Uber is bringing discounted rides to more cities with Ride Pass, its monthly subscription service that comes with a number of perks, chief of them fixed fares — that is, pricing for UberX, Uber Pool, and Express Pool rides that's unaffected by changes in traffic or other fluctuating factors.
Uber Expands Ride Pass
Ride Pass is coming to more than a dozen new cities, and it will include electric bike and scooters moving forward as well.
Below are the cities where Ride Pass will be available following the expansion:
• New York City, New York
• Dallas, Texas
• San Diego, California
• Seattle, Washington
• San Antonio, Texas
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Orange County, California
• Baltimore, Maryland
• New Orleans, Louisiana
• Nashville, Tennessee
• Portland, Oregon
• Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
• St. Louis, Missouri
• Jacksonville, Florida
• Memphis, Tennessee
They join Los Angeles, Austin, Orlando, Denver, and Miami, which were the five launch cities.
Upped Fees
The catch is Uber will increase the price for customers in these aforementioned new cities. While Austin, Orlando, and Miami customers will remain unaffected by the price hike, new customers will have to pay $24.99 a month. But Uber says that goes a long way, potentially saving riders up to 15 percent of their overall monthly travel.
As previously mentioned, Ride Pass fares aren't affected by typical events that cause Uber ride fares to increase, such as weather, traffic, or surge pricing. More importantly, there's no limit on the number of rides a customer can take per month.
Uber will cover the difference, as drivers will still be entitled to the same earnings based on time and distance. Suffice it to say that this service is a risky move, and it might take a while before it becomes profitable. In any case, it's a promising new schtick, one that could inform the future of ride-hailing services.
