(NewsNation) — Uber announced Tuesday that it’s bringing back its popular shared-ride service in some major U.S. cities.
The rideshare company suspended Uber Pool services two years ago due to the coronavirus pandemic. The service allowed riders to share their car with strangers, in exchange for lower fares. Now, the same program is back as Uber X Share.
The feature, which allows riders to share a car with strangers coming in a similar direction for a discount, is currently available in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Phoenix, San Diego, Portland, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh.
Uber says it plans to expand to other cities later this summer.
The news comes as inflation is leading to a surge in rideshare prices impacting riders across the country.
In April, average rideshare fares hit an all-time high. According to one research firm, the average was 35% higher than before the pandemic. But uber is pitching shared rides as a way for customers to save money.
Uber said that riders who choose to share will get an upfront discount and up to 20% off the total fare if they’re matched with a co-rider along the way. The company is also promising riders will arrive no more than eight minutes later than a private Uber would. Uber has limited rides to a total of two passengers.