Pros and Cons of Carpooling Services

Services like UberPool and Lyft Line come with many benefits to riders. What may be less obvious, however, are some of the costs associated with using these carpooling services for both riders and drivers.

We broke down the main pros and cons of using carpooling services for both riders and drivers, to help you make an informed decision for the next time you choose to ride (or drive). 

Riders:

Pros:

• Cost savings: The cost of an UberPool or Lyft Line versus traditional non-carpooling standard rides are much lower.
• Social interactions: Depending on personal preference, this could be either a pro or a con. Some people enjoy meeting strangers who may have similar interests as them. Many drivers have told stories of riders meeting in the backseat of their car and quickly forming friendships.

Cons:

• Time inefficiency: Often times when you order a carpool, the time for your car to arrive may be increased due to the driver having to drop off or pick up other people in the carpool. When the driver has to make multiple stops, it will add on time to the trip.

Drivers:

Pros:

• Constant driving: Because there are multiple passengers in most rides, some drivers are more actively driving and can earn more due to the high volume of ride requests

Cons:

• Lack of flexibility: Drivers are not able to tell if the ride is UberPool or LyftLine until they accept, therefore it is difficult to reject these ride requests
• Less earnings (sometimes): This is not true for all cases, but for most trips, the driver receives less money due to the lower initial cost for riders to use the carpooling service

Now that you know some of the benefits and costs of using carpooling services like UberPool and Lyft Line, it is up to you to make the decision as to which service is better for you. In some cases, such as when you are in a rush, these services may not be best. When you're not on a time crunch, and saving money is your priority, it may be worth the try!

As for drivers, the verdict is still out whether carpooling services will diminish the traditional standard services completely, but considering both the pros the cons, we don't see that happening any time soon.