Uber Wait Times Rise 19% as Prices Climb 53%: Study

An analysis by Columbia Business School executive-in-residence Len Sherman found that the median time from driver match to arrival on Uber rose 19% between Q1 2023 and Q1 2026, while the price charged per mile climbed 53% on average. Sherman compiled 37,500 trips from six US metros using GigU driver data and reported wait-time increases in five cities (including Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston), with only Tampa seeing a slight decline. The metric excludes the time riders wait to be paired with a driver, a limitation Sherman says understates total delays. Uber pushed back, calling parts of the analysis inaccurate and pointing to a prior company blog post disputing claims that profitability came solely from raising prices and taking a larger share of fares.

Sherman argues the findings illustrate a broader shift in Uber’s strategy: using upfront pricing to raise rider costs while cutting driver pay and increasing the company’s take rate, effectively charging more for a worse service. He warns this risks damaging customer trust - supported by Uber’s fall in the Axios Harris Poll reputation ranking from 58th to 72nd - and says easier price comparisons via AI agents intensify competitive pressure. His report builds on earlier studies that documented higher platform take rates and inconsistent commercial fees across similar trips.