Uber rider trapped in interstate shutdown refunded $600 after disputing charge
A Richmond man has been refunded the $600 he was charged for an Uber ride where he became trapped with hundreds of others on an icy stretch of Interstate 95 in Virginia.
Andrew Peters was returning from San Francisco and did not understand the severity of the situation when he took an Uber from Dulles International Airport on Monday and got stuck in the traffic disaster, WTOP-FM reported.
"It was kind of scary," Peters said. "We didn't have any food or water."
Hundreds of motorists were stranded in freezing temperatures along a 40-mile stretch of I-95. Police said part of the road became impassable when tractor-trailers jackknifed in a winter storm. The interstate fully reopened Tuesday night after more than a day of blockage.
After a nine-hour trek, Peters got home Tuesday and paid a $200 bill. But then Peters said Uber added $400, raising his total bill to $600. He disputed the additional charge.
In a statement sent to the Associated Press, Uber said Peters would get his original fare and additional charges back.
Full refund
"We have refunded Mr. Peters after this terrible ordeal and are so glad that he and his Uber driver got home safely," according to the statement, which also said that the driver's pay will not be affected.
According to Uber's website, "heavy traffic may cause your trip to take longer than expected and to compensate your driver for the additional time, your fare may change."
Peters told WTOP-FM that the company reached out to him on Wednesday and apologized for the mistaken charge.
"They were sorry to hear that I had … so many problems with the app, and with the override, and with the highway and that they would love to issue me a full refund," Peters said.