Suffice it to say ride-sharing service Uber has not been universally acclaimed, let alone accepted, around the U.S. and parts of the world. But in North Carolina, perhaps the best-known and controversial poster child for the “sharing economy” has found a market that’s proving to be bountiful.

Some examples:

  • 5 million trips in two years
  • Drivers had earned some $50 million
  • Wait times are down drastically
  • Uber demand surges at the same times most DUIs are recorded

More good news may be coming. Two recent significant developments could very well boost Uber’s fast-growing presence across the Triangle and North Carolina:

  • New state legislation took effect Oct. 1 to tighten regulation on ride-sharing.
  • And as of Dec. 1, Uber has a deal in place for pickups at RDU International Airport. Now, Uber looks for more drivers – and business.

First, let’s look at the agreement with RDU where Uber faced stubborn resistance to its drivers.

Travelers to and from Raleigh-Durham International Airport now an easier time getting a ride from Uber. The airport has designated a staging area for Uber drivers, much like the one they have for taxi cabs, that allows drivers to wait for fares and serve passengers on a first-come, first-served basis.

Passengers can meet their Uber drivers in the “Prearranged Services” areas outside Terminals 1 and 2. RDU will charge Uber passengers a $1 fee, to be added to their fare. Uber XL riders will pay $1.50. (See photo with this post for more details.)

Regulating Uber, others

Then there is the state legislation, which Uber had advocated.

Arathi Mehrotra, general manager of Uber North Carolina, says the bill is good news for the company, regulators, drivers and riders.

“The TNC [transport network company] bill, which took effect on October 1, 2015, is a modern, common sense approach to regulating ride-sharing across the state,” Mehrotra tells WTW.

“Senate Bill 541 supports much-needed transportation innovation by establishing consistent, common sense regulations for TNCs across North Carolina. It promotes choice and opportunity by enabling access to more transportation options for riders, and greater economic opportunity for drivers.”

Opponents such as taxi companies have decried Uber’s advantages as a largely unregulated competitor. But legislators believe the new law helps level the playing field while also helping boost safety. Mehrotra agrees.

“This bill codified into law for the entire industry many of the safety standards that have attracted both riders and drivers to TNCs – including rigorous, mandatory background checks for all drivers and $1.5 million of liability insurance on every ride,” she explains.

However, the bill doesn’t impact fares, so Mehrotra reminds riders to check rates. Plus, they are not uniform by market. For example, riders in Charlotte are charged differently than those in Raleigh.

Strong growth across the state

Uber recently published a series of statistics to show just how much its business has grown over the past two years.

  • Two-thirds of NC residents has access to Uber
  • More than 23,000 job opportunities have been created through Uber
  • Driver-partners have taken home nearly $50 million in the past 2 years
  • UberMILITARY partners have earned nearly $4 million across NC
  • Average wait time for an Uber has shrunk from over 8 minutes in October 2013 to just over 5 minutes two years later.
  • Uber riders have referred the service to over 450,000 of their friends—that’s over 15x the undergraduate student population at UNC.
  • Driver-partners across the state have logged nearly 30 million miles
  • Uber ride requests peak at the same time DUI incidents are at their highest.

“Since we launched in North Carolina in 2013, we’ve seen incredible growth across the state,” Mehrotra points out.

“Over the past two years, our thousands of dedicated driver-partners have completed more than 5 million trips in North Carolina, and have taken home nearly $50 million ($4 million of which has gone to UberMILITARY partners). We’re thrilled that two-thirds of North Carolina residents have access to Uber, and that the platform has created more than 23,000 job opportunities across the Tar Heel state.

“Riders and drivers have truly embraced Uber and we’re proud to operate in 14 markets across North Carolina.”