Uber’s “Safe Rides” Fee Now Varies Depending On Where You Live

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Since April 2014, Uber passengers taking rides in the U.S. and Canada have paid a flat $1 “Safe Rides” fee, something the company said would go toward funding background checks, regular motor vehicle checks, driver safety education, and insurance. Depending on where you live, however, that fee could increase soon.

Business Insider went through the fees Uber charges in different locations and found that the “Safe Rides” charge varied — for example, it costs twice as much in Detroit or Southern California’s “Inland Empire” to have a safe trip compared to Fargo, ND.

Uber confirmed the change to BI, saying that it reflects “the fact that in some cities the costs associated with providing a safe, reliable ride-sharing service have increased — including improved 24-hour support, background checks, new in-app safety features and insurance.”

The company will be notifying riders and drivers as the change goes into effect in their cities.

One place that won’t be affected at all by the new fees is New York City, where Uber falls under the purview of the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission. NYC riders don’t have to pay a safe rides fee, and never have. The only other city that’s free of that fee is Halifax, Canada.

Many cities will remain the same at $1, including Las Vegas, Chicago, Flagstaff, AZ, and Reno, NV, among others.

To see how “Safe Rides” fees stack up in various cities around the country, check out the Business Insider story.

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist