Uber To Raise Fees In Florida To Offset High Gas Prices

FLORIDA — The price Florida residents pay to take a ride or order food through Uber Technologies Inc. is about to go up.

To offset rising gas prices in the Sunshine State for its drivers, the ride-sharing and food-delivery company said it will impose a temporary surcharge on customers starting Wednesday.

Fuel prices rose rapidly in Florida and throughout the country after Russia invaded Ukraine last month. For the first time in 14 years, Florida’s average price for gasoline is above $4 a gallon, with the state average currently $4.34, according to AAA.

According to Uber, Florida consumers will pay a surcharge of either $0.45 or $0.55 on each trip and either $0.35 or $0.45 on each food delivery order — depending on their location. One-hundred percent of that money will go directly to its workers’ pockets.

The surcharges are based off the average trip distance and the increase in gas prices, the company said. Uber said the surcharges are temporary for at least the next 60 days, then it will reassess the situation.

"We know that prices have been going up across the economy, so we’ve done our best to help drivers and couriers without placing too much additional burden on consumers," Uber posted to its website. "Over the coming weeks we plan to listen closely to feedback from consumers, couriers and drivers. We’ll also continue to track gas price movements to determine if we need to make additional changes."

To further ease the pain at the pump and inch closer to its zero-emissions goal, Uber said it is also helping more drivers in Florida and across the country make the switch to electric vehicles, by providing incentives to EV drivers, such as $1 more per trip up to $4,000 annually.

Uber said it has also negotiated discounts for drivers on leading EV models and special deals on charging. A partnership with Hertz will also make up to 50,000 fully electric Teslas available for eligible drivers to rent by 2023.

The temporary surcharges are not unique to Florida. They will also affect customers across the company who take advantage of Uber's services. Trips that start in New York City and orders that are delivered to customers in New York City, however, are excluded.