Gone are the days of lifting your thumb to hail a taxi. Though this practice hasn’t completely ended, everything has been made easy with just a touch of a screen.
Rideshare mobile services like Lyft and Uber make life a lot easier than before. You don’t have to worry about crowded buses or parking. However, with every great innovation, there is always a tiny glitch. Nothing sucks like getting caught up in surge pricing.
In addition, Uber started a gas surcharge
due to increased gas prices in Spring 2022. This forces a lot of riders to dig into their pocket; for example, you have to pay another $0.45 to $0.55 for every trip.
Uberpool, which was the cheaper means that pairs you with other customers, had to be put on hold due to COVID-19 precautions. So what next for riders? Everything seems to be more expensive as time passes by. But there is good news; you can still save that extra cash on your next trip with these four simple ways.
4 Ways to Beat Uber Surge Pricing
Ridesharing came to make life a bit easier; it’s been a part of everyone’s life. However, catching an Uber isn’t as affordable as it used to be before. Lucky for you, these four hacks will help you beat Uber surge pricing in a snap of a finger.
1. Time Your Uber Right
Uber uses algorithms to determine their prices depending on demand levels. High demand leads to a price surge which takes effect under different circumstances. These circumstances may include bad weather, rush hour, or at the end of big events such as concerts and games.
So the next time you want to grab an Uber, give yourself time for the prices to go down. Uber updates its pricing as per the demand. Once the demand reduces, the prices equally reduce within minutes.
2. Create an Account with the Uber Driver App
This is another way you avoid surge pricing. The process is simple and only takes a couple of minutes. And no, you don’t need to be an Uber driver to create an account with them. Ensure you do that before heading out to your event or destination.
Once you have signed up via the app, you can then open it to check the map in your area to check the streets. Colours usually change for different neighbourhoods when surge pricing is in effect.
The colours range from light orange to deep red, signifying different price ranges. For example, light orange shows an increased price within normal rates, while deep red indicates double to triple the normal price. This helps Uber drivers know where to hunt for more money.
Having this app allows you to walk away from surge areas with ease. You can then switch back to Uber rider and order your Uber once you’ve reached a safe area at an affordable price.
3. Purchase an Uber One Pass
This subscription rolled out in 2021, where Uber gives its riders discounts on fares and priority pick-ups. This favours you if you’re a frequent Uber rider or you if you order most of your meals via Uber Eats.
This subscription saves you up to 5% during the surge pricing hours. All you need to do is sign up before your next ride.
Signing up is easy and fast and will only cost you $9.99 monthly. There is also a yearly subscription option that goes for $100. The app allows you a free 30-day trial if you want to test it before purchasing it.
4. Try Another Ridesharing App
Lucky for riders, there are other ridesharing apps available other than Uber. Lyft is another popular ridesharing app with its version of surge pricing. You can compare the different apps to see what price favours you.
If you find neither Lyft nor Uber favours you, you can try out other available apps in the market, such as Scoop. This app allows you to carpool with a neighbour or co-worker.
Alternatively, you can choose to go the old-school way and get a taxi. Although, now you can get apps like Curb and Flywheel, which connect you with licensed taxi services available near you.
Wingz is another app you can try out, especially if you’re looking to rush to the airport or go home from a long flight at the airport. The best part about Wingz is that you can schedule them up to two months in advance. Hence, you can be sure you won’t miss your flight, plus you save a lot of cash as they don’t use surge pricing.
