Uber offers flat rates in monthly subscription

Want to avoid surge pricing? Now you can with Uber – in select cities.

With Ride Pass, Uber customers can pay a monthly fee of $14.99 for discounted rates for all UberX, Uber Pool and Uber Express Pool rides in a given month. The package is meant to protect riders against surge pricing so customers can plan rides “without any unwelcome surprises,” the company said in a statement. Customers can save up to 15 percent per ride with the new plan, it added.

The plan is available in five cities: Austin, Texas; Los Angeles; Denver; and Orlando and Miami in Florida. In Los Angeles, the subscription service costs

$24.99 per month – but the company said riders there will “get additional benefits on e-bikes and scooters with their Ride Pass” for no additional cost.

The move follows continued growth for Uber. The company generated $2.8 billion in revenue last quarter, up 63 percent from the same period a year ago. As it continues to expand, Uber is looking to invest in transportation – such as bikes and flying taxis.

Uber isn’t the only ride-hailing service hopping on the subscription bandwagon. Earlier this month, Lyft also launched a monthly plan, offering

30 rides to customers for $299.