Uber ridership has soared in the outer boroughs since the company slashed its prices — with rides that start outside Manhattan now making up more than one-third of the company’s Big Apple business, company officials told The Post on Monday.
Overall ridership in The Bronx has shot up by 33 percent in the two weeks since the 15 percent rate slash took effect on Jan. 29. And ridership in Queens increased by 21 percent, company officials said.
Manhattan ridership itself saw an increase of 26 percent, Uber reported.
Riders in the outer boroughs say the price cuts make Uber more accessible to the masses.
“The Bronx has been a forgotten borough and people believe that we don’t deserve accessibility,” said Sulma Arzu-Brown, director of operations of the New York City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “Many of us have to hustle and bustle, and getting a ride helps.”
In total, more than 75,000 New Yorkers have signed up for the Uber app in the two weeks since the company slashed its prices, and more than half of those new users came from outside of Manhattan, officials said on Monday.
There were 18,612 new users in Queens, 5,334 in The Bronx and 16,714 in Brooklyn.
Another 34,624 people signed up in Manhattan.
Uber ignited a firestorm when it announced that it would slash its prices a day before doing so. A group of drivers went on a three-day strike against the company and held protests across the city.
They called on the company to restore the old fares, add a tipping option on the app, and cut its commission to 10 percent from 20-25 percent.
The company argued that drivers actually make more money with the price cut because they are spending less time idling and waiting for fares.
Company officials said trips in the outer boroughs doubled the last time Uber dropped prices, in July 2014.
“Uber’s goal is to be available to everyone everywhere, and we are excited to see demand skyrocket in places where yellow taxis rarely go,” said Josh Mohrer, Uber’s New York City manager.