Uber has been testing a new feature called 'Flex' that allows users to bid on how much they want to pay for a particular ride by customising the fare to their preferences. The ride-hailing service started testing the flexible pricing service in October last year. In an email response to TechCrunch, Uber has confirmed that it expanded the service to more than 12 Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India like Aurangabad, Bareilly, Ajmer, Chandigarh, Coimbatore, Dehradun, Gwalior, Indore, Jodhpur and Surat to name a few. Initially rolled out for cab fares and later expanded to auto-rickshaw rides, Uber Flex allows commuters to bid for a fare for their ride . It is significantly different from the company's standard pricing model that dynamically changes price depending on the traffic and demand in the region. As it turns out, Uber Flex lets users choose between nine different pricing points with one price set as default. When the user chooses a price, it is shared with the drivers in the area, which they can accept or decline. This is similar to Uber's competitor inDrive, a ride-hailing service that allows users to bid for fares like one would do in an auction. However, unlike inDrive, Uber is limiting the lowest fare you can set in the flex pricing mode. The new service is currently available for Uber Go rides and is also applicable when travelling between different cities, but is often expanded to Premier cabs and auto-rickshaw rides as well. Apart from India, Uber Flex is also being tested in countries like Lebanon, Kenya and Latin America. The report also states that the company plans to bring Flex to some metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai.
