Uber Pool service halted amid coronavirus outbreak
Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Uber suspended its Uber Pool service in the United States and Canada in an attempt to help protect riders and drivers from the novel coronavirus pandemic, the company announced Tuesday, per TechCrunch.
What they're saying: “Our goal is to help flatten the curve of community spread in the cities we serve," Andrew Macdonald, senior vice president of Uber Rides and Platform, told BuzzFeed in a statement. “We remain in close contact with local leaders and will continue to work with them to discourage non-essential travel.”
Zoom out: Uber Pool allows passengers to share rides. Other Uber rides, including UberX and deliveries with UberEats, will remain available, per an email sent to the company's drivers Tuesday morning.
- The ride-hailing app now displays a message for riders, advising users to “travel only if necessary,” and “exercise caution for your safety and the safety of our community.”
Go deeper: Coronavirus throws cities into crisis mode