# Weekend Guarantee question



## NightRider (Jul 23, 2014)

Hey everyone,

I just got notice of a guarantee for this weekend here in DC, and am trying to understand the requirements. Even though this offer is specific to the DC market, my question is of a general nature, and other markets are probably getting similar offers... First, here's the offer and sign-up form text:


*RSVP to make guaranteed fares this weekend*
Details of the offer are:
**Guaranteed rate per hour in fares (rates below)
**Drive at least six hours total during the times listed below
**Accept at least 90% of requests that are sent to you
**Complete at least one trip per hour during the times you are online
**Cancel no more than 5% of requests that are sent to you after accepting

Notes on requirements:

**These rates will be calculated as an average during the entire time you're online during each guarantee period. For example, if you complete two trips one hour and none the next, you will still qualify because your average will be one trip per hour.
**This is a guarantee of gross fares. This means that we will average the fares you earn over the hours you drive (minus safe rides fees) and pay any difference between that rate and the guaranteed rate, minus Uber's commission.

* Required
To signup, please enter the phone number associated with your Uber account and sign up for times below. *
Do not use any spaces or dashes ex. XXXXXXXXXX
Friday 10/3

$27 per hour: 5pm - 8pm
Friday 10/3 (late)

$25 per hour: 10pm - 4am
Saturday 10/4

$27 per hour: 12pm - 7pm
Saturday 10/4 (late)

$29 per hour: 10pm - 4am
Sunday 10/5

$25 per hour: 12pm - 6pm
(NOTE that each of those bulleted dollar/time periods are actually check boxes on the signup form.)

My question is this: From the way I read the requirements, you must drive a total of at least six hours within the time frames listed, with an average of one trip per hour and must meet the acceptance rate and cancellation requirements. However, what's confusing to me is the way each time frame is a check box for us to specificy what times we might work. To give myself the most flexibility, why wouldn't I just check ALL of the time options? Does anyone think I'm overlooking something in those requirements listed? From what I can tell, there is no requirement attached to each specific time window. It doesn't say anything like you have to work each of the time windows you sign up for. So if I do sign up for all of the times and actually only decide to work for 6 hours straight on Saturday between 12pm-7pm, I still have fulfilled the requirements, no?

Can anyone see any flaw in my logic here? Or can anyone see a reason I should *NOT* sign up for all of the available time windows? If there's no reason not to, then why did Uber even give us the option instead of just listing the guarantee rates for each time period?

Thanks for any thoughts y'all my have!


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## cheerose (Aug 29, 2014)

The time slot option is acting as sort of an opt-in. If you did work during a time period listed but *DID NOT* select it on the form, then the guarantee rate would not apply to you.

So... it would seem like selecting all of the slots would make the most sense. Keep in mind that, from reading other posts regarding the guarantees, Uber bases their 'trip per hour' on the hour number on the clock. For example, if you were to work Friday night from 5:30 - 6:30 and only got 1 ride, Uber would say that you did not meet the guarantee because they would count that as 2 hours (5 & 6pm). I may be wrong about this, so a seasoned veteran hopefully will clarify things if needed.


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## anexfanatic (Aug 10, 2014)

Wow, you guys have time slot there? In Charlotte, we opt in once on the form for the entire incentive weekend period. Good to know since I'll be driving in D.C. next year.


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## LookyLou (Apr 28, 2014)

cheerose said:


> The time slot option is acting as sort of an opt-in. If you did work during a time period listed but *DID NOT* select it on the form, then the guarantee rate would not apply to you.
> 
> So... it would seem like selecting all of the slots would make the most sense. Keep in mind that, from reading other posts regarding the guarantees, Uber bases their 'trip per hour' on the hour number on the clock. For example, if you were to work Friday night from 5:30 - 6:30 and only got 1 ride, Uber would say that you did not meet the guarantee because they would count that as 2 hours (5 & 6pm). I may be wrong about this, so a seasoned veteran hopefully will clarify things if needed.


You might be correct on this. But the way I would see it is he would be paid 30 minutes on the guarantee for the 5pm hour and nothing on the 6pm hour, or the other way around depending on which hour the ride was completed in.


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## Worcester Sauce (Aug 20, 2014)

NightRider said:


> Hey everyone,
> 
> I just got notice of a guarantee for this weekend here in DC, and am trying to understand the requirements. Even though this offer is specific to the DC market, my question is of a general nature, and other markets are probably getting similar offers... First, here's the offer and sign-up form text:
> 
> ...


BEWARE!!! Uber will find a way NOT to pay the guarantee. I speak from sad experience


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## NightRider (Jul 23, 2014)

Worcester Sauce said:


> BEWARE!!! Uber will find a way NOT to pay the guarantee. I speak from sad experience


I hope should that happen they will provide enough information to make sure one doesn't repeat the same mistake twice. I know.. hope in one hand...


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## Worcester Sauce (Aug 20, 2014)

NightRider said:


> I hope should that happen they will provide enough information to make sure one doesn't repeat the same mistake twice. I know.. hope in one hand...


I received NO info. It was only after 2 weeks of "no incentives $$ in my pay" that I wrote email after email (got no response from the uber cowards). Finally after 3 weeks I got a bullshit Uber email blowoff (without specifics)....just said that I did not meet all the requirements.


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## Paulette (Aug 17, 2014)

I am reposting this from another thread regarding "Guaranteed Opt IN's" DON'T DO IT!

I drive for Uber in Tampa. Last month Uber totally screwed me on the incentives as well. Tried to say I failed to accept 80% of the rides when in fact I accepted 100%. When I emailed them, I got the same goofy upbeat reply like everything was ok. I just said screw it! It takes them too long to respond to an email and when they do, they never really address the issue and blow me off. Since then, I have only driven one Friday night which sucked because they lowered the fares and started charging their "use of phone fees". After deducting their fees and gas, for 6 hours I made a whopping $15.00. Totally NOT worth it. Especially with all the drama going on with the cabbies in Tampa,... I don't have the motivation anymore. My rating is like 4.86. THEIR loss!

By the way, I grew up in Brockton, MA. Actually moved to Tampa in August last year from Upton, MA. Worked in Worcester for almost 3 years. I miss home!

MY EMAIL to them...

*Hello,
I opted in for the guaranteed $15.00 per hour between 10 pm and 4:00 am beginning Friday night. My check is only for a total of $58.62 in fares (should have been $68.62 according to my Uber phone). For the guaranteed $15.00 per hour promised by Uber, the check should have been for $90.00 less 20% of $28.00 for a net amount of $72.00. Uber owes me another $25.11.
I moved all weekend so I could not work Saturday and Sunday. I am not sure if this promotion was profitable for anyone other than Uber. The area was completely saturated with drivers. If you deduct gas and expenses for what you are paying me, I am netting about $5.00 per hour. Completely NOT worth it.
The news this morning states Uber is worth about 20 billion dollars. Unfortunately the drivers are not the ones making the money if this continues. My current rating is 4.89. I would think you would want to keep drivers like myself around.
Paulette*_
Their Response...

Sep 02 11:38

*Hey Paulette,

Your phone dying won't impact our records - all that matters is that you are receiving and accepting ride requests. However, it looks like your acceptance rate of didn't qualify for our incentive. I wouldn't worry too much - even if your acceptance rate had qualified, it looks like your fares were so high that it wouldn't have mattered! Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Regards,
Matt*
HUH?????? Morons!_


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## pengduck (Sep 26, 2014)

NightRider said:


> Hey everyone,
> 
> I just got notice of a guarantee for this weekend here in DC, and am trying to understand the requirements. Even though this offer is specific to the DC market, my question is of a general nature, and other markets are probably getting similar offers... First, here's the offer and sign-up form text:
> 
> ...


I alwys check all the times. Because I never know when I will start or end my day. I will do this even if it is not my city. Say I get a trip to Durham and accept a trip there I might make a bonus for a minimum fare.


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## Worcester Sauce (Aug 20, 2014)

pengduck said:


> I alwys check all the times. Because I never know when I will start or end my day. I will do this even if it is not my city. Say I get a trip to Durham and accept a trip there I might make a bonus for a minimum fare.


no


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## OldTownSean (Aug 14, 2014)

NightRider said:


> I hope should that happen they will provide enough information to make sure one doesn't repeat the same mistake twice. I know.. hope in one hand...


No ... they will blow a sunshine response up your a$$ ... then they will keep dangling the carrot as long as you are dumb enough to follow.

Wise up, they are full of crap


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## NightRider (Jul 23, 2014)

OldTownSean said:


> No ... they will blow a sunshine response up your a$$ ... then they will keep dangling the carrot as long as you are dumb enough to follow.
> 
> Wise up, they are full of crap


And you would allow them to do that because ...? Let's see... my acceptance rate was below x? OK, please provide me some timestamps for requests I did not accept so I can match those up to my notes from the days in question. I wasn't within certain physical boundaries? Here's my personal phone's location data from Google showing exactly where I was for this duration.

The bottom line is, if I know that there is no possible way that I failed to meet the requirements, I would be responding to each of those emails and escalating the hell out that situation until someone with the ability to fix the problem has that ticket. I log everything now, every time I click the "go online" I note the time, go offline, note the time. Purposelly let a ping go to someone else, I make a note of that.

That being said, if there was any doubt in my mind, I wouldn't press the issue. Maybe I'm just naive, but I've been paid for guarantees in the past when I've met all the criteria and didn't make more than the guaranteed amount. I've also had somewhat reasonable interactions with the CSRs when I've had problems on a couple of rides.

Uber gets away with enough as it is, we shouldn't be allowing them to weasel out of the guarantees as well.


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## OldTownSean (Aug 14, 2014)

NightRider said:


> And you would allow them to do that because ...? Let's see... my acceptance rate was below x? OK, please provide me some timestamps for requests I did not accept so I can match those up to my notes from the days in question. I wasn't within certain physical boundaries? Here's my personal phone's location data from Google showing exactly where I was for this duration.
> 
> The bottom line is, if I know that there is no possible way that I failed to meet the requirements, I would be responding to each of those emails and escalating the hell out that situation until someone with the ability to fix the problem has that ticket. I log everything now, every time I click the "go online" I note the time, go offline, note the time. Purposelly let a ping go to someone else, I make a note of that.
> 
> ...


I understand. It makes no sense. Facts don't matter with uber. You don't "allow" uber to do anything. They do what they want regardless of facts or proof. Your only recourse is to stop driving but that still won't get you paid no matter how right you are.


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## NightRider (Jul 23, 2014)

OldTownSean said:


> I understand. It makes no sense. Facts don't matter with uber. You don't "allow" uber to do anything. They do what they want regardless of facts or proof. Your only recourse is to stop driving but that still won't get you paid no matter how right you are.


Maybe... but I sometimes find myself with A LOT of time on my hands. I'm also hard-headed as **** when I know I'm right. You can believe I would not be quiet about the situation.


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## Worcester Sauce (Aug 20, 2014)

Paulette said:


> I am reposting this from another thread regarding "Guaranteed Opt IN's" DON'T DO IT!
> 
> I drive for Uber in Tampa. Last month Uber totally screwed me on the incentives as well. Tried to say I failed to accept 80% of the rides when in fact I accepted 100%. When I emailed them, I got the same goofy upbeat reply like everything was ok. I just said screw it! It takes them too long to respond to an email and when they do, they never really address the issue and blow me off. Since then, I have only driven one Friday night which sucked because they lowered the fares and started charging their "use of phone fees". After deducting their fees and gas, for 6 hours I made a whopping $15.00. Totally NOT worth it. Especially with all the drama going on with the cabbies in Tampa,... I don't have the motivation anymore. My rating is like 4.86. THEIR loss!
> 
> ...


keep fighting. I actually just received my guarantee payment this morning (after 4 weeks of fighting). Keep a log and the original Uber email offering the guarantees. Be prepared to fight.


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## The Geek (May 29, 2014)

And in the words of Attila the Hun "When attacked do not defend. Attack!".


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## NightRider (Jul 23, 2014)

For what it's worth, I got paid on the guarantee, even though by my calculations I didn't expect to. Haven't had a chance to work out how they came to their conclusion.


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## Worcester Sauce (Aug 20, 2014)

NightRider said:


> For what it's worth, I got paid on the guarantee, even though by my calculations I didn't expect to. Haven't had a chance to work out how they came to their conclusion.


I am happy to hear that. Wish Uber would be less mysterious


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