COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – The ride-sharing company Uber is increasing prices for rides and deliveries as gas prices continue to rise across the country.
Starting Wednesday, customers should expect to see an additional 0.45 cents or 0.55 cents for each Uber trip and either 0.35 cents or 0.45 cents for each Uber Eats order. Uber tells 11 News the reason for the increase is the gas price increase and will give this money to their drivers. “We wanted to make sure that we’re making up for those historic increases,” says Harry Hartfield, Public Affairs for Uber Colorado. “We do want to make sure that we’re striking a balance and that our services are available in reliable for people who need it but at the same time we also have to make it worth well for drivers.”
This increase will be in effect for the next 60 days and then Uber will re-evaluate if it should remain in place or end.
Click here to read more on this surcharge.
Hartfield also tells 11 News, Coloradans could see even more of a price increase over the next few months. Starting in July, Coloradans who ride in an Uber will reportedly have to pay an additional 0.35 cents that would be passed onto riders. State lawmakers are also reportedly considering an uninsured motorist insurance bill, HB 1089, that would add another charge onto the Uber ride.
“It requires a very large insurance of 1 million dollars of what we called uninsured motorist insurance. Only 10 states in the country have that requirement and two of them are actually lowing that because it’s so expensive; So Colorado is the only state going in a different direction,” says Hartfield.
The bill was passed by the House on its third reading and was introduced into the Senate in February. Officials say they are still discussing the bill and the price increase wouldn’t happen for at least the next few months.
In the end, all these additional charges will help Uber and their drivers if the prices of gas continue to increase.
“I would encourage customers to remember that this is all going to the driver in the front seat and we want to make sure that those people who are out there working really hard are making a good wage and that’s what this is about,” says Hartfield. “We are trying to do right by our drivers and to make sure that working on our platform remains worthwhile for our drivers and for our customers as well.”
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