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>Uber already has special-case systems for airport pickups to reduce congestion (that riders don't see). Those special case systems (IMHO) are solving the wron

>Uber already has special-case systems for airport pickups to reduce congestion (that riders don't see). Those special case systems (IMHO) are solving the wrong problem. Uber airport queues should be exactly like taxi queues: the passenger at the front of the queue takes the taxi at the front of the queue and you're done. No more which car is yours, let me find a spot, block other cars while we load, etc, etc. At Newark, for instance, Uber drivers regularly take 10-30 minutes to show up after accepting your ride, and even then, they'll often call you and ask you meet on a different floor, one specifically meant for private cars, not car hire services, because the traffic on the floor they're supposed to pick you up on is so very busy. It's far better to just do front of queue matching and let the passengers scan a QR code that establishes that driver as their driver for the trip. No more brinksmanship of ordering an Uber when you deplane and hoping you are ready with your luggage around the time your driver arrives.

thebears5454 3y ago
Yes, just give them a ride or a code and I have the driver entry then you know who is going where. it's a very simple problem to solve
yathaid 3y ago
This is how Uber works in airports in India. You don't get assigned a driver, you are given a six digit code. You give it to the next driver up when you reach the front of the queue and then your ride starts as normal.
- nlawalker 3y ago
  That's fascinating, I had no idea. Why haven't they implemented this at other airports? The only potential loser I see in this situation is the driver, who would no longer have advance knowledge of the destination before accepting a ride, but I would imagine that it would be made clear up front that that's what you'd be opting in to as a driver if you chose to work the airport.
  - fakedang 3y ago
    Guess it works in India because in the existing system (pre-paid airport taxis), drivers would have no advance knowledge of the destination before being assigned a ride. Also helped that the pre-paid taxis in most cities were actually a police initiative.
    - yathaid 3y ago
      One big reason this works is that there is a specific area in which all the rideshare cabs can wait. I am guessing this isn't the case in the US either due to a lack of space or the cab cartels not letting it happen.
callalex 3y ago
But then it wouldn’t be a carpool/rideshare, it would be a taxi service. Taxi services are regulated. It is a stupid game we all play.
mock-possum 3y ago
Doesn’t that mean the driver doesn’t get to screen their passenger & doesn’t get to preview the route they’re being asked to drive? Seems like that takes away a lot of the essential agency from the driver

thebears5454 3y ago

Yes, just give them a ride or a code and I have the driver entry then you know who is going where. it's a very simple problem to solve

yathaid 3y ago

This is how Uber works in airports in India. You don't get assigned a driver, you are given a six digit code. You give it to the next driver up when you reach the front of the queue and then your ride starts as normal.

nlawalker 3y ago
That's fascinating, I had no idea. Why haven't they implemented this at other airports? The only potential loser I see in this situation is the driver, who would no longer have advance knowledge of the destination before accepting a ride, but I would imagine that it would be made clear up front that that's what you'd be opting in to as a driver if you chose to work the airport.
- fakedang 3y ago
  Guess it works in India because in the existing system (pre-paid airport taxis), drivers would have no advance knowledge of the destination before being assigned a ride. Also helped that the pre-paid taxis in most cities were actually a police initiative.
  - yathaid 3y ago
    One big reason this works is that there is a specific area in which all the rideshare cabs can wait. I am guessing this isn't the case in the US either due to a lack of space or the cab cartels not letting it happen.

callalex 3y ago

But then it wouldn’t be a carpool/rideshare, it would be a taxi service. Taxi services are regulated. It is a stupid game we all play.

mock-possum 3y ago

Doesn’t that mean the driver doesn’t get to screen their passenger & doesn’t get to preview the route they’re being asked to drive? Seems like that takes away a lot of the essential agency from the driver