Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi was horrified to learn that a journalist paid $51.69 to travel 2.95 miles through Manhattan in May to interview him, according to an article published Tuesday.
“Oh my God. Wow,” Khosrowshahi said when Wired editor-at-large Steven Levy showed him the fair (plus tip). The CEO initially guessed that the less than 3-mile ride cost Levy around “twenty bucks” and was evidently shocked by the actual figure. And the price had actually been $20 higher, five minutes prior to Levy booking the ride, he claimed in the article.
Uber turned its first profit on Aug. 1, 2023, six years after Khorsrowshahi took the helm of the organization, which used to be an affordable, great option for people commuting around major cities.
Levy called out Khosrowshahi for surge pricing, saying that it “makes no sense. It’s 10 a.m. on a sunny weekday, and it’s not like the president’s in town. I do agree that this is higher than I normally see, but in general, an Uber now costs more. Do you worry that those who adopted the service because of attractive pricing might be rethinking their ridership?” Levy asked.
Dear Kay: I Just Saw The Banking News. Are We Screwed? | @DailyCaller
If you bought a home with a mortgage recently, probably yes. But here’s some advice anyway. https://t.co/AclSjtGbl5
— KAY SMYTHE (@KaySmythe) March 13, 2023
“Everything is more expensive. Inflation has become part of our everyday life,” the CEO replied, seeming to shrug off the statement. Levy noted that some reports suggest that Uber’s pricing may have increased four times faster than inflation (no wonder the company finally turned a profit).
Safety is another major issue with Uber rides. Countless stories of attacks, violence, sexual assault and even more horrific crimes have plagued the Uber driver and rider community. Khosrowshahi has since installed some safety features, but the damage still exists. (RELATED: We Thought We’d Heard Insane Debt Stories, But Nothing Tops This)
Back when it first launched, you could get a ride from Venice Beach, California, ten miles in-land to Hollywood, for as little as $6 during deal events. Now, it’s not even worth opening the app. The same can be said for UberEats. Just compare the prices shown on UberEats to those at the restaurants you’re purchasing from and you’ll never open the app again either.