Uber Won’t Stop, Can’t Stop Surging!

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When it rains, it complains, so might as well keep going off about Uber. I needed a ride to Arlington to see Michigan play at Cowboy Stadium. (I’m not going to call it AT&T Stadium.)‎ There was an expected surge because of the game and because of the fake gas crisis that social media created in response to Harvey.

The price to the stadium is normally $26. The surge had it up to $64. Fans from both sides kept refreshing their app waiting for the cursed surge to end. It didn’t and was showing high on Lyft as well. After a coffee, I checked Lyft again and it had dropped down to $28. I invited a few Florida fans to join my ride and we arrived at Arlington for next to nothing.

After the game, more tailgating was in order because we won and because the surge was astronomical. The price for both services had jumped up to $88. Instead of refreshing my app, I refreshed my beer and talked Michigan football. Two hours later, Uber had gone back down to $26, and I requested a ride.

Thinking the aberrations were over, I requested an Uber to Dallas Love Field at 8AM. Mind you, there was no traffic and no one was around. Of course, Uber was surging at more than double. The app used to tell me the degree of surge. Now it’s like Delta.com. Who knows the ‘normal’ price.

I switched to Lyft and found the rate to be $11.

Out of habit I use Uber, but after this week it may be time to break that habit because Uber can’t stop, won’t stop surging.