1. Know the difference: Uber X vs Uber Black
Uber X refers to vehicles that are more affordable, while Uber Black are luxury cars. Rates differ for both as Uber Black charges higher than X.
2. Be aware of price surges
During hours when demand is high, Uber will impose a price surge that can go as high as four times the normal rate.
For example, a trip from Bonifacio Global City to Mandaluyong costs us between P95-150 on a good day, while a Trinoma to Makati trip cost us P250 on a normal day (mid-afternoon weekday, moderate traffic).
One afternoon, though, we rode an Uber X with a three-time price surge. We were charged a whopping P645 for a trip from Ortigas Center to Rockwell.
Another time, we were feeling bold and booked an Uber (2.25x price surge) from Mandaluyong to the Cultural Center of the Philippines on a Friday evening.
After being stuck in horrible traffic for an hour and a half, I was pleased to see I was only charged P550 for the trip, until I realized I was charged half the P1,100 fare, which I had split with my friend.
3. Know about split fare
That’s another thing. Uber allows you to split the fare with another Uber user.
For friends who live near each other, splitting an Uber is a cost-effective and eco-friendly way to travel.
4. Credit cards only
Uber accepts credit cards only. It does not accept debit cards or virtual credit cards (We tried both using the BPI Express myPrepaid and the GCash American Express Virtual Card and both were rejected by Uber’s payment system).
5. Ratings matter
At the end of each trip, you will be asked to rate your driver. Uber really believes in satisfying passengers that leaving a three-star rating will have the app automatically prompt you for a reason why you are leaving only three stars out of a possible five.
Some reasons for dissatisfaction may include your driver not having taken an efficient route (Uber prides itself on employing route-savvy drivers), or car quality not up to snuff.
Before you get stingy with ratings, know that passengers are rated, too.