# Uber drivers are ‘secretly conspiring to force price surges allowing them to charge passengers more’



## a_Magillacutty (Jul 16, 2017)

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4150525/uber-drivers-price-surge-passengers-money/
*TAKEN FOR A RIDE: Uber drivers are 'secretly conspiring to force price surges allowing them to charge passengers more'*
*It is claimed drivers are arranging to log off at the same time to create a lack of supply compared to demand*
The Sun (UK) By Richard Wheatstone 2nd August 2017

UBER drivers are secretly manipulating the company's system to create price surges which allow them to charge customers more money - according to academics.

Researchers from Warwick Business School in Coventry and New York University claim drivers in the same area are arranging to log out of the app at the same time to create price surges.

It means there is more demand than supply in the area and the company's algorithms put up the price of journeys.

Academics presented the findings after interviewing drivers and* studying more than 1,000 posts on the independent Uberpeople.net website*, The Times reports.

Uber said the research was based on comments on drivers which in many cases were not factually accurate.

The report gave one example of an online conversation where one London-based driver said: "Guys, stay logged off until surge."

When a second driver asked: "Why?" the original poster replied: "Less supply high demand = surge."

Another driver added: "Uber will find out if people are manipulating the system."

But the original driver responded: "They already know cos it happens every week."

The researchers said the drivers' behaviour was a reaction to Uber's "management by algorithm" where drivers rarely interact with company bosses.

Dr Lior Zalmanson, of NYU, said: "Uber's strategy is not at all transparent&#8230; and this creates negative feelings towards the company."

Dr Mareike Möhlmann, of Warwick Business School, said: "Drivers have developed practices to regain control, even gaming the system.

"It shows that the algorithmic management that Uber uses may not only be ethically questionable but may also hurt the company itself."

An Uber spokesperson said: "This behaviour is neither widespread or permissible on the Uber app, and we have a number of technical safeguards in place to prevent it from happening."

also see: The Times (UK) article


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## ChrisP (Feb 21, 2017)

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4150525/uber-drivers-price-surge-passengers-money/
*TAKEN FOR A RIDE: Uber drivers are 'secretly conspiring to force price surges allowing them to charge passengers more'*
*It is claimed drivers are arranging to log off at the same time to create a lack of supply compared to demand*
The Sun (UK) By Richard Wheatstone 2nd August 2017

UBER drivers are secretly manipulating the company's system to create price surges which allow them to charge customers more money - according to academics.

Researchers from Warwick Business School in Coventry and New York University claim drivers in the same area are arranging to log out of the app at the same time to create price surges.

It means there is more demand than supply in the area and the company's algorithms put up the price of journeys.

Academics presented the findings after interviewing drivers and* studying more than 1,000 posts on the independent Uberpeople.net website*, The Times reports.

Uber said the research was based on comments on drivers which in many cases were not factually accurate.

The report gave one example of an online conversation where one London-based driver said: "Guys, stay logged off until surge."

When a second driver asked: "Why?" the original poster replied: "Less supply high demand = surge."

Another driver added: "Uber will find out if people are manipulating the system."

But the original driver responded: "They already know cos it happens every week."

The researchers said the drivers' behaviour was a reaction to Uber's "management by algorithm" where drivers rarely interact with company bosses.

Dr Lior Zalmanson, of NYU, said: "Uber's strategy is not at all transparent&#8230; and this creates negative feelings towards the company."

Dr Mareike Möhlmann, of Warwick Business School, said: "Drivers have developed practices to regain control, even gaming the system.

"It shows that the algorithmic management that Uber uses may not only be ethically questionable but may also hurt the company itself."

An Uber spokesperson said: "This behaviour is neither widespread or permissible on the Uber app, and we have a number of technical safeguards in place to prevent it from happening."


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## tootsie (Sep 12, 2015)

There is rarely surge pricing these days in Houston.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

Uh oh, does Uber have a class action lawsuit against its drivers? Collusion to commit fraud (otherwise known as price fixing) is very frowned upon. Yikes, would really hate to see the list of 400,000 defendants. Uberpeople.net is specifically named as the catalyst. Do I foresee the Justice Dept. acquiring subpoenas to retrieve the IP's and email addresses of the members whom posted how to increase surge or belittling newbies that didn't know how to stay off line until surge was higher? This is the internet. Every crime is a Federal crime. I wouldn't worry though, unless I read an article that has the phrase "Grand Jury indictments" in it.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

tootsie said:


> There is rarely surge pricing these days in Houston.


It only takes 1. And most of this is from a year or more ago. There was this lawsuit a while back of a Boston/New York pax claiming that Uber fixed the pricing. 
Like the article states, over 1,000 posts on the procedure, the encouraging and the belittling of non adapters to surge increasing.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> Uh oh, does Uber have a class action lawsuit against its drivers? Collusion to commit fraud (otherwise known as price fixing) is very frowned upon. Yikes, would really hate to see the list of 400,000 defendants. Uberpeople.net is specifically named as the catalyst. Do I foresee the Justice Dept. acquiring subpoenas to retrieve the IP's and email addresses of the members whom posted how to increase surge or belittling newbies that didn't know how to stay off line until surge was higher? This is the internet. Every crime is a Federal crime. I wouldn't worry though, unless I read an article that has the phrase "Grand Jury indictments" in it.


Is that why ALL the gas stations in my area RAISED THE PRICE OF GAS THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT TODAY ?


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## westsidebum (Feb 7, 2015)

I didn't read full, article but most of the posts here put refusing requests as a drivers right to work at a certain rate. Which is why a judge told uber they could not punish drivers over their acceptance rates. Calling this a conspiracy is bogus. In free markets there are bids and counter offers until both parties accept. Where is the article about pax colluding to drive,down surges by cancel of requests while driver is in route or calling both uber and lyft at same time and taking faster cheaper?


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## emdeplam (Jan 13, 2017)

it is non sense. Uber has one fixed price at any point in time. If that is an issue it is on Uber as drivers only signal demand while Uber fixes the price to pax. Only price fixing is Uber overtly fixing driver rate to pax


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

tohunt4me said:


> Is that why ALL the gas stations in my area RAISED THE PRICE OF GAS THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT TODAY ?


Could be, but doubtful. Oil prices have been on the rise as I'm sure you're well aware of since you were in the business years ago. I don't know LA gas tax, but here in Phoenix we add $.47 to the RBOB closing price and that's real close to the station prices. Now of course some stations in North Scottsdale are $.30/gal higher due to cost of property ownership/rental.



westsidebum said:


> I didn't read full, article but most of the posts here put refusing requests as a drivers right to work at a certain rate.


You are correct. Refusing to accept a request is completely allowed, however conspiring with others in detail to use both the driver app and the pax app to lower the supply of drivers so that surge rates prevail is illegal. The worst part is that it has been documented thousands of times about experienced Uber drivers detailing precise instructions on how to influence surge in this forum. Many many many posts in this forum fall into the price fixing catagory.



emdeplam said:


> it is non sense. Uber has one fixed price at any point in time. If that is an issue it is on Uber as drivers only signal demand while Uber fixes the price to pax. Only price fixing is Uber overtly fixing driver rate to pax


You really don't know what price fixing is. Research the Hunt brothers of the early 80's and their quest to manipulate silver pricing. Even when the Hunt Brothers physically owned $4.5 billion in silver the federal gov't stepped in.



tohunt4me said:


> Is that why ALL the gas stations in my area RAISED THE PRICE OF GAS THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT TODAY ?


Oh crap, I forgot all about this one. You might of even heard about this. About 12 years ago AZ had a week long shutdown of a major gas line between Tucson and Phoenix. Phoenix was out of gas and dependent on individual trucking for its gas supply. As stations would randomly receive a delivery they would sell out in only a few hours. People were following tankers around town to gas stations in hopes of getting gas. There was this one particular gas station near downtown Phoenix owned by a CA attorney who was also licensed in AZ that received a tanker truck of gas. The attorney had the store's GM raise the fuel prices to over double the market value at that time. Needless to say within a year that attorney was disbarred from AZ and the liquor license of the convenient store attached to his gas station was pulled.


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## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

They can't get drivers without first proving we're really independent contractors.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

uberdriverfornow said:


> They can't get drivers without first proving we're really independent contractors.


Hundreds of thousands of drivers already self admitted that they are independent contractors when they filed their personal income tax for last year.


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## columbuscatlady (Jun 20, 2017)

"Uber drivers are secretly colluding to cause price surges that allow them to charge customers more, according to research seen by _The Times"......_.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/...ivers-gang-up-to-exploit-passengers-ctxbvhv98


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## Fubernuber (Jan 15, 2017)

columbuscatlady said:


> "Uber drivers are secretly colluding to cause price surges that allow them to charge customers more, according to research seen by _The Times"......_.
> 
> https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/...ivers-gang-up-to-exploit-passengers-ctxbvhv98


We are generally colluding to make uber an unreliable and hated service without making it overtly noticeable. Thats a fact. Another fact is that drivers would be celebrating globally when uber goes under.


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## Jesusdrivesuber (Jan 5, 2017)

Do they even know how hard it is to organize more than 100 people manually to pull an artificial surge?

Once they get proof of something (like a script that takes over each driver's phone) and one guy toggling that switch, write an article that makes sense in this plane of existence.

Click bait article.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

Jesusdrivesuber said:


> Do they even know how hard it is to organize more than 100 people manually to pull an artificial surge?
> 
> Once they get proof of something (like a script that takes over each driver's phone) and one guy toggling that switch, write an article that makes sense in this plane of existence.
> 
> Click bait article.


Conspiracy to commit price fixing is just as illegal as committing price fixing.


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## osii (Aug 21, 2014)

Thi is a completely unregulated ********* business. How many of you inform your insurance company you are rideshare drivers? Uber/Lyft can charge pax whatever they want to charge them and pay drivers whatever they want to pay them. Any cost of "regulations" are passed onto pax and drivers. Uber/Lyft have never paid one dime for any regulation passed by any jurisdiction on planet Earth.


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## KellyC (May 8, 2017)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> Conspiracy to commit price fixing is just as illegal as committing price fixing.


Y'all watch out, Steve is gonna report everyone here to the DOJ.


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## JimS (Aug 18, 2015)

Dumbest Uber article in a while. If _every_ uberpeople.net member in any given market logged off, it'd barely register.


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## jfinks (Nov 24, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> Uh oh, does Uber have a class action lawsuit against its drivers? Collusion to commit fraud (otherwise known as price fixing) is very frowned upon. Yikes, would really hate to see the list of 400,000 defendants. Uberpeople.net is specifically named as the catalyst. Do I foresee the Justice Dept. acquiring subpoenas to retrieve the IP's and email addresses of the members whom posted how to increase surge or belittling newbies that didn't know how to stay off line until surge was higher? This is the internet. Every crime is a Federal crime. I wouldn't worry though, unless I read an article that has the phrase "Grand Jury indictments" in it.


It is not price fixing, it is fixing the price to closer to where it should be all the time.


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## rembrandt (Jul 3, 2016)

This article was written and prepared by Lyft PR firm. They are essentially asking riders to use Lyft instead. The best form of advertising is the one that looks like a news article.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

jfinks said:


> It is not price fixing, it is fixing the price to closer to where it should be all the time.


You could of worded your post to make it sound like you knew what you were speaking about.

It is not price fixing, it is correlating with other independent contractors to assure the public that supply will be readily available when demand is at its peak.



KellyC said:


> Y'all watch out, Steve is gonna report everyone here to the DOJ.


Steve doesn't have to report everyone to the DOJ. All these posts for the past 4 years are safe way up in the clouds just like that topless picture of you when you were drunk at your friends bachlorette party.


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## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> Hundreds of thousands of drivers already self admitted that they are independent contractors when they filed their personal income tax for last year.


Which means exactly nothing.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

uberdriverfornow said:


> Which means exactly nothing.


You are absolutely correct about that. Uber drivers get NOTHING for benefits and next to NOTHING for wages.


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## Disgusted Driver (Jan 9, 2015)

So passengers should be pissed that drivers were hoping to get a fair rate for a ride and were withholding their services till that happened.

Basing a research article on the boasting of people on here, that makes for great scholarly work!


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## jfinks (Nov 24, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> You are absolutely correct about that. Uber drivers get NOTHING for benefits and next to NOTHING for wages.


You coulda worded this post like you knew what you are talking about.


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## I_Like_Spam (May 10, 2015)

a_Magillacutty said:


> https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4150525/uber-drivers-price-surge-passengers-money/
> *TAKEN FOR A RIDE: Uber drivers are 'secretly conspiring to force price surges allowing them to charge passengers more'*


i don't see how hundreds of thousands of people in a group that is constantly changing membership can "secretly""conspire" to do anything


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

jfinks said:


> You coulda worded this post like you knew what you are talking about.


Love it. You got me.


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## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> You are absolutely correct about that. Uber drivers get NOTHING for benefits and next to NOTHING for wages.


Depends on the market. As it stands now the only two narkets where you can make money doing TNC is NYC and the SF Bay Area.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> Conspiracy to commit price fixing is just as illegal as committing price fixing.


Well Uber shouldnt have BROKEN THE PRICE !



rembrandt said:


> This article was written and prepared by Lyft PR firm. They are essentially asking riders to use Lyft instead. The best form of advertising is the one that looks like a news article.


And 9 out of 10 Doctors Recommend Camel Filterless !


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

uberdriverfornow said:


> Depends on the market. As it stands now the only two narkets where you can make money doing TNC is NYC and the SF Bay Area.


But still barely enough money to rent a couch to sleep on in those two overpriced real estate markets.


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## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> But still barely enough money to rent a couch to sleep on in those two overpriced real estate markets.


It's only overpriced for those that didn't have a house when the prices skyrocketed.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

tohunt4me said:


> Well Uber shouldnt have BROKEN THE PRICE !


Oh, to go back to Uber's pre 2014 days of unbroken prices. When $300 was considered a crappy day. Don't tease me like that.


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## rembrandt (Jul 3, 2016)

tohunt4me said:


> Well Uber shouldnt have BROKEN THE PRICE !
> 
> And 9 out of 10 Doctors Recommend Camel Filterless !


Intelligent people talk about ideas. Mediocre people talk about events. Dumb people talk about other people. Unfortunately, businesses are damn lucky that the world is full of dull and dumb people who lack minimum critical thinking and they always take things at the face value. There was a time when Army generals were great intellectuals too. Now, even they act like mediocre Macdonald store managers and soldiers are the bakers.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> Oh, to go back to Uber's pre 2014 days of unbroken prices. When $300 was considered a crappy day. Don't tease me like that.


There was no reason to turn the " GARDEN OF EDEN" into a Slum.



I_Like_Spam said:


> i don't see how hundreds of thousands of people in a group that is constantly changing membership can "secretly""conspire" to do anything


Singing " Im Wishing" from Snow White
By Adriana Caselotti. . . .


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## Just Another Uber Drive (Jul 15, 2015)

It's like this... if you want a ride from me at bar closing then you're going to pay me surge rates. If you can not see the value of my services and be willing to pay me surge pricing then my car simply won't be available to you. We can still be friends and all that, but you can't be my passenger.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

Just Another Uber Drive said:


> It's like this... if you want a ride from me at bar closing then you're going to pay me surge rates. If you can not see the value of my services and be willing to pay me surge pricing then my car simply won't be available to you. We can still be friends and all that, but you can't be my passenger.


I wish everyone felt this way before they signed up to drive for pennies a mile. Hell, we would probably still be at the $2.25/mile rate that we had back in '14. But we will never know. There will always be Uber drivers willing to pick up the bar crowd at closing time for $.70/mile.


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## empresstabitha (Aug 25, 2016)

Fubernuber said:


> We are generally colluding to make uber an unreliable and hated service without making it overtly noticeable. Thats a fact. Another fact is that drivers would be celebrating globally when uber goes under.


Yeah this paper is high on something


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## Fubernuber (Jan 15, 2017)

empresstabitha said:


> Yeah this paper is high on something


You are low on somethings if you disagree


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

I_Like_Spam said:


> i don't see how hundreds of thousands of people in a group that is constantly changing membership can "secretly""conspire" to do anything


It sure as hell isn't a secret. You are correct about the "changing membership". New drivers are a big nuisance to the veteran Uber drivers whom post about the procedure of raising surge. In fact there are many many posts that belittle and show anger towards new drivers that don't conform to the practice of raising the surge.


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## UsedToBeAPartner (Sep 19, 2016)

a_Magillacutty said:


> https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4150525/uber-drivers-price-surge-passengers-money/
> *TAKEN FOR A RIDE: Uber drivers are 'secretly conspiring to force price surges allowing them to charge passengers more'*
> *It is claimed drivers are arranging to log off at the same time to create a lack of supply compared to demand*
> The Sun (UK) By Richard Wheatstone 2nd August 2017
> ...





a_Magillacutty said:


> https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4150525/uber-drivers-price-surge-passengers-money/
> *TAKEN FOR A RIDE: Uber drivers are 'secretly conspiring to force price surges allowing them to charge passengers more'*
> *It is claimed drivers are arranging to log off at the same time to create a lack of supply compared to demand*
> The Sun (UK) By Richard Wheatstone 2nd August 2017
> ...


The drivers definitely are and they definitely should. The cheap SOB's that expect a ride for next to nothing should quit taking Uber! Uber has nothing but crooks as drivers. What these folks will find out is that not using Uber or Lyft will require them to pay the actual "going rate" for taxi service which is at least 3 times the cost of an Uber or Lyft ride. So, as long as the surge is 3X or less you are still better off catching an Uber/Lyft with some poor bastard that simply wants to be able to buy groceries for his family. I know, I know! You could care less if the drivers eats or dies, you just want to be taken home for $5.00.


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## RaleighNick (Feb 18, 2017)

I'd love to see the actual study. From what I can tell Dr Lior Zalmanson frames the issue as that of Uber drivers resisting the management practices used to control them. These two hacks that framed the issue in this way for the articles should be ashamed of themselves as they neither accurately represent reality, nor the words of an academic. Further, Zalmason could learn far more actually driving for the platform himself rather than relying on this forum for data. 

You can visit Zalmason's Twitter to find a linked article from the independent which is slightly less adversarial towards drivers, though still seems to be largely missing the point.


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## Hoodat (Apr 29, 2016)

a_Magillacutty said:


> https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4150525/uber-drivers-price-surge-passengers-money/
> *TAKEN FOR A RIDE: Uber drivers are 'secretly conspiring to force price surges allowing them to charge passengers more'*
> *It is claimed drivers are arranging to log off at the same time to create a lack of supply compared to demand*
> The Sun (UK) By Richard Wheatstone 2nd August 2017
> ...


Sounds like a flip to me , It's not uber it's the drivers they have the power they are making it rain


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

It may be a "click bait" article, but nobody is stepping forward to dispute how ridiculous it is.  What we have is:

Uber constantly monitoring drivers behavior and using the data collected to control drivers actions. Only drivers are disturbed by this. 

Drivers discussed a mechanism to control surge pricing that is difficult at best to implement, if not impossible. No one had provided evidence that is was implemented, let alone how often, but riders are upset, reading the *international *coverage believe they are being *overcharged by drivers*, regardless of the facts. 
Riders are preparing to "fight back" against drivers who are not actually able to do what is implied. 

Researchers are monitoring and analyzing Uber's behavior and driver's attitudes, in part by using this forum, drawing ridiculous conclusions. 
International News Coverage & "How to fight back"

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4150525/uber-drivers-price-surge-passengers-money/
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/...ivers-gang-up-to-exploit-passengers-ctxbvhv98

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/making-sense/uber-drivers-game-app-force-surge-pricing/
https://www.inc.com/erik-sherman/new-study-shows-uber-drivers-trick-algorithm-to-ma.html
*As a result the public perception is turned against drivers. Perhaps this was the intention all along! *


SEAL Team 5 said:


> Uh oh, does Uber have a class action lawsuit against its drivers? Collusion to commit fraud (otherwise known as price fixing) is very frowned upon. Yikes, would really hate to see the list of 400,000 defendants. Uberpeople.net is specifically named as the catalyst. Do I foresee the Justice Dept. acquiring subpoenas to retrieve the IP's and email addresses of the members whom posted how to increase surge or belittling newbies that didn't know how to stay off line until surge was higher? This is the internet. Every crime is a Federal crime. I wouldn't worry though, unless I read an article that has the phrase "Grand Jury indictments" in it.


Would Uber encourage a criminal investigation of this behind the scenes? UP.net is a well-known outlet for public criticism of Uber. I hope that UP.net has a legal defense fund prepared. Will we be informed if and when this happens?


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

Maven said:


> It may be a "click bait" article, but nobody is stepping forward to dispute how ridiculous it is.  What we have is:
> 
> Uber constantly monitoring drivers behavior and using the data collected to control drivers actions. Only drivers are disturbed by this.
> 
> ...


Nothing crazy is going to happen. At worst the UP staff will be told to watch and discourage any type of collusion. Any investigation will lead to a discovery of ignorance not the planning of deception of an Uber driver. Lol


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## Spotscat (May 8, 2017)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> Steve doesn't have to report everyone to the DOJ. All these posts for the past 4 years are safe way up in the clouds just like that topless picture of you when you were drunk at your friends bachelorette party.


Like this?


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

"Dock that b*tch a day's pay for nappin on the job"


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## UsedToBeAPartner (Sep 19, 2016)

Tap that thing before it wakes up! Oops, must have been channeling Bill Cosby.


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## roadman (Nov 14, 2016)

Pax can walk if they want to. No one is forcing them to get a ride. Or they can wait until later and perhaps the surge will go down. Or they can take a cab. It sounds like the independent contractor drivers are setting their prices.


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## Aharm (Aug 14, 2015)

Seems like just speculation


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## UberLaLa (Sep 6, 2015)

tootsie said:


> There is rarely surge pricing these days in Houston.


Then there should be rarely any driving...


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## Rammmmin (Jul 24, 2015)

tohunt4me said:


> Is that why ALL the gas stations in my area RAISED THE PRICE OF GAS THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT TODAY ?


How about skyrocketing rent increase ? Who's to blame ? Missive immigration from Mexico probably.


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## Rat (Mar 6, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> Uh oh, does Uber have a class action lawsuit against its drivers? Collusion to commit fraud (otherwise known as price fixing) is very frowned upon. Yikes, would really hate to see the list of 400,000 defendants. Uberpeople.net is specifically named as the catalyst. Do I foresee the Justice Dept. acquiring subpoenas to retrieve the IP's and email addresses of the members whom posted how to increase surge or belittling newbies that didn't know how to stay off line until surge was higher? This is the internet. Every crime is a Federal crime. I wouldn't worry though, unless I read an article that has the phrase "Grand Jury indictments" in it.


It is Uber itself that fixes the prices. Then overcharges the pax with "upfront pricing"



osii said:


> Thi is a completely unregulated illegal cab business. How many of you inform your insurance company you are rideshare drivers? Uber/Lyft can charge pax whatever they want to charge them and pay drivers whatever they want to pay them. Any cost of "regulations" are passed onto pax and drivers. Uber/Lyft have never paid one dime for any regulation passed by any jurisdiction on planet Earth.


I informed my insurance company I rideshare. You asking the question makes me suspect you didn't. Uber has bought lots of regulation. The new rideshare "regulations" in Florida are a good example


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## tootsie (Sep 12, 2015)

UberLaLa said:


> Then there should be rarely any driving...


I'm rarely driving. Atleast for Uber. Lyft just got back in my town so there are incentives to drive for them.


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## westsidebum (Feb 7, 2015)

Criminal Conspiracy is very hard to prove. The idea that drivers urging other drivers in private or on public forum to to be,aware of how to maximize their bid power is criminal price, fixing is ludicrous. Even the few documented cases of drivers acting in concert in real time with other drivers to create surges does not meet the,standard. An app is not a market place. Drivers although independent contractors are not seen as being competitors in a regulated market. Drivers acting to change pricing is at best a tactic based on the rules of an app. Just as riders cancelling when there are surges is,a tactic riders use to also game the,app. There are other issues here including rights to free speech and advocacy. Another issue is transparency. Drivers agreeing not to drive is transparent and the intent is also legit which is a fare rate.


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## WaveRunner1 (Jun 11, 2017)

Uber probably charges passengers surge pricing but doesn't let the driver know.


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## UberLaLa (Sep 6, 2015)

WaveRunner1 said:


> Uber probably charges passengers surge pricing but doesn't let the driver know.


Ya think..? lol


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## just_me (Feb 20, 2017)

WaveRunner1 said:


> Uber probably charges passengers surge pricing but doesn't let the driver know.


Uber does show false surge clouds to drivers - hence the expression: don't go chasing clouds.


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## WaveRunner1 (Jun 11, 2017)

UberLaLa said:


> Ya think..? lol





just_me said:


> Uber does show false surge clouds to drivers - hence the expression: don't go chasing clouds.


Ever since the upfront fares scam was revealed I wouldn't put it past Uber to continue scamming drivers. The 180 Days Of Scams is merely a PR stunt with no real improvement in driver earnings. Uber increases booking fees and rates with drivers seeing no increase.


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## UberLaLa (Sep 6, 2015)

WaveRunner1 said:


> Ever since the upfront fares scam was revealed I wouldn't put it past Uber to continue scamming drivers. The 180 Days Of Scams is merely a PR stunt with no real improvement in driver earnings. Uber increases booking fees and rates with drivers seeing no increase.


No question about it~

https://uberpeople.net/threads/is-it-how-uber-scams-drivers-and-riders.191248/#post-2851349


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

UsedToBeAPartner said:


> The drivers definitely are and they definitely should. The cheap SOB's that expect a ride for next to nothing should quit taking Uber! Uber has nothing but crooks as drivers. What these folks will find out is that not using Uber or Lyft will require them to pay the actual "going rate" for taxi service which is at least 3 times the cost of an Uber or Lyft ride. So, as long as the surge is 3X or less you are still better off catching an Uber/Lyft with some poor bastard that simply wants to be able to buy groceries for his family. I know, I know! You could care less if the drivers eats or dies, you just want to be taken home for $5.00.


Try to get a taxi at bar closing time.
Oh

OH !

Heres an idea !

Leave the Freaking bar an HOUR EARLY !



KellyC said:


> Y'all watch out, Steve is gonna report everyone here to the DOJ.


Uber already hired Eric Holder.



Rammmmin said:


> How about skyrocketing rent increase ? Who's to blame ? Missive immigration from Mexico probably.


So govt. And industry CAN PRICE FIX WAGES !



Maven said:


> It may be a "click bait" article, but nobody is stepping forward to dispute how ridiculous it is.  What we have is:
> 
> Uber constantly monitoring drivers behavior and using the data collected to control drivers actions. Only drivers are disturbed by this.
> 
> ...


Its Divide & Conquor.
Set passengers at odds with Drivers.
That way, no sympathy allowed for UBERS STARVATION WAGES !


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## just_me (Feb 20, 2017)

WaveRunner1 said:


> Ever since the upfront fares scam was revealed I wouldn't put it past Uber to continue scamming drivers. The 180 Days Of Scams is merely a PR stunt with no real improvement in driver earnings. Uber increases booking fees and rates with drivers seeing no increase.


I'm not holding my breath either. And whose to say that Uber hasn't been scamming passengers. Uber's software will need to be overseen or regulated at some point down the road. Too much bad press. They've lost trust.


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## uberdavid (Feb 1, 2016)

half of the drivers I meet can not tie their shoes much less organize a price surge?


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## WaveRunner1 (Jun 11, 2017)

uberdavid said:


> half of the drivers I meet can not tie their shoes much less organize a price surge?


True. Many driver don't even know about this website. I think all drivers should be on here - or maybe not cause there are plenty of redundant useless posts on here.


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## jfinks (Nov 24, 2016)

All drivers should ignore at least 3 requests after the surge fades if you are in surge and didn't get a ride. We must punish the uber system and riders for waiting for surge to fade. Every driver is entitled to at minimum 2x surge in all busy areas since it is 2am - 3am and we have to deal with drunks. 3x is preferred. Nobody gets in my car at hot bar / concert / sports scene without 2x surge at least.


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## jlong105 (Sep 15, 2017)

I_Like_Spam said:


> i don't see how hundreds of thousands of people in a group that is constantly changing membership can "secretly""conspire" to do anything


We are secretly conspiring on a public forum. LOL


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## I_Like_Spam (May 10, 2015)

jfinks said:


> . Every driver is entitled to at minimum 2x surge in all busy areas since it is 2am - 3am and we have to deal with drunks. 3x is preferred. Nobody gets in my car at hot bar / concert / sports scene without 2x surge at least.


You can't force passengers to pay double or triple if they don't want to. They'll find another way to get from where they are to where they want to go, at least in the longer term.

If you don't think that the amount that Uber is willing to pay for your services and the use of your car is worth it, stay home or go out to your own local bar and have few on Friday and Saturday evening. Really. If they can't get enough drivers at the current rates, they'll raise the rates.


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