# Uber Detroit raising safe rider fee to $2.30, effective October 10



## BigUbes (Sep 15, 2015)

Can't wait to get more negative ratings because of this sudden change. I wonder what this will do to minimum fares


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## Old Rocker (Aug 20, 2015)

They just did it in Houston where the rates are already higher than Detroit. It doesn't affect minimum fares. I haven't had a single pax mention it.


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## vip (Jul 10, 2015)

Yea, Just got an email saying the same thing here in Columbus. Our increased from 1 to 1.45. I can't believe it is 2.30 in detroit
Is the safe rider fee different in each city because of the insurance coverage? I know Michigan as a state has very expensive car insurance coverage.


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## Old Rocker (Aug 20, 2015)

vip said:


> Yea, Just got an email saying the same thing here in Columbus. Our increased from 1 to 1.45. I can't believe it is 2.30 in detroit
> Is the safe rider fee different in each city because of the insurance coverage? I know Michigan as a state has very expensive car insurance coverage.


The SRF does differ market to market. Why? Who knows.


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## Thejamal (Oct 3, 2015)

Old Rocker said:


> They just did it in Houston where the rates are already higher than Detroit. It doesn't affect minimum fares. I haven't had a single pax mention it.


There in lies the problem. It's cheap of enough of a price increase that riders won't notice an extra .50 to 1.30 on their uber bill and they pocket the increase in payment without passing any along to the drivers


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## JustPayMe (Sep 26, 2015)

The cost of insurance does not increase or decrease forever since as Driver we have our own insurance all they're playing is an extra insurance which doesn't matter what state since its a commercial policy that's only if in effect when the passenger is in your car


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## Neil Yaremchuk (Sep 28, 2015)

Where was this documented. I drive in Detroit but haven't received anything regarding this nor have I seen any official notice from Uber. I'm just curious.


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## Altima ATL (Jul 13, 2015)

Old Rocker said:


> They just did it in Houston where the rates are already higher than Detroit. It doesn't affect minimum fares. I haven't had a single pax mention it.


I think that is because they have not told the riders yet.

They will tell them on their invoices, so the riders will rate their Uber experience and rate Uber (erm - I mean the driver - as it is our fault) accordingly .

They were just pushing the "$5 minimum is here to stay" on the rider app - and now the minimum fare here is $5.75! (Atlanta market).

"This fee supports background checks, building safety features in our app, incident response, and other operating costs for ridesharing in your city."

Maybe they now need to explain what the 20% commission is for!


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## Jeep Daddy (Jan 10, 2015)

vip said:


> Yea, Just got an email saying the same thing here in Columbus. Our increased from 1 to 1.45. I can't believe it is 2.30 in detroit
> Is the safe rider fee different in each city because of the insurance coverage? I know Michigan as a state has very expensive car insurance coverage.


It goes to $1.95 from $1 tomorrow here in LA. That's almost double.


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## Chicago-uber (Jun 18, 2014)

Altima ATL said:


> I think that is because they have not told the riders yet.
> 
> They will tell them on their invoices, so the riders will rate their Uber experience and rate Uber (erm - I mean the driver - as it is our fault) accordingly .
> 
> ...


The average rider will think that uber is taking the srf fee and that's all. The driver still taking the rest. They don't know that drivers still paying 20% commission on top of srf fee.


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## MikeD23 (Sep 28, 2015)

Thejamal said:


> There in lies the problem. It's cheap of enough of a price increase that riders won't notice an extra .50 to 1.30 on their uber bill and they pocket the increase in payment without passing any along to the drivers


It's 100% BS . How about raising the something for the ****ing DRIVERS.


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## Sxndriux (Oct 4, 2015)

Jeep Daddy said:


> It goes to $1.95 from $1 tomorrow here in LA. That's almost double.


Wow, 1.75 from 1 in SD, and i thought it was outrageous


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## chi1cabby (May 28, 2014)

Those who say/think "SRF doesn't effect the Drivers' pay", are conveniently overlooking the facts that:

1) By increasing the SRF, Uber increased the only part of the Fare that goes 100% to Uber.
2) By increasing the SRF, *Uber is now taking ~60% of the Minimum Fare rides*, since SRF is included in the Minimum Fare figure.
3) When Uber lowers rates, it always says that "Lower fares lead to Higher Driver Earnings". Well then Uber should lower the SRF too to increase it's earnings.


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## Neil Yaremchuk (Sep 28, 2015)

Did Uber become a self-insured company now with all of these fees? Amazing how insurance can climb 125% in weeks. Anyone at the Justice Department reading this?


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## BurgerTiime (Jun 22, 2015)

They advertise cheaper than a taxi but it looks more and more like a taxi rate to me! Lol


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## Old Rocker (Aug 20, 2015)

Yes, if the additional SRF is to cover 'operating fees,' it basically is a fare increase they shield from sharing with their partners. Hey, 20% of a $0.95 increase adds up to big money for a $50,000,000,000 company.

Let's say Uber has a million rides a day, so 20% of $950,000 (assuming an increase of $0.95) is $190,000 daily, or $69,350,000 saved from the partners potential share annually. That's 0.13% their total valuation they are saving by locking partners out of a share of the SRF increase.


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## Neil Yaremchuk (Sep 28, 2015)

Brilliant and nauseating all at the same time.


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## itsablackmarket (May 12, 2015)

They're doing so well with their safe ride fee scam, they can't help it.


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## BigUbes (Sep 15, 2015)

Neil Yaremchuk said:


> Brilliant and nauseating all at the same time.


no kidding. And we don't get a cut of that srf xD Uber now makes more than their drivers from minimum fares


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## Neil Yaremchuk (Sep 28, 2015)

I'm definitely in the market for a new pimp. Lyft is taking forever on the background check.


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## PT Go (Sep 23, 2014)

Sacramento. $1.75 from $1.00.


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## 331303 (Sep 2, 2015)

my guess is that it won't effect pax overall cost. probably looks something like this. 

old : pax pay 5$ driver income is (xfare) - 1.30 - 20% = driver pay

new: pax pay 5$ driver income is (xfare) - 2.30 - 20% = driver pay


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## PHXTE (Jun 23, 2015)

Phoenix just upped their SRF to $1.80. That's after they lowered rates in the name of "stimulating demand". They're just like the damn airlines and their baggage fees. It's pure profit to them.


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## BostonBarry (Aug 31, 2015)

I wonder what the logic is behind the calculation of the SRF. Here in Boston it was $1 and just went up to $1.15, so why is it half what yours is?


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## BostonBarry (Aug 31, 2015)

331303 said:


> my guess is that it won't effect pax overall cost. probably looks something like this.
> 
> old : pax pay 5$ driver income is (xfare) - 1.30 - 20% = driver pay
> 
> new: pax pay 5$ driver income is (xfare) - 2.30 - 20% = driver pay


Unless you have info to the contrary, every city I've checked the minimum fare has increased the same amount as the SRF, so driver net stays the same.


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## KayKay26 (Oct 7, 2015)

I need to hurry up and complete my Lyft process and switch!


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## optyman (Apr 23, 2015)

<<<Unless you have info to the contrary, every city I've checked the minimum fare has increased the same amount as the SRF, so driver net stays the same.>>>

The Minimum Fare was increased the same amount as the new Rider Safety Fee (RSF), so you might think that everything is the same. Think again! It is the "base fare" that counts, and it was not increased at all. This means that drivers will not lose on minimum fare rides (it will be a wash), but anything above that amount, Uber will get up to an extra $0.55 complimentary of the driver (an extra take by Uber). I thought that the way they presented this to drivers was a little shifty. They must keep awake up at night thinking of such things. Crafty devils!

E.g. Old fare: $5.00 less $1.00 RSF less Uber Cut of $0.80 ($4.00 * 20%) equals $3.20 driver share, $1.80 Uber total share
New fare with RSF increase: $5.00 less $1.55 RSF less Uber Cut of $0.69 ($3.45 * 20%) equals $2.76 driver share, $2.24 Uber total share

***** DRIVER LOSES $0.44 ON ONE FARE UNDER THE NEW RIDER SAFETY FEES******

In this example, the Uber portion of the fare (less RSF) is lower, but overall they are taking more when you factor in the RSF.

They can call the Rider Safety Fee anything they want, it's just a ploy to take more from the drivers.

DO THE MATH!

I welcome rebuttals.


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## BostonBarry (Aug 31, 2015)

Sigh. It is an ADDED fee. You are still getting paid the same (usually shitty) rate for base fare/pickup, minutes, miles, and tolls. What was a $10 fare for you before is still going to be a $10 fare. Cost to rider goes up, income for Uber goes up, your pay is the same.


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## JimS (Aug 18, 2015)

optyman said:


> E.g. Old fare: $5.00 less $1.00 RSF less Uber Cut of $0.80 ($4.00 * 20%) equals $3.20 driver share, $1.80 Uber total share
> New fare with RSF increase: $5.00 less $1.55 RSF less Uber Cut of $0.69 ($3.45 * 20%) equals $2.76 driver share, $2.24 Uber total share
> 
> ***** DRIVER LOSES $0.44 ON ONE FARE UNDER THE NEW RIDER SAFETY FEES******


No no no...
Old fare: $5 - $1 SRF - 20% = $3.20, Uber gets $1.80
New Fare: $5.55 - $1.55 SRF - 20% = $3.20, Uber gets $2.35
Uber just increased the passenger minimum fare by 11%, gave themselves a 30% pay raise, and we the driver get nothin'.

What I hate about this is their official explanation - to pay for features, infrastructure updates, etc. That's BS. SRF should be 100% to James River. Infrastructure should come out of the 20%-28% extortion fee.


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## Matt Uterak (Jul 28, 2015)

I will probably continue to do the Sunday morning airport runs and gross about $40/hr. Every other time of the week I am lucky to gross $20/hr.

Not worth it to drive all the time. I would like to see an increase in the rate per minute with a Pax in the car. That would be more beneficial for anyone driving in a city. Otherwise the bar crowd/saturday morning walk of shame crowd isn't worth it.


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## KayKay26 (Oct 7, 2015)

I average $18-20 as well and drive evenings only 12 hrs tops per week....I suppose I ain't doing so bad. Although the an increase on rate should be a must.


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