Create a Subscription Ride Pass for Uber Riders, With Pricing and Success Metrics
Company: Uber
Role: Product Manager
Category: Product Design & Strategy
Difficulty: medium
Interview Round: Other
As a product manager at Uber, you are asked to design a riding pass: something riders buy in advance that gives them a benefit on the rides they take while it is valid.
Walk through whom the pass is for, what it includes, how it is priced and booked, and how you would know whether it is working.
```hint Every pass ride still needs a driver
A pass changes what a rider pays and how often they ride, but each ride still has to be served. Think about who gains when riders commit in advance, and what happens when many pass holders want rides in the same busy hour.
```
### Clarifying Questions
- What is the main goal: more rides from existing riders, winning riders from competitors such as Lyft, or more predictable revenue?
- Which riders and cities are in scope: daily commuters in large cities, occasional riders, or everyone?
- Which ride types should the pass cover: the standard tier only, shared rides, or premium cars too?
- Must drivers' pay per trip stay the same for pass rides, or can the pass change what drivers earn?
### What a Strong Answer Covers
- A stated goal for the pass and a chosen rider segment, with the reasoning.
- Concrete pass mechanics: what is included, limits, validity, and how pass rides are booked and served, compared with at least one alternative design.
- Pricing and unit economics: who funds the discount, how much extra riding is needed to break even, and the risk of discounting rides heavy riders would take anyway.
- Effects on drivers and on riders without a pass, especially at peak hours.
- Success metrics with guardrails, and a pilot or experiment that measures incremental rides.
### Follow-up Questions
- Most early buyers turn out to be riders who already rode every day, and total rides barely rise. What do you change?
- Pass holders all want rides at the morning commute peak, when drivers are already scarce. How do you keep the pass's promise without hurting other riders?
- Should the pass have the same terms in every city, or vary by market? How would you decide?
Overview: Design a riding pass for Uber riders: who should buy it, what it includes, and how it is priced and booked. It tests segment choice, pass mechanics, unit economics and cannibalization risk, effects on drivers and peak supply, and the metrics and experiment that show whether the pass adds rides.