NYC UBER Drivers Protest: Aim to Shut Down Business for Today

Attention: If you are planning to use UBER in New York City today, you may want to find an alternate method of transportation.

Last week, I received an email from UBER announcing a price reduction for UBERX

While UBER passengers may be happy about this price reduction, UBER drivers in NYC are not!!

According to NBC News, a rally is planned by UBER drivers at New York headquarters in Queens – the drivers hope to shut down UBER business in New York for the day.  The NBC article says, in relevant part:

It may be harder for New Yorkers to get an Uber ride on Monday, just a few days after the company cut its fare prices in NYC. 

Uber drivers plan to rally outside of the company’s Long Island City offices at noon to protest the price drop that began last week.

The drivers who are protesting hope to shut down the service in NYC for 24 hours. 

Uber dropped its prices in the city Friday morning in a bid to boost ridership and decrease its drivers’ idle time, Uber officials told NBC 4 New York.

Drivers say Uber now costs less than a yellow cab and that they will lose money as a result. Some drivers protested after the price cut for Uber X and XL services went into effect at 7 a.m. Friday. 

The move brought the base fare price in NYC down to $2.55 from the current $3. The per mile rate dropped to $1.75 from the current $2.15, and the per minute rate to 35 cents from 40 cents, Uber officials said.

The price of a ride from Midtown to LaGuardia Airport dropped from $43.67 to $37.12, and a ride from Chelsea to the East Village is now $11.20, compared to the previous charge of $13.18.

I guess we have to wait and see what the day brings.  But, if you were planning on UBER-ing today, be warned that you may need to venture into the subway (something I do daily) or hail a cab.