Commuters in New York will now have an alternate option to crowding in trains during rush hour: Uber announced a $5 flat rate for its uberPool ride-sharing option on weekday morning and evenings in Manhattan.
The deal is available only between 7 to 10 AM and 5 to 8 PM Monday to Friday below 110th street, and will never incur surge charges. That’s a great deal if you live on opposite ends of the peninsula, though for morning commuters, you’ll have to pick an intersection closest to you to be picked up and dropped off. For evening commutes, the driver will cater to specific addresses.
Be aware, however, that uberPools are now allowed to pick up more passengers even after your driver dropped off someone else you’re sharing with, so while the deal is affordable, you may be spending more time commuting than expected. At least it won’t be inside a cramped subway train.
Five seems to be the magic number for Uber: last week, the company celebrated its fifth year of operation in NYC and similarly offered $5 flat rate deals in all five boroughs. So far, it looks like the deal will only be sticking around for Manhattan.
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