Uber, the popular ride sharing app, isn't so popular with the Better Business Bureau, which has slapped the company with an "F" rating.
The New York Times first reported the story Thursday saying the failing grade was "based on, among other criteria, more than 90 Uber customer complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau over the last three years."
Most of the complaints were billing related, stemming from what Uber calls "surge pricing." Here's how one economic analyst explained it to Fox Business.
JONAS MAX FERRIS VIA FOX BUSINESS: "When you request a car it very often will pop up and say 'surge pricing.' 1, 2, 3, 4 times...that can turn a 10 dollar ride into a 40 dollar ride, or a 100 dollar ride if it's a 10 times multiple."
But what does Uber's failing grade mean for the company? Apparently not a whole lot.
It's true: Uber is not regulated like a taxi service. But that's part of the reason it's able to offer cheap prices for its services. And while that may not be popular with cab drivers, it is widely popular among customers.
Better Business Bureau President and CEO Lori Wilson told PCWorld it's possible the F grade could have been posted for months before The New York Times called attention to it.
Uber's competitor Lyft, also has an F grade from the Bureau, as do numerous traditional taxi services.
And the Better Business Bureau itself is not beyond criticism. A 2010 ABC investigation uncovered extortion type practices that led to the expulsion of a southern California affiliate.
BRIAN ROSS VIA ABC: "Called a shakedown and a scam by business owners. Pay and get an 'A' or face the prospect of an 'F'."
That didn't stop the Who's Driving You campaign, which advocates against ridesharing companies like Uber, from pointing to the grade as "Yet another example of a third party warning customers against these so-called self-proclaimed 'ridesharing' companies."
Since the story broke Thursday, 17 additional complaints have been filed against Uber through the Bureau.
This video includes images from Getty Images.
