NYC won't limit Uber surge pricing
Uber also isn't hurting NYC traffic, according to a city report.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's war with Uber was all for naught. Today, the City Council voted not to limit Uber's surge pricing, which inflates prices during periods of peak demand, the Wall Street Journal reports. Additionally, the city released a long-awaited report (PDF) on Uber's impact on local traffic, which was notable for costing $2 million and taking months to complete. The result? Uber isn't adding to traffic congestion at all. Instead, construction, freight trucks and a larger population seem to be the bigger culprits.
Basically, both bits of news means nothing is changing for Uber in New York. You'll still have to watch out for high-priced rides on Saturday night, but at least the city won't be limiting the amount of Uber cars on the road, which was one idea Mayor de Blasio was considering.
Over the last summer, de Blasio and his administration painted Uber as the primary reason for increasing traffic woes in the city. Things got so heated Uber made a fake "De Blasio Mode" for its apps, which displayed an ominous "No cars available warning." Shortly after that feature debuted, the mayor relented and commissioned today's report. Uber also agreed to share some of its data with the city, which likely made its way into the report.
[Photo credit: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg/Getty Images]
