Worldwide Uber Car Service Expands To The Hamptons

Uber – a startup company based in San Francisco that makes a mobile application that connects passengers with drivers of luxury vehicles for hire – is expanding to the Hamptons starting on July 3, 2013. The company that arranges car service pickups in cities across the world, including Dallas, New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Paris, Berlin, Rome, and Singapore, will celebrate its expansion to the Hamptons with an “UberChopper” service. Available only on July 3, the UberChopper will connect customers with an escort that then shuttles them from New York City to the Hamptons in a helicopter. If spending $3,000 for ride to the Hamptons isn’t in your price range, Uber is also offering car service to the Hamptons for $300 to 500.

Starting this week, Uber will be providing service all across the East End, from Southampton to Montauk. The pricing scheme is a little complicated, but the website provides sample fares for common destinations. A trip from Bridgehampton to East Hampton will likely run for $75, a ride from East Hampton to Montauk will probably cost $125, and taking a car from Southampton all the way to Montauk will be around $235. The minimum fare for a trip is $50 and there’s a $15 cancellation fee for every pickup request. Prices and the amount of possible passengers also vary depending on which type of vehicle is hired.

Vehicles can be reserved through text messages or through the company’s mobile app. Users of the app can also track the progress of their ride, letting them know exactly how far the vehicle is. The greatest advantage of Uber seems to be the ability to avoid the mass scramble for taxicabs at the end of the night, while still living within a somewhat reasonable budget. It is easy to see why this service is appealing to city-dwellers where an unfortunate pedestrian might have to wait up to an hour for a taxi, but whether this will translate well into the less crowded Hamptons social scene remains to be determined. Uber is probably counting on Hamptonites’ notorious liberality with money to make up for this lack of convenience.

Despite any obstacles it may face in the Hamptons, Uber is a remarkable company that has thrived globally after being swept up by a handful of super-angel investors in late 2010. It is a product that could only exist in today’s booming age of the mobile application gold-rush and it’s ability to spread across the world has helped ensure that the company will continue to provide an enduring service for years to come.

More information on the Hamptons service from Uber’s website: www.uber.com.