Sharing some anecdotal data from recent Uber rides:
I had client meetings in downtown SF the same week as the RSA show in Moscone Center. Rather than chance it with traffic and parking (or lack of) I decided to use Uber To SF to and from the South Bay.
Day 1 - to SF - $65 (57 miles - 1 hr 30 minutes - ride start 7:01am, finish 8:32am)
Day 1 - from SF -
$113 (47 miles)
Surge pricing 1.6X in effect!
Day 2 - to SF - $69 (57 miles - 1 hr 50 minutes - ride start 7:15am, finish (9:25am)
Day 1 - from SF -
Surge pricing 2.3X so took BART to Millbrae ($5) then Uber to home - $65 (42 miles - 1 hr)
Day 3 - to SF - $58 (52 miles - 1 hr 14 min - ride start 10:45am)
Day 3 - from SF - $85 (56 miles - 1 hr 15 min - ride start 9pm)
Personal lessons learned:
* Leave before 7am!!
* Recent drop in UberX pricing is definitely a factor in taking Uber 3 days in a row. Easier to justify for expenses.
* Mileage costs I would normally claim to my company would be $60 roundtrip. Add cost of parking $20-40. Total cost to my company per day would be $80-$100 (mileage and parking).
* Even though I sat in morning peak hour traffic 2 days in a row I did not arrive frazzled by using Uber. Bonus - Used the time to catch up on ipad news stories.
* Surge pricing would not justify future Uber round trips (vs claiming mileage and parking expenses) however prudent use of local public transportation (BART) coupled with Uber would be easily justifiable.
BOTTOMLINE - NOT driving in peak hour morning start/stop traffic for 1 hr 50 min PLUS looking for parking (an extra 10-20 min) PLUS walk several blocks to customer meeting site in heels - PRICELESS!!
