In the days before Super Bowl 50, some angry Uber drivers in the San Francisco Bay Area planned to protest the big game. On Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, the disgruntled drivers were hardly seen or heard from.
But that doesn’t mean Uber’s first attempt to be part of the mass transit solution to a Super Bowl exodus went off without a hitch. The startup reportedly paid up to $500,000 to be the Super Bowl’s first official ride-hailing partner, which came with a parking lot near the stadium from which Uber could stage drop offs pregame and pick ups after the Broncos upset the Panthers.
Overall, Uber calls the night was a success, with “thousands” more drop offs and pick ups than expected. The Uber app used geofencing to direct departing fans about a 15 minute walk to the lot, from which they lined up and requested rides just as they would normally. Uber employees on site let users find their car only once a match was made and the driver pulled in and parked.
“We had huge numbers of people use Uber on Super Bowl Sunday and during Super Bowl week, including new services like uberPOOL that help reduce congestion and pollution. It was great to be part of the celebrations, helping passengers get from A to B at the push of a button–and we’re pleased that partners had such a busy week,” Uber spokesperson Laura Zapata told FORBES.
Yet, as one might expect, the size of the crowd attempting to request a ride ballooned as the majority of stadium-goers exited following the trophy ceremony. Managing huge groups of tired (and drunk) people is difficult, although it’s a skill that Uber will need to learn as it aspires to eventually be akin to a mass transit option. In this case, the company wasn’t perfect.
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