Our recent investigation found that Uber and Lyft often charge different customers different fares for the same ride and that some advertised discounts may not be discounts at all. We define the same ride as a trip from the same starting point to the same ending point priced at almost the same time—generally within a few minutes of one another and, in many cases, within the same minute. Across the routes we studied, the median gap between the lowest and highest price groups was about 50%. Our reporting examined how ride-share companies use AI-driven pricing systems to determine what you pay. Uber and Lyft challenged our methodology and conclusions and stated that they do not personalize base fares for individual consumers or engage in behavioral or surveillance pricing. Consumer Reports is not disputing this; rather, it is questioning whether the price differences observed are based only on market forces. As Consumer Reports journalists and advocates, we’re here to answer your questions about what our testing uncovered about how Uber and Lyft really set their prices and how you can take action.
Here’s our proof: https://imgur.com/a/LBUSwpV
[link] [comments]