Uber General Manager Discusses Expansion To Rockford [AUDIO]

A few months ago, Riley & I talked with Chris Taylor, general manager of Uber, about pending ride-sharing legislation in Illinois. During the course of the conversation, Taylor told us Rockford was on a list of possible expansion cities for the service.

And now, officially, uberX is available in six new cities across the state, including Urbana/Champaign, Bloomington/Normal, Aurora, and Rockford. Taylor told us more than 200 drivers already have passed Uber’s background checks and are ready to hit the road in the new areas.

So how does it all work?

When a rider requests a ride through the free Uber smartphone app, he or she sees available cars in on a map. The nearest driver is alerted of the ride request and is given the rider’s pick up location. The rider then receives detailed information about the driver, including his or her first name, photo and Uber rating, and the vehicle’s make, model, and license plate number....When the rider reaches his or her destination, they are automatically billed for the ride through a seamless, cashless transaction.

We talked again with Chris Taylor this week on the show. He expressed his excitement about the company's expansion and the opportunity to be in Rockford. Here's the full conversation: