Sophomore Hayden Cranz remembered a recent Thursday evening when he could have been stuck at school because his mom was unable to pick him up following football practice.
With loads of homework awaiting him and time running short, he used the Uber app on his phone to find the closest driver to take him home.
For Cranz, just like many other students, using Uber is the most practical way to get home. A one-way ride for him costs between $5 and $10.
“I live past Pierce Road, which is pretty far away from the school,” Cranz said. “I feel like Uber is more reliable than other ride-sharing services.”
Uber has seen increased popularity among students who need rides due to its convenience and accessibility, even in a suburb of 30,000 people like Saratoga. The one exception to the trend seems to be lunchtime: Students still find it easier to grab a ride with friends or just stay on campus.
Cranz has had mostly positive experiences with Uber, although occasionally he does have problems with late-arriving drivers or with drivers who have a hard time accessing more the remote areas in Saratoga, especially up winding mountain roads.
“The Uber drivers are really interesting to talk to,” Cranz said. “One of my drivers held the record for longest Uber ride ever—he had to take a guy to a different state and it took 16 hours of driving.”
Junior Kitty Huang was also an Uber patron last year before she got her driver’s license. While she lives relatively close to the school, her house is approximately 20 to 25 minutes walking distance from the school.
“Uber is more costly than Lyft, but Uber seems to be a lot more safe and established,” Huang said. “Since we’re in Saratoga, it takes a little more than 10 minutes for an Uber to come so if I have to leave at like 3:30 after basketball practice, I’ll check at 3:10 to see if there are drivers around.”
Huang likes using Uber not only for its practicality but also for the interactions with drivers.
“One of my drivers was a journalist who worked at the Los Gatos newspaper,” Huang said. “His daughter got into Cooper Union, so he was super excited and we talked for a while about publications. Another driver had a journal for all this passengers to write on, which was really cute.”
Whether it be for a reliable mode of transport, fun conversations with would-be strangers, or both, Uber seems to be getting five-star ratings from the students who subscribe to it.
“I really recommend people to use Uber, especially if they can’t drive,” Cranz said. “It’s actually really safe and a very easy app to navigate through.”
