(You can get a free P300 credit by using this promo code: uberTRXGB8)

It's at times like this when you can really put things to the test.

I have recently discovered this not-so-new pay-per-ride chauffeur service that takes your cab experience to a new level:
Uber - Everyone's Private Driver
It may sound a bit overwhelming (the way I said it, maybe), but to put it simply, it's a taxi* service that let's you book a car to pick you up through an app--whenever you need it.
Basically it's just a fancier version of GrabTaxi.
But instead of riding a taxi, you ride a personal car;
But instead of having a taxi meter, they have an iPad (way to go Manong!);
But instead of paying cash, you pay with your credit card (could be a downer for some, but this actually makes it so convenient.)

I was really looking forward to trying it out. Today in Manila, we are in a bad weather under Typhoon Mario--and it really looks like I could use a good service to bring me home.



I've read elsewhere that the cars they carry vary from a Toyota Vios to a Mercedes-Benz E-Class (sweeeeet!).(You can't choose when you book, but they're all pretty great so that shouldn't matter!)

First thing you need to do is to register through their website
www.uber.com

You need a credit card to register. This is the only mode of payment they accept as of yet, but reading from their official press they are making ways to introduce other modes of payment.
After submitting, you are going to need to verify your mobile number. The entire registration process should take just about 5 minutes.
If you need a detailed guide, I'll make a separate post for it.

[caption id="attachment_231" align="alignnone" width="637"] Uber registration page[/caption]

If you are worried about how much it's going to charge you for your ride, you can head on over there website and get an estimate for your trip: https://www.uber.com/cities/manila
Simply click on Fare Quote, then input your location and destination. You can also do this inside the app.
I took an estimate of my trip from Greenbelt, Makati to Acacia Estates, Taguig.
From the website I got P237-P286 which is a price for an UberBlack (a high-end variant) and P135-P160 from the app for an uberX (the basic ones).

[caption id="attachment_232" align="alignnone" width="752"] Get an estimate cost of your trip.[/caption]

From the app, you can choose between an uberX or uberBlack. Looking at the price difference in the estimates, looks like uberX is the way to go.

[caption id="attachment_246" align="aligncenter" width="182"] Uber map[/caption]

It took me a couple of tries before it finally hooked me up with a car. (Remembering how the situation is, I am lucky I was able to get any at all!)
The app says the driver was 14 minutes away. It shows you the real-time location and movement of the vehicle (Pretty neat! If you need a point of comparison, it's more accurate than in the GrabTaxi map)

[caption id="attachment_248" align="aligncenter" width="182"] Tracing the driver[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_243" align="aligncenter" width="182"] The car arriving in 2 minutes[/caption]

The app will display the name and photo of the driver, the car he's bringing, and the plate #/induction sticker #.
It also gives you the option to contact the driver if you need to.

In my case, the driver, sent a text to me about the exact location.
After a few minutes, the car pulled over in front of me. Apparently, I was assigned a Nissan Almera (not bad, eh?).
When I hopped in, I am even more impressed how spacious and elegant the car was, which tells me they are not kidding about the promises they have up on the site. The car was clean, smells good, most of the things you rarely get with taxis nowadays.
As we started driving, the driver told me, "Ma'am kung baha po wag natin po ipilit ilusong, ha." Okay, it made me frown for a little bit (I was thinking, my, my, if that happens where do I go then!) but it was totally understandable. Lucky for us, the way from Greenbelt to my place isn't flood-prone so the roads were clear throughout the rainy day.

[caption id="attachment_242" align="alignnone" width="900"] Nissan Almera[/caption]

When we arrived, the driver turns to the iPad and taps around to end the trip, charged me, and sent the receipt. The signal reception isn't so good in my area, so I decided to just get off, and just wait for the e-mail receipt.
It came through shortly and I am very surprised to see that the total charge for my trip is just P140 (I sometimes always pay even more for a cab ride!)

The entire trip took only 20 minutes because of the light traffic so I should not expect this is always the case.

I have P300 free credits on my account which was enough to cover for this ride (with about almost half of it left now). I got this through a promo code from a friend.
You can also get a free P300 credit by using this promo code: uberTRXGB8

To sum it up, the experience is great and I would definitely use this app again! Perfect for going to celebrations or formal hotel events, or for your everyday commute if it fits your budget.
It saved me from the stress of having to haggle with taxi drivers. It's a perfectly comfortable ride and I highly recommend this to everyone.
I believe this is a very good innovation and considerably one of the better solutions against the unsatisfactory public transportation in the country.
Two thumbs up for Uber!!!

Do you have an Uber experience to share? I'd love to hear it! Feel free to comment below. :)

(Note: This post is not sponsored/solicited by all the brands/names mentioned above.)