Uber is planning to introduce a new feature that will make it much easier for users traveling with pets to hail rides.
According to The Verge, the ride-sharing service will roll out Uber Pet in select U.S. cities on October 16.
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The new feature can be selected in the same way riders choose UberX and UberPool, for example, and will ensure their arriving driver welcomes pets and doesn’t cancel the ride on account of the furry guest.
Currently, it’s up to the driver whether pets are allowed in their vehicle. However, Uber has encouraged users to call their drivers in advance to find out. Moving forward, drivers will be able to opt-out in the Uber app’s preferences section to ensure they aren’t matched with a pet-toting rider.
Riders can expect to pay a surcharge of $3 to $5 for Uber Pet, which drivers will receive a portion of. Beginning next week, the new feature will be available to all users in Austin, Denver, Nashville, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Tampa Bay.
Keep in mind that passengers traveling with service animals are not required to select Uber Pet as they are exempt in accordance with state and federal law.
Uber Pet will arrive just days after the San Francisco-based company opened its Uber Copter service between lower Manhattan and John F. Kennedy International Airport to all app users.
