WASHINGTON — Ride service Uber says it expects many Halloween revelers will use their smartphones to call for a ride, as an alternative to drinking and driving Saturday night, which is likely to make rides more expensive than normal.
Yet, Uber says the price shouldn’t be shockingly scary.
“With Halloween, one of the busiest nights of the year, we expect a lot of people out there looking for rides, so surge pricing may go into effect,” says Uber spokesperson Taylor Bennett.
At times of high demand, Uber raises prices “to encourage more drivers to become available,” according to Uber’s website.
“Prices may elevate for a period, and then once more drivers are out there to meet that demand, prices will go back to normal,” says Bennett.
When surge pricing is in effect, users are notified on the iOS, Android, or Windows smartphone app, before completing the request process.
If the surcharge is more than double the normal fare, “you actually have to enter in what that multiplier is” confirming acceptance of the higher fare.
However, if the rider doesn’t want to pay the surge pricing fare, he can be notified by text when the fare returns to normal.
Last Halloween, the Internet was abuzz after one rider took to the GoFundMe crowdfunding site to raise money for a $362.57 Uber fare for a 20 minute ride, when surge pricing was nine times the normal fare.
Bennett says the app and website offers the opportunity to request a fare estimate before booking the ride.
Uber recently announced its cheapest alternative — UberPool, which can cost half of UberX.
“It’s a great way to save money and meet some new people on Halloween night. You request a ride, you put in your destination, and then it matches you with another rider heading in that same direction along the same route,” says Bennett.
Bennett says it’s important for riders to verify they are getting into the proper car, by confirming the driver’s car model and license plate in the app before climbing in.
If you forget to check on the car and driver, Uber vehicles have a physical card that identifies them as genuine, says Bennett. “In the window you’ll see a ‘U’ — they tend to glow.”
Bennett says the app can be helpful if a rider inadvertently forgets an item in an Uber.
“If you leave your wallet or witch broom behind in the car, you can always reach out directly to the driver, and make sure you’re connecting to get that back,” says Bennett.
