Uber makes it easier to hail a ride – no app required.
The company announced Wednesday at its annual Go-GET event in New York City that it’s launching a new ride-hailing option for those less familiar with navigating on a smartphone. By toll-free number 1-833-USE-UBER (1-833-873-8237) In the US, customers can speak to an agent in English or Spanish to request a ride or reserve one for a future trip.
Uber has piloted ride-hailing over the phone before. It launched the program in selected regions nearby December 2020, especially Arizona and Florida. But the company has temporarily suspended service during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the feature is back and more widely available.
When calling, people who have an existing Uber account can tell the agent and use an existing payment method on file. If they don’t have an account, they can pay with a credit card over the phone and the agent can create an account for them.
This is how it works:
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Calling customers Uber from a phone to talk to a team member.
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Once the ride is confirmed, Uber will send information about the ride via SMS, including the driver’s name and photo, license plate number, and estimated time of arrival.
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Finally, the customer receives another text message when the driver arrives at his pick-up location.
- What about tips? Booking an Uber over the phone offers no way to do that – much to the chagrin of drivers. But Uber points out that riders can tip in cash if they choose.
“Offering customers more options Uber remains a top priority and we are excited to expand this updated offering nationally,” a spokesperson told AapkaDost via email.