Now, Singapore will start enjoying
upfront fares when they request their uberX
rides! Simply enter your destination and
get the actual trip fare before you request a ride, just like you
already do with uberPOOL. This way,
you’ll know your fare before you go; letting you decide what’s best
for you and your budget.
Upfront fares are calculated using the
expected time and distance of the trip and local traffic, as well
as how many riders and nearby drivers are using Uber at that
moment. When fares go up due to increased demand, instead of surge
lightning bolts and pop-up screens, riders are given the actual
fare before they request their ride.
There’s no complicated math and no
surprises: just sit back and enjoy the ride!
Q: Why are you doing
this?
A: Because we know from uberPOOL that
upfront fares is clearer and simpler for riders. There’s no math
and no surprises. When you book a plane ticket or hotel room you
know the price before you buy it. We see this as the right approach
for Uber.
Q: How will you determine the upfront
price?
A: We estimate the upfront price by
considering a variety of factors that typically affect a fare,
including surge, traffic, and ERP toll charges. We’re able to use
past data to estimate the likely cost of the trip, and can present
that price to a rider before they request. With upfront prices, you
cannot book a car without approving the cost beforehand.
Q: Dynamic pricing icons no longer
appear for upfront pricing product – why?
A: This new way of showing prices
accounts for surge, but provides the rider with more precise
information up front. For example, instead of seeing that a fare
will cost 1.5x, you will see that the trip will cost $10. This is
aimed at getting riders like yourself more information upfront, so
you can choose the product that best meets your needs and
budget.
Q: But does dynamic pricing still
exist?
A: Dynamic pricing still very much
exists, just as it does for POOL. The upfront fare takes into
account all the factors that typically affect a fare, including
demand at that moment in time in that part of the city, traffic,
the length of the journey and tolls. However, since a rider is
given a price upfront, the rider actually has more information
about the cost. For example saying a trip will cost $10 provides
more precise info to the rider than saying the trip fare is surging
by 1.5x.
Q: Will dynamic pricing be included in
the upfront fare?
A: Yes. If there are more people
requesting rides than drivers available to give them, fares will
increase via dynamic pricing. The price the rider is shown is
guaranteed upfront — this will make it even easier for riders to
compare the cost between a shared ride and a solo journey. With
upfront prices you cannot book a car without approving the cost
beforehand. (Keep in mind the price may change if the rider
changes their destination during the trip).
Q: Is the upfront fare completely
inclusive (i.e. includes the booking fee, toll charges
etc.)?
A: Generally yes. There are some
instances when the final fare could be lower than the fare given
upfront (for example, if the user has a promo code applied) — or
higher, such as if the rider changes the destination of the
trip.
Q: What if I change my destination,
have multiple destinations or makes extra stops?
An upfront price may not be honoured if
you make significant changes to your trip route. In these cases,
we’ll fallback to time and distance rates.
You will be notified that fares will
change at a few points before and during the trip. All riders are
shown this copy on the requesting screen:
