Uber Expands ‘Ride Pass’ Monthly Subscription

Ride-hailing company Uber is expanding its Ride Pass program, a subscription service that lets riders pay a monthly fee for discounted rides on all Uber platforms, including electric bikes, scooters, UberX, Uber Pool and Express Pool, according to reports.

When the program was first introduced last year, the cost was $14.99 per month. Riders in Orlando, Miami and Austin will pay the introductory price, but riders in new cities will pay $24.99 per month. The program was originally launched in five cities: Los Angeles, California; Austin, Texas; Orlando, Florida; Denver, Colorado; and Miami, Florida.

“Whether it’s a daily commute or a night on the town, we want to give riders more ways and more confidence to get from A to B with consistent, dependable prices they can count on,” Uber said.

The new cities are Memphis, Tennessee; New York City, New York; Jacksonville, Florida; Dallas, Texas; St. Louis, Missouri; San Diego, California; Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Seattle, Washington; Portland, Oregon; San Antonio, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; Las Vegas, Nevada; New Orleans, Louisiana and Phoenix, Arizona.

The subscription will lock in a flat rate for the whole month, which is based on historical data. According to Uber, riders will save up to 15 percent on total monthly travel. Ride Pass members won’t have to deal with surge pricing, traffic or weather variables that can increase costs. There is also no limit on monthly rides.

If a Ride Pass customer lives in a city with Uber Jump e-bikes or scooters, Ride Pass will lock in rates for those as well. A subscription also comes with 30 minutes of free scooter and bike riding daily.

The subscription won’t change an Uber driver’s money earned per time and distance, as Uber said it will cover the difference. Analysts say the company is preparing to go public in April.