UBER and Taxify/Bolt have increased/reduced the prices in Romania for customers who make trips through taximetry applications, and now the services are becoming at least as expensive as classic taxis, and probably less attractive for customers. Uber is the company that increased the prices for rush hour rides in Bucharest, while Taxify/Bolt made the exact opposite decision, in order to attract more customers to its platform at the moment.
UBER announced that the reason for the decision to increase prices during peak hours is to motivate drivers to take more trips in the respective time slots, which in Bucharest overlap with the busiest traffic hours. Considering that no one wants to sit in traffic, not even UBER drivers, the company decided to increase the rates in these time intervals as follows:
- Monday – Friday between 07:00 and 10:00 - UBERX will have a price of 1.56 LEI/KM and 0.26 LEI/minute compared to 1.3 LEI/LM and 0.22 LEI/minute, the minimum cost of the rides increasing from 10 LEI to 12 LEI. UBER Select and Green will take tariffs of 1.98 LEI/km and 0.34 LEI/minute, compared to 1.65 LEI/km and 0.28 LEI/minute, the minimum cost of the trips increasing from 12 LEI to 14,4 LEI;
- Monday – Thursday between 16:00 and 19:00 - UBERX will have a prate of 1.56 LEI/KM and 0.26 LEI/minute compared to 1.3 LEI/LM and 0.22 LEI/minute, the minimum cost of the rides increasing from 10 LEI to 12 LEI. UBER Select and Green will take tariffs of 1.98 LEI/km and 0.34 LEI/minute, compared to 1.65 LEI/km and 0.28 LEI/minute, the minimum cost of the trips increasing from 12 LEI to 14,4 LEI;
- Friday between 13:00 and 19:00 - UBERX will have a price of 1.56 LEI/KM and 0.26 LEI/minute compared to 1.3 LEI/LM and 0.22 LEI/minute, the minimum cost of the rides increasing from 10 LEI to 12 LEI. UBER Select and Green will take tariffs of 1.98 LEI/km and 0.34 LEI/minute, compared to 1.65 LEI/km and 0.28 LEI/minute, the minimum cost of the trips increasing from 12 LEI to 14,4 LEI.
UBER and Taxify/Bolt have INCREASED/REDUCED PRICES in Romania
Taxify/Bolt made a decision completely opposite to that of UBER, so it decided to reduce by 15% the prices for the rides that are made by Bucharest residents at peak hours, a decision to be welcomed by the company. Taxify/Bolt has a base rate for standard rides of 1.3 LEI/km and 0.22 LEI/minute, and 1.65 LEI/km and 0.28 LEI/minute for Comfort rides, the minimum price of the standard ride being 9 LEI, that of Conform being of 12 LEI, and they will be reduced by 15%.
UBER and Taxify/Bolt have completely different strategies for approaching peak hours, and this could bring more trips for the latter, because Romanians often seek to benefit from lower prices for the trips made. Considering that both services have about the same types of cars, and about the same type of drivers, UBER loses as a result of these tariff changes, and Taxify/Bolt should have the most to gain.
In Romania, UBER and Taxify/Bolt gather hundreds of thousands of customers monthly, and a much larger number of rides, and this is because Romanians are tired of classic taxis, with no desire to return, unless the prices these platforms will grow enough.
