Uber kicks off bus-like 'Smart Routes' in San Francisco

Uber is now testing out bus-like "Smart Routes" throughout San Francisco, with the ridesharing giant offering discounts on rides if passengers don't mind being picked and dropped off along popular roads.

The new feature is for UberPool users, with Smart Routes showing up on Uber's app as green lines. UberPool users who want to use these new Smart Routes will have to walk to meet an UberPool driver that is driving along those specific routes, and will be offered $1 or more off of the cost of the journey.

Uber adds that these new Smart Routes are part of the company's "ongoing efforts to increase the efficiency of driver-partners' time spent on the road while helping riders save time and money". As for the drivers, they will be operating along these Smart Routes acting like a more personal, but smaller bus service. UberPool kicked off last year offering Uber customers the change of splitting costs by driving with strangers, but these discounts might it a very viable alternative to public transport.