What is Uber Connect and how to use it

Uber may have started out as a ride-sharing app but it quickly branched out. With driving partners in place, only ferrying people around leaving business opportunities on the table. Uber Eats followed and made it easy to have food delivered to your door at any time of day. The logical next step was package delivery, which is where Uber Connect comes in.

In this short guide, we’ll run you through what Uber Connect is and how you can use it.

What is Uber Connect?

Uber Connect is a same-day package delivery service. It’s like using Uber in the usual manner, in that you request a driver through the app. But instead of getting into the car yourself, you just hand over the package you want to deliver, and it will be driven to your chosen destination. That allows you to send almost anything from one location to another in the local area, usually within an hour. No driving across town yourself or messing around with postage.

The utility of this service is quite obvious. If a friend accidentally leaves something important at your place, you can send it back to them quickly. If you pick up a birthday gift at the last minute but don’t have time to drop it off yourself, Uber Connect is an obvious and low-hassle solution.

Businesses can benefit too. If you have many products to deliver daily, Uber Connect might not be the most affordable solution as prices for delivery are comparable to traveling in an Uber yourself. But it is a useful tool to have available for the occasional transport of important documents or packages.

What type of packages does Uber Connect deliver?

It is easier to define what Uber Connect doesn’t deliver. Any package can be sent as long as it is under a monetary value of $100 and doesn’t fall into one of the prohibited categories. For practical reasons, it must also weigh under 30 lbs and fit comfortably in the trunk of a car.

That said, the list of prohibited items that you can’t send via Uber connect is more wide-ranging than you might expect. Here are the main categories of restricted items:

• People and animals;
• Any kind of alcoholic beverage;
• Regulated species such as noxious weeds, plants, and prohibited seeds;
• Illegal or stolen items;
• Firearms, weapons, ammunition, and their parts;
• Perishable food and drinks such as raw meat and dairy;
• Recreational drugs, drug paraphernalia, or tobacco products;
• Prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, or vitamins and supplements;
• Money, gift cards, lottery tickets, coins, traveler’s cheques, and anything else of high intrinsic value, such as precious stones;
• Hazardous materials and goods, though household cleaning chemicals are allowed;
• Fragile items:
• Sexual aids or obscene or pornographic material.

It’s worth noting that Uber does not take any responsibility for loss or damage to a package and does not cover them with an insurance policy, so sending something is at your own risk.

Where is Uber Connect available?

Uber Connect was initially launched in 25 cities across the United States, Australia, Canada, and Mexico. It was a product of Uber diversifying during the pandemic in 2020, and it has since expanded to thousands of cities throughout those countries. In the US alone, Uber Connect is available in 6,000 towns and cities.

There is no reference list covering the exact locations in which Uber Connect is available. You’ll have to open the Uber app to find out if it is an option in your area. If you live in a metropolis of any significant size in the US, then it’s more likely than not that the service will be available to you.

How to use Uber Connect

Using Uber Connect is very intuitive and mainly involves following in-app instructions. Here’s a quick rundown of the steps:

1. Prepare your package, ensuring that it is securely shut.
2. Open the Uber app. It is available for free download on Android and iOS.
3. Tap on Uber Connect, represented by a package icon. Agree to the terms and conditions, and confirm that your package doesn’t contain any prohibited items.
4. Supply delivery instructions, including the pickup location, package size, drop-off location, and recipient’s name.
5. You’ll next review the cost estimate. If you’re happy, tap to confirm your order. The app will locate a nearby driver and provide you with a pick-up time.
6. You can track the driver’s progress in the app, but you’ll get a notification when they arrive at the pickup location.
7. Meet the driver and hand over the package, ensuring that they place it in the vehicle.
8. Advise the recipient to meet the driver at the arrival time to take delivery of the package.

And if you’re happy with the service after delivery, don’t forget to tip the driver — the facility is available in the app, and most of the driving partners aren’t exactly killing it with the fares alone.