Even people who love Uber get annoyed by surge pricing. Rival ride-hailing service Gett is hoping to capitalize on that ill-will with its new "Surge Sucks" program.
Starting on Tuesday, Uber users in New York City can tell Gett how much extra they paid in surge pricing fees, then get that money back in the form of free ride credits. At launch, the program is only available in NYC, although Gett plans to expand it to other cities in the future.
Gett users can get up to $100 total in free credit. The company is rounding up to the nearest $5 increment, so that people who submit $81.50 will get $85 in rides.
Both market leader Uber and Lyft charge more when demand is high, a policy meant to encourage drivers to work during holidays, busy weekend nights and poor weather.
Tel Aviv-based Gett is hoping to steal away some market share with flat rates and special deals, such as its $10 cap on rides in Manhattan below 110th Street.
