The company says it will be up to 50 percent less expensive than taking an UberX. Uber offers the example of a ride from the Upper West Side to the Lower East Side of Manhattan: while a normal UberX trip would cost $38, the Route Share version would only set you back $19.

A new Uber service will operate shuttles in select cities along set routes, offering pickups every 20 minutes.

Several online commentators and news outlets have pointed out that Uber's new offering bears striking similarities to traditional public transport, particularly buses.