More drivers come to UberX in San Francisco
The service, which uses hybrid vehicles and charges less than for traditional vehicles, will now have reduced wait times, thanks to more cars on the road.
Uber's UberX service, which uses hybrid cars and charges customers less for trips than in traditional cars, is getting a boost, the company has announced.
Uber will be partnering with more drivers in San Francisco through its UberX service, according to a company blog post yesterday. The hybrid cars meet California's requirements for driving, as well as Uber's screening tests to ensure they're fit to handle service, the company said.
UberX was unveiled in July as an invite-only service for San Francisco. At that time, the company said that it couldn't offer it to everyone because of a lack of supply of drivers and cars. With the new fleet of cars -- the exact number was not released -- the driving service company says that UberX customers should see shorter wait times.
Earlier this month, Uber was able to temporarily resolve an issue it's been having with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) over its service. CPUC last year hit Uber with fines and citations over claims that it operated a "charter-party carrier" service that failed to include insurance coverage and enrollment of its hired drivers in a substance abuse program. CPUC also argued that Uber failed to provide evidence of workers' compensation insurance.
In its statement this month, CPUC decided to eliminate the fines and citations until it could create the final regulations on how to handle Web-based services.
To further boost its UberX business, the car-service company today said that it's looking for drivers who don't already work for a limousine or taxi company. Interested drivers can sign up for its platform on its site.