Uber pricing and cancellation policy in NYC

Question

1. Rate: I understand the rate varies and there is surge time. At the time of order you are presented with a price. Is that a final price you pay? I've read too many reviews where people mention at the end of the ride they were charged higher price than they were quoted.

2. Cancellations by a driver: why is this even allowed? Again, a lot of reviews mention that driver never appeared: "Driver canceled on me" or "Driver called me and asked me to cancel". I need to get someplace. Driver accepted the job. How can he/she cancel on me unless they got into an accident? And driver calling me asking to cancel just doesn't make any sense at all. Then, what happens after driver cancels? Is this a Uber's responsibility to get me another car in prompt manner?

Answer 1

1. The price you get before the ride is an estimate, it depends on the traffic and route. It is close most of the time but for sure it will also never be 100% accurate. Actually, when you request a fare quote in the app, it will show this exact message:

   Fares may vary due to traffic, weather, and other factors. Estimate does not include discounts or promotions.

2. They can cancel, as you can cancel. They usually cancel when they find out that the traffic will not be in their favor, and that automatically will not be in your favor as well. Why do they let you wait longer and lose more fuel while they can simply cancel and let you order another ride with a driver who might be a lot closer to you!

The above applies everywhere, not only NYC.