Many riders have come out to complain about the fluctuating rates, especially in critical peak times, bad weather and unavoidable obstacles, Uber rates usually shoot up. Although many riders tend to ignore app notifications and trip states, Uber rates are seemingly not so different compared to other Taxi hailing services.
All ride hailing services in Uganda feature static base fares. Trip duration and distances also contribute to the total trip prices. Uber hikes rates each time the demand is high. For instance, on a rainy evening, the app could charges you about three times more for the same distance traveled during day. Riders tend to ignore possible reasons for Uber’s excessive charge. But here are a few reasons as to why.
- High Demand
- Traffic Jam
- Climatic changes
- GPS inaccuracy
- Driver tricks
Given the rate at which riders request for Taxi pickups using the Uber app, majority fall victim of either high demand or Uber driver tricks. However, whenever demand is high supply is low meaning Uber drivers can always pick you up but after a long wait. More so, Uber charges you for long pickup trips and also making your driver wait before the trip starts.
Drivers who actually are not employed by Uber but rather individuals who sacrifice to pick you up, in most cases highly contribute to the high trip fares. For instance, random riders complain of a few Uber drivers who start trips before they actually pick you up. Randomly, drivers tend to victimize uninformed riders by showing them a screenshot of another person’s receipt as their own. Hence providing a false impression to the rider that Uber hiked the trip rates yet in actual sense its a driver trick.
Uber has to address this among other issues, either with more driver sensitization or tweaking their algorithm in order to retain its clientele.
