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Read the press release here.

Uber Extending Discounted Weekend Rides to More Stations Along L Line

By Serena Dai | May 8, 2015 2:04pm
 Uber is extending its discounted flat rate rides during the L train shutdown to residents near the Montrose and Morgan Avenue L train stops
Uber is extending its discounted flat rate rides during the L train shutdown to residents near the Montrose and Morgan Avenue L train stops
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Uber

EAST WILLIAMSBURG — Uber is discounting fares even deeper for Williamsburg straphangers stuck without L trains for the next two weekends, as well as extending the service to two additional stations.

The mobile app cab company has been offering $5 flat-rate UberPool rides on weekends between Williamsburg and Manhattan along the L line since the closures started three weekends ago. Previously, cabs only picked up passengers near the Bedford, Lorimer, Graham and Grand stops.

For the final two weekends of the shutdown, Uber is dropping its rate to $2.75 and extending the service to the Montrose and Morgan stops, the company announced Friday.

The L train has not been running between Lorimer Street and Eighth Avenue on weekends as the MTA does construction.

Tens of thousands of people have used the UberPool flat rate between Williamsburg and Manhattan over the past three weekends, Uber said.

The company is offering the rides to promote its UberPool service, which allows users to share their rides with another passenger heading to the same destination. About 80 percent of the rides have received "matches," meaning strangers shared the ride together, said Josh Mohrer, general manager of Uber in New York.

The ride will still cost $2.75 even if the user is not matched with somebody else.

Councilman Antonion Reynoso, whose district includes parts of Williamsburg and Bushwick, said he stood behind Uber and thought offering a discounted rate was exciting for locals.

Despite any controversy with the company, Uber is helping with transit issues in his district that need to be addressed, he said.

"I'm grateful that they stepped up," he said at a press conference at the Grand Street L stop Friday.

The flat rates will be available between 11:30 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Monday for the next two weekends.