Riding-sharing programs like Uber keep gaining traction despite pushback from municipalities and taxis. This is because of their cost efficiency for consumers—that is, outside of surge periods. Fares sometimes increase during peak hours, but, thankfully, the apps notify users. Even when the fare jumps, users can still request an estimate and calculate how much they will spend.

Pricing aside, ride-sharing services offer several benefits to travellers. Even the transactional side of the service is convenient: no tips or cash—just credit cards. Since apps work anywhere with data, you can order a lift from any city. Although many users just commute locally, there are reasons to experiment abroad.

Ride-Sharing Passenger Safety Protection

A common complaint ride-sharing services get concerns driver regulation and passenger safety. Since the drivers are not licensed, these services cannot vet their workers as effectively. That said, there are safeguards:

• All vehicles use GPS tracking;
• All drivers receive user reviews—too many negative reviews and that driver gets banned;
• Many registered vehicles are newer, meaning better safety features.

Interestingly, the process of ordering a ride is safer in many respects. You can forget about wandering down unknown streets to flag down a taxi or find a bus stop. Likewise, you needn’t worry about deciphering local transit schedules and getting lost. Simply, use the app to look up destinations and order a direct route there.

Wide Vehicle Selection and Passenger Experiences

Ride-share programs offer different vehicle types. This allows users to carpool or cruise in luxury for a few extra bucks. Unlike cab services, which are largely standardized, ride sharing lets you enter many different cars and converse with local people.

Because drivers care about their ratings, you can hold decent conversations with them. This is an excellent opportunity for learning about things to do in the city. Even in cities where language is a barrier, everything goes through the app so you needn’t worry about it affecting your trip. In the least, you can pull local data from the internet and plug it into the app.