- Uber has introduced passenger and luggage limits for South African riders.
- The luggage limits don’t really exist as luggage is allowed at all tiers.
- Uber says these limitations aim to make rides safer and more comfortable for drivers and riders alike.
Have you ever seen an Uber stop only for an impossible amount of people to climb out of it? That seems to be a real problem for Uber as it has, this week, announced passenger and luggage limits for South African customers.
The luggage restrictions, while mentioned, aren’t relevant as every level of Uber’s tiered ride options allows passengers to bring luggage along. Obviously.
However, the maximum number of passengers in each ride tier is important to note, as they are quite restrictive. You can see the limitations in the table below.
| Maximum Passengers | Luggage Permitted? | |
| Uber Go | 2 passengers | ✅ Yes |
| Uber X | 3 passengers | ✅ Yes |
| Uber Comfort | 3 passengers | ✅ Yes |
| Uber Black | 3 passengers | ✅ Yes |
| Uber XL | 6 passengers | ✅ Yes |
| Uber Van | 7 passengers | ✅ Yes |
“We want every trip to go smoothly, which is why we’ve implemented passenger and luggage restrictions in South Africa. These limits help to manage comfort, space, and safety – especially when luggage is involved,” Uber South Africa told customers via email this week.
Truthfully, these restrictions make sense even if we suspect some riders are going to be upset that the Uber X they hired to take them 1km down the road won’t allow them to turn it into their own personal clown car.
While these limitations are listed as “advisory”, it does give drivers a bit more power when it comes to telling customers they can’t take more passengers than Uber’s guidance dictates.
Uber does note that riders should check the passenger and luggage limitations individual drivers may have by messaging the driver when booking the trip.
Take note of the above as we move into the Easter holidays.
In other Uber news, riders in Braamfontein, Melville, Greenside, Brixton, Mayfair, Fordsburg, Rossmore, Langlaagte, Richmond and the University of Johannesburg can now make use of Uber Moto. This ride option is on the back of a motorbike, and it is cheaper, even if it’s a bit riskier. Drivers are required to have an additional helmet and hairnet, so you don’t have to bring your own.
You can read more about Uber Moto here.
