
by Gabe Zaldivar
Last updated: 11:00 AM ET, Tue December 13, 2016
Why fly when you can spend eight hours in an Uber?
That's what one anonymous traveler did recently when they hired an Uber to take them from Williamsburg, Virginia, to Bedford-Stuyvesant in New York City.
The New York Post spoke with Janis Rogers who is the 64-year-old who has been with Uber since May, and is now someone who can hold claim to what might be the longest Uber drive in history.
According to the report, Rogers picked up an unnamed traveler who said she needed to see her boyfriend in New York. This was on June 9 at about noon and what turned out to be 397 miles; 7 hours, 42 minutes; and $294.09 away from her ultimate destination.
When it was all said and done, Rogers had dropped off this traveler and returned home by nearly four the following morning.
By now you have some obvious questions: Who takes Uber that far when a plane would suffice, and at a cheaper fare? Also, who decides to upend the day for a grueling drive?
Sadly, we may never know who this traveler was. She remains anonymous in the report. Rogers merely adds: "She was pretty. She was sitting outside with a suitcase and a bag. I did not get her name. I think she had been Ubering up the coast."
As for Rogers, she was in it for the excitement of the endeavor itself: "This was not lucrative. I did it because it was an adventure.
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When it comes to the numbers, there are some very intriguing figures. According to the Post, taking a cab would have cost this traveler in upwards of $1,182. Our search on TaxiFareFinder.com reveals a far of about $1,164. Essentially, Uber is significantly cheaper for the long haul than hiring a taxi.
When it comes to other forms of transportation, the Post states, "she could have taken a plane for $188, a train for $95, and a bus for only $45."
Equally befuddling, Rogers' decision to drive all that way delivered an unofficial record and all of $9 an hour after expenses were considered.
For those who like to add a gratuity for that 10-minute trek closer to home, you may cringe to discover there was no tip offered in this case - that's especially troubling when you consider Rogers had to drive all the way back home after this one-way fare.
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