Ridesharing service UberX is making its debut in Lincoln today.
The company is launching in 22 other college towns Thursday, bringing their total to far more than 100 cities.
UberX service is a lower-cost alternative with more pedestrian vehicles. Uber is traditionally known for its black car service in New York and other larger cities.
Prices are broken down like this: $0 base, $1.35 a mile plus $0.30 a min with a $4 minimum. For example, a ride from the airport to Memorial Stadium costs $10. From the campus to the mall would be $8.
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New and existing Uber users in Lincoln get five free rides through Sept. 1 with code LINCOLNFREE. Students can also $500 in Uber credit by sharing a photo from their Uber ride on Twitter or Instagram using #UberUNL.
The ridesharing service is launching right before Husker football season, which begins Saturday and brings more than 93,000 people downtown. The mass of fans traditionally puts a strain on traditional cab services and other public transportation likes busses. This is the first year ridesharing services will operate during football season.
“By connecting riders and drivers, our safe and affordable ridesharing service uberX offers Uber reliability with prices that are cheaper than a taxi while ensuring safety with our industry-leading insurance policy,” a press release stated.
Lyft, a competitor of Uber, has operated in Lincoln since April. But both ridesharing services are still under scrutiny from state officials who are concerned over safety, insurance and background checks.
Uber and Lyft lawyers will testify before the state legislature next month in hopes of finding a solution.
One response to “Uber debuts in Lincoln today”
Great news! All that’s needed now is a collective chuckle at the presumptuous politicians. Who are they to tell us who is allowed to give whom a ride?