Inflation and changes in Uber’s guidelines have complicated the lives of those who use the app – whether as a driver or as a passenger. On social networks, complaints are frequent that rides are more expensive and more difficult to request.
main explanation is the constant increase in fuels. In recent weeks, gasoline has reached its highest nominal value since the National Agency for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) began to carry out a weekly price survey in 2004.
In addition, drivers can now check the value and destination of the trip before accepting it. In comparison, races on faster and cheaper sections are being left out. The change tries to get around an old problem: in September, Uber had excluded about 1,600 drivers for abusing trip cancellations.
To help with your commute (and your pocket), we’ve selected some alternative apps that might be more interesting and won’t let you down. Check out:
looking for me
It was created in March by a Brazilian company and supported by the Association of Motoboys and Application Drivers of São Paulo (Ammasp) to compete with Uber and 99. The promise is to generate higher remuneration for drivers, making the service more attractive for the category.
This occurs through fixed fees. Uber recently changed the driver fee from 25% to between 14% and 40% per ride. In the 99 there was also a readjustment and now it varies between 10% to 25%.
Me Busca does not inform the amount charged, only that it estimates earnings of R$ 2 thousand to R$ 2,200 per month, in a journey of 70 hours per week.
The app is available on Google Play and Apple Store.
7 Move
In Belo Horizonte, three drivers created the 7 Move application. The idea was conceived based on the interests and experiences of the group with traditional applications. In it, the fee charged to the driver is fixed and weekly, instead of a percentage on top of each ride performed.
The first month is free; from the second to the sixth; it’s R$ 30 per week. From the seventh onwards, R$ 30 per week (R$ 120 per month).
According to the creators, with this table it is possible to make even the shortest rides attractive – and offer passengers lower prices.
For now, the app has been active since last year only in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte and in the cities of Sete Lagoas, Itabirito, Itaúna and Santa Bárbara. Available for download on Google Play and Apple Store.
Mou Driver
For the time being restricted to Campo Grande (MS), the Mou Driver application has the same proposal of charging drivers a monthly fee instead of discounting individual races.
For users, another attraction: it standardizes the value of trips, without large variations in peak times, common in other apps.
For now, the platform is only available for Android.
ride apps
Apps that connect drivers and passengers are especially beneficial for longer, longer-distance journeys.
Among the options, the Bla Bla Car is one of the most popular. In it, drivers advertise trips by schedule, with departure and arrival locations. The platform itself calculates an estimated cost of the journey and divides it among passengers, with payment in cash at the time of travel.
With this, it is possible to spend less than R$ 20 reais to go from São Paulo to Campinas, for example.
For the safety of those involved, every user is evaluated and drivers need to confirm the documentation.
Waze Carpool has also become popular. Aimed at routine commutes, such as commuting to and from work, the service works in conjunction with Waze’s GPS system.
To find a ride, simply register your home address and the most common destination. Then, the platform will search for drivers who offer rides close to that route.
If you’re a driver sharing the route with someone, just indicate your availability in the app after you’ve set your destination. Payment is made through the app itself.
Taxi is once again an option
With fuel increasingly expensive and the difficulty of finding a car via Uber or 99, taxis are returning to be advantageous on some routes.
Depending on the time of day, they are even cheaper than transport apps, which are subject to fluctuations in supply and demand (eg, increased demand when it rains).
The taxi drivers’ flag hasn’t been corrected for seven years. Prices only change between 8:00 pm and 6:00 am, when flag two is valid, in which there is a 30% increase on the R$ 2.75 kilometer fare.
