UberPOOL set to debut in Las Vegas

Strangers headed in the same direction can share a ride when UberPOOL debuts Tuesday in Las Vegas.

The move comes five days after Lyft Line launched a similar carpool option on its ride-sharing smartphone application.

The Uber and Lyft services both match users who are going to the same destination, or perhaps somewhere nearby, creating a carpool competition of sorts for people seeking cheaper transportation in the company of others.

The option could mean a slightly longer trip, but the cost to ride is less than a traditional ride with either service.

“UberPOOL enables carpooling at the push of a button,” Eric Wimer, Uber’s general manager in Las Vegas, said in a statement.

“With today’s UberPOOL launch, Uber drivers can expect more riders and longer trips, allowing them to do what they do best: meet the unique needs of this vibrant city by providing safe, affordable and convenient rides throughout Las Vegas,” Wilmer said.

UberPOOL debuted nearly two years ago in San Francisco and has grown to account for nearly half of the company’s trips in that city. The concept has spread to more than 40 other cities worldwide, aimed at reducing traffic congestion by encouraging people to share a ride, according to Uber’s website.

When ordering the ride, users can tap on “request POOL.” Uber then will match users with another rider who will be in the car at the start of the trip, or the driver will pick them up along the way, company officials said.

The trip’s cost is shared, and fares run up to 50 percent less than the traditional solo rides with Uber, company officials said.

Contact Art Marroquin at amarroquin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0336. Follow @AMarroquin_LV on Twitter.