San Francisco – Hot on the heels of announcing a $1 surcharge as a “Safe Rides Fee,” tech taxi service Uber has announced another set of surcharges for the vehicles’ seat belts.
“It is really important that our customers have the best riding experience we can offer,” Uber CEO Travis Kalanick said today in a press conference. He then pointed out that the surcharge was necessary to ensure that all Uber vehicles are up to the standards expected from customers. “I think the extra $5 is worth it for the convenience and leisure we offer.”
In addition to the $5 fee for seat belts, Uber also introduced a $12 surcharge for the tires on the vehicles, $3 for each tire. Kalanick cited the need for “maintenance within the sharing community” as the reason.
The news of these surcharges for things one would reasonably expect to be provided by virtue of simply being in a car has been met with mixed responses. While some criticize these surcharges an Uber overreaching and gouging itss customers with added fees on top of fees, Kalanick responded that these critics are just “commie sonsabitches” who “can’t handle how I’m disrupting the system, man.”
The new surcharges do have their supporters. Jeff Halder is a San Francisco resident and regular Uber user. “I don’t mind the fees,” he said. “I’m willing to pay a little more for the piece of mind knowing that when I get into an Uber-licensed car, I am, in fact, in a car.”
And at the end of the press conference, Kalanick teased the possibility of future surcharges for engine of the car.
“This is a great way to run a business,” he concluded.
