If you're thinking about picking up an Uber cab today, think twice, cause you'll pay twice the usual rate.
Because of the company's surge pricing strategy, today's fares (as of late afternoon) are about twice what they normally are for an Uber black car. Surge pricing causes fares to skyrocket during inconvenient times, such as a snowstorm or a holiday, giving Uber drivers more of an incentive to be on the road. The theory is, if weather is bad, more people are going to want rides; conversely, when the weather is bad, Uber drivers aren't going want to pick people up, opting to stay home and sip on hot chocolate while watching Breaking Bad reruns like the rest of us.
The last time surge pricing caught people off guard was NYE. The company warned people about surge pricing with a notification when they opened the app, but many passengers were surprised with $200 or more in charges for routes they usually take at much more reasonable prices.
The fares are continually going up.
Within ten minutes, fares jumped from twice the normal amount, to 2.5 times more for a black car. So keep checking the app before you hitch that ride.
