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Commute with Uber in NYC for less than a subway fare this summer

Commute with Uber in NYC for less than a subway fare this summer

Competition over New York’s commuters is heating up this summer.

Users of the ride-sharing app Uber could get access to unlimited rides during weekday-traffic hours for less than the cost of a subway fare.

The company announced on Monday that it is offering an UberPool “commute card” to members of Gilt City, a U.S. flash-sales site, in July and August for users of the carpooling service who are taking rides in certain areas of Manhattan between 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The price tag for a two-week pass is US$49, while four weeks runs for $79 and eight weeks for $159. An account with Gilt City is free.

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These bargain-basement prices could offer New York City residents a cheaper, and perhaps more appealing, alternative to being packed like sardines into subway cars.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which oversees public transportation for 12 counties in New York State, offers seven-day subway passes for $31. Meanwhile, a 30-day pass is offered for $116.50.

According to Quartz, for a commuter who makes trips during the weekday-traffic hours, twice a day, five days a week, the cost per trip with a 30-day subway pass would break down to about $2.91. That dwarfs the $1.98 per trip with a four-week UberPool pass during the summer.

The deal is also cheaper than the subway’s seven-day pass, which works out to $3.10 per trip, while UberPool’s 14-day pass costs $2.45 each time.

However, the subway passes do have the distinct advantage of giving users unlimited access to New York’s sprawling transit system, at any time of day and on weekends.

Uber declined to reveal to Quartz whether it expects to lose money on the promotion, but the move may be designed to boost the company’s presence in an increasingly crowded market.

Lyft, the company’s main rival, has offered weekly deals over the last several months, and new competitors such as Gett and Juno are attempting to grab their share of the pie.