7 Facts about Uber Posted on October 9, 2015September 25, 2017 by TFE Times Prev7 of 7Next Uber’s online ride service uses an automated algorithm to increase prices to “surge price” levels. During the 2014 Sydney hostage crisis, this resulted in fares of up to four times normal charges; while it defended the surge pricing at first, it later apologized and refunded the surcharges. Related