Uber is offering free rides in the East Bay this weekend. The offer includes two free rides up to $30 in value for travel in and between Oakland, Berkeley, Albany, Piedmont, El Cerrito, Lamorinda, Alameda, San Leandro, San Ramon, Danville, Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill. Uber is advising users taking advantage of the promotion this weekend to expect delays due to high demand.
Uber rates are fixed and rides are arranged by smartphone. After summoning a car on the Uber app, customers can watch their ride approach on the app’s map. The Uber website notes there’s “no need to tip.”
The East Bay giveaway follows a price cut in 16 cities announced last week after the spate of bad publicity. Uber told drivers it was sacrificing almost all of its revenue with an eye on capturing new users, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The current rate is an initial fee of $3 plus $1.50 a mile. On Wednesday morning, a ride from MacArthur BART to Oakland International Airport was $25. The wait time was six minutes.
The free rides in the East Bay begin at noon on Friday, Jan. 17 and end at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 20.
Use the promotion code: EBLOVESuberX.
Read the full Uber blog post.
