Expect surge pricing on Uber rides this New Year's Eve. Photograph via Shutterstock.
From its arrival in Washington two years ago, the Uber car service has been a hit, but New Year’s Eve may leave a sour taste with users. That’s because Uber uses so-called “surge” pricing—rates that rise with the demand for cars—on a night when nobody wants to drive.
On Monday, Uber sent out a tip sheet so passengers won’t suffer sticker shock when using the service this year. “We’ll have a record number of cars on the road,” Uber says in an email message, “but, that doesn’t change one simple fact: on NYE, everyone wants to move around the city at exactly the same time!” To solve the problem, “we use surge pricing.”
Here’s a few of their tips:
If you will be hit with a surge in price, the app will notify you in “big, bold print.”
To confirm, you will be asked to enter the surge multiplier “to make sure you know what to expect.”
A “fare split” feature will allow you to share the cost with other passengers who are Uber subscribers.
Here’s how they expect pricing to go throughout the festive evening:
Before 8 PM, normal prices
Between 8 and 10 PM, moderate surge
Between 10:30 PM and 12:15 AM, prices may go down because “Ubers are everywhere right before the ball drops.”
From 12:15 to 2:30 AM, expect the “most expensive” fares because “everyone is on the move at exactly the same time.”
After 3 AM, prices will quickly drop . . . but will you even notice?
Uber Issues a New Year’s Eve Warning: Expect High Prices
The taxi and black car service says it will use surge pricing on the holiday.
From its arrival in Washington two years ago, the Uber car service has been a hit, but New Year’s Eve may leave a sour taste with users. That’s because Uber uses so-called “surge” pricing—rates that rise with the demand for cars—on a night when nobody wants to drive.
On Monday, Uber sent out a tip sheet so passengers won’t suffer sticker shock when using the service this year. “We’ll have a record number of cars on the road,” Uber says in an email message, “but, that doesn’t change one simple fact: on NYE, everyone wants to move around the city at exactly the same time!” To solve the problem, “we use surge pricing.”
Here’s a few of their tips:
Here’s how they expect pricing to go throughout the festive evening:
Most Popular in News & Politics
PHOTOS: The 2024 White House Holiday Decor
PSA: It’s the Least Wonderful Night of the Year to Get Around Downtown DC
Does the RFK Campus Neighborhood Want a New Commanders Stadium? Yes and No.
Trump Wants to Move Federal Jobs Out of the DC Area. Here’s What It Was Like the Last Time He Did That.
A Strange Trip to John Hinckley’s Nonexistent Record Store
Washingtonian Magazine
December Issue: Learn Something New
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
Guest List: 5 People We’d Love to Hang Out With This December
What Does the DC “Love Is Blind” Tell Us About Life in the District?
The Lost History of a DC Black Neighborhood That Was Never Built
The “DMV Roving Sketcher” Is Like a Courtroom Artist for Local Musicians
More from News & Politics
Will Trump’s Wealthiest Cabinet Picks Buy These Five Multimillion-Dollar Listings Around DC?
Dr. Christine Trankiem Can Restart Your Heart With Her Hands
Clashes Are Coming for Trump Officials Dining Out in DC
Will Canada Get Statehood Before DC?
Spin Time Records Has Opened a Physical Store
Wonderland Books Is Now Open in Bethesda
Why Does Your Latte Cost So Much?
Ketanji Brown Jackson Is Making Her Broadway Debut