This morning Uber announced that its 20% discount on UberX fares that the company introduced in July as a "limited time" offer will continue all year round.
The announcement comes just a week after a group of Uber drivers organized a series of protests and work strikes demanding the company repeal the price cut that makes UberX rides cheaper than taxis. According to the company's blog post, an UberX trip from Williamsburg to the East Village would cost $15 — a dollar less than it should cost to take a standard taxi. During protests last week, Uber NYC general manager Josh Mohrer told BuzzFeed News that the company was still evaluating the data to decide whether the summer price cuts would make sense for the fall.
It appears the data has spoken.
Though the decision seems to validate the perception — as drivers expressed during both protests and organizational meetings — that the company is less concerned with drivers' needs and more interested in satisfying riders (and consequently raking in revenue), the organizers have no plans to switch companies and will instead continue their fight to protect their rights as "partners," several organizers told BuzzFeed News in previous interviews.
BuzzFeed News reached out to the organizers for comment and will update with their comments.
Contact the author of this post at johana.bhuiyan@buzzfeed.com
One organizer told BuzzFeed News that they will have to discuss their next steps with the rest of the drivers and late Thursday night the organizers posted a status crowdsourcing ideas and suggestions from drivers. In the post, the organizers emphasized they are not surprised by the announcement and have been working to come up with a plan.
"For some of us, it is just a confirmation of what we already knew," the post reads. "The announcement wasn't necessary UNLESS they have something else planned to be coming soon (i.e., more price cuts, higher commissions etc). The question is simple: WHAT ARE WE, AS DRIVERS, GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?"
Many drivers have answered the call for suggestions. Some drivers suggested protesting outside of the Long Island City Uber offices again while others have urged drivers to switch companies or supplement their current income by driving for other bases as well. The organizers don't seem to have come to a final decision as of yet, a process made more difficult by the wide variety of suggestions the drivers within the network are making.