Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Uber looks to please riders, drivers in NYC with $5 cap on shared rides

Weekday rush-hour rates in New York City, at least below 110th Street, just got cheaper for Uber riders. There are a couple of conditions, however, according to the NY Post.

To take advantage of the $5 maximum rates, you have to hail your ride via UberPool and catch your ride at a designated pickup spot. That’s probably not a big deal for many people, as long as you don’t mind sharing your Uber car with others; it is a ride-sharing service, after all. The designated pickup spots will usually be a nearby corner, says Uber, so you won’t have far to walk. And for that matter, it might be a little safer getting in on a corner rather than in traffic lanes right in front of your building, work, or home, where the flow of cars, cabs, buses, and cyclists can get intense.

Recommended Videos

The $5 fare is the big draw because Uber surge pricing can jump pretty high during rush hour, when the demand for rides exceeds the driver supply. Rush hour, by the way, is 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. No matter how many passengers get in the car, you pay $5 to your destination, even if you end up being the only passenger.

In case you’re wondering if Uber drivers will take a hit with only one, or even two, passengers under this plan, it’s not a problem. Drivers will be paid at surge rates when driving Uberpool passengers, even if there is only one rider.

There is one possible “gotcha” in the plan. When you book a ride via UberPool, you won’t be given an estimated destination arrival time. Once you get in the car, after which there are no refunds, that’s when you’ll learn how long your trip should take and how many other passengers, if any, the driver is going to pick up. Uber is hoping the cost benefits will bring riders, the surge rates will please drivers, and that more people will get where they’re going, via Uber, with less traffic.

iOS Google Play

Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown Contributing Editor   As a Contributing Editor to the Auto teams at Digital Trends and TheManual.com, Bruce…
Waymo recalled 1,200 robotaxis following collisions with road barriers
Waymo Jaguar I-Pace

Waymo’s autonomous-car technology has made great advances over the years to the point where it’s now allowed to offer paid robotaxi rides in select locations in the U.S.

But the development of the technology is ongoing, and the robotaxi rides continue to gather valuable data for Waymo engineers to pore over as they further refine the driverless system to make it as reliable and efficient as possible. Which is why glitches will sometimes occur.

Read more
Apple CarPlay Ultra looks stunning in Aston Martin supercar debut
Apple CarPlay Ultra

Apple CarPlay Ultra is the next generation of the Cupertino, California-based firm's smartphone projection system for your car, and it's available in new vehicles in the US and Canada.

When we say "new cars", your options are very much limited to one brand... Aston Martin. So you'll need deep pockets if you want to experience CarPlay Ultra for yourself.

Read more
Archer’s flying taxis head to LA for the 2028 Olympics
archer air taxi la28 inglewood aerial a final

Remember the buzz about flying taxis zipping through Paris for the 2024 Olympics? That sci-fi fantasy never got off the ground —Germany’s Volocopter dream was denied certification, leaving fans staring at the same old ground traffic. But now, the skies are opening again for a second shot at glory—this time over Los Angeles.
Archer Aviation, the California-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company, has been named the exclusive air taxi provider for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Archer’s Midnight aircraft, a piloted electric air taxi designed to carry four passengers, will be whisking around VIPs, fans, and stakeholders between venues and key locations like LAX, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and even Orange County. Think 10-20 minute flights that skip the infamous LA gridlock and land you right where the action is—on the roof, basically.
“We want to transform the way people get around Los Angeles and leave a legacy that shapes the future of transportation in America. There’s no better time to do that than during the LA28 Games,” said Adam Goldstein, CEO and founder of Archer Aviation.
And Midnight isn’t just a pretty rotor. It’s a whisper-quiet, emission-light aircraft with 12 rotors and a redundant, airline-level safety design.
What’s more, Archer and LA28 are working together to electrify vertiport hubs around the city—think futuristic sky stations—to serve not only Games-time needs but also to plant seeds for a post-Olympic air mobility network.
The air mobility market has been fast developing over the past few years, featuring the likes of Hyundai partnership with China’s XPeng HT Aero and Toyota's backing of Joby Aviation, a U.S. venture. Joby bought Uber Elevate in 2020, hoping to someday pair its air taxis with Uber’s ride-hailing app.
Archer, for its part, has been busy building a strategic partnership with United Airlines, which has already placed orders for the aircraft and is helping with logistics to integrate air taxis into airport-to-downtown travel. More than a demo for the cameras, the LA28 partnership will showcase urban air travel for real-world daily use, starting with one of the most high-profile events on Earth.
After raising false hopes in Paris, the air taxi dream is aiming for liftoff in LA—and this time, it might just stick the landing.

Read more