When the party’s over tonight in the first hours of 2015, sloshed revelers in need of a car ride have options to avoid sky-high surge pricing on New Year’s Eve from Uber and other taxi apps.
Uber is already warning customers that demand and fare prices will be at their highest between 12:30 a.m. and 2:30 a.m.
A company rep said Uber is expecting its drivers worldwide—there are about 10,000 of them in New York City—to make 2 million trips; its website suggests requesting a car “right when the ball drops at midnight” or later in the night. Lyft also has its Prime Time that jacks up fares during high demand.
Another company, Gett, is trying to lure customers by ditching surge pricing for the New Year’s celebration with flat $10 rides within Manhattan. The app is free, but while it promises better prices, it can’t guarantee no wait time.
“Extremely high demand is part of New Year’s Eve in the city, and even with thousands of cars on the road, delays will be common,” Ron Srebro, Gett USA CEO, told amNewYork. The company’s flat fee will go up in January, but they have pledged not to turn to surge pricing.
Of course, the subway is still $2.50.
— With Nina Ruggiero
