has finally lifted its much-criticized pre-departure testing regime, more than half of Americans who had been patiently waiting for rules to be eased so they could travel will be taking to the skies in a heartbeat. While this is good news in terms of tourism recovery, we have seen how the situation can turn anarchic when demand outpaces supply.

We all have had to stand in line for endless minutes until the next taxi or Uber was available, sore-headed and all, after a long flight journey, and it’s never a pleasant experience. Unfortunately, wait times for airport transfers are set to increase once summer is in full swing – they’re already long, and the season is only starting.

Luckily, with the new Uber Reserve option, customers can now book trips up to a month in advance to and from several airports within the U.S. and globally. Though it was launched last year in select locations, the update has now been extended to more than 55 hubs, both domestic and international, with the latest adds being the following:

Domestic*
- Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
- Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
International
- Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ) – Milan, Italy
- Milan Linate Airport (LIN) and Malpensa Airport (MXP) – Milan, Italy
- Giovan Battista Pastine International Airport (CIA) – Rome, Italy
- Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO) – Rome, Italy
- Nice Cote d’Azur Airport (NCE) – Nice, France
- Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) – Paris, France
- Cape Town International Airport (CPT) – Cape Town, South Africa
- O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) – Johannesburg, South Africa
- Lanseria International Airport (HLA) – Johannesburg, South Africa
There are, in total, 39 airports in the US where Uber Reserve is available. Customers are advised to check their Uber app to confirm whether the feature has been rolled out in the area

What Are Some Of The New Features?

Besides allowing early bookings, Uber Reserve gives travelers total peace of mind, as they have a guarantee their car will be waiting for them as soon as they leave the terminal. How so? The driver is required by Uber to wait up to 60 minutes – with no extra charge – just in case there are delays. Looking at the current state of things, we really couldn’t have asked for better.

There are other pretty cool features that might appeal even to those who are not huge Uber enthusiasts: when a flight is delayed for longer than 60 minutes, the Uber’s flight tracking integrated system will automatically adjust the expected arrival time, based on flight information, to ensure the driver is still there on time.

Whenever possible, drivers will also be assigned before pickup, as per customer request. On top of that, passengers can select drivers out of their ‘Favorites’ list on any Reserve ride. Lastly, curbside pickup and pickup at restaurants in some airports is now permitted, making it easier for passengers to find their car without having to walk to designated areas.

How Far In Advance Should I Request My Uber?

As air traffic increases and all travel lanes become heavily congested, it may be wise to schedule your Uber in advance to ensure you will be at the airport in time for your flight. Most importantly, pre-booking a transfer at your destination is key, unless you’re fine with waiting for the next available driver to come and pick you up… Along with every other person on your plane.

Airports like Cancun International can be incredibly busy during peak hours, when hundreds of thousands of passengers are either transiting air-side or rushing straight to the airport’s front doors to get the first taxi, and it’s sometimes impossible to find an ride in only a few minutes. Like we mentioned previously, travel demand is only going up.

Scheduling a Uber ride or pre-booking a private transfer, in Cancun’s case, can save you a lot of the hassle of trying to find a reliable driver when you’re just desperate to get to your hotel as quickly as possible. Fortunately, Uber Reserve is available in countless locations Stateside, and you can read more about further enlargements clicking here.

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June 20, 2022
Your Next Uber is Going to Cost You a Lot More
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Every day it feels like things are becoming more and more expensive. The cost of living is sky rocking across the globe. Airfares are soaring, hotels and Airbnb’s are going up by the day, and fuel costs are hitting record levels.

Everything seems to be going up. Unfortunately, transportation services are no exception. Ride-sharing company Uber has made a lot of changes in recent weeks with the hopes of expanding its business model.

Soon, however, the cost of ordering an Uber will cost you a lot more than it did a year ago.

When Uber first broke into the market in 2011, it quickly became a rising star in the tech field as well as becoming a favorite app for millions of Americans.

People who commuted for work, traveled for business, or simply just needed a ride home late at night, it seemed like everyone wanted to use Uber – and rightfully so.

It was an ingenious idea that became popular not just because it was convenient, but also because it was affordable!

Finally, could you get around town without having to pay an arm and a leg. No more heckling with opportunistic taxi drivers for a lower fare. No more waiting outside in the blistering cold, hoping you’d get picked up by a taxi.

At last, Uber came and seemingly took over the industry by storm – it was what society needed.

And for a while Uber was just that, tremendously affordable. Unfortunately, it seems like those days are over.

Uber was affordable because it was heavily subsidized by investors but over the course of the past years, Uber has consistently lost a significant amount of money, including more than $30 billion the five-odd years since the company’s finances became public.

The solution? Higher costs passed on to consumers.

Rides have been getting—and will continue to get—more expensive. Average Uber prices rose 92 percent between 2018 and 2021, according to data from Rakuten; a separate analysis reports an increase of 45 percent between 2019 and 2022.

Both Uber and Lyft have added a surcharge for riders that helps drivers account for high gas prices.

A once rising star in the transportation industry

It isn’t too farfetched to believe that Uber was burning all that investor cash in order to corner the market.

Once it killed off car service, taxi cartels, and its ride-hail rivals, the company would stop charging riders less than it was paying drivers and prices would have to go up.

This week an Uber from Manhattan to JFK Airport was $100—nearly double the fixed yellow cab rate. But take a guess how long it’ll take you to find a yellow cab.

The fundamental problem Uber and Lyft keep running into is that most people are not willing to pay the fares it would cost to run a profitable taxi service with the overhead Uber and Lyft require.

At the end consumers are the ones who are suffering

Uber fares are at a record high with no end in sight. What once was a convenient and affordable way to get around town, turned into something a lot more expensive and burdensome for people.

For years we were made to believe that one can take a 20-minute drive and only pay $7 for it.

Clearly that is no longer than case and consumers will have to take a very hard look at whether or not they’re willing to pay the price for Uber now and in the future.

Top 10 Most Expensive Uber Cities in the U.S.
- New York
- Seattle
- San Francisco
- St. Luis
- Boston
- Birmingham
- Portland
- Pittsburgh
- Philadelphia
- San Luis Obispo
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May 29, 2022
Uber and Lyft Remove Mask Mandate In The United States and Canada

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Face coverings are now optional and drivers and passengers will decide whether or not they would like to ride without masks

The American ride-share companies Uber and Lyft announced the removal of the mask mandate for drivers and passengers this Tuesday. The decision has been taken after a federal judge ruled against the extension of the mandate enacted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Right after Biden’s administration recognized the federal judge’s decision, Uber and Lyft joined other US airlines that decided to drop the mask mandate.

According to the official information shared on Uber’s website, face coverings are now optional: “As of April 19, 2022, riders and drivers are not required to wear masks when using Uber.” However, the company also clarified: “The CDC still recommends wearing a mask if you have certain personal risk factors and/or high transmission levels in your area.”

Uber also encourages those who want to wear masks to do it, but also respects the decision of those who don’t. They also reminded drivers and travelers: “If you ever feel uncomfortable, you can always cancel the trip.”

Lyft shared a similar statement according to the information published on CNBC: “We know that everyone has different comfort levels, and anyone who wants to continue wearing a mask is encouraged to do so. As always, drivers or riders can decline to accept or cancel any ride they don’t wish to take.”

The automobile service company also explained on its website that not wearing face-covering will no longer be a reason to report a user or driver: “Wearing a mask during rides is now optional for everyone in the car. Health safety reasons, like not wearing a mask, will no longer appear as a cancellation option. And your riders won’t be able to report you for those reasons.” Uber, on the other hand, is still asking drivers to confirm if they are wearing face coverings.

The two tech companies had been requiring drivers and passengers to wear masks since the beginning of the pandemic. The news had a big impact across the United States, and people will have to go through an adjustment process while they adapt to the new measures.

Customer’s Reaction

Mixed reactions have emerged across social media channels and different websites. Some customers in favor of the mask mandate removal have expressed relief and happiness with emojis and expressions like “Let’s go!” and “Finally”. Other users aren’t happy.

Frederick Joseph, an author and worried Uber user, wrote a message to the company on Twitter: “Please add functionality to request drivers who are wearing masks. As a person who is immunocompromised, and constantly in a rush, it’s inefficient at best to continually cancel Ubers until a driver shows up willing to wear a mask.”

Many users are worried about their safety and the functionality of the app. A few drivers have said on social media that they will no longer work for Uber or Lyft because they find the new measure unsafe or irresponsible. Uber has recommended users who prefer to wear masks message the driver or passenger, prior to pick-up, to make sure they are willing to wear face coverings.

A few customers are already complaining on social media about the different opinions regarding the optional mask rule. Yellow Cabs in New York City will still require passengers and drivers to wear masks, despite Lyft and Uber’s recent change of policy; however, it seems that more companies are joining the optional mask decision.

Uber Canada Joins

Now, Uber Canada has also announced dropping the mask mandate, it will only remain mandatory in Quebec, starting on April 22. A spokesperson shared the information with the Canadian news outlet CTVNews and also explained: “As per Health Canada’s advice, we still strongly recommend wearing a mask depending on personal risk factors and infection rates in your area.”

Although Canada still has their mask mandate in place for airports, trains, and airplanes, Uber riders now have the option to mask or not.

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Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling. Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories

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April 21, 2022