Plan to take an Uber tonight? Get ready to pay
Uber expects to pick up more than 2 million riders in just 24 hours as 2014 comes to a close and people find themselves aching for a lift home in the wee hours of 2015. But the company admits: It's going to cost you.
In a blog post, Uber stated that demand -- and therefore fares -- will be highest between 12:30 and 2:30 a.m.
Uber's much-maligned surge pricing structure increases charges during peak ridership hours. In this handy chart, Uber shows that revelers can expect prices to rise in the 8:00 hour, then dip down until just before midnight. After the ball drops, fares will flare.
Uber generated $10.7 million from about 200,000 rides on New Year's Eve 2013, according to Business Insider, which estimates that from Wednesday evening into Thursday morning, the company could pull in more than $100 million.
For those hoping to catch a ride home this New Year's, Uber offered some helpful -- or not so helpful -- advice on its blog: "For the most affordable rides, request right when the ball drops at midnight or wait until later for prices to return to normal."
Riders can also use the Surge Drop feature that will send a notification when surge pricing in a particular pick-up area has ended.