Uber generally experiences its busiest period used in the evening, when many people use the service to travel into the city or back home from their workplace.
If you need to take a journey in the early hours of the morning, perhaps to catch a flight or get some extra hours in at the office, using Uber may seem like a good option.
In this guide, I’ll explain the reliability of using Uber for early morning pickups so that you can plan your journey with confidence.
Is Uber a 24/7 Service?
Yes, Uber is a 24/7 service, as Uber runs 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. In theory, there is no time period when you cannot use the service, and Uber can generally be relied on as a viable transportation option any time of day or night.
Uber is frequently used by people making their way back home after a night out, consequently, their drivers can choose to work into the early hours of the morning.
Additionally, Uber drivers can also begin their shift as early in the morning as they wish, with many preferring this to work late at night.
Why Location Matters
The most important factor to consider when using Uber for an early morning pickup is your location. Even though Uber is indeed a 24/7 service, that doesn’t guarantee that there will be drivers working at all hours in your area – sometimes you end up with the dreaded “No Cars Available“.
Your location impacts Uber’s service in the following ways:
- If you live in an urban area with a large population, and Uber is more likely to be available early in the morning
- If you live in a rural area with a lesser population, it’s more difficult to get an Uber early in the morning
If you’ve used Uber in the area from which you need to travel early in the morning, you’ve probably already got a good idea of the availability in your area.
Uber drivers are more likely to work in places where they are guaranteed customers, and this tends to be busy cities or towns. Many even travel from their hometowns to more densely populated areas to guarantee more work.
So if you’re hoping to use Uber’s service early in the morning, and you’re starting point is a major city, you should have no problems getting a ride.
Conversely, if you’re pickup point is a remote village in a quiet area, you’ll need to do some prior research to ensure that aren’t left disappointed on the morning of your travels.
Planning Ahead for Early Morning Pickups
Uber drivers are available “on-demand”. This essentially means that if you need a ride and there is a driver who is available at that moment, you should be able to book it.
People who use Uber regularly in a specific place are likely to be aware of the peak times and the availability of the drivers.
If you’re uncertain of whether many drivers are available early in the morning, there is a reliable method you can use to plan and determine whether Uber is a suitable choice for your transport.
Days before you require an early-morning ride, you can check the Uber app at the same time that you’ll be making your journey.
For example, if you need to take a trip to the airport on Saturday at 6 am, ideally, you should wake up early on the Saturday before that date, and check to see whether there are many Uber drivers available.
If it’s not possible to check a week in advance, you could check a couple of days before to gauge the business of Uber at 6 am.
The advantage to checking a week in advance is that many Uber drivers work the same shifts and hours each week, so the previous Saturday would likely provide a reliable prediction for the Saturday of your early morning travels.
Uber Scheduling
It’s worth briefly mentioning that Uber does offer a service that allows riders to pre-book their drivers. However, these “scheduled rides” are not guaranteed.
Uber states that they “actively monitor availability to ensure that a car will arrive during the time that you scheduled a ride, but cannot guarantee the scheduled ride.”
Many people use scheduling to pre-book their Uber’s, but I would keep in mind that there is a small chance that the driver will be unable to fulfill the service.
Conclusion – Does Uber Run 24/7? Is it Reliable for Early Morning Pickups?
On the whole, Uber is a reliable 24/7 service that many people use to travel in the early morning.
The reliability largely depends on the location from which you want to travel. Busier cities and urban areas are much more likely to have Uber drivers working there at all hours, compared to quieter rural areas.
The key is to do some prior research on the general availability of Uber drivers in your area at the time you intend to be traveling. That way, you can gain an insight into whether or not Uber is a suitable service for an early morning pickup.
