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Comparing prices for New Year's Eve ride options

Heavy demand expected New Year's Eve
Posted at 7:26 PM, Dec 29, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-29 20:26:42-05

It should be a huge night on the town.

With New Year's Eve on a Saturday night, many people off work on Monday and decent weather expected, cab drivers are expecting a long and productive night around Kansas City's hot spots.

"Power & Light, everywhere," said Yellow Cab driver Abraham Tesfatsion. "Westport oh ya and Country Club Plaza, too." 

One way to look for the best deal for a New Year's trip is the website Ride Guru.

To use the website, you put in your start point and destination and you can compare prices.

For example, the 41 Action News Investigators checked out a ride from Overland Park to the Power & Light District.

With normal demand, possibly at the beginning of the evening, the estimated cost of an Uber X ride seating up to four people is $15.81. An Uber XL ride seating up to six is $24.48. A cab ride is $35.41.

But when demand for rides increases, which it's almost certain to do New Year's Eve, the Uber price changes.

At a price surge of two and a half times the standard fare, that same trip from Overland Park to Power & Light jumps to $36.68 for Uber X, $58.35 for Uber XL compared to the same $35.41 for a cab.

Cab rates are set by the city and never change.

For that reason, the cab drivers the 41 Action News Investigators interviewed believe they'll be very busy.

"Because of Uber surge price and taxis just normal price," said Yellow Cab driver Dereje Erena.

Due to a disagreement with KCMO city leaders, Lyft drivers can only pick up passengers in Kansas. But they can deliver people to KCMO, they just can't pick them up there.

Also, Yellow Cab for example now has an app called zTrip to request a ride. You can register a credit card like Uber or Lyft or pay in cash.

Yellow Cab spokeswoman Nancy Cipolla said to be patient on New Year's Eve if you're waiting for a ride due to the heavy demand.

Uber spokeswoman Molly Spaeth said if you don't buy a ride from any service to have a designated driver.

Lyft's coverage area and pricing is available at the company website.

Lyft is also offering $5 off each of the first 10 Lyft rides for new customers using the code "LYFTNEWYEAR17"

"New Year’s Eve is always very busy, and our number one priority is for drivers and passengers is to keep safety top of mind when they're out on the roads," said Lyft spokeswoman Mary Caroline Pruitt.

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Andy Alcock can be reached at anderson.alcock@kshb.com.

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