WASHINGTON — New Year’s is one of the biggest party days of the year and it’s also one of the deadliest for drivers and pedestrians.
With police officers out in full force looking for drunken drivers, demand for ride shares and taxi cabs is going to be through the roof.
But there are things you can do to minimize the wait and the cost that accompanies such a party night.
“New Year’s Eve is one of the busiest nights of the year for Uber, not just in the D.C. region but around the world,” said Bill Gibbons, a spokesman for Uber. “We do really encourage a lot of drivers to be out there.”
Uber has around 30,000 registered drivers in the D.C. region, but each individual is allowed to decide for themselves when they want to be out there.
The incentive to get Uber drivers out on the road is simple: money.
“They know that this is one of the busiest nights, and one of the times they get the most business,” Gibbons said. “There is a lot of demand and so fares very well could be higher than you would normally see on a typical Saturday evening.”
How much higher was a question Gibbons wouldn’t answer, but anecdotes from the past suggest the demand for sober rides will be substantial. But there are things you can do to minimize the wait and the cost.
“The busiest time is anywhere from 11:30 p.m. and midnight to 3 a.m.,” Gibbons said. “So if you’re planning to go out for the night, going out a bit on the earlier side like 9:30 or 10 p.m. or leaving a little bit later than you might normally do after midnight, those fares are likely to be a little bit lower.”
He also suggests using Uber Pool, which picks up other users going in the same direction as you, or splitting rides with friends as other ways to save a few bucks. You can even book a ride with a group of friends and have the driver drop people off at different destinations, allowing you to split the cost with everyone else.
“Whether it’s with Uber or any other services or taxi or the Metro and buses, we want to make sure everybody gets home safe,” said Gibbons. “If there’s any doubt in anybody’s mind about whether they should get behind the wheel, please make the safe choice.”
