Uber giving out free ride credits at LIRR station
Uber was hoping to turn commuter frustration into ride sharing success ahead of Thursday’s official launch on Long Island, with representatives handing out free credits for rides at one LIRR station.
Uber representatives were stationed at the Hicksville Long Island Rail Road station to hand out vouchers for about an hour Wednesday evening.
Hicksville was chosen because of its status as a commuter hub for the LIRR, said Uber spokeswoman Alix Anfang.
“We’re telling them, hey, starting tomorrow, you can use ride-sharing and we want to encourage you to try leaving your car at home,” she said.
The credits are valued at $20 or $50 and do not expire.
A new state law will allow Uber and its competitor Lyft to operate across New York State, including in Nassau and Suffolk counties, starting at 12:01 a.m. Thursday.
Drivers who previously drove for ride-sharing companies onto Long Island were regulated by New York City, where ride-sharing was already legal, and could be ticketed by county authorities for completing illegal point-to-point trips within Nassau and Suffolk counties.
Long Island ride-sharing drivers will be regulated by the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
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Light snow possible for ball drop ... NYC ready for New Year's Eve bash ... EPA update on 5 LI Superfund sites ... Volunteers: Splashes of Hope
