Uber, Lyft plan to add a fuel surcharge
By Sara Ashley O'Brien, CNN Business
(CNN) -- Lyft on Monday said it plans to add a small fee on rides to help drivers deal with rising gas prices across the country, days after Uber laid out its plans to do the same.
Lyft did not specify how much extra passengers will pay or when the surcharge will go into effect. More details are expected to be released "shortly," according to the company.
In a statement, CJ Macklin, a spokesperson for Lyft, said the company has been "closely monitoring" the increasing cost of fuel and its impact on drivers, who are treated as independent contractors and therefore responsible for covering the cost of their own gas.
"Driver earnings overall remain elevated compared to last year, but given the rapid rise in gas prices we'll be asking riders to pay a temporary fuel surcharge, all of which will go to drivers," Macklin said.
Ridehail competitor Uber announced Friday that it would roll out a surcharge to help "soften the burden" of rising fuel costs for its workers for at least the next two months.
Uber customers will begin seeing the surcharge on Wednesday across the US and Canada with the exception of New York City. Rides will cost an additional $0.45 or $0.55 per trip and delivery orders will cost an extra $0.35 or $0.45, depending on the market. (Customers will see the surcharge even if their driver has an electric vehicle.)
The national average price for gas was $4.325 on Monday, according to AAA. Gas prices broke a record last week, beating the previous high of $4.11 a gallon dating back to July 2008.
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