PASSENGER RECEIVES $600 UBER REFUND AFTER BEING STRANDED ON I-95 IN WINTER STORM FOR 9 HOURS

Hundreds of drivers and passengers were stranded overnight on I-95 in Virginia earlier this week due to winter weather​.

One of those stranded was Andrew Peters of Richmond Virginia with his Uber driver. He had taken the Uber on Monday from Dulles National Airport after flying from San Francisco, when they got onto on the interstate to get back to Richmond, according to WTOP-FM.

The standstill occurred on a 40-mile stretch of the highway, the New York Times reported. The winter storm had made the roads icy, resulting in hundreds of incidents and people stranded in their cars, some for over 24 hours. According to police, the road became impassable when tractor-trailers jackknifed in the storm.

The New York Times said state troopers went from person to person, bringing supplies they could while tow truck worked to drag car after car off the interstate.

According to WRC-TV Peters said, “People were walking around a lot, which was crazy. I was like, I don’t want to go too far out there in case traffic starts moving again.”

Peters didn’t get home until nine hours later, whereupon he paid a $200 Uber bill, but then discovered the ride-sharing service had added $400 in additional charges.

Uber’s website had said, “Heavy traffic may cause your trip to take longer than expected and to compensate your driver for the additional time, your fare may change.”

Nonetheless, Peters disputed the charge. Uber said in a statement sent to the Associated Press, “We have refunded Mr. Andrew Peters $600 after this terrible ordeal and are so glad that he and his Uber driver got home Safely. Mr. Peters was refunded his fare as well as the additional charges.”

The statement also said, “The driver’s pay will not be impacted.”

The interstate reopened Tuesday night.

Julio Cahn

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