Companies Know How to Charge Us More for Almost Everything

Need a ride from the airport home? You better hope it's not raining.

During a recent trip, as I often do, I checked Uber and Lyft fares right after getting off the plane. By the time I walked to the rideshare pickup area, prices on both apps had skyrocketed. Rideshare platforms rely on machine learning models that preemptively raise rates in response to weather, crowds or sudden spikes in demand.

Of course, high-tech markups are not limited to travel. I recently wanted to treat my daughter — an overwhelmed public school elementary teacher — to an in-person game for her beloved Baltimore Ravens. After searching for decent lower-bowl seats that did not cost as much as a month's worth of groceries for a family of four, I gave up.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.