Uber Flash is part of Uber’s on-demand delivery offerings. You can send objects and goods to your loved ones, friends, and/or relatives with the service. The package can include business documents and items that you sold online as well. The company decided to roll out the service in response to the global pandemic. Drivers are briefed to keep the deliveries contactless to ensure the maximum safety of all parties involved.
What items can be delivered via the service?
Uber is highly specific about what items can and cannot be delivered via this service. There exists a list of prohibited items which includes items such as alcohol, recreational drugs, fragile goods, commercially prepared food, sexual aids, weapons, etc.
As for admissible items, you can get any package delivered if it can fit in the trunk of a standard Uber vehicle. It is advisable to book Flash for items weighing a maximum of 10 kgs and costing no more than $500. Also, your package must be well secured and sealed to prevent damage during delivery. The driver can cancel any delivery request that does not abide by the company guidelines or contains a prohibited item.
How to request a delivery?
Requesting a Flash delivery is similar to booking a standard Uber ride.
- Visit your Uber application
- In the “Where to?” column, enter the departure and destination addresses.
- Similar to the standard trip, upon confirmation of your addresses, you can select “Flash” from the list of delivery offerings
- Tap “Confirm Flash”
- Upon confirmation, the app will match you with a driver and vehicle, the details of which will reflect on your screen
- Once the driver collects it, you can track the package over the application map
Where Is Uber Flash Available?
You can avail of the service in Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, and Colombia, Costa Rica. However, the services are not available countrywide yet. To further the expansion of Flash, Uber plans on acquiring Cornershop, a grocery-focused delivery business. The latter is operational in Miami, Dallas, and Toronto as of now. So, it is highly likely that Uber Flash will be available in the aforementioned cities as well.
Is this Uber Flash application the same as Uber Flash in Hong Kong?
No, the version of the Flash application in Hong Kong is an exception.
In all other serviceable locations, the service is part of Uber’s on-demand delivery offerings. A customer can request delivery of a certain package to a specified location while ensuring minimal contact. On the other hand, Hong Kong’s Uber Flash is a ride-sharing service. When you request a Flash trip, you may match with a Taxi (with a meter) or an UberX. The trip fares for the two will remain the same.
In addition, Uber Freight is also a different category of offering by Uber. Unlike Flash, it involves freight-based shipments and not the delivery of small, one-off packages.
What will happen if the receiver is not available at the dropoff point?
If the recipient does not show up at the dropoff destination, Uber Flash drivers can cancel the delivery after 10 minutes of their arrival. During that time, they contact the receiver via the application. If they are unresponsive, they can contact the sender for additional instructions. However, the driver is expected to be at the location for a maximum of 10 minutes before proceeding to cancel the order.