Uber riders post NYE bill on social media, complain of high fares
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- More than 2 million people used the Uber rideshare service on New Year's Eve, even if that meant paying steep prices. In some cities, the price was as much as six times the normal rate.
Some of those Uber passengers posted their bills on social media the next day stating they paid too much for the service.
One rider posted a copy of his receipt showing $117.51 for a trip that was less than 5 miles in Westchester, Pennsylvania.
The rideshare company sent out an email warning potential riders of the surge in prices during peak hours, which were between 12:30 a.m. and 4 a.m.
In a blog post released Friday, Uber stated that the demand for the service increased by 180 percent between 12:01 a.m. and 12:30 a.m. According to the post, more than 100,000 people were in an Uber car by midnight.
During peak hours, Uber drivers averaged more than 58 trips per second. Over 50 percent of "surged" trips happened between 12:30 a.m. and 2:30 a.m., with some passengers paying more than $100 for going just a few miles.
As many as 20,000 people downloaded the Uber application after midnight and more than 120,000 riders carpooled and split the cost of the ride using the app, according to the blog post.
