Uber is updating its Android app today to begin showing departure times for busses and trains that are nearby where a passenger is getting dropped off. The intention seems to be making Uber seem like a more viable option for taking commuters and other travelers the so-called last mile from where they’re dropped off by public transit to where they actually need to go.
Uber will start showing train and bus times near your drop-off point
Image: Uber
is The Verge’s executive editor. He has covered tech, policy, and online creators for over a decade.
The public transit information is being launched in partnership with the app Transit. It’ll only be available on Android at launch, and it’s starting in just shy of 50 locations, including New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and the San Francisco Bay Area. The full list is at the bottom of Uber’s blog post. It sounds like the feature will come to iOS eventually, though Uber doesn’t say for certain.
Uber is pitching this as a step toward making cities more efficient and connected, but this doesn’t really do much toward that end. Promoting public transit is great, but this feature is mostly designed for people who are already headed to a bus or train — and it seems to be most useful for making sure they hurry to the stop so they don’t miss a nearing departure. Please, don’t yell at your driver to speed up.
Image: Uber
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