With all the Christmas and New Year’s parties, there may be times when you should leave your car and grab a cab.
Grabacab is also the name of my favorite Genesis song.
You might wanna give Uber a whirl. If you haven’t heard of Uber, it is an easy to use car service that is comparably priced to a cab. Heck, that’s what it is even if you have heard of Uber. It’s pretty simple. Request a car from the app on your phone. The closest one will pick you up in minutes. You can even track them on the app.
(Updated 1/5/17) If you sign up for Uber by clicking on my link which contains the promo code “uberChipCheese”, you’ll get $20 off your first Uber ride, and I’ll get $20 off my next ride too.
Once you are ready to try Uber, open the app, and choose which type of ride you want: UberX, Black Car or SUV. You can also get a Fare Quote right there to help you make a decision.
Here are some actual Uber estimates that I got versus a taxi cab. This is one way from my home in The Valley to LAX airport:
Uber SUV: $109-$133 (Good choice for a big group)
Uber Black Car: $81-$98 (You wanna look like a bigshot)
UberX: $44-$55 (Bigshot smigshot, you just need a ride)
Yellow Cab: $85-$90 (+ tip)
Uber fares include the tip and are automatically charged to the card you put on file.
Once you have accepted a ride, you will get a photo of the driver, the car and where Hobson is in relation to your home. Uber drivers get rated, and so do the passengers. So if you are a jerk or like emptying your stomach in strangers’ cars, stick with the cab.
Wanna Make Some Extra Money?
UberX has you riding in a fellow citizen’s car. It is the least expensive option. If you want to be that fellow citizen driver, this is also a great opportunity to make some extra cash, anytime you want, as an UberX driver. All drivers go through background and DMV checks. Read about how UberX works.
A big hat tip to my friend Nelson, an Uber aficionado, for rounding out my Uber intel.
