UBER has been called out by furious riders over alleged price gouging.
They claim the rideshare company is specifically increasing costs for those residents of a prominent US city during the holidays.
Uber has come under fire over claims of price surges (stock image)[/caption]
Several New York City residents have cried out over the costs this month[/caption]
Several complaints have surfaced online recently about Uber in New York City.
Customers have argued trips that used to cost them around $65 were now over $220.
If accurate, that’s about a 29% uptick.
“I woke up to a really fun surprise on Friday morning when I saw this,” rider Lindsay (@ladylindsayyy) noted in a clip on TikTok in December.
Lindsay attached a screenshot of her ride receipt, which showed about a 40-minute trip from Manhattan.
The total was $226.11, a significant increase from what it had been in previous months, according to her.
“This is price gouging at its finest,” she fumed.
“It’s just gotten worse and worse.”
As most riders know, prices will fluctuate depending on the time of day and during certain areas, depending on driver availability and other factors, especially in New York City.
Still, Lindsay claimed that there were “plenty” of other Uber drivers around, meaning the availability wouldn’t be a problem.
“I noticed a trend since the pandemic of the price just going up and up,” she told viewers.
“It used to be a $65 ride, and look at where we’re at.”
The U.S. Sun has contacted Uber for comment on the claims.
She still isn’t alone, either.
Uber’s new features
Uber has introduced several new features ahead of the busy holiday season. They include:
- UberXXL – vehicles with larger trunk space that the company insists are perfect for trips to the airport
- UberX Share at airports – so you can pay a lower fare en route to your destination
- New Uber Reserve features – to let rideshare customers schedule airport rides in advance
- Updates to the Uber Shuttle at LaGuardia Airport – which allows people to grab a shared ride from Manhattan to the airport
- Home Screen Widget for iPhone – to request a ride right from your phone’s home screen
RIDER RAGE
Another rider, Carolyn (@carolynagallagher), claimed in a TikTok video that her trip to get a manicure was $75 in Manhattan.
“It’s 10 blocks away from my apartment,” she said.
“I can’t be the only one who thinks this is absurd.”
This sentiment was echoed by a rider named Alec (@aceeisenberg) in a separate clip, who claimed his Uber trip from Tribeca to Soho, a 10-minute drive, was $80.
“Is this happening everywhere else, or is it just New York City?” Alec asked.
LAW IN EFFECT
After a new law just passed in Minnesota to increase the wages of drivers for Uber and Lyft, New Yorkers seemingly won’t be alone.
Both rideshare companies confirmed price hikes of about 25% due to the legislation.
Uber also recently confirmed a major partnership with Olive Garden, which too comes with a price bump.
Earlier this summer, Uber even made a massive deal with the world’s second-largest EV maker.
