Online cab aggregator Uber has expanded UberCOMMUTE, a solution for private car users to offer carpooling options to Bangalore from 7AM to 9PM. This is a follow up to its service in Delhi, which was launched last month. UberCOMMUTE is not to be confused with UberPOOL, Uber’s ride sharing product which was launched in September last year. While UberCOMMUTE is for private car drivers who want to share car rides when they’re driving, UberPOOL lets users book a Uber ride and possibly let other people ride with them to their destinations. In September, Uber had said that the carpooling (ride sharing really) service would not be available under UberPOOL, and that commuters would have to choose UberGo. Once the ride sharing option was selected, Uber would pair passenger and commuters headed in the same direction. Uber claims that its drivers make 10-15% more from UberPOOL, as compared to drivers on the Uber platform. According to Uber, 1,600 new cars operate in Bangalore every day, while the traffic congestion has increased 3x, reiterating that its carpooling service has worked well in its other cities of operation like San Francisco and Los Angeles. How it works: Private car owners/drivers need to sign up with UberCOMMUTE to start using the service, but can log off from the partner app any time they like. The aggregator will make weekly payments to drivers, and the trip fare will be calculated as Rs 35 as base + Rs 7 per km + Re 1 per minute. Drivers…
