If you’re an Uber driver, then you know that UberX and UberXL are the most popular options.
But what if you could offer more services to your customers?
With Uber Connect and Uber Direct, you can.
In this article, we’ll discuss all the details about Uber Connect: pricing, availability, and how drivers can use it to deliver packages to their customers.
What Is Uber Connect?
Uber Connect is a service level on the Uber app that allows drivers to deliver packages to their customers.
It’s similar to Uber Eats, but with Uber Connect, drivers pick up and drop off packages instead of food.
With this shipping option, you don’t need to worry about paying for postage, printing shipping labels, driving to the post office, or waiting a few days to get packages where they need to go.
You don’t need to worry as much about package dimensions and weight.
All you do is pack things up, open the Uber app, select Uber Connect, and wait for your driver to arrive.
Hand the package over and let Uber take care of the rest.
Local deliveries take minutes instead of days.
How Fast Is Uber Connect?
The time it takes to deliver a package will depend on the size of the package, traffic, and distance.
Uber promises that most deliveries will complete within 30 minutes.
Unlike options such as Amazon Flex, UPS, or FedEx, you can send and receive packages quickly on the same day.
It’s similar to you hopping in your car to drive across town to deliver the birthday cake to your cousin’s party, for example.
The difference is that an Uber driver does all the work for you.
How Does Uber Connect Work?
As a customer, you’ll see a list of available drivers.
You can then choose to place an Uber Connect order, just as you would order an Uber vehicle.
Once you’re matched with a driver, they will see the package’s destination address and instructions in the app.
What items are prohibited from Uber Connect?
You can’t ship anything illegal, dangerous, or fragile.
Here’s the complete breakdown of Uber Connect’s prohibited item list.
- Animals and people
- Alcohol
- Weapons, firearms, and ammunition
- Pharmaceutical products, supplements, vitamins, and over-the-counter medications
- Perishable food or beverages (dairy products or raw meat)
- Drug paraphernalia, recreational drugs, or tobacco products
- Gift cards, money, transferable securities, or lottery tickets
- Fragile items
- Stolen goods
- Pornographic or obscene material or sexual aids
- Hazardous materials, including flammable or poisonous materials
- Livestock, blood, fluids, animal parts, or regulated species (prohibited seeds, for instance)
- Any item you don’t have explicit permission to send
Pro Tip: you can use Uber Pharmacy for delivering over-the-counter meds.
How Much Does Uber Connect Cost?
Uber Connect is priced similar to the cost of an Uber ride.
This includes fees such as a base fare, minimum fare, and more.
You’ll pay this minimum amount regardless of the trip’s distance and time factors.
If an Uber driver must wait longer than two minutes at the pickup location, then Uber adds $0.35 per minute to the trip’s time calculation.
The app reveals the estimated price of your trip before you accept it.
Here is an example breakdown of Uber Connect’s fare prices.
Example Uber Connect Prices
- Base fare: $1.44
- Per minute: $.034
- Per mile: $1.07
- Booking fee: $3.45
- Long pickup fee: $0.61
As an Uber Connect customer, you’re provided with a general sense of the costs involved, but as a rule of thumb, you’ll pay higher costs for long trips.
Where Is Uber Connect Available?
Initially, Uber Connect started in 25 cities in the United States, Australia, Canada, and Mexico.
Currently, it’s available in over 5,000 select cities throughout these countries.
You’ll need to open the Uber app to find out if it’s available where you live.
List of Available Cities
While we can’t list all the cities where you can find Uber Technologies offering the Uber Connect delivery service, here are a few known locations.
- Los Angeles
- Tampa Bay
- San Francisco
- New York City
- Oakland
- San Diego
- New Orleans
- Baltimore
- Dallas
- Phoenix
- Orlando
- Denver
- San Antonio
- Washington D.C.
In Australia, you can find package delivery via Uber Connect in these cities.
- Townsville
- Cairns
- Brisbane
- Melbourne
- Darwin
- Perth
- Adelaide
- Geelong
You’ll find the service in Mexico throughout these cities.
- Ciudad Juárez
- Mexico City
- Puerto Vallarta
- Los Cabos
- Merida
- Puebla
- Tijuana
- San Luis
- Potosi
- Torreon
How to Ship Something With Uber Connect
It’s a simple process when shipping something with Uber Connect as a customer.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Open the Uber app and sign in to your account
- Select Uber Connect
- Agree to the terms and conditions
- Confirm that your package doesn’t contain prohibited items
- Enter your pickup location
- Select a package size
- Choose a drop-off location
- Provide the recipient’s name when prompted to do so
- Review the cost estimate on the next screen
- Confirm your order
You’ll see the following information as you confirm your order.
- The estimated time it will take for the driver to arrive
- The price of shipping
- A map with the pickup and dropoff locations
After confirming your order, Uber will assign a nearby driver to pick up and deliver your package.
You’ll get a notification when the driver arrives at the pickup location.
Uber Connect provides an option to give your driver special instructions.
Make sure to prepare your package properly.
Secure it so that nothing falls out of the box.
You can only ship packages that weigh 30 pounds or less with Uber Connect.
Meet the driver at your pickup location.
Make sure you see the driver take possession of the package and place it in the vehicle.
Tell the recipient to meet the driver to take delivery of the package.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although Uber Connect provides a relatively simple way to ship packages, you may have a few questions.
Let’s review four common questions about Uber Connect.
Can you use Uber Connect for food?
No. You can’t use Uber Connect to ship food.
However, you can use Uber Eats to have food delivered by a driver.
Does Uber Connect pick up packages for people?
Yes, Uber Connect is a package delivery service.
Uber expects customers to meet their drivers curbside so that the Uber driver doesn’t need to find parking.
If there’s a problem with doing so, let the driver know in the special instructions area of the app.
Clearly state to the driver where they can safely park, get out of the vehicle, and find you.
Can you “deliver” passengers with Uber Connect?
No. You can’t ship people with Uber Connect.
It only allows drivers to deliver packages.
Uber Connect for Drivers
While working as an Uber driver, you can add Uber Connect to your regular UberX, Uber Eats, and other driving duties.
How Much Do Uber Connect Drivers Make?
Uber doesn’t release detailed information about how much drivers make with Uber Connect.
However, you can expect to earn similar commissions as when making UberX, UberXL, Uber Eats, and other Uber trips.
Your pay depends on how long the trip takes and the miles you drive during its duration.
Typically, you can expect to earn $5 to $20 per trip.
It’s important to provide great customer service to receive tips and keep a high driver rating.
Tips will help you earn more than the average Uber driver.
Is It Worth It To Drive for Uber Connect?
You might wonder how well Uber Connect works to help you earn more income as an Uber driver.
Let’s look at the pros and cons.
Pros of Driving for Uber Connect
- Uber Connect adds a way to make extra money
- It’s a flexible gig that you can do on your own time
- You can work as much or as little as you want
Cons of Driving for Uber Connect
- Uber Connect is only available in select cities
- You might need to drive long distances to deliver packages
- You may find parking difficult in busy locations
How to Sign Up for Uber Connect
It’s simple to sign up to drive for Uber Connect.
The service isn’t available in every city.
If it’s available in your area, then Uber will send an invitation through the app or via email.
Step-by-Step Instructions to Sign Up
If you see an email invitation or a notification in the Uber app’s Work Hub, click to accept the offer.
You will need to agree to the new terms Uber reveals about the Uber Connect program.
That’s it.
You’re now ready to start accepting Uber Connect trips.
How to Deliver a Package Using Uber Connect
Agreeing to take on an Uber Connect trip is similar to accepting any other Uber driving opportunity.
Here are the steps.
- Accept the trip inside the Uber app.
- Drive to the pickup location.
- The customer sending the package will meet you at the door and hand you the package.
- Drive to the dropoff location.
- Deliver the package to the recipient.
You’ll see the following information as you deliver the package.
- Recipient’s name
- Drop off address
- Options for sending messages inside the app or by calling them
Uber asks drivers to contact the sender if the recipient isn’t at the dropoff location.
Wait five minutes before telling the sender that you can’t find the recipient.
Go to the delivery details in the Uber app and click on the three dots to contact the sender.
You can message or call them.
The sender or recipient can choose two options if you’re having difficulty delivering the package.
First, they can ask you to leave the package at the recipient’s door.
However, they must do so in writing within the app.
Make sure they do it because this protects you if they can’t find the package later.
Second, they can tell you to drive the package back to the sender’s location.
If this happens, Uber will pay you for the return trip.
If you can’t get a hold of the sender or recipient after waiting for more than five minutes, Uber asks you to contact Uber Support for help.
You can do so inside the app.
Wrapping Up
Uber Connect is a simple, convenient way to ship packages.
It also represents an additional way for Uber drivers to earn additional income.
If you’re a customer, open the app and give Uber Connect a try today.
Accept an invitation to drive for Uber Connect as an Uber driver to earn more through the app.
As a consumer, I like to know MY total cost: I priced this out for a 10-mile trip taking 20 minutes: Total cost to me $22.39. I can imagine accepting that under special circumstances, but it seems it can be a lot of money, particularly if the trip takes long time due to traffic.
From the Uber driver point of view, it doesn’t seem like a lot of revenue. I certainly would not be induced by this sort of revenue.
As a driver, this is as much or more than a XL ride in OKC. I’d happily take this all day over normal rides with humans, less concern, more money. No worries of messes, no worries of attitudes, no worries of any possible BS we have to deal with on a daily basis.
Special circumstances are certainly the reason for using this service. Couriers already exist, such as to deliver home title documents or other legal paperworks. I believe these prices are comparable or lower.
As for the driver, the benefit may be debatable. However, there are hundreds of thousands of drivers across the country who feel rates are already good enough to drive, especially with tips.
It’s a win-win for everyone. ☺️
Uber Connect is also available in Las Vegas, Nevada.
If the sender is paying $22, the driver will maybe get $12-14. Definitely not worth the effort. As a driver, it needs to be worth the gas and use of my car, just like with a rider.
How do you know you’re not delivering something like drugs or a bomb? Just take the customer at their word?
Uber don’t care they just say they do.
I attempted to use Uber Connect without success from both my home address and work address. It seems like not many drivers are interested in providing this service in the greater Cincinnati, Ohio area. True it was sending some packages to family members in south Dayton, but especially from my office it doesn’t take that long, about 45 minutes. Not sure what the answer is. I thought it was a great idea.