The complete guide to getting an Uber car at a lower price

Last Updated on 2016-11-22 , 11:51 am

If you’re still booking taxi through the phone the traditional way, then you’re just like a person who is still using SMS despite everyone using WhatsApp. Uber and GrabCar are like the best inventions for us passengers (if you’ll notice, most of the complaints come from taxi companies).

For the benefit of those who have yet to convert to Uber, here’s how it works: you download an app, key in your credit / debit card number in the app, and when you need a “taxi”, you simply power up the app and let the GPS searches for your location. After that, request for an Uber car and wait. A few minutes later, a private car will arrive to fetch you to your destination. The best part? After you’ve reached, just alight.

Technology will take care of the rest, from the payment to the route.

There’s no booking fee, and it’s slightly cheaper than conventional taxi. But how can we even get one that is cheaper? Here’re a few tricks.

Firstly, if you’re new to Uber, don’t be a blur sotong and just download and use. Find a friend who is an existing Uber user and get him or her to refer you. On your first ride, you’ll get $15 off and your friend will get $15 credit! I can validate that it works—and $15 is quite a lot, to be honest!

Secondly, avoid any other Uber except UberX. Yes, sometimes, when there is so much demand, the only option might be UberExec or whatnot. But if your priority is just to get from Point A to B with the cheapest fare, simply close the app and open it again. Refresh. Wait a while. Soon, you’ll see UberX cars.

Thirdly, avoid surge pricing. For the uninitiated, surge pricing kicks in when the demand is more than the supply (i.e. more people requesting for Uber cars than Uber cars on the road), so when that occurs, an algorithm will increase the price of each ride, sometimes up to 2 times. This encourages more Uber drivers to be on the road as it incentiveizes them greatly.

When you see that surge pricing is up, here’s an advice from an Uber driver: wait. It’ll eventually go back to normal within minutes, or the most, 30 minutes. The reason is simple: when they see the high demand, they’ll all go for it, and supply will eventually be more than the demand. If price is your priority, you really have to know this.

So next time, remember these tips. One more thing: Uber drivers are usually friendly because they will be rated after each ride. If you would prefer a quiet ride (by the way, passengers are called “riders”!), simply use your phone. It always works for me.