Uber fares in the red-highlighted markets are, on average, 1.6 times higher than in markets with similar costs of living but less burdensome regulations. (Uber)
Adam Blinick, Uber's head of state and local public policy for the U.S. and Canada, told Fox News Digital that Uber wants to remain "an affordable and reliable option for everyone," but in many cities that goal is being undermined.
"In some places, compounding layers of regulation, local fees, rigid pay rules and government insurance mandates, have pushed rideshare prices well above what they are in cities with comparable costs of living," Blinick said.
Almost 30% of Uber trips in the U.S. involve at least one extra fee in the fare. (Sebastian Gollnow/picture alliance/Getty Images)
Seattle offers a clear case study of how these policies can backfire.
In 2020, the city of Seattle enacted a pay standard aimed at boosting driver earnings. But as prices climbed to absorb the higher labor costs, demand collapsed, leaving the policy to backfire on both riders and drivers. According to Uber's data, Seattle is now the most expensive market in the country for an Uber trip.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Uber argues that unless cities rethink the regulatory layers driving up prices, more markets could soon follow Seattle’s path, where riders pay more, drivers earn less and the system itself becomes harder to sustain.
Amanda covers the intersection of business and geopolitics for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/blue-city-riders-hit-priciest-uber-fares-la-nyc-costs-soar-past-comparable-metros-data-shows