Uber To Raise Fees In Maryland To Offset High Gas Prices

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

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

Fuel prices rose rapidly in Maryland and throughout the country after Russia invaded Ukraine last month. As of Monday, Maryland drivers are paying an average price of $4.27 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline, AAA reports. That's about six cents less than the national average.

According to Uber, Maryland 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 Maryland 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 Maryland. 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.