A Suffolk County man says Uber charged him and two others a whopping $200 Saturday for a one-way trip from Long Island to Madison Square Garden on the first day of the LIRR strike – a jaunt that would normally cost $13.50 by rail.
“It’s very sad that nobody can compromise anymore,” said the 55-year-old, who went by “Blake D.”
“There is no middleman. Nobody can talk and comprise anymore,” he said, referring to the LIRR strike that began earlier Saturday morning when Metropolitan Transportation Authority honchos failed to reach a wage-hike pact with five labor unions.
Blake D., of Great River, said he and his crew took Uber to go to a relative’s graduation ceremony for St. George’s University School of Medicine students – and they had to wake up two hours earlier to arrive at MSG on time.
An off-peak ticket on the LIRR would have cost just $13.50 if trains were running.
He said the added cost frustrated him but was happy to get to his destination on time.
“I had to get up two hours early, but I’m here,” he said. I’m enjoying it. I got here safely. That’s all that matters.”
Uber spokesperson Josh Gold said, “the taxes and tolls city and state entities collect on that trip far exceed the cost of the train ticket.”
