Uber has launched a new service called Express Pool. This is an extension of the existing Pool service which lets riders save money by sharing an Uber with others. Uber Express Pool could save you even more money than the regular Pool, but there is a downside.

For all of its faults, Uber has grown to be ubiquitous in many countries, but especially in the United States. However, not everyone can afford to get an Uber home from a night out. So Uber is trying to find ways to bring prices down to compete with public transport.

Wait Longer and Walk Further

The answer, according to Uber, is Express Pool. The normal Pool lets riders share a journey, which inevitably means it takes a little longer to get to your destination. Express Pool builds on this idea, but asks riders to wait a little longer and walk a little further.

What happens is you request a ride. Uber then spends a few minutes matching you with a driver and compatible co-riders. You'll then be given walking directions to a pickup point where you and your co-riders will meet your driver. You'll then all be driven to a spot near your locations of choice, and given walking directions to your final destinations.

The idea is to spend more time matching riders and less time driving to pick them all up. Uber essentially works out central pickup and dropoff points that will inconvenience everyone just a little without leaving anyone miles away from their destination of choice.

You should save some money by taking an Express Pool rather than an UberX or regular Pool. However, you'll save even more money by taking the bus, and that's a very similar experience, just with a larger vehicle, sweatier passengers, and more stops in between A and B.

A Big Deal for Big Cities

Uber has already trialled Express Pool in San Francisco and Boston, and it's now also available in Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver, Miami, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. Uber is planning on rolling Express Pool out to more cities in the not too distant future.

Uber has made a concerted effort of late to improve the service. You can now tip your driver, request a ride for your friends, and add multiple stops to your journey, to name just a few. But what people really want is to save money. Which is where Express Pool proves its worth.

Do you regularly use an Uber to get from A to B? Do you use UberX? Or do you prefer to use Uber Pool to bring the price down? What do you think of Uber Express Pool? Can it compete with local bus services? Please let us know in the comments below!

Image Credit: Allen via Flickr