# Can someone explain to me why Uber doesn't give you the destination before you pick up the rider?



## Dan L (Sep 15, 2015)

I never understood this. Is there a reason for it? It would actually help many drivers decide if they really want to pick up a rider to go to a certain area, etc. I am new to this, so unless I am missing something, it would be good to know why I don't know where I am going before I leave to get someone.


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## danahhoh (Apr 5, 2015)

The assumed answer is so we don't cherry pick the fares. If its a short 4 buck payout and you are pinged and are 15 min away. Would you drive 15 min for 4 bucks? 
Long drives are common especially wkdays n sundays in my small market. Sometimes you get lucky. Often not. But that $4 ride might lead you to a great fare.


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

Dan L said:


> I never understood this. Is there a reason for it? It would actually help many drivers decide if they really want to pick up a rider to go to a certain area, etc. I am new to this, so unless I am missing something, it would be good to know why I don't know where I am going before I leave to get someone.


 For the same reason that people wrap Christmas and birthday presents so the recipient can't see what it is - it makes the whole thing more exciting and suspenseful.


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## Disgusted Driver (Jan 9, 2015)

I wouldn't take 1/3 of the calls I get if I knew where they were going. Anything I can do to work less hours and make more per hour is going to happen if I can get away with it.


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## MrsUberJax (Sep 2, 2014)

I have a customer that pings me at the same time every morning. She is not picking me specifically, but often I am the only driver on the road when she's ready to go to work 1/2 a mile away from her home. Time to pick her up is 10 minutes. Her fare is $7.00, the minimum on XL. She does not tip even though she knows I drive 10 minutes to get to her. Is it profitable for me to drive 10 minutes to pick her up and take her 4 blocks? No it is not. I have been able to identify her calling pattern and now I can decline that call when it comes in. If a driver knows the destination ahead of time and thus understands that the ride will not be profitable it makes sense that one would decline or cancel that ride. Uber has nothing at stake with these types of calls, they make money whether we lose money or not - they want us to pick up every call. To prevent us from cherry picking only the most profitable rides, they do not provide us with the destination prior to starting the trip.


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## ATX 22 (Jun 17, 2015)

MrsUberJax said:


> I have a customer that pings me at the same time every morning. She is not picking me specifically, but often I am the only driver on the road when she's ready to go to work 1/2 a mile away from her home. Time to pick her up is 10 minutes. Her fare is $7.00, the minimum on XL. She does not tip even though she knows I drive 10 minutes to get to her. Is it profitable for me to drive 10 minutes to pick her up and take her 4 blocks? No it is not. I have been able to identify her calling pattern and now I can decline that call when it comes in. If a driver knows the destination ahead of time and thus understands that the ride will not be profitable it makes sense that one would decline or cancel that ride. Uber has nothing at stake with these types of calls, they make money whether we lose money or not - they want us to pick up every call. To prevent us from cherry picking only the most profitable rides, they do not provide us with the destination prior to starting the trip.


What she said.


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## eltakasaaiya (Jul 15, 2015)

Dan L said:


> I never understood this. Is there a reason for it? It would actually help many drivers decide if they really want to pick up a rider to go to a certain area, etc. I am new to this, so unless I am missing something, it would be good to know why I don't know where I am going before I leave to get someone.


UBER is also known as EVIL that is why they don't give you a destination. In other words they are a Dictator. They want SLAVES to work for them without asking any questions. If you are new, time for you to quit. You ain't going to make any money working for UBER or BER BER that is what I call them. Just feel blessed that you found this forum. I drove for 1 month and quit. I was doing part time for fun still I figured out that UBER=SCAM=EVIL now I try to tell people like you newbies not to drive. Don't do it.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

Disgusted Driver said:


> I wouldn't take 1/3 of the calls I get if I knew where they were going. Anything I can do to work less hours and make more per hour is going to happen if I can get away with it.


Only 1/3?..


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

eltakasaaiya said:


> UBER is also known as EVIL that is why they don't give you a destination. In other words they are a Dictator. They want SLAVES to work for them without asking any questions. If you are new, time for you to quit. You ain't going to make any money working for UBER or BER BER that is what I call them. Just feel blessed that you found this forum. I drove for 1 month and quit. I was doing part time for fun still I figured out that UBER=SCAM=EVIL now I try to tell people like you newbies not to drive. Don't do it.


Gonna tear this up.

Dictator? That's amusing.. They don't give you a destination so you can't cherry pick. *This has already been stated*.

Uber does not = slavery either home slice. That word should be reserved for actual slavery which is a hell of a lot worse than driving PAX around for a small monetary gain. You have to right to stop working for Uber anytime you see fit which immediately negates the slave definition. OK?

Furthermore it can be profitable. If you only drove for a month you don't have the experience to be making those statements. 1 month isn't enough time to learn the ropes in any venture.

OP: You can certainly call the PAX and ask where they are going. I do this sometimes when I get too far outside of my home base. This helps me get a paid ride to where I want to be or closer to home. You also have the right to refuse any PAX for any reason you see fit. If PAX jumps in your car and wants to go 40 miles and you don't, cancel, reason=other.


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## newsboy559 (Oct 14, 2014)

Dan L said:


> I never understood this. Is there a reason for it? It would actually help many drivers decide if they really want to pick up a rider to go to a certain area, etc. I am new to this, so unless I am missing something, it would be good to know why I don't know where I am going before I leave to get someone.


You said it yourself. Uber doesn't WANT you to have to decide whether or not to take the fare or not. They want you to take every fare, plain and simple. Uber doesn't care if you drive 15 minutes out of your way on the chance of a $5 minimum fare. They want you to do it. Therefore, you are not allowed to see the rider's destination until you have them in your car and the trip is started. After all, that's how a good little employ, err... independent contractor works, right?


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## Dan L (Sep 15, 2015)

Thanks for the answers, all. I'm just a little concerned especially with the mishap that happened here in NJ the other day. I don't want to be that guy that goes all the way out to somewhere I don't feel comfortable going, just to get robbed at gunpoint. Because, let's face it, if I saw that area as the destination then you better believe I'm not heading there from the start and not even taking the request.


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## eltakasaaiya (Jul 15, 2015)

Dan L said:


> Thanks for the answers, all. I'm just a little concerned especially with the mishap that happened here in NJ the other day. I don't want to be that guy that goes all the way out to somewhere I don't feel comfortable going, just to get robbed at gunpoint. Because, let's face it, if I saw that area as the destination then you better believe I'm not heading there from the start and not even taking the request.


Don't want to go somewhere over 5 minutes simply turn your airplane mode on your smart phone. Plain and simple. Have you tried it yet. Does not go against your acceptance rate. Uber servers will think that your lost internet connection.


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## eltakasaaiya (Jul 15, 2015)

Uber Kraus said:


> Gonna tear this up.
> 
> Dictator? That's amusing.. They don't give you a destination so you can't cherry pick. *This has already been stated*.
> 
> ...


Driving a month or driving 10 years is the same shit. I have been driving on LA streets for the past 17 years. It is just driving Point A to Point B. Only thing that changes is the Character on the backseat. New techniques need not be learned after a month. You meet most of the characters in a month. Can you explain me how it is profitable driving for BER BER. at $ 1 per mile and 0.18 cents a minute. Don't even try to bring the surge profits because, that is a SCAM too.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

eltakasaaiya said:


> Driving a month or driving 10 years is the same shit. I have been driving on LA streets for the past 17 years. It is just driving Point A to Point B. Only thing that changes is the Character on the backseat. New techniques need not be learned after a month. You meet most of the characters in a month. Can you explain me how it is profitable driving for BER BER. at $ 1 per mile and 0.18 cents a minute. Don't even try to bring the surge profits because, that is a SCAM too.


1 month is not the same as 10 years. End of story. Saying it is makes you sound dumb.

It sounds to me like you couldn't figure out how to make a profit after a month and threw in the towel.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

eltakasaaiya said:


> Don't want to go somewhere over 5 minutes simply turn your airplane mode on your smart phone. Plain and simple. Have you tried it yet. Does not go against your acceptance rate. Uber servers will think that your lost internet connection.


This statement shows your ignorance. Accept, Cancel, Reason = Other is the correct response to this.


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## eltakasaaiya (Jul 15, 2015)

Uber Kraus said:


> 1 month is not the same as 10 years. End of story. Saying it is makes you sound dumb.
> 
> It sounds to me like you couldn't figure out how to make a profit after a month and threw in the towel.


How much does Uber pay you to carry out their propaganda or how many invites you send out to potential drivers to trap them to driver for Uber? I am in complete agreement with you. I am DUMB. Now, Mr. Smartypants can you explain me what the profits are driving for uber at $ 1 per mile and $0.18 cents a minute.


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## eltakasaaiya (Jul 15, 2015)

Uber Kraus said:


> This statement shows your ignorance. Accept, Cancel, Reason = Other is the correct response to this.


Ok Uber spy carry out the propaganda and trap more people.


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## UberXpert2020 (Jun 12, 2015)

Disgusted Driver said:


> I wouldn't take 1/3 of the calls I get if I knew where they were going. Anything I can do to work less hours and make more per hour is going to happen if I can get away with it.


-- couldn't agree more w/u!!


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## eltakasaaiya (Jul 15, 2015)

Uber Kraus said:


> This statement shows your ignorance. Accept, Cancel, Reason = Other is the correct response to this.


Idiots like you have never ceased to amaze me the way you mislead and judge people. What are you like a Star Uber Partner?


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

eltakasaaiya said:


> How much does Uber pay you to carry out their propaganda or how many invites you send out to potential drivers to trap them to driver for Uber? I am in complete agreement with you. I am DUMB. Now, Mr. Smartypants can you explain me what the profits are driving for uber at $ 1 per mile and $0.18 cents a minute.


I am not spreading any propaganda. You are reaching for something that isn't there. I am calling you out.\

Something about the improper use of the word slave just grabbed my attention. It seems disrespectful and came from out of nowhere in the middle of the thread.

I personally haven't sent one invite out and the profits are minimal as you well know.


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## eltakasaaiya (Jul 15, 2015)

Uber Kraus said:


> This statement shows your ignorance. Accept, Cancel, Reason = Other is the correct response to this.


And now you are on my ignore list.


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## Backdash (Jan 28, 2015)

eltakasaaiya said:


> And now you are on my ignore list.


OMG!! NOT THE IGNORE LIST!!!
SAY IT AINT SO!!!


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## Oh My (Dec 26, 2014)

There are obvious discriminatory reasons for not allowing that destination address to be known beforehand.


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## uberissohonest (Aug 7, 2015)

Oh My said:


> There are obvious discriminatory reasons for not allowing that destination address to be known beforehand.


yes. if we could cherry pick calls, 90% of uber pax would never get picked up (deservedly so) but it's the same way as municipalities set the taxi code. if you are checked into a zone (again, even as an independent contractor) you must run calls you accept in said zone. discriminatory reasons. you might be parked by a decent hotel anticipating airport run, but in that same zone is the hood...and if that call comes in and you accept it on your mobile data terminal, you must run it.


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## DrivenToDistraction (Sep 3, 2015)

Dan L said:


> I never understood this. Is there a reason for it? It would actually help many drivers decide if they really want to pick up a rider to go to a certain area, etc. I am new to this, so unless I am missing something, it would be good to know why I don't know where I am going before I leave to get someone.


They don't want drivers declining short, unprofitable runs that require driving a long distance to pick up, and they don't want anyone to be able to accuse them of, for lack of a better term, "profiling" neighborhoods. But as a driver it certainly sucks for a number of reasons. Like many Uber drivers, I have another job. I have to be at that job at a certain time each day. If I'm driving beforehand, and it's say, forty minutes before I have to be at work, and at the moment I'm only five or ten minutes from work, and I get a ping, I have to ask myself "Is this somebody who just wants to go a few miles and I can be at work on time? Or is it somebody who wants me to take them to the airport, which would pay a decent amount but make me seriously late for my job?" In such a situation I'll most likely decline the ping, which may end up costing me money, and making me look poor in the eyes of the Uberpolice.


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

If Uber told me where 1/2 of my pings were going I would not accept the ride.

driving 8 minutes, then waiting another 3 minutes to drive a pax 1/4 mile just don't pay the bills.


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## The_One (Sep 9, 2015)

Dan L said:


> I never understood this. Is there a reason for it? It would actually help many drivers decide if they really want to pick up a rider to go to a certain area, etc. I am new to this, so unless I am missing something, it would be good to know why I don't know where I am going before I leave to get someone.


No dispatch FHV will do that, it's against the law in pretty much every state.


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## KMANDERSON (Jul 19, 2015)

MrsUberJax said:


> I have a customer that pings me at the same time every morning. She is not picking me specifically, but often I am the only driver on the road when she's ready to go to work 1/2 a mile away from her home. Time to pick her up is 10 minutes. Her fare is $7.00, the minimum on XL. She does not tip even though she knows I drive 10 minutes to get to her. Is it profitable for me to drive 10 minutes to pick her up and take her 4 blocks? No it is not. I have been able to identify her calling pattern and now I can decline that call when it comes in. If a driver knows the destination ahead of time and thus understands that the ride will not be profitable it makes sense that one would decline or cancel that ride. Uber has nothing at stake with these types of calls, they make money whether we lose money or not - they want us to pick up every call. To prevent us from cherry picking only the most profitable rides, they do not provide us with the destination prior to starting the trip.


I don't do pick up beyond seven minutes


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## MrsUberJax (Sep 2, 2014)

KMANDERSON said:


> I don't do pick up beyond seven minutes


Hey there K: the point of my post was to explain why Uber does not show us the destination up front and to illustrate the art of cherry picking.. really had nothing to do with the distance of the pick up....

But since you mentioned it....

Jacksonville is one of the largest cities (by land mass) in the U.S.A. , where everything... absolutely everything.... is 10 minutes away or MORE.....I live in a geographically large city.... .....so lucky you..

Most importantly - now do we understand why Uber does not show us the destination......

Uber On!


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## KMANDERSON (Jul 19, 2015)

MrsUberJax said:


> Hey there K: the point of my post was to explain why Uber does not show us the destination up front and to illustrate the art of cherry picking.. really had nothing to do with the distance of the pick up....
> 
> But since you mentioned it....
> 
> ...


I know jacksonville I was born and raised there live in dallas now


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## KMANDERSON (Jul 19, 2015)

MrsUberJax said:


> Hey there K: the point of my post was to explain why Uber does not show us the destination up front and to illustrate the art of cherry picking.. really had nothing to do with the distance of the pick up....
> 
> But since you mentioned it....
> 
> ...


I wish I drove in jacksonville traffic


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## Richard Cranium (Jun 25, 2015)

eltakasaaiya said:


> Don't want to go somewhere over 5 minutes simply turn your airplane mode on your smart phone. Plain and simple. Have you tried it yet. Does not go against your acceptance rate. Uber servers will think that your lost internet connection.


I have two words for that

Pure genius


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## Dana T (Sep 14, 2015)

eltakasaaiya said:


> UBER is also known as EVIL that is why they don't give you a destination. In other words they are a Dictator. They want SLAVES to work for them without asking any questions. If you are new, time for you to quit. You ain't going to make any money working for UBER or BER BER that is what I call them. Just feel blessed that you found this forum. I drove for 1 month and quit. I was doing part time for fun still I figured out that UBER=SCAM=EVIL now I try to tell people like you newbies not to drive. Don't do it.


I am a newbie. But I can tell you now this whole forum is enough to not make me want to start driving for Uber. I am all set and ready to roll, but I haven't started yet. I have yet to hear a positive experience on here, ok, maybe 1 out of 100 posts (somebody got a decent tip). Why the **** would I want to work for Uber? Somebody better have a good answer to this? The only good reason _I_ can think of is you can set your own hours, but even still if you want to make good money you'd better work the dangerous, drunk, puking night shift. Having some serious second thoughts here.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

Dana T said:


> I am a newbie. But I can tell you now this whole forum is enough to not make me want to start driving for Uber. I am all set and ready to roll, but I haven't started yet. I have yet to hear a positive experience on here, ok, maybe 1 out of 100 posts (somebody got a decent tip). Why the **** would I want to work for Uber? Somebody better have a good answer to this? The only good reason _I_ can think of is you can set your own hours, but even still if you want to make good money you'd better work the dangerous, drunk, puking night shift. Having some serious second thoughts here.


Try it out part time for yourself and see... This board has become one of the most negative boards I participate in over the last couple months..


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

Dan L said:


> I never understood this. Is there a reason for it? It would actually help many drivers decide if they really want to pick up a rider to go to a certain area, etc. I am new to this, so unless I am missing something, it would be good to know why I don't know where I am going before I leave to get someone.


Here are some guidelines that new drivers find very useful...

Uber best practices for safety, high ratings, and profit maximization.

• Don't even think about driving until you've purchased a commercial livery insurance policy. That'll run you about $4500 per year so you're going to be doing a lot of driving at first. But you really have no choice in the matter. Your personal insurance company is going to drop you if they learn you're driving for Uber. And the Uber contingent liability policy DOES NOT cover your medical claim or your property claim in the event you are involved in an at-fault accident.
• Dual channel dashcam. Don't ask why. Just get one and install it.
• Never pick up a pax with a rating lower than 4.7. (Jesus, how hard is it to be a 5-star pax? How about not being a ******bag?)
• Never respond to a ping more than 10 minutes away. (Yes, it might be a decent fare, but the odds are against you.)
• If you're traveling, never respond to a ping behind you.
• When you arrive at pickup location and pax is not present, DO NOT call or text the pax. Start a stop watch and cancel at 5:01 and move on.
• For the love of God, NEVER had out gum, candy, mints, water, etc. to paxs. There is no upside, it costs you money, and it creates more mess for you to clean up.
• If a pax leaves something behind in your car. DO NOT make the effort to return it. If you follow Uber's rules it'll actually cost you money and time to return it. If the pax needs it back, he/she will track you down through Uber. When that happens you can negotiate an appropriate fee to return the item. It doesn't matter what the item is - wallet, phone, eyeglasses, event tickets, clothing, jewelry, etc.
• ABC - Always Be Compensated. You're an independent contractor. Don't do anything without being paid. If you wish to run your car as a charity the folks over at Meals on Wheels would love to speak with you.

Some of these items may seem a little harsh to the new driver, but time and experience will show you that these practices not only work, but that they work very well. As a new driver, there's no value in re-inventing the wheel, as it were.


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## tb1984 (Jul 24, 2015)

Dana T said:


> I am a newbie. But I can tell you now this whole forum is enough to not make me want to start driving for Uber. I am all set and ready to roll, but I haven't started yet. I have yet to hear a positive experience on here, ok, maybe 1 out of 100 posts (somebody got a decent tip). Why the **** would I want to work for Uber? Somebody better have a good answer to this? The only good reason _I_ can think of is you can set your own hours, but even still if you want to make good money you'd better work the dangerous, drunk, puking night shift. Having some serious second thoughts here.


About half of those posters that has posted negative comments about Uber, they still drive for Uber. Like someone said, just give a try for one of two weeks, and you don't like it, then quit. Uber/Lyft does not force anyone to drive for them.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

Dana T said:


> Can you tell me when exactly you DO find out where they passenger wants to go? Is it after he hops in your vehicle? And what happens if you truly do not want to take him to that destination?


Ask them before you begin the trip. They will most likely tell you they entered the address already. Explain to them that you can't see it until you begin the ride and want to make sure they aren't going somewhere outrageous. For you that may be NYC.. Either way, once they tell you where they are going you can simply tell them you can't go there for whatever reason you want.


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## Oh My (Dec 26, 2014)

They thwarted employing a legal compliance department via the simple rating system. "Yeah, that guy cancelled p/u's from that area three times (we think) so we deactivated him and he's no longer on our platform. There."


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## Oh My (Dec 26, 2014)

Dana T said:


> Can you tell me when exactly you DO find out where they passenger wants to go? Is it after he hops in your vehicle? And what happens if you truly do not want to take him to that destination?


When you see them approaching your car, keep the doors locked and start the trip. You'll see the destination if they entered it. If they didn't and it's to some outlandish place Just Say No.

No I'm not taking you to some far suburb 45 miles away on a Sunday night. I'll take you to the train station which is how you got here in the first place. Your kid that just turned you onto Uber that lives by Wrigley Field doesn't understand how this works.


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## Taxi Driver in Arizona (Mar 18, 2015)

Dan L said:


> Thanks for the answers, all. I'm just a little concerned especially with the mishap that happened here in NJ the other day. I don't want to be that guy that goes all the way out to somewhere I don't feel comfortable going, just to get robbed at gunpoint. Because, let's face it, if I saw that area as the destination then you better believe I'm not heading there from the start and not even taking the request.


You should call your passengers and ask if they plan on robbing you.

Problem solved.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

Taxi Driver in Arizona said:


> You should call your passengers and ask if they plan on robbing you.
> 
> Problem solved.


Don't forget to ask if they plan to release thousands of funnel spiders in your car.


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## Oh My (Dec 26, 2014)

Uber Kraus said:


> Don't forget to ask if they plan to release thousands of funnel spiders in your car.


Or glitter.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

Oh My said:


> Or glitter.


Ooooooh


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## KBecks (Sep 13, 2015)

Desert Driver said:


> Here are some guidelines that new drivers find very useful...
> 
> • Don't even think about driving until you've purchased a commercial livery insurance policy. That'll run you about $4500 per year so you're going to be doing a lot of driving at first. But you really have no choice in the matter. Your personal insurance company is going to drop you if they learn you're driving for Uber. And the Uber contingent liability policy DOES NOT cover your medical claim or your property claim in the event you are involved in an at-fault accident.
> • Dual channel dashcam. Don't ask why. Just get one and install it.
> ...


Wow, this is interesting, and thanks for sharing. Re: insurance -- what exactly is the Uber insurance good for then?? It only covers the passenger?
Why the dash cam??
How do you check a rider's rating when the thing is beeping at you?
What would you charge a pax to return their lost items? Have you done this and has it worked for you to collect a fee for returning the items? How much have you charged to return items?

Thanks!


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

KBecks said:


> Wow, this is interesting, and thanks for sharing. Re: insurance -- what exactly is the Uber insurance good for then?? It only covers the passenger?
> Why the dash cam??
> How do you check a rider's rating when the thing is beeping at you?
> What would you charge a pax to return their lost items? Have you done this and has it worked for you to collect a fee for returning the items? How much have you charged to return items?
> ...



The Uber insurance is designed to cover medical costs of persons you injure. It is not designed to cover your medical costs or the damage to your car.
The dash cam (dual channel) records video out your windshield so you have solid documentation of a crash. The inward facing camera records video in your car. That way if someone is being belligerent and you have to kick them out, you have evidence of why you took the action you did. Also, inward facing camera protects you in the event that a pax accuses you of inappropriate behavior.
You can accept the ping then check the pax's rating. If you don't like it, cancel.
The last item I returned was an iPhone that a woman wanted me to overnight to her in Chicago. I'm in AZ. The FedEx overnight fee was $42, so of course I charged her that. But then I had to charge for my time. By daylight hours I bill my time at $100 per hour as a consultant. It took about a half hour out of my day to get the phone ready to ship and dropped off. So, I had to charge her $50 for my time. She was on vacation and she really needed her phone so she was more than happy to pay the $92 that I had to charge her. I take credit cards in one of my other businesses so I simply charged her card. I even got a thank note in the mail from her the following week. I will never take advantage of a passenger, but I will never give my time away either.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

Desert Driver said:


> The Uber insurance is designed to cover medical costs of persons you injure. It is not designed to cover your medical costs or the damage to your car.
> The dash cam (dual channel) records video out your windshield so you have solid documentation of a crash. The inward facing camera records video in your car. That way if someone is being belligerent and you have to kick them out, you have evidence of why you took the action you did. Also, inward facing camera protects you in the event that a pax accuses you of inappropriate behavior.
> You can accept the ping then check the pax's rating. If you don't like it, cancel.
> The last item I returned was an iPhone that a woman wanted me to overnight to her in Chicago. I'm in AZ. The FedEx overnight fee was $42, so of course I charged her that. But then I had to charge for my time. By daylight hours I bill my time at $100 per hour as a consultant. It took about a half hour out of my day to get the phone ready to ship and dropped off. So, I had to charge her $50 for my time. She was on vacation and she really needed her phone so she was more than happy to pay the $92 that I had to charge her. I take credit cards in one of my other businesses so I simply charged her card. I even got a thank note in the mail from her the following week. I will never take advantage of a passenger, but I will never give my time away either.


I have read reports of Uber drivers getting repair costs covered for their automobiles.

After reading the policy it is my understanding that there is a 1k deductible for repairs to my automobile. The rest is to be covered by James River. Am I incorrect?


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

Uber Kraus said:


> I have read reports of Uber drivers getting repair costs covered for their automobiles.
> 
> After reading the policy it is my understanding that there is a 1k deductible for repairs to my automobile. The rest is to be covered by James River. Am I incorrect?


Yes, that is the way it is supposed to work, at least according to the marketing materials, but it rarely does. What happens is that James River will tell you to file a claim with your insurance company first, and if it's denied then James River pays. Problem there is that when you file the claim with your insurance company and you tell them what happened, you will likely be dropped for blatant violation of the livery exclusion of your personal policy. In fact, your insurance company will likely tell you that no insurance policy was in effect at the time of the crash because you were violating the livery exclusion. When you then go to file a claim with James River you'll likely be denied, too, because they will take the position that you breached the promise to cover your own car with insurance. Ergo, James River is off the hook, your insurance company is off the hook, and you're holding the bag. Your automobile repairs are now coming out of you pocket. And unless you have decent healthcare insurance, your medical costs are coming out of your pocket, too. And this is why every Uber/Lyft driver must carry some sort of commercial livery insurance or rideshare insurance. Otherwise, you're taking a huge risk that could potentially bankrupt you.


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## UberNow (Sep 12, 2015)

eltakasaaiya said:


> Don't want to go somewhere over 5 minutes simply turn your airplane mode on your smart phone. Plain and simple. Have you tried it yet. Does not go against your acceptance rate. Uber servers will think that your lost internet connection.


I'm not tech savvy. Could you help me by explaining it in details please?


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

MrsUberJax said:


> Hey there K: the point of my post was to explain why Uber does not show us the destination up front and to illustrate the art of cherry picking.. really had nothing to do with the distance of the pick up....
> 
> But since you mentioned it....
> 
> ...


Same issue in houston. The CITY is smaller than Jacksonville but the area that we very often get taken to covers a lot more found as there are cities WITHIN the city and all the surrounding cities which folks like to call the Houston "suburbs" even though they're not counted as part of the city area.

If I wanted to make sure to not end up late for work or something else the only way besides asking destinations would be to stop working AT LEAST 2 hours ahead of when I needed to be there. More during rush hour.

I have worked hot shot with HUMAN dispatch and usually they will try to send you in the direction of your home at the end of a shift. If you have to pick up your kids at a certain time you won't get that long run taking you 40 miles in the wrong direction.

If a computer does all the dispatching there need to be filters. The human element can't just be ignored. No parent is going to take a trip that leaves their kids stranded somewhere for an hour just to make uber happy. And the pax I've talked to would rather be not accepted in the first place than cancelled on after the driver arrives. This is particularly a problem with airport trips as the airport here is a long way from town.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

Oh My said:


> Or glitter.


Noooooo! Not that. It stays forever!


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

eltakasaaiya said:


> Don't want to go somewhere over 5 minutes simply turn your airplane mode on your smart phone. Plain and simple. Have you tried it yet. Does not go against your acceptance rate. Uber servers will think that your lost internet connection.


When? During the ping? I'm not that fast.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

Desert Driver said:


> Yes, that is the way it is supposed to work, at least according to the marketing materials, but it rarely does. What happens is that James River will tell you to file a claim with your insurance company first, and if it's denied then James River pays. Problem there is that when you file the claim with your insurance company and you tell them what happened, you will likely be dropped for blatant violation of the livery exclusion of your personal policy. In fact, your insurance company will likely tell you that no insurance policy was in effect at the time of the crash because you were violating the livery exclusion. When you then go to file a claim with James River you'll likely be denied, too, because they will take the position that you breached the promise to cover your own car with insurance. Ergo, James River is off the hook, your insurance company is off the hook, and you're holding the bag. Your automobile repairs are now coming out of you pocket. And unless you have decent healthcare insurance, your medical costs are coming out of your pocket, too. And this is why every Uber/Lyft driver must carry some sort of commercial livery insurance or rideshare insurance. Otherwise, you're taking a huge risk that could potentially bankrupt you.


Can you show an instance where this occurred?


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## mike chun (Sep 19, 2015)

The reason why I want to know the customer destination prior to pick up is so at the end of my personal shift, I don't go way opposite direction from home.


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## glados (May 23, 2015)

Uber Kraus said:


> Can you show an instance where this occurred?


It hasn't, he's just being a cynic.


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## Oh My (Dec 26, 2014)

glados said:


> It hasn't, he's just being a cynic.


It's not far from the truth.


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## Realityshark (Sep 22, 2014)

If they gave you the destination, You could eliminate all the rides that you lose money on. A $5 minimum ride minus $1 safe rider bullshit minus 20% means you are working for free. Uber loves for their drivers to take rides that have no profit for the drivers. Most of the rides are of this type. This is one of the many ways Uber exploits their drivers.


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## Backdash (Jan 28, 2015)

glados said:


> It hasn't, he's just being a cynic.


Right, because something that hasn't happened will never happen


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

glados said:


> James River will not deny coverage if you get cancelled due to ridesharing, but had insurance prior to submitting the James River claim. That's what I'm pointing out.


If only, right?


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## eltakasaaiya (Jul 15, 2015)

UberNow said:


> I'm not tech savvy. Could you help me by explaining it in details please?


I meant to say when you get a ping and notice that the pickup location is over 5 mins and you don't want to go you can do two things.

1 accept the ride click on the info on the right hand side select cancel and give reason other. This does not count against your acceptance rate. 
2 Or on your phone you have airplanemode turn it on so your internet is not active.

I have tried both options cancelled 100's of rides as the passenger rating was below 4.6 or the ping was iver 5 to 7 mins away.

I also had blocked uber from texting me. So I never got any complains from them.


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## glados (May 23, 2015)

eltakasaaiya said:


> 1 accept the ride click on the info on the right hand side select cancel and give reason other. This does not count against your acceptance rate.


It counts against your cancellation rate. Drivers are being waitlisted to permanently deactivated for cancellation abuse.

You're always free to not take ride requests -- simply let it time out. Accepting it and then cancelling is considered cancellation abuse, and can attract the same penalities as low acceptance rates.


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## eltakasaaiya (Jul 15, 2015)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> When? During the ping? I'm not that fast.


That is correct when it pings.


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## eltakasaaiya (Jul 15, 2015)

glados said:


> It counts against your cancellation rate. Drivers are being waitlisted to permanently deactivated for cancellation abuse.
> 
> You're always free to not take ride requests -- simply let it time out. Accepting it and then cancelling is considered cancellation abuse.


I have tried it. It does not affect. This needs to be done real fast accept, cancel other.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

glados said:


> It counts against your cancellation rate. Drivers are being waitlisted to permanently deactivated for cancellation abuse.
> 
> You're always free to not take ride requests -- simply let it time out. Accepting it and then cancelling is considered cancellation abuse, and can attract the same penalities as low acceptance rates.


Hey buddy how about you get bent!


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

eltakasaaiya said:


> I have tried it. It does not affect. This needs to be done real fast accept, cancel other.


That guy works for Uber dude. He knows exactly what you're doing and he's on the board trying to freak us out.


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## ATX 22 (Jun 17, 2015)

glados said:


> You're always free to not take ride requests -- simply let it time out. Accepting it and then cancelling is considered cancellation abuse, and can attract the same penalities as low acceptance rates.


So which is it?
Are we free to not accept ride requests or will we be punished for a low acceptance rate?


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## stuber (Jun 30, 2014)

Uber Kraus said:


> Gonna tear this up.
> 
> Dictator? That's amusing.. They don't give you a destination so you can't cherry pick. *This has already been stated*.
> 
> ...


Calling customers to get destination is not allowed, as you know. Yet this is a necessary tactic. Somehow UBER cannot figure this out.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

stuber said:


> Calling customers to get destination is not allowed, as you know. Yet this is a necessary tactic. Somehow UBER cannot figure this out.


Were you listening to the dude's story?


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## stuber (Jun 30, 2014)

Uber Kraus said:


> Were you listening to the dude's story?


What? Who? There's a story? Not really. I just sorta skimmed then started blabbering. Let's start another argument with name calling.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

stuber said:


> What? Who? There's a story? Not really. I just sorta skimmed then started blabbering. Let's start another argument with name calling.


I thought you'd get the quote...


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## stuber (Jun 30, 2014)

Uber Kraus said:


> Were you listening to the dude's story?


Ah yes.. sorry. I forgot my own Damn avatar.

The hidden destination will never be revealed to drivers. And that exactly illustrates why UBER will never be a great service. This is a fundamental problem with the system and they simply don't care enough about the driver's efficiency to even attempt to find a solution.

Look for the next, better UBER.


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## UberNow (Sep 12, 2015)

ATX 22 said:


> So which is it?
> Are we free to not accept ride requests or will we be punished for a low acceptance rate?


I'm pondering the same question. Doesn't make sense, does it? Whichever way you take, you're toast.


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## newsboy559 (Oct 14, 2014)

Uber Kraus said:


> This statement shows your ignorance. Accept, Cancel, Reason = Other is the correct response to this.


The contract specifically says that once you accept a request, you are obligated to complete it. The answer is more like just don't accept the request in the first place.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

newsboy559 said:


> The contract specifically says that once you accept a request, you are obligated to complete it. The answer is more like just don't accept the request in the first place.


Where does it say that?


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## newsboy559 (Oct 14, 2014)

MrsUberJax said:


> Hey there K: the point of my post was to explain why Uber does not show us the destination up front and to illustrate the art of cherry picking.. really had nothing to do with the distance of the pick up....
> 
> But since you mentioned it....
> 
> ...


Same here. I live in Wichita, KS. It is extremely spread out. Most of our calls are a minimum five minute drive unless you are parked in front if a hotel or bar and get lucky with a request right there. But I'm fairly certain that's why our rates are well above the apparent national average for Uber rates.


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## newsboy559 (Oct 14, 2014)

Uber Kraus said:


> Where does it say that?


Since you clearly have never read the contract, I'll copy and paste here for your benefit:

Performance of Transportation Services

*You agree to fully perform all accepted Requests* in accordance with the job parameters and other specifications established by the User. Full performance of a Request shall typically include, but is not limited to: i. notification to the User of arrival using Uber's mobile application; ii. waiting at least 10 minutes for a User to show up at the requested pick-up location; iii. safe, direct and uninterrupted transport of the User directly to the specified destination, as directed by User; and iv. timely submission of all necessary documentation required by the Company. Failure to comply with this paragraph shall constitute a material breach of this Agreement.

Uber clearly states that once you accept a call, you are obligated to complete it. However, the contract also states that drivers are free NOT to accept any call they wish. The trick is, you have to make that decision within the 15 seconds Uber gives you before the request times out. Oftentimes, when you're driving in traffic, that can be a pretty tough call. Uber knows all these things. The cards are stacked against you.

Uber just deactivated literally thousands of drivers in California for having low cancellation rates. That's why I have stated from the very beginning that this campaign in the last few months to accept and then cancel unwanted requests is going to get a lot of people in trouble. Now it has.

But we all know Uber will deactivate drivers for low acceptance (different from cancellation) rates, too, even though drivers are within their absolute contractual right not to accept unwanted requests. More proof that drivers are, in fact, employees and not IC's.


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## newsboy559 (Oct 14, 2014)

Uber Kraus said:


> Try it out part time for yourself and see... This board has become one of the most negative boards I participate in over the last couple months..


This board has become one of the most truthful boards there is. The fact is, Uber is a deplorable company. The concept is great. The company, not so much.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

They specifically give us the "other" option. "Other" can be literally anything.


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## newsboy559 (Oct 14, 2014)

Oh My said:


> When you see them approaching your car, keep the doors locked and start the trip. You'll see the destination if they entered it. If they didn't and it's to some outlandish place Just Say No.
> 
> No I'm not taking you to some far suburb 45 miles away on a Sunday night. I'll take you to the train station which is how you got here in the first place. Your kid that just turned you onto Uber that lives by Wrigley Field doesn't understand how this works.


Terrible advice. Once you start the trip, the rider is then given the opportunity to rate you after the trip is ended. If you cancel on riders like this after you've started the trip, your rating will plummet fairly quickly and you'll soon be deactivated (fired), not to mention all of the complaint emails that riders will write in to Uber about you.


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## newsboy559 (Oct 14, 2014)

eltakasaaiya said:


> I have tried it. It does not affect. This needs to be done real fast accept, cancel other.


You are wrong. Uber keeps track of your acceptance rate AND your cancellation rate. These are two different rates. Uber publicizes your acceptance rate to you in your weekly summary. Uber DOES NOT publicize your cancellation rate to you, but you darn well better know that they do keep track of it. Uber just deactivated thousands of drivers in California for doing the accept and cancel method and they will continue doing it across the country now that they've gotten plenty of drivers to fill their shoes.


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## newsboy559 (Oct 14, 2014)

ATX 22 said:


> So which is it?
> Are we free to not accept ride requests or will we be punished for a low acceptance rate?


You'll be punished for both. You can take that to the bank. Now go out and accept and fulfill all the requests your given like a good little employee.


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## newsboy559 (Oct 14, 2014)

Uber Kraus said:


> They specifically give us the "other" option. "Other" can be literally anything.


Doesn't matter. Did you read what the legally binding contract says? You are obligated to fulfill every request you accept. Plain and simple. It's right there in black and white. If you accept and cancel, you are in "material breach" of the contract.


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## eltakasaaiya (Jul 15, 2015)

newsboy559 said:


> You are wrong. Uber keeps track of your acceptance rate AND your cancellation rate. These are two different rates. Uber publicizes your acceptance rate to you in your weekly summary. Uber DOES NOT publicize your cancellation rate to you, but you darn well better know that they do keep track of it. Uber just deactivated thousands of drivers in California for doing the accept and cancel method and they will continue doing it across the country now that they've gotten plenty of drivers to fill their shoes.


That is total BS that they will de-activate. I have accepted and cancelled rides within 10 seconds 100's of them in a month or less. My account is still active. I don't drive anymore except when it surges over 2x in Downtown LA.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

newsboy559 said:


> Doesn't matter. Did you read what the legally binding contract says? You are obligated to fulfill every request you accept. Plain and simple. It's right there in black and white. If you accept and cancel, you are in "material breach" of the contract.


You are either on Uber payroll or new.


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## newsboy559 (Oct 14, 2014)

Uber Kraus said:


> You are either on Uber payroll or new.


Haha... whatever, dude. I am not an Uber supporter, nor am I new. I just state facts. The cards are stacked against you. Uber will always have the upper hand. Always.

I also used the accept and cancel method for a while until I realized it had absolutely zero effect on the surge algorithm. As soon as you cancel within 10-15 seconds, the request simply goes on to the next closest driver. And there will always be another driver willing to accept the fare you turned down.

However, in my city, where Uber is relatively a small game, simply not accepting the unwanted call DOES have an affect on the surge multiplier. During bar closing rush, all of the X cars in the entire city often get snatched up even by drivers clear on the other side of town who are apparently willing to drive 20 minutes to take someone a couple miles for a minimum fare. But I just wait and just let those requests beep out and eventually surge kicks in and I accept the next call right down the street for 1.5X and do my job.


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## newsboy559 (Oct 14, 2014)

Uber Kraus said:


> You are either on Uber payroll or new.


I mean, I showed you right there in black and white what the contract specifically says. Can you not read? Why would you say I am either new or on Uber payroll when I simply cut and pasted what the contract specifically says. I didn't say I agree with it. But those are the facts. It is pretty simple.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

Dan L said:


> I never understood this. Is there a reason for it? It would actually help many drivers decide if they really want to pick up a rider to go to a certain area, etc. I am new to this, so unless I am missing something, it would be good to know why I don't know where I am going before I leave to get someone.


I would be nice, of course, for drivers to know destinations in advance. I've driven taxis for 10 years, and NO cab company give out destinations
and the reason is that drivers will cherry pick, and that means many customers wind up waiting a lot longer for a cab.

The same is true for Uber. If customers wait longer, then they will call us less, and we, and Uber, make less money.

It's therefore in your financial best interest that you are not allowed to see the destination, and though you will fight that idea kicking and screaming, it's the absolute truth and no, I'm not a shill. I've operated small cab fleets before, so I can see it from the corporate view probably better than anyone who has never operated their own company.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

Disgusted Driver said:


> I wouldn't take 1/3 of the calls I get if I knew where they were going. Anything I can do to work less hours and make more per hour is going to happen if I can get away with it.


If all drivers did that, then our customer base would eventually shrink by 1/3, and we all lose, including you. 
When you don't serve your customers very well, you shrink, just ask any cab company now being displaced by Uber.
Business 101, no brainer territory.

But, thinking more fare treatment to drivers, I think the solution is to up the minimum ride to 8 bucks for UberX and upping all rates to an extra 50 cents per mile. I'd say a buck, but that's probably asking too much of Uber.


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## Bryan Walters (Sep 21, 2015)

Started late last night after fighting with the jv squad called Checkr. Those ppl are idiots. Moved to a new state, got my license and decided to try to make extra cash driving, was told I didn't have enough driving experience even though I provided a 3 year print out from previous state. Fifteen emails later, finally got on. My rating for Lyft in 4 weeks, 5 stars. My rating for Uber in one day 3.67 stars WTF. All drunk pax last night. Pulled up to one and one drunk chick stuffs a fatter drunk chick in the car and says take her home. This girl couldn't even tell me her address. I had to get it off her license. I'm rolling the next one out of the car. I wish lyft was more prominent here in Vancouver/Portland area.


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## Oh My (Dec 26, 2014)

newsboy559 said:


> Terrible advice. Once you start the trip, the rider is then given the opportunity to rate you after the trip is ended. If you cancel on riders like this after you've started the trip, your rating will plummet fairly quickly and you'll soon be deactivated (fired), not to mention all of the complaint emails that riders will write in to Uber about you.


I could care less about those ratings when my life could be on the line by going to an area a clean-cut White man has NO business being and that taxi's won't even serve.

Happy Ubering in Mayberry.


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## Road Pilot (May 18, 2015)

Dan L said:


> I never understood this. Is there a reason for it? It would actually help many drivers decide if they really want to pick up a rider to go to a certain area, etc. I am new to this, so unless I am missing something, it would be good to know why I don't know where I am going before I leave to get someone.


Great question, Dan

Here's my two cents which may go against the grain of accepted wisdom

Assumptions:

1. Uber Partners are independent contractors most of whom are strangers to each other (think free radicals)
2. Uber software to the best of my understanding surges fare prices when the number of riders exceed the number of drivers in a given area
3. Uber downgrades Partner ratings when too many fare requests are declined. This alone should discourage drivers from declining short trips no matter how long it takes to reach the pick up location

If the app provided a rider's destination, every ride request declined by one driver should be accepted by the next driver. This is especially true in surge areas.
That is to say, when demand exceeds supply the surge program increases supply by drawing more drivers to a designated area. So why not provide destinations when the surge goes up to 2X?

I think most riders would feel safer knowing that a driver at the end of a shift has the opportunity to decline a fare he or she is not up to completing. The way it is set up now, such a driver has to wait until PAX
is in the vehicle to decline which can be a major inconvenience to the PAX.

As independent contractors, drivers should have more control when it comes to accepting a fare. Control being the operative word in the Employee vs. Independent Contractor 20 question test.

As independent contractors, no two drivers behave alike. The argument that no driver will accept a short trip that is five or more minutes away is not valid in my opinion.

I have had many PAX express surprise that drivers do not know their destination when the request is sent. They don't think it makes any sense.

Hope this helps and thanks for reading my post.


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## KeJorn (Oct 3, 2014)

Disgusted Driver said:


> I wouldn't take 1/3 of the calls I get if I knew where they were going. Anything I can do to work less hours and make more per hour is going to happen if I can get away with it.


Yet you have to wonder. Uber continues to lower rates to unsustainable levels, while still bringing on more and more drivers. In order to make it work, allowing drivers to cherry pick would allow them to operate more efficiently and allow the system to match people up better. Not everyone would turn down short runs. But for those who know what their boundaries are and need to operate within those boundaries to make a decent profit to continue driving, they know that having more flexibility and options as a driver not only makes sense, it would not hurt Uber or riders. Yet, again, it becomes a control thing. Even Lyft falls for this mirage and employs the same mentality. They ASSUME without actually testing it to see how it goes.


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## Road Pilot (May 18, 2015)

KeJorn said:


> Yet you have to wonder. Uber continues to lower rates to unsustainable levels, while still bringing on more and more drivers. In order to make it work, allowing drivers to cherry pick would allow them to operate more efficiently and allow the system to match people up better. Not everyone would turn down short runs. But for those who know what their boundaries are and need to operate within those boundaries to make a decent profit to continue driving, they know that having more flexibility and options as a driver not only makes sense, it would not hurt Uber or riders. Yet, again, it becomes a control thing. Even Lyft falls for this mirage and employs the same mentality. They ASSUME without actually testing it to see how it goes.


Great points

the key to increasing fares is time management

every minute sitting in traffic with or without a fare or driving long distance to a pick up location is lost revenue

cherry picking gives drivers more control which enhances their independent contractor status and ability to increase earnings by managing the time they spend on the road


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## RachelD (Sep 13, 2015)

I got burned bad by this this weekend. I had a pax I picked up. I was just a few minutes away. It was 12:45 am. However, when I started the ride, the destination was FIFTY MILES away in an area I'd never been. It was a man alone, and I'm a woman alone. It was SO SCARY for me. I didn't get back into my area until 2 am because lovely Uber GPS led me to the wrong place and the passenger fell asleep. Not to mention that, but the guy lived OUT of mobile phone service, so the huge fair ride got canceled when I was no longer "online" due to being out of service area. So, yeah. Now the fair is "in review" and isn't on the week's payment. I'm PISSED!


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## Road Pilot (May 18, 2015)

RachelD said:


> I got burned bad by this this weekend. I had a pax I picked up. I was just a few minutes away. It was 12:45 am. However, when I started the ride, the destination was FIFTY MILES away in an area I'd never been. It was a man alone, and I'm a woman alone. It was SO SCARY for me. I didn't get back into my area until 2 am because lovely Uber GPS led me to the wrong place and the passenger fell asleep. Not to mention that, but the guy lived OUT of mobile phone service, so the huge fair ride got canceled when I was no longer "online" due to being out of service area. So, yeah. Now the fair is "in review" and isn't on the week's payment. I'm PISSED!


destination: sucksville ; p

good luck with the fare review


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## Oh My (Dec 26, 2014)

RachelD said:


> I got burned bad by this this weekend. I had a pax I picked up. I was just a few minutes away. It was 12:45 am. However, when I started the ride, the destination was FIFTY MILES away in an area I'd never been. It was a man alone, and I'm a woman alone. It was SO SCARY for me. I didn't get back into my area until 2 am because lovely Uber GPS led me to the wrong place and the passenger fell asleep. Not to mention that, but the guy lived OUT of mobile phone service, so the huge fair ride got canceled when I was no longer "online" due to being out of service area. So, yeah. Now the fair is "in review" and isn't on the week's payment. I'm PISSED!


You really need to "grow a pair" or find another gig if that was the height of your Uber woes. OMG! SO SCARY!


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## RachelD (Sep 13, 2015)

Oh My said:


> You really need to "grow a pair" or find another gig if that was the height of your Uber woes. OMG! SO SCARY!


lol. Give me a break. It was my 3rd night out. I just now hit 30 rides. I'm learning how to do this stuff.


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## Oh My (Dec 26, 2014)

RachelD said:


> lol. Give me a break. It was my 3rd night out. I just now hit 30 rides. I'm learning how to do this stuff.


OMG, there might be another lone male in your backseat with your lone female self within your next 30 rides. OMG! SO SCARY!


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## RachelD (Sep 13, 2015)

Oh My said:


> OMG, there might be another lone male in your backseat with your lone female self within your next 30 rides. OMG! SO SCARY!


In the middle of nowhere at 2 am on a tiny dirt road out of cell service? Um, yeah. It was scary. But, now I have pepper spray and a stun gun just in case.


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## Road Pilot (May 18, 2015)

Oh My said:


> You really need to "grow a pair" or find another gig if that was the height of your Uber woes. OMG! SO SCARY!


No class whatsoever

Are you even old enough to drive yet?


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## painfreepc (Jul 17, 2014)

Desert Driver said:


> Never pick up a pax with a rating lower than 4.7. (Jesus, how hard is it to be a 5-star pax? How about not being a ******bag?)
> .


You are just dead wrong on this, i am a passenger as well as a driver, i can tell you uber and lyft has many ******bag drivers,
my 75 year old mother uses uber 2 to 4 times a week, she need to use a walker, 
her uber rating was down to 4.4, she tips all drivers $5.00, so why was she 4.4? - the walker may be..


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

painfreepc said:


> You are just dead wrong on this, i am a passenger as well as a driver, i can tell you uber and lyft has many ******bag drivers,
> my 75 year old mother uses uber 2 to 4 times a week, she need to use a walker,
> her uber rating was down to 4.4, she tips all drivers $5.00, so why was she 4.4? - the walker may be..


A 75 year old with a walker is someone I would give a 5 star to even if she didn't tip. I figure she needs the service more than most and is likely on a limited income. And I RARELY give 5 stars out anymore.

Is there anyone here who would not give 5 stars to an old lady who tips $5? That's just nuts IMHO.

It's the 22 year olds talking about the $200 they just spent on dinner who go 1 mile because they "don't feel like walking" that deserve to get downrated. Unfortunately there's a lot more of those than your mom.

There should be a discount for senior citizens anyway but out of Uber's cut or the drivers would refuse them. Taxis have a discount.

If Uber wants to expand giving free or very cut rate trips to seniors for a limited period would be one way. That's an untapped market and most of my older pax do tip.

But uber doesn't like old people I don't think.


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## Tightturns (Sep 15, 2015)

newsboy559 said:


> waiting at least 10 minutes for a User to show up at the requested pick-up


HAHAHAHA ten minutes, yeah ****ing right!


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## Corny (Jun 1, 2015)

Dan L said:


> I never understood this. Is there a reason for it? It would actually help many drivers decide if they really want to pick up a rider to go to a certain area, etc. I am new to this, so unless I am missing something, it would be good to know why I don't know where I am going before I leave to get someone.


Uber tried to remove all of the big negatives from the cab experience, and this was one of them. Riders hated this about Cabs, so Uber removed the option from its process. The way we have to watch this is to give someone with a short ride and no tip 4 stars, after a while we will all know what that means. When someone says "I am sorry this is just a short ride." I say no problem, but a lot of regular short riders just give a small tip up front for the inconvenience and to keep their ratings up there ...


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

painfreepc said:


> You are just dead wrong on this, i am a passenger as well as a driver, i can tell you uber and lyft has many ******bag drivers,
> my 75 year old mother uses uber 2 to 4 times a week, she need to use a walker,
> her uber rating was down to 4.4, she tips all drivers $5.00, so why was she 4.4? - the walker may be..


Cool anecdote. I'm still not picking up anyone with a rating lower than 4.7. That's the threshold Uber uses for keep/kill decisions for drivers. Ergo, it's a perfectly appropriate metric for me to use in deciding who I let into my carriage.


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## Disgusted Driver (Jan 9, 2015)

Oscar Levant said:


> If all drivers did that, then our customer base would eventually shrink by 1/3, and we all lose, including you.
> When you don't serve your customers very well, you shrink, just ask any cab company now being displaced by Uber.
> Business 101, no brainer territory.
> 
> But, thinking more fare treatment to drivers, I think the solution is to up the minimum ride to 8 bucks for UberX and upping all rates to an extra 50 cents per mile. I'd say a buck, but that's probably asking too much of Uber.


You are quite correct good sir however given the loyalty that Uber has earned from me, my approach to this has become somewhat selfish. I take care great care of my pax because they are human beings and I want them to be safe and taken care of however I have no concerns for the fate of Uber as a whole. If they went belly up, I'm fine with that. So my strategy is fairly short term, get what I can, while I can. If I game the system to make a little more, I understand that one day I will be caught and deactivated and I'm fine with that. I won't cheat pax but I have no qualms about harm being caused to Uber for my short term gains. If Lyft were still alive here I would think nothing of referring Uber customers to Lyft to get the referral fees. Not very nice of me but as a customer of the lead generating service Uber, they don't serve me well, do they?


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## Road Pilot (May 18, 2015)

Disgusted Driver said:


> You are quite correct good sir however given the loyalty that Uber has earned from me, my approach to this has become somewhat selfish. I take care great care of my pax because they are human beings and I want them to be safe and taken care of however I have no concerns for the fate of Uber as a whole. If they went belly up, I'm fine with that. So my strategy is fairly short term, get what I can, while I can. If I game the system to make a little more, I understand that one day I will be caught and deactivated and I'm fine with that. I won't cheat pax but I have no qualms about harm being caused to Uber for my short term gains. If Lyft were still alive here I would think nothing of referring Uber customers to Lyft to get the referral fees. Not very nice of me but as a customer of the lead generating service Uber, they don't serve me well, do they?


Wait, what?

Lyft offers referral fees to Uber drivers that refer PAX to Lyft? How does that work and how do you get paid for this perk?

The rest of your post in incomprehensible

sounds like you don't need the money and are just doing this for kicks


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## Road Pilot (May 18, 2015)

Desert Driver said:


> Cool anecdote. I'm still not picking up anyone with a rating lower than 4.7. That's the threshold Uber uses for keep/kill decisions for drivers. Ergo, it's a perfectly appropriate metric for me to use in deciding who I let into my carriage.


I like your metric but being far sighted I have the disadvantage of not being able to see the tiny print that is the PAX rating while I am trolling for fares


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## Road Pilot (May 18, 2015)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> A 75 year old with a walker is someone I would give a 5 star to even if she didn't tip. I figure she needs the service more than most and is likely on a limited income. And I RARELY give 5 stars out anymore.
> 
> Is there anyone here who would not give 5 stars to an old lady who tips $5? That's just nuts IMHO.
> 
> ...


Speaking as a senior who happens to drive for Uber, I appreciate your suggestion. That said, senior discounts are a rarity throughout corporate america. Uber's independent contractor model is a darling of the Republican Party. Don't expect any action in this quarter.

As for 22 year old what we used to call trust fund babies with more money than brains, that's another old story. I don't rate PAX according to class. In my experience, 99% of PAX do not tip regardless of class, race, age or gender. We live in a nation of cheap rubes who will jump at any cost cutting opportunity that advertises by rumor or billboard.

Uber's rating system is an ingenious marketing model that only works on Partners. The more or less we pay attention to it, the more or less it matters. Uber doesn't care either way.


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## Drivebynight (Sep 21, 2015)

I'm glad I found this site. I'm also a new Uber driver.

Anyways, Uber will ultimately be biting itself on the ass because of this rule regarding not knowing your rider's destination.

Why?

Simple really. It's impossible that Uber can call itself a ridesharing service.

Before I started doing Uber, I thought it worked more like this... Let's say I was heading uptown for 10 miles wanting to visit a friend, I would send out a request on my phone looking for someone else in the city nearby me also looking to go uptown. Then that party gives me a fee to cover gas and time. That makes sense. 

When push comes to shove and Uber faces all of it's future lawsuits, they will never convince any judge it is anything more than a taxi service and it's fuel to become regulated accordingly. 

At the very least, make it optional for the rider to disclose his destination. With so much competition throughout the city, someone will pickup. I can plan my trips as well, most importantly my final trip home.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

Road Pilot said:


> Speaking as a senior who happens to drive for Uber, I appreciate your suggestion. That said, senior discounts are a rarity throughout corporate america. Uber's independent contractor model is a darling of the Republican Party. Don't expect any action in this quarter.
> 
> As for 22 year old what we used to call trust fund babies with more money than brains, that's another old story. I don't rate PAX according to class. In my experience, 99% of PAX do not tip regardless of class, race, age or gender. We live in a nation of cheap rubes who will jump at any cost cutting opportunity that advertises by rumor or billboard.
> 
> Uber's rating system is an ingenious marketing model that only works on Partners. The more or less we pay attention to it, the more or less it matters. Uber doesn't care either way.


I do agree most uber riders don't tip regardless. But I picked a woman up from target the other day who got an uber because they made her stay late and she missed the last bus. It was a $11 fare. I'm sure that's more than an hours pay for her and she would have rather ridden the bus. I find it a lot harder to be irritated with someone like that who doesn't tip than the pax I mentioned before who CLEARLY can afford to tip but don't.

She was also much better behaved than many of them. I gave her 5 stars because if she calls an uber it's likely she really needs the ride and it won't be a short trip (or she'd likely walk). Plus she was very appreciative of the ride. I don't know if she thought tipping was included as we didn't discuss it.


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## Disgusted Driver (Jan 9, 2015)

Road Pilot said:


> Wait, what?
> 
> Lyft offers referral fees to Uber drivers that refer PAX to Lyft? How does that work and how do you get paid for this perk?
> 
> ...


Interesting how the post is incomprehensible yet you have no problem opining as to its contents. Let me put it in plain English for you, I do not care about the health of Uber. I am selfishly out there to get what I can, screw them. I do however try not to put the pax in the middle of the battle.

Lyft offers referral fees to Lyft drivers (or Lyft passengers) for new riders (and in some places new drivers). Many Uber drivers drive for both services. I'll leave it to you to fill in the dots here and comprehend what that means.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

KBecks said:


> Wow, this is interesting, and thanks for sharing. Re: insurance -- what exactly is the Uber insurance good for then?? It only covers the passenger?
> Why the dash cam??
> How do you check a rider's rating when the thing is beeping at you?
> What would you charge a pax to return their lost items? Have you done this and has it worked for you to collect a fee for returning the items? How much have you charged to return items?
> ...


the opinion to which you responded isn't gospel --I would ignore it.. I've been driving for 15 years and I don't agree with a just about anything he said, it comes from a state of mind which I reject.


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## PeterJ (Apr 29, 2016)

Uber Kraus said:


> Gonna tear this up.
> 
> Dictator? That's amusing.. They don't give you a destination so you can't cherry pick. *This has already been stated*.
> 
> ...


Just reading your comment as a newby to Uber... As I understand your comment, you accept the job then yo are able to call the rider to confirm the destination? At that point you can cancel at your end I guess, do you have to supply a reason? And how many times can you do that without getting slapped around??


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## Greguzzi (Jan 9, 2016)

Oscar Levant said:


> I would be nice, of course, for drivers to know destinations in advance. I've driven taxis for 10 years, and NO cab company give out destinations
> and the reason is that drivers will cherry pick, and that means many customers wind up waiting a lot longer for a cab.
> 
> The same is true for Uber. If customers wait longer, then they will call us less, and we, and Uber, make less money.
> ...


LOL. Ride-sharing is not a zero-sum game. A ride that I think of as unprofitable might be just the ride the next guy is wishing for. Uber drivers are very different in this regard than cabbies are. The old rules are ridiculous in this new age.


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## stuber (Jun 30, 2014)

danahhoh said:


> The assumed answer is so we don't cherry pick the fares. If its a short 4 buck payout and you are pinged and are 15 min away. Would you drive 15 min for 4 bucks?
> Long drives are common especially wkdays n sundays in my small market. Sometimes you get lucky. Often not. But that $4 ride might lead you to a great fare.


I've blathered on about this, my pet topic, many o times. Destination is essential. The fact that Uber hides the pax destination is a giant problem that basically invalidates their claim that the drivers are independent contractors.

Yeah yeah yeah.

But what's astonishing to me about their policy, is the fact that they could (and probably would) make more money by requiring the pax to enter destination and revealing that to the drivers.

Simply put, all trips are not equally appealing to drivers. Thus, the trips that no drivers want and thus choose to reject, could be (and should be) priced higher. The price could be incrementally increased until there is a price that a nearby driver will accept.

The customer would get the lowest fair price, and the driver of that trip would be satisfied.

It would mean a huge change, but the net result would be more efficient, fairer, and make Uber and their driver more money.

Unfortunately, it won't happen with Uber. A competing company will have to implement this idea.


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## Greguzzi (Jan 9, 2016)

stuber said:


> I've blathered on about this, my pet topic, many o times. Destination is essential. The fact that Uber hides the pax destination is a giant problem that basically invalidates their claim that the drivers are independent contractors.
> 
> Yeah yeah yeah.
> 
> ...


This man knows what he is talking about. A trip that is a no-go for me might be one that another driver is dreaming of getting. This shit is not difficult; if Uber really is a technology company, this is an opportunity to prove that.


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## stuber (Jun 30, 2014)

Greguzzi said:


> LOL. Ride-sharing is not a zero-sum game. A ride that I think of as unprofitable might be just the ride the next guy is wishing for. Uber drivers are very different in this regard than cabbies are. The old rules are ridiculous in this new age.


Agreed. Taxis haven't exactly set a sterling example of how best to operate. Why should the TNCs emulate them?


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## stuber (Jun 30, 2014)

Oscar Levant said:


> I would be nice, of course, for drivers to know destinations in advance. I've driven taxis for 10 years, and NO cab company give out destinations
> and the reason is that drivers will cherry pick, and that means many customers wind up waiting a lot longer for a cab.
> 
> The same is true for Uber. If customers wait longer, then they will call us less, and we, and Uber, make less money.
> ...


Oscar, I always enjoy your posts, but you're wrong on this. Uber has massive driver density operating in most cities. The cherry picking problem doesn't necessarily exist for Uber, since they have so many cars, and the ability to re-dispatch much faster than the cabs using traditional radio dispatch.

With Uber, all requests could be instantaneous auctions. It's definitely possible to exactly match drivers, passengers, and arrive at a negotiated price very quickly.

But again, Uber is not trying to be truly great and innovative. They're too busy being huge and evil.


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## stuber (Jun 30, 2014)

Uber Kraus said:


> They specifically give us the "other" option. "Other" can be literally anything.


Indeed, like "Some circus monkeys came riding by on unicycles. So, I had to cancel the request because I was busy getting pictures."


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## stuber (Jun 30, 2014)

Desert Driver said:


> Cool anecdote. I'm still not picking up anyone with a rating lower than 4.7. That's the threshold Uber uses for keep/kill decisions for drivers. Ergo, it's a perfectly appropriate metric for me to use in deciding who I let into my carriage.


Remember too, there are numerous passengers who create new accounts when their ratings dip too low.


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## stuber (Jun 30, 2014)

The_One said:


> No dispatch FHV will do that, it's against the law in pretty much every state.


Uber is Prearranged Point to Point, not dispatched FHV. Prearranged limo requires a destination in the waybill on point to point trips. The "As Directed" trips are dicey from an insurance standpoint, unless you're buying livery insurance that specifically includes "As Directed" in addition to "Point to Point."


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## nickd8775 (Jul 12, 2015)

Greguzzi said:


> This man knows what he is talking about. A trip that is a no-go for me might be one that another driver is dreaming of getting. This shit is not difficult; if Uber really is a technology company, this is an opportunity to prove that.


Just the other day I got a 60 mile trip in the direction I wanted to go, 50 miles beyond the pax destination in the same direction. So the passenger paid for a trip I needed to do anyway.


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## Mojo76 (Feb 27, 2016)

eltakasaaiya said:


> Don't want to go somewhere over 5 minutes simply turn your airplane mode on your smart phone. Plain and simple. Have you tried it yet. Does not go against your acceptance rate. Uber servers will think that your lost internet connection.


Does that really work? That's crazy!


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

stuber said:


> Oscar, I always enjoy your posts, but you're wrong on this. Uber has massive driver density operating in most cities. The cherry picking problem doesn't necessarily exist for Uber, since they have so many cars, and the ability to re-dispatch much faster than the cabs using traditional radio dispatch.
> 
> With Uber, all requests could be instantaneous auctions. It's definitely possible to exactly match drivers, passengers, and arrive at a negotiated price very quickly.
> 
> But again, Uber is not trying to be truly great and innovative. They're too busy being huge and evil.


The problem with cherry picking isn't so much that there's a lack of cars ,what it does is it leaves other drivers with crumbs --it's not fair to other drivers to cherry-pick.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

Greguzzi said:


> LOL. Ride-sharing is not a zero-sum game. A ride that I think of as unprofitable might be just the ride the next guy is wishing for. Uber drivers are very different in this regard than cabbies are. The old rules are ridiculous in this new age.


It's human nature to want cherries over crumbs regardless of what sector of society you come from. I stand by my statement.


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## Baby Cakes (Sep 6, 2015)

Uber Kraus said:


> This statement shows your ignorance. Accept, Cancel, Reason = Other is the correct response to this.


cancel will get you flagged if you keep it up.


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## stuber (Jun 30, 2014)

Oscar Levant said:


> The problem with cherry picking isn't so much that there's a lack of cars ,what it does is it leaves other drivers with crumbs --it's not fair to other drivers to cherry-pick.


You have a point.


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## Babs (Apr 9, 2016)

eltakasaaiya said:


> UBER is also known as EVIL that is why they don't give you a destination. In other words they are a Dictator. They want SLAVES to work for them without asking any questions. If you are new, time for you to quit. You ain't going to make any money working for UBER or BER BER that is what I call them. Just feel blessed that you found this forum. I drove for 1 month and quit. I was doing part time for fun still I figured out that UBER=SCAM=EVIL now I try to tell people like you newbies not to drive. Don't do it.


Yes, agree it is stupid, especially if you are in a time crunch, some say just go and if you don't have time to take them, have pax cancel and reorder. This is a waste of everyone's time. And money!


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## painfreepc (Jul 17, 2014)

dirtylee said:


> if yes how much.


Don't really get your racist comment, why don't you try getting your head out of your ass, so I guess you're too stupid to know that I'm black..

I don't know what colored is, last time I checked we all have color unless you're as white as a sheet


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## Mojo76 (Feb 27, 2016)

painfreepc said:


> Don't really get your racist comment, why don't you try getting your head out of your ass, so I guess you're too stupid to know that I'm black..
> 
> I don't know what the f**k colored is, last time I checked we all have color unless you're as white as a sheet


Amen sister! Ain't no room for racism here!


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## Mojo76 (Feb 27, 2016)

Yes, there is a reason! Your comment is clearly narrow minded and absolutely absurd! How do you know what 75 year old black woman tip? Are you a 75 year old black woman? And telling someone they aren't black is so rude and ignorant! So yes, there is a reason!


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## painfreepc (Jul 17, 2014)

Mojo76 said:


> Yes, there is a reason! Your comment is clearly narrow minded and absolutely absurd! How do you know what 75 year old black woman tip? Are you a 75 year old black woman? And telling someone they aren't black is so rude and ignorant! So yes, there is a reason!


In my opinion calling me colored is more offensive than the n-word


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## Hoodat (Apr 29, 2016)

Dan L said:


> I never understood this. Is there a reason for it? It would actually help many drivers decide if they really want to pick up a rider to go to a certain area, etc. I am new to this, so unless I am missing something, it would be good to know why I don't know where I am going before I leave to get someone.


All in or nothing at all part of the gamble in this game tottaly random destinations they don't want pickers and choosers just drones.


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## painfreepc (Jul 17, 2014)

Dan L said:


> I never understood this. Is there a reason for it? It would actually help many drivers decide if they really want to pick up a rider to go to a certain area, etc. I am new to this, so unless I am missing something, it would be good to know why I don't know where I am going before I leave to get someone.


Ironic isn't it, when we cab drivers ask dispatchers to ask the customers where there going, the taxi customers would get pissed, but now you share ride drivers think it's okay to cherry-pick, love how the tide has turned.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

painfreepc said:


> In my opinion calling me colored is more offensive than the n-word


NAACP?


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## Red Howler (Mar 31, 2016)

I have had too many rides that end up being total losers. If I accept a ride to NYC from EWR, I cannot get a ride back from NY, so deadhead home. Twice the gas, twice the time. I had a ride from EWR to Princeton. Hung around for 1/2 hour after the drop and nada. Dead-headed back to EWR. 

So here's my new plan: as soon as I arrive at the pick-up spot, I hit "Start Trip." The destination pops up even before the PAX has left their house or wherever. If the destination is NY or anywhere else I can't pick up a return, I cancel and move on. I'm not that desperate. I had a guy a few weeks ago who wanted to go over 120 miles away across two state lines. NFW!

Meeting the Lyft guy on Monday.


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## I_Like_Spam (May 10, 2015)

Oscar Levant said:


> It's human nature to want cherries over crumbs regardless of what sector of society you come from. I stand by my statement.


It is certainly in Uber's best interests to get every trip covered and every passenger picked up. They make just as much money on a short trip that a driver has to travel 30 minutes to get to, as they do on one where the driver is right there already.

It might not be in the drivers best interests however, as they may be losing money on the deal.

I can understand why Uber does what they do, but its unrealistic in the long run to expect that drivers will continue to serve outlying customers for short trips for chump change or even losing money.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

I_Like_Spam said:


> It is certainly in Uber's best interests to get every trip covered and every passenger picked up. They make just as much money on a short trip that a driver has to travel 30 minutes to get to, as they do on one where the driver is right there already.
> 
> It might not be in the drivers best interests however, as they may be losing money on the deal.
> 
> I can understand why Uber does what they do, but its unrealistic in the long run to expect that drivers will continue to serve outlying customers for short trips for chump change or even losing money.


Then understand why ALL on demand transportation services do not allow cherry picking.

Cherry picking cheats other drivers.

For demand taxi service, livery service, ridershare, etc.,, doing short trips are part of the cost of doing business. 
As any experienced livery or taxi driver will tell you, if you can't do short trips, you need to find another type of employment. 
If you were allowed to cherry pick, don't y0u think the next driver will do the same? And then
the customer will not be served or served well, which will poison the pool everyone swims in.

The issue is not short trips, the issue is that Uber rates are so low that what wouldn't be an issue, short trips,
becomes amplified as an issue.

You are therefore barking up the wrong tree. Complain about the rate, not about your desire to know the destination.


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## I_Like_Spam (May 10, 2015)

Oscar Levant said:


> Then understand why ALL on demand transportation services do not allow cherry picking.
> 
> Cherry picking cheats other drivers.


It doesn't "cheat other drivers" in the least. The other drivers don't have to take the trip either.

When I was driving Pittsburgh Yellow Cab, the radio dispatchers would customarily the drivers where it was going, for better or worse so that the drivers could guess whether the trip was worth chasing. They'd tell you if the trip was short especially for suburban trips, or if it was going to the airport or someplace far.

If you didn't want to take the trip, no one would force you, you were an independent contractor.


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## TAG (May 6, 2016)

I'm sure Uber is her to getting the greatest benefit from not allowing us to see the destination. Listen.....it is of no benefit to me to not know where I am going. Its different for regular cabs because 
they have a company car. Driving 20 minutes for someone that's only going around the corner is no good. Even regular cabs have guidelines. This is my 4th day driving. I've been to Boston w times. One trip was $38 and another $44. Regular can is over $100 or more. We should be able to pick and choose where we want to drive. blot of people do this for extra cash. If their car break down we are the ones loosing out. There should be a setting you can turn on in the Pp for those willing to drive out of the city or over a certain miles. The way the is set up I can pick up a customer and they want to go out of state for little of nothing. I am going to start asking where they are going and if I get deactivated so be it. A 20 min ride to a customer in the country so they can go 4 min from there current location for $5 payout does not equal out and it's not worth it. For those who don't mind, give the app an option to select whether u want to stay local, drive distances, or don't mind driving out of town.


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## Lmartdc (Nov 3, 2015)

Dan L said:


> I never understood this. Is there a reason for it? It would actually help many drivers decide if they really want to pick up a rider to go to a certain area, etc. I am new to this, so unless I am missing something, it would be good to know why I don't know where I am going before I leave to get someone.


You just answered your own questions actually. Why would Uber want the drivers cherry picking what passengers to pick up and which ones to ignore? it would lower Uber's overall service level when riders can't get an Uber ride everytime they send a ping request.


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## I_Like_Spam (May 10, 2015)

Lmartdc said:


> You just answered your own questions actually. Why would Uber want the drivers cherry picking what passengers to pick up and which ones to ignore? it would lower Uber's overall service level when riders can't get an Uber ride everytime they send a ping request.


That's obvious, but why should a driver willingly accept a trip that will lose him or her $$? If its that important, guaranteeing drivers at least a ten spot for all trips would solve most of that.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

I_Like_Spam said:


> It doesn't "cheat other drivers" in the least. The other drivers don't have to take the trip either.


Yeah, and why would they, if they knew the destination and new it wasn't profitable?
what about customer goodwill? If that rider isnt served better than taxis, How many new potential customers will that dissatisfied
customer bad mouth against Uber? Multiply that times millions of customers pissed off,
and eventually Uber will decline, and so will your income, if you are still driving for Uber.
This is what you don't understand, you are pissing in the pool we are all swimming in. It's a matter of time the odor will suffocate everyone.

But, if you are just a moonlighter, toe dipper, not concerned about anything beyond your own little self, don't give a damn, fine, you have a point, but if I were Uber, and knew that about you, I wouldn't hire you in the first place, nor would anyone who has ever been in business. I've been in business, and so I understand the boss's point of view. ( I don' t always agree with Uber on everything, mind you, but on cherry picking, I do agree ).

Well, "independent contractor" is not the same thing as being 100% independent businessman with your own clients
to serve as you please, so its a misnomer. It's the 'contractor' part you are downplaying, but it's the more important
part of the equation; you are under contract, which you signed, the fine print of which is to serve Uber. So much for your "independence".
You are "independent contractor" for TAX purposes and to save Uber money, but you are NOT independent, not by a long shot.
You are independent insofar as your work hours, and that's about it, the rest of your so-called 'independence' is anything but.

Anyway, back to the argument:

Cherry picking will get you deactivated

Why? It's bad for business, that's why. There is no other reason.

End of frickin' argument, so have the last word if you want, but if you can't grasp this, I can't help you, and guess what,
taxi companies are suffering because Uber understands this and they don't. For taxis that do understand it, they
are still suffering because Uber is undercutting them in a big way ( and that's where I disagree with Uber ). Uber
also has a better dispatch system ( by computer from the closest vehicle -- taxis dispatch from queued cabs in zones, or toss calls
up for driver bids when zones are empty, or if digital, offer trips to drivers in queues in adjacent zones, but it's never the "closest car" )

Where I will concede with you is that riders should be allowed to set their own parameters
on distance. I have a 20 minute limit on SUV calls ( because they are $25 minimum,
but if I were an X driver, it would be about 10 minutes, tops ). I mean, I still want
to be offered chase calls, it's just that, we drivers shouldn't be penalized for turning down trips beyond our self-defined parameters ( if we were able to do this ).

So, where I disagree with Uber is not on the cherry picking policy, I disagree on the rate, it's too low for drivers
to make a living for more than a couple of months , because beyond that, you are damaging your car without compensation,
and that's just ain't right.

By the way, why I don't turn down trips ( I'm not saying I've never turned down a trip,
there are circumstances where it's just not practical. For example, I'm headed south on the freeway to downtown, where I want to work in one of my fave areas, and I get a ping north of me, and the freeway going north is a parking lot -- so it's just not practical in such a circumstance ).

One night, I was checking in, gassing up, it was the end o my shift, 11:30 PM,
and I was ready for bed, a nightcap, and some late night TV.

I get a ping at the gas pump, and it's 20 minutes in the rural area inland from my house, where I know there is no one to help the rider,
he's probably stranded. So I take the call, and chase it. I did it because I'm a nice guy, and want to build up goodwill for Uber. It's not that I love Uber, it's just my nature, if I'm doing a job, I try and do it well, or I don't do it. I guess most dads and moms have told us that, at some point in our lives, and I agree with it. Anyway, despite this, I know that If I drove out there and he cancels, I'd be out 40 minutes my life. That's not so bad, really. Okay, I did call the guy, but I didn't care about where he was going, I only wanted assurance he wouldn't cancel, because of the distance involved, I felt that was reasonable to inquire about. Still, it's a gambled because even after assurances, I've had riders cancel anyway, you never know until you swipe the app.

The gamble paid off incredibly well. that ride was $173. Sure, it could have been a short, and I'd be out 40 minutes of my life.
He wanted to go pick up his girl friend and go downtown, the trip was about an hour long, or so.
The rider lost his license and was struggling with courts, lawyers, car impounded, etc., to get them back, and in the mean time, for the next two weeks, I've been shuttling this executive to his biz from his house and back, twice a day to the tune of $200 bucks a day, for an entire week.

_That rider has given me well over $1000 in business this week._ ( Im also UberBlack, so rates are a lot better ).

Also, there is more incredible news from this ping (you're not gonna believe it), which if it works out, I'll relay in a future post.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

TAG said:


> I'm sure Uber is her to getting the greatest benefit from not allowing us to see the destination. Listen.....it is of no benefit to me to not know where I am going. Its different for regular cabs because
> they have a company car. Driving 20 minutes for someone that's only going around the corner is no good. Even regular cabs have guidelines. This is my 4th day driving. I've been to Boston w times. One trip was $38 and another $44. Regular can is over $100 or more. We should be able to pick and choose where we want to drive. blot of people do this for extra cash. If their car break down we are the ones loosing out. There should be a setting you can turn on in the Pp for those willing to drive out of the city or over a certain miles. The way the is set up I can pick up a customer and they want to go out of state for little of nothing. I am going to start asking where they are going and if I get deactivated so be it. A 20 min ride to a customer in the country so they can go 4 min from there current location for $5 payout does not equal out and it's not worth it. For those who don't mind, give the app an option to select whether u want to stay local, drive distances, or don't mind driving out of town.


I think in most cities, at least in SoCal, are owner/operater cooperatives. There are a few smaller taxi companies that are fleet owned, but they are dying rapidly, owing to liability costs.

If you would cherry pick, discard a shorty, so would everyone else, and the resulting pissed off customer, times thousands of customers ( since most trips are short) would eventually kill the company, and there goes your driving gig. In cities were the cab company is a monoply, Uber will quickly put them out of business.

The "rideshare" concept is really bogus. You really cant do this gig to help pay expenses while you are headed to a certain point looking for riders to help with expenses enroute, that's
what "rideshare" really means, but in practice, it's really drivers trying to make a living, parttime or otherwise. If "rideshare" concept were a reality, destination knowledge would
make sense. Since they dont allow it, then there is no such thing as ridersharing, is there?
We are a de facto taxi company ( or livery, to be technical, since we do not have the right to take street hails ). "Ridesharing" as concept as bogus.


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## Greguzzi (Jan 9, 2016)

nickd8775 said:


> Just the other day I got a 60 mile trip in the direction I wanted to go, 50 miles beyond the pax destination in the same direction. So the passenger paid for a trip I needed to do anyway.


Good for you. Another driver might still be thinking he got screwed by being compelled to take that very same trip.


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## Greguzzi (Jan 9, 2016)

I_Like_Spam said:


> It is certainly in Uber's best interests to get every trip covered and every passenger picked up. They make just as much money on a short trip that a driver has to travel 30 minutes to get to, as they do on one where the driver is right there already.
> 
> It might not be in the drivers best interests however, as they may be losing money on the deal.
> 
> I can understand why Uber does what they do, but its unrealistic in the long run to expect that drivers will continue to serve outlying customers for short trips for chump change or even losing money.


Yep. They need to figure out a way to match a driver that wants to go to a given place with a rider seeking to go there. Uber says it is a technology company. It could prove that by figuring out a way to do this.


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