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

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

The company unveils its cheapest ride option yet, price-lock features, prepaid ride bundles, and dining deals as part of a push to attract budget-conscious users. Uber is on Wednesday launching its own version of a bus system along busy routes,