Uber, Lyft riders see increased prices, wait times
AUSTIN, Texas - As Texas is re-opened and people are returning to a more pre-COVID lifestyle, the demand for Uber and Lyft is increasing.
Drivers tell FOX 7 Austin that there is a higher demand and riders are using rideshares nonstop. They said pre-pandemic, drivers would have to wait 20-30 minutes between rides. Now, rides are scheduled continuously one after another.
In a statement to FOX 7, Lyft said that they are aware of the increase in demands for rides, adding "We’re working to meet demand, including providing incentives to drivers, who are busier and earning more than they were even before the pandemic."
DOWNLOAD THE FOX 7 AUSTIN NEWS APP
UBER did not respond to our request for comment.
Justin Meredith, who lives in Austin, says he uses ride-sharing services at least once a week. He said that for him it's not the wait times that have been the major issue, but the prices.
"It doesn't seem to take as long to get an Uber or Lyft, but the prices have gone up," Meredith said, adding while certain areas, like downtown, will typically have higher prices, lately it's been higher than normal.
SIGN UP FOR FOX 7 AUSTIN EMAIL ALERTS
"There will be times when I close my eyes and I hit the button because I know it's going to be expensive," Meredith laughed.
Meredith used to be a driver, he says while things have changed, surge prices will always be constant. "If it is between 10 and 2 a.m. downtown, the price is going to be different than it would be at 2 p.m. on a Tuesday," he said.
For both services, they offer riders prices in real-time and if there is a surge, they tell riders before they confirm a ride.