# A Suggestion: Uber App needs a choice of Destinations Sectioned Off!



## Dan L (Sep 15, 2015)

Hoping someone from Uber reads these boards. After driving, unwillingly, to NYC last night (an hour+ drive) it got me thinking. We don't know where the PAX is going all the time unless we call ahead of time. Ok that's fine, I don't mind, but in some areas (such as NJ), driving to the areas are a little risky for a small fare.

Talking to one of my PAX last night, a late night waitress, she said that she could not believe that Uber does not tell the driver where the passenger is going ahead of time. She told me if she was a driver, she would totally want to know where the passenger is going ahead of time so she could A.) Prepare for it ahead of time if she needed gas or needed to get money to get through tolls or B.) Cancel if she could not do either if it was too far and killed the time she needed. I'm sure this is the reason WHY they don't do it.

It got me thinking though... why not have something as simple in the app where you log in and you get a "choice" of desired destination. Example: Big City, Local City, Airport, etc.

This way, Uber drivers that sign up, can check off if they are willing to drive to a city or airport or wherever in their profile and they will get those pings. Drivers that do not want to go there, will not get those pings. It will also force the passenger to at least give the driver an idea of where they are going after they don't enter an address.

Any thoughts on this? It shouldn't be difficult to implement on the PAX and Driver App.


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## Old Rocker (Aug 20, 2015)

My guess is that if Uber implements such a feature there will be problems with drivers cherry picking rides, especially to avoid the minimum fares.


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## lovethesurge (Sep 10, 2015)

I am in Pa and 2 weeks ago had a pick up going to Newark Airport, which of course I didn't know until I picked up. Had I known, I would have cancelled the trip. I did write to customer service (no answer, shocking!) and suggested if a ride is going to take you an extraordinary time out of your home area, or in this case, another state, they should give the driver the heads up. Obviously not for every trip, but I think if something is 45 minutes plus away they could. Great fare on the way, but empty car and high tolls on the way home. It definitely was not worth it.


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## Dan L (Sep 15, 2015)

lovethesurge said:


> I am in Pa and 2 weeks ago had a pick up going to Newark Airport, which of course I didn't know until I picked up. Had I known, I would have cancelled the trip. I did write to customer service (no answer, shocking!) and suggested if a ride is going to take you an extraordinary time out of your home area, or in this case, another state, they should give the driver the heads up. Obviously not for every trip, but I think if something is 45 minutes plus away they could. Great fare on the way, but empty car and high tolls on the way home. It definitely was not worth it.


See and this is where my point is. What if, for whatever reason, you don't have the money (or EZPass) to take someone to the airport. You're going all the way there, to pick them up, and guess what? Now you have to tell the PAX "Sorry, I can't take you" and they risk missing their flight, etc etc.

If there was an option for the PAX to select airport ride and if there was an option for the driver to check or uncheck "airport rides accepted" then you may have avoided the fare.


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## FlDriver (Oct 16, 2015)

Dan L said:


> See and this is where my point is. What if, for whatever reason, you don't have the money (or EZPass) to take someone to the airport. You're going all the way there, to pick them up, and guess what? Now you have to tell the PAX "Sorry, I can't take you" and they risk missing their flight, etc etc.


Does your airport charge an entrance fee or something? Otherwise I'm not seeing what EZPass has to do with it.

I'm also wondering why an Uber driver wouldn't have an EZPass if he lives in an area where that's common.

Here in Florida we have SunPass, which is the same concept. I would have one even if not for Uber- it means I don't need cash for tolls, and on some roads the toll is lower than if I pay cash. Riders love it when I can just zip through the SunPass lanes rather than stopping to pay a toll, and so do I.


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## Dan L (Sep 15, 2015)

FlDriver said:


> Does your airport charge an entrance fee or something? Otherwise I'm not seeing what EZPass has to do with it.
> 
> I'm also wondering why an Uber driver wouldn't have an EZPass if he lives in an area where that's common.
> 
> Here in Florida we have SunPass, which is the same concept. I would have one even if not for Uber- it means I don't need cash for tolls, and on some roads the toll is lower than if I pay cash. Riders love it when I can just zip through the SunPass lanes rather than stopping to pay a toll, and so do I.


No entrance fee for the airport but in EWR, the port authority police ticket Uber drivers like crazy. In some cases, they have impounded cars, etc. Some tickets were upwards of $1500.

I've been to Florida many times so am familiar with Sunpass. Some drivers, like myself, don't always go on toll roads on a normal day. The toll roads are typically once in a blue moon for me. For me, the area is not common for EZPass. Everything is local. For the most part I am 40 minutes away from the closest toll.


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## everythingsuber (Sep 29, 2015)

Trouble with being able to set destinations is the manipulation of the system once you do allow this. Once upon a time in a cab I was driving I was able to work out how to set the district/destination that it would only give me bookings going from the local airbase to the domestic airport. A 75 dollar trip and then I would just do pick up work in the shopping area near the base between bookings. Would usually get 3 or 4 75 dollar bookings a day and no one else could work out how I was doing this. The radio company eventually stopped allowing us to set destinations.


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## Minks (Oct 23, 2015)

lovethesurge said:


> I am in Pa and 2 weeks ago had a pick up going to Newark Airport, which of course I didn't know until I picked up. Had I known, I would have cancelled the trip. I did write to customer service (no answer, shocking!) and suggested if a ride is going to take you an extraordinary time out of your home area, or in this case, another state, they should give the driver the heads up. Obviously not for every trip, but I think if something is 45 minutes plus away they could. Great fare on the way, but empty car and high tolls on the way home. It definitely was not worth it.


I agree. As a part time driver I just want to drive 2-6 hours on the weekend and chat with some people. This is a hobby job and not only about money. It is about fun little drives around town with interesting people. ...not a white knuckle drive to or thru a downtown area (Dallas FtWorth). Some of you will play me a violin here, but 50% of my rides seem to be marathon runs to a downtown area. Then I get to deadhead back because I do t want to end up another 45 minutes from my home base.


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## Nemo (Sep 17, 2015)

Minks said:


> I agree. As a part time driver I just want to drive 2-6 hours on the weekend and chat with some people. This is a hobby job and not only about money. It is about fun little drives around town with interesting people. ...not a white knuckle drive to or thru a downtown area (Dallas FtWorth). Some of you will play me a violin here, but 50% of my rides seem to be marathon runs to a downtown area. Then I get to deadhead back because I do t want to end up another 45 minutes from my home base.


you must be really lonely to drive only to chat up some people while taking fares from the ones that want to put food on the table for their families.


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## ray cash (Oct 22, 2015)

Nemo i sure Minks is not hurting anyone cus he wants to drive to meet people while driving them 2-6 hrs iam online 8 hrs a night... he not in my town but if he were it would not make a diff. in my income....


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## CityGirl (Nov 29, 2014)

I haven't read the comments yet, but 1) They used to show the passenger's destination and took it away because people were cherry picking and not taking the short rides, and 2) An option to set the driver's destination is in beta test, just sit tight, it's coming.


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## Joe Falcone (Oct 5, 2015)

I realize there may be cherry picking or whatever you wanna call it, but there are many reasons its unfair to the driver the way things are now. Nobody has mentioned just plain old time. Sure theres gas, tolls etc, but i'm a part time driver. What if i only want to work another hour for example, and i get a rider whos 20 min away who wants to go 45 min away? If were truly independant contractors, and have all this control, then the control just got shot to hell. Just saying.


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## Michael47 (Sep 26, 2015)

It's called "predjudicial". Call it what it is and I agree the destination is not necessary; however, at the very least, the distance to the destination should not be considered prejudicial and could easily be included when the pick up address is provided.
Time is an extremely important element for may of us part-time drivers.


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## Minks (Oct 23, 2015)

Michael47 said:


> It's called "predjudicial". Call it what it is and I agree the destination is not necessary; however, at the very least, the distance to the destination should not be considered prejudicial and could easily be included when the pick up address is provided.
> Time is an extremely important element for may of us part-time drivers.


Especially true if you use the term ride-share anywhere in the description of the service. I have a long drive to and from work every day. I'd love that pick up a rider along the way to or from work and drop them off a reasonable distance from my destination. But this is 100% impossible if destination is a complete wildcard. Lyft has this ability in some markets. If Uber gets, that will be awesome!!

Heck there is even a dart rail station close to my work, that I am sure is a draw.


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## Minks (Oct 23, 2015)

Nemo said:


> you must be really lonely to drive only to chat up some people while taking fares from the ones that want to put food on the table for their families.


More often than not I am the only uber driver online for my mini- city (DFW Suburb). There is one other guy that sits in Trophy Club at 121 and rejects tons of requests. My riders complain of him often. He is an uber select guy too, so some cherry picking going on maybe?

Yes, I just outed my DFW sweet spot. We need help up here in Roanoke pretty much all the time. 70% of the time I am the only guy. Near instant ping when I go online. Lots of hotels by racetrack. Be warned, half of your trips will be epic length. ....which most actually prefer so come get some. Roanoke area to Southlake Town Center very popular run as is into Arlington and the downtowns.

These people don't tip tho. Ever. They rate pretty much only 5's, and my first 20 trips were very awkward. I do drive big luxury vehicles tho, show up in these neighborhoods in a corolla and your results may vary.


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## UberCrue (Sep 17, 2015)

Minks - I end up in your area quite often, with people from Downtown Ft Worth -> heading back home. 
You're not kidding when you mention instant pings. I get hit, after hit, after hit leaving that location.


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