JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — While gas prices continue to climb across the region, local rideshare drivers warn that the pain at the pump is starting to change the game for passengers, even if the companies haven’t officially hiked fares yet.
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As massive crowds descend on the area for The Players Championship and Spring Break, the surge in demand is colliding with a frustrated workforce. For drivers like Lawrence Woods, a ten-year veteran of the road, the math simply doesn’t add up anymore.
“It’s just bad timing,” said Woods, who operates a large SUV. “I might have to shut some of those off and just do local rides. The longer rides aren’t worth it right now.”
Woods isn’t alone. Drivers are increasingly “cherry-picking” shorter trips to save on fuel, leaving longer, less profitable routes unassigned. Fellow driver Daian Mirabal recently showed records of a seven-mile trip that would have netted him only $4.75.
“One cannot spend $50 or $60 on gasoline and lookto earn $100 a day,” Mirabal said, noting that fewer drivers are showing up at Jacksonville International Airport (JIA) this week.
While Uber and Lyft have not yet announced a formal price increase for consumers in response to the spike, the market is reacting anyway. According to the laws of supply and demand, fewer drivers on the road leads to “surge” pricing and extended wait times.
Passengers are already feeling the pinch. “Looking for rides, it was a little bit on the expensive side,” said Cammara, a local Fellow passenger who is in town for The Players Rich Lenahan agreed, noting that if he relies on the apps exclusively, “it’s going to be costly” if he only uses rideshare to get around. He said He paid 120 dollars for a roughly 32-mile ride.
“I guarantee you there’s going to be less drivers on the road when the gas starts to affect what they bring home,” Woods warned.
Uber has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding potential fare adjustments.
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