I took a short rideshare across town the other day and it came to almost $25 once fees and tip were added in, when the same trip used to be around $12-15. Surge pricing seems to kick in at the worst possible times, like on rainy evenings or right after events let out. I’m starting to think twice before I open the app now. Are others cutting back on rideshares, going back to the bus, or just biting the bullet and paying it? What’s your limit before you decide to walk or wait it out?
Surge pricing is the real killer there. A few things that tend to help: compare two apps before booking, walk a block or two away from a venue after events since the surge zone is often tight, and wait 10–15 minutes when the price spikes, it often drops back. For regular trips a monthly transit pass usually pays off fast.
One more option that often gets overlooked: many cities have flat-fare late-night or on-demand shuttle services run by the transit agency, sometimes a few dollars a ride. And if the trip is regular, a cheap used bike or an e-bike share pass can pay for itself in a couple of months compared with surge fares.
Same here — $25 for a short trip feels hard to justify, especially once the fees and tip pile on. I've started checking both apps and waiting a few minutes when surge pricing kicks in, and sometimes walking a couple of blocks makes a surprising difference. For regular trips, the bus is just much cheaper, even if it's slower. Has anyone found a time of day when the prices are consistently more reasonable?
Generally the cheapest windows are mid-morning and early afternoon on weekdays, roughly 10am to 3pm, after the commute rush and before the evening peak. Late weekend nights, rainy evenings and the hour after big events are usually the worst. Scheduling a ride in advance in the app can also lock in a price before surge hits.
Totally relate — that jump from around $12–15 to almost $25 for a short trip is exactly what made me start thinking twice too. Now I almost always check both apps before booking, and if it's surging I'll wait 10–15 minutes or walk a block or two away from where an event just let out, which sometimes drops the price quite a bit. For a 10-minute trip in decent weather I'd rather walk or take the bus, and I save the rideshare for when it's late, raining, or I'm carrying a lot. It's just hard to justify $25 otherwise.
Rideshare prices jump most during surge times, so checking again 10–15 minutes later or walking a block or two out of a busy pickup zone can drop the fare noticeably. Comparing Uber and Lyft side by side helps too, and for regular commutes a monthly transit pass plus the occasional ride often comes out cheaper.