San José International Airport and Uber aim to cut curbside wait times to “zero”

San José International Airport and Uber aim to cut curbside wait times to “zero”
San José International Airport and Uber aim to cut curbside wait times to “zero”
Avatar of Harry Johnson
Written by Harry Johnson

With passenger traffic showing signs of improvement, Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) has partnered with Uber to make safe ridesharing at the Airport even easier. Travelers departing the Airport are finding that their wait times have been cut to almost zero, thanks to Uber ExpressMatch, a dynamic, intelligent matching tool that places drivers at dedicated Airport curb areas to be ready for rider requests.

Uber says that it has seen a 40% to 65% decrease in wait times for ExpressMatch riders at airports operating the program. At Mineta San Jose International, wait times during the first two weeks of the pilot reflect a more than 40% reduction in wait times for riders who get matched using ExpressMatch. ExpressMatch offers a simple experience for riders and has resulted in increased trip completion rates.

“We’re pleased to see such a positive impact in less than a month of offering this new amenity at SJC. Shorter ride-share wait-times mean less congestion on our Terminal curbsides and better ability to practice social distancing. As passenger traffic continues to recover, Uber ExpressMatch represents the type of innovation that will help us continue to meet traveler needs and keep everyone safe,” said John Aitken, Director of Aviation at Mineta San José International Airport.

“The results show that Uber and San José airport can partner to create even more peace of mind for travelers during these challenging times,” said Niraj Patel, Director of Rider Operations at Uber. “With physical distancing and public health top of mind, ExpressMatch was built to reduce wait times at the curb and we’re thrilled that the pilot has been so successful. San José Airport remains at the forefront of great customer experiences, and continues to be one of the most innovative when it comes to facilitating seamless ground transportation.”

ExpressMatch uses a first-of-its-kind technology to enhance service at airports while improving efficiency and consistency for riders. The program anticipates rider demand and requests drivers in advance to briefly wait directly at the Airport’s pickup curb or nearby pickup zone. It works by accounting for the amount of available curb space and rider demand at the Airport and issues an alert for drivers to proceed to the pickup curb only when there’s sufficient curb space available. Riders are then matched directly with a driver to enjoy faster, reliable matching.

Uber says the improved rider-access tool has served roughly half of their customers at SJC since the pilot was introduced at the Airport on September 1st.

About the author

Avatar of Harry Johnson

Harry Johnson

Harry Johnson has been the assignment editor for eTurboNews for mroe than 20 years. He lives in Honolulu, Hawaii, and is originally from Europe. He enjoys writing and covering the news.

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