Uber won’t just take you where you want to go, a driver will also bring you exactly what you want to eat. But what if they could just fix that pesky leaking tap, or mount a television too?
That’s the latest innovation from the disruptive Silicon Valley ride-hailing company. Some users in Florida and Canada will soon be able to order Uber Tasks, to carry out handyman-style work in the home.
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The pilot scheme sounds a lot like IKEA-owned TaskRabbit, the website that matches users with people who can carry out tasks like assembling furniture, decorating, and moving.
The limited Uber Tasks trial, first reported by Bloomberg on Monday, will enable drivers and couriers to opt in to help users with household tasks, such as those mentioned above. They drivers will also mow the lawns for you, or help out with laundry. In Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, they’ll be able to help you with snow removal.
“This small pilot is the newest way for drivers and couriers to put their skills to work and earn on their own schedule,” an Uber spokesperson said. “We’re always thinking about how to bring people more ways to earn with Uber.”
It’s likely that drivers will be able to set their own one of fees per task carried out, a la TaskRabbit. Furniture assembly prices start at $49, while you can get a telly mounted from $69, for example.
Should Uber launch the pilot more widely, it may represent a threat to TaskRabbit, but it’ll likely take a while for those drivers to build up enough positive reviews for homeowners to place their trust in the guy who usually just drops them off at the pub – as talented as he may be in other aspects of his life.
