Uber just promoted its Route Share ride type as a new and innovative concept, but many have been quick to point out the flaws in its optimistic debut.
Much like we gave up cable only to have streaming services cycle back to incessant advertising, Uber is taking its rideshare cab services back to travel alternatives that we already had before it. Uber’s new Route Share system is set to reinvent the bus and slap a new name onto it to make it appear innovative, offering commuters a way to travel on a predetermined route with a pair of strangers.
Ride-share companies have been struggling to innovate beyond robotaxis, as these driverless vehicles have been taking a while to fully expand and roll out. Since this area of expansion has stagnated, Uber’s group ride initiative is its latest bet in bringing more customers to its doors and partnerships to its offices. From what we can tell, Uber’s new Route Share feature announced for 2025 could help a lot of commuters travel more comfortably, but it is being mocked considerably for presenting its capabilities as innovative.
Understanding the Uber Route Share Backlash—What You Need to Know About the 2025 Initiative
To get started let’s understand the details of the Uber Route Share initiative and what it has to offer. The feature is a new budget-friendly ride option that will run a regular route every 20 minutes offering commuters who need to travel along the path the option to ride in a cab with two other riders. These rides will travel along the same route during morning hours between 6-10 AM and evening commute hours between 4-8 PM.
“We ask the riders to walk a few blocks to a predetermined point at a predetermined time to participate in a predetermined route which they will share with a couple of other riders. We call that Route Share.”
How Does Uber Route Share Work?
Commuters can locate the nearest pick-up points and check the routes to see if they have a drop-off point close to where they need to go. They can then book a ride and walk to the pick-up spot, with drivers allowing for a 2-minute wait time before they zip off. These rides will be shared with up to two other riders, and there will be no detours from the charted route, so you can get off at the point closest to where you need to go.
Yes, once you hear the details of the Uber Route Share function you might start to see how similar it sounds to catching a bus or using the subway that’s already going the way you need to head to. You can reserve a seat—one per booking—up to seven days in advance, so you can set up your reservation well before you need it.
The fares remain fixed based on the route you’re taking, so it’s unlikely that you’ll have to work about surge pricing or any other changes that make it hard to predict how much you’re going to spend on the journey. The app will also provide you with walking directions to the pick-up point and from the drop-off point to your intended destinationwhich is a very helpful addition that won’t leave you juggling multiple apps.
What Are the Advantages of the Uber Shared Route Feature?
The main benefit of the Uber Group Ride initiative is that it is expected to be 50% cheaper than a similar UberX ride. If you have to travel to and from work frequently, it can typically get too expensive to take an Uber every day. However, with the new Route Share system, you can expect to be half the price.
The Uber Shared Route feature will also eliminate some of the struggles of waiting along popular pickup routes where all the cabs are often occupied. Instead of waiting for a driver to free up and take you to where you need to go, you can hop into a cab that’s already on its way.
Sure, public transportation serves the same purpose, but with the Route Share function, you might find it more comfortable to have a secured seat and an air-conditioned car to help you get around. With RTO policies dragging everyone back to the office by the collar, workers returning home after a long workday could really benefit from this convenience.
We also have to give the new Uber Group Ride initiative credit for a more sustainable alternative to everyone taking individual cabs. Public transportation is easily better at this considering it can fit more people in and is also economically more feasible, but with the streets crowded the way they are today, any form of carpooling is welcome.
Who Can Use Uber Route Share?
The Uber Route Share feature will be available in limited cities like New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston, and Baltimore, at launch. Over time, the company is expected to expand to more cities, but the initial rollout will be limited to see what kinks need to be worked out. If successful, the number of routes could eventually be expanded to serve more travelers.
If you live in any of these cities, ensure you update your Uber app to the latest version. Then enter your destination and choose the Route Share function along with the pick-up time. Once you place your request, the app will guide you to the pickup spot after assigning you a driver. Walk to your spot to catch your ride.
Uber’s Route Share Backlash—Why Are Users Annoyed?
From the details of the Uber Route Share function, it is apparent that Uber is attempting something new with its services, attracting commuters with an interesting alternative to try out. Since we haven’t yet heard from those who have actually used the service, it is too early to map just how effective it is in getting people around.
Most of the backlash against the Uber Route Share function stems from Uber’s apparent desire to “reinvent” the bus in a more ineffective and inefficient way.
“Capitalism innovates” – bruh Uber just innovated so hard with “Route Share” they reinvented the bloody bus but like it’s far worse, more expensive, less scalable and only increases the traffic congestion further I AM LOSING MY MIND! WE NEED TRAINS, NOT CARS JEKFKFKFKDK pic.twitter.com/VDd7OSB9MH
– Mischa ☭ (@redmischa) May 17, 2025
Uber rebrands UberX shared to Route Share?
You can put lipstick on a pig but it’s still a pig… 🐖 pic.twitter.com/xhV1J9pXbT– Chris Pza (@chrispza716) May 15, 2025
It has also faced criticism for pulling away commuters from existing services, offering them an alternative to crowd the streets once more instead of utilizing and funding the infrastructure that already exists for their benefit. This feature may make public service less profitable, and with funding already slipping away from their fingers, it could further impact the quality of the public transportation systems available.
Should We Give Uber’s New Initiative a Chance in 2025?
It’s hard to imagine that Uber’s Route Share system will be efficient enough to cater to the entire segment of travelers who currently use public transportation as it is inevitable that once users start opting for Uber’s cabs, there will only be a limited number of cabs navigating the traffic-congested streets, eventually forcing them to resort to subway systems once more.
Uber’s new ride type is also available only during peak hours when there is peak traffic already, making it that much harder to see as the most convenient option. For the rest of the day, public transportation will remain the easiest way to get around, and even with Route Share being cheaper than its regular cabs, public transportation continues to be the cheapest alternative.
When it comes down to it, Uber Ride Share is an easy way to carpool, so if it gets more people to stop using their own vehicles and start taking an Uber already headed that way, it could help with sustainability goals to a great degree. The Uber Pool feature may have suffered, but we can’t fairly criticize a company that’s taking another shot at getting travelers to travel together.
We think it’s only fair that we give Uber’s Route Share initiative a shot to see how the driver assignment system and route planning work out, to understand how effective it is.
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