Photo courtesy: Paul Hanaoka
Many residents in Tallahassee depend on Uber and Lyft for their transportation, especially college students. With the recent price increase due to a labor shortage, people begin to wonder if the apps are lacking their initial purpose of convenience.
Fayth Kemp, a criminal justice scholar at Florida A&M University, explained her viewpoint on the significant change in Uber prices.
“It is frustrating that I get up charged so much money depending on what part of town I am going to, what time of day it is, and how bad traffic is,” Kemp said.
Despite the rise of driver applicants, a single ride still costs more than it ever has before.
This year ranking as the highest consumers have paid for Uber and Lyft in the past three years.
According to an analysis conducted by the market-research firm Rakuten Intelligence, the cost of a ride from Uber or Lyft increased 92% between January 2018 and July 2021.
The majority of students in college are directly affected, because they do not have the privilege of owning a car. At most institutions freshmen are not even allowed to have a car on campus, so they use ride-sharing apps to get to their destinations.
“I’ve used Lyft to get to events and across campus sometimes,” said Nia Roberts, a freshman at FAMU. “As a college student, finances are already sparse, so having to pay a total of $50 for a trip is something I can’t afford to do often.”
Considering all other college expenses, being a student is a costly lifestyle. This is why it’s even more important to look towards other transportation alternatives.
FAMU has three shuttle buses known as the Venom Express Shuttle , that can hold up to 25 passengers. It is free to any attendants of the university, with proof of a student identification card. On the school’s website there is more information about the buses operation days, times and locations.
Another popular thing amongst Tallahassee students is the utilization of GroupMe. The messaging app allows for people to communicate with their peers around them. In many of the group chats there are individuals doing cheap rides all day and night. Their prices typically range between $5 to $12.
Uber and Lyft ride costs have skyrocketed at a low point in our economy. Save money by considering other transportation options.
link http://www.famu.edu/administration/campus-services/parking/venom-express-shuttle/index.php