I’m an Uber Driver: Avoid 5 Mistakes That Make Your Ride More Expensive

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Uber’s global ridership reached 2.6 billion trips in the final quarter of 2023, according to Statista. With more people embracing ridesharing services, some have experienced higher ride prices. If you’ve noticed that your Uber ride has been more expensive the last few times, there could be a simple reason. 

GOBankingRates spoke with an Uber driver who shared the five mistakes that make your ride more expensive. 

Also see how much Uber drivers make.

Ignoring Surge Pricing

Surge pricing means your ride will cost more due to increased demand at the location. You should look out for surge pricing because it will lead to higher prices. In some cases, you can predict when prices will surge; in others, it may come out of nowhere. Either way, you don’t want to ignore the warning about surge pricing. 

According to the official Uber website: “When a lot of people in the same area are requesting rides at the same time, trip prices might be higher than normal. This change in price helps to attract more drivers to an area so everyone can get a ride.”

You have a few options: 

• Plan in advance. If you’re worried about rising prices, you can request a ride and schedule it in advance to avoid stressing about finding an available car. 
• Wait it out. You can wait to see if surge pricing will go down. Sometimes, surge pricing is only temporary to attract more drivers to the destination. 

Not Checking for Events Happening

When an event occurs in an area, there will be an increase in people trying to get home. For example, you may be out for dinner near a concert and suddenly thousands of people are looking for rides home. If you live in a major city, there’s usually something happening so you want to double-check that your family brunch doesn’t coincide with a marathon. 

This is why you’ll want to look out for events happening in the area in advance so you don’t get caught by surprise. There’s nothing worse than seeing your budget for transportation triple because you weren’t aware of a major activity. 

Choosing the Wrong Type of Vehicle 

Since Uber charges more for certain vehicles, you could pay a higher fare because you chose the wrong type of vehicle. The cheapest option is usually UberX or UberX Share, and the prices go up from there. You’ll pay more if you choose the Comfort vehicle or a Premier SUV for your ride. 

You want to ensure that you choose the correct vehicle for your ride so you don’t double the price of your commute home. While choosing the more comfortable option can be tempting, it certainly comes with a price tag. 

Not Moving a Bit Before Requesting a Ride

You can save money on your ride by moving out of a busy area. If you want to get home from a busy area, you can take public transit or walk a bit before requesting your ride. If you have a long commute home, taking public transit out of the busy area can help you significantly lower the cost of your ride. 

Not Waiting

If you’re willing to wait a bit, you can see your ride drop in price because most people end up spending more money on their rides due to impatience. For example, you may turn on your Uber app and notice that prices are surging. While you may feel like getting home instantly, waiting to see if prices drop can save you a decent amount of money. You can also choose one of the sharing options to have others join you to reduce costs. 

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