# Seriously now Uber is reducing my fares without notice



## MilTownSHO (Aug 20, 2014)

Picked up a fare during a surge, accidently canceled the trip shortly after I picked them up when I moved my phone to put it back on the charger. The app charged them $13.00.

I pulled over and had them re-request the ride, they did so, I accepted, and off we went. All good, surge price was the same and still in effect.

Drove them 11 miles out of downtown for a cool $63.09.

I log on today and the $13.00 is gone and the $63.09 has been reduced to $43.07.

Effective taking $33.02 from my fare. This was my best fare of the night.

I just fired off an email, but if they don't replace the missing funds I am done.

Also, got my weekly summary rating this morning. 4.78 of out 30 trips. Being my first week trying this out I figured it wasn't bad. Yet when I log onto the dashboard it shows me as a 4.42.

They seriously need to figure this out and soon.


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## jo5eph (Jul 14, 2014)

Welcome to driving for Uber!


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## TheDude (Aug 20, 2014)

Honestly that sounds about right. The "partner support" is so scripted and it's obvious they have a checklist of like 2-3 options they can reply with. It's actually worse than dealing with an insurance agent, that knows they are liable and will have to pay, but….they have a script. 
X number of days, calls, emails, etc, before they break some $$ loose.

At least with them, you know it's a BS dance you just have to get through. With Uber, the music never stops playing...


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## OldTownSean (Aug 14, 2014)

I can tell already after a couple weeks, uber is bad people. I will take what I can from them and disassociate ASAP


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## uberdriver (Aug 4, 2014)

MilTownSHO said:


> Picked up a fare during a surge, accidently canceled the trip shortly after I picked them up when I moved my phone to put it back on the charger. The app charged them $13.00.
> 
> I pulled over and had them re-request the ride, they did so, I accepted, and off we went. All good, surge price was the same and still in effect.
> 
> ...


The passenger may have contacted them. The passenger is Uber's customer, and the customer is king. For Uber, drivers are just expendable fools.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

I wonder when the tipping point will come where the thin veneer that paints Uber as the shining light of innovation is pulled away to show the reality that is below? 

The lack of concern where personal risk and injury to children needing approved restraints and riders & drivers given no warning of requirements? 

The master - slave attitude shown by the wholesale cutting of contractor rates AFTER promises of minimum returns were made.

The expensive leasing option for UBER financed cars whilst they continue to cut rates. Leading to unsafe driving hours

it may be a pipe dream but would the travelling public come to a collective understanding that cheap rates have been subsidised by the cheap labour and the decimation of assets of those in society that can least afford to be exploited in this manner? 

What will it take to get what we know out on a wider public forum?


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## KrisThuy (Aug 6, 2014)

MilTownSHO said:


> Picked up a fare during a surge, accidently canceled the trip shortly after I picked them up when I moved my phone to put it back on the charger. The app charged them $13.00.
> 
> I pulled over and had them re-request the ride, they did so, I accepted, and off we went. All good, surge price was the same and still in effect.
> 
> ...


you know what i think happened?

is when u asked them to rerequest the surge multiplier went up...

thats probably why they complained to uber
and also they are going to have to pay another base fare...
as far as i dont like uber with their current rates, if i was ur passenger i would also email uber and complain..

sorry to hear about ur mistake


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## MilTownSHO (Aug 20, 2014)

You would email Uber and complain? The surge originally was 3.5x upon re-request it was the same or actually lower at 3.25x I believe. So they actually saved money. As far as them removing the original $13.00 that would be okay with me as I didn't go far.

But the other part I am not. The customer agrees to the surge and even has to type the surge amount to confirm.

It's ludicrous to complain about something they agreed to even after I informed them the trip had ended and would have to be restarted.

I guess I'll know next time to kick their ass back outside in the rain.

I was getting pinged non stop that night while surging, I wouldn't have cried.


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## KrisThuy (Aug 6, 2014)

MilTownSHO said:


> You would email Uber and complain? The surge originally was 3.5x upon re-request it was the same or actually lower at 3.25x I believe. So they actually saved money. As far as them removing the original $13.00 that would be okay with me as I didn't go far.
> 
> But the other part I am not. The customer agrees to the surge and even has to type the surge amount to confirm.
> 
> ...


hmm yah thats just my thought
the thing is they complained so uber probably appologized for ur mistakes to them and gave them a discount and talking about that discount, means cutting ur money to give back to them...

your not alone i even forget to start one whole trip... i wish u luck with trying to get it back... but if u fail, just deal with it and take ur mistake like man
it was ur fault not anyones


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## MilTownSHO (Aug 20, 2014)

There was no mistake, they got in my car and when I went to put the phone on the charger before we even moved more than a couple of feet the trip got finished. Hell we hadn't even left the parking lot.

We restarted the trip. They should void the $13 fare and pay me the $63. That's what's right and that's what fair. Same thing I emailed them.

Now if I forgot to start the trip and tried to get money after the fact that would be a different story.

Only mistake I made was trusting to be paid fairly.


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## Swed (Jul 20, 2014)

You made the mistake by accidently ending the trip. You have to realize you drove someone 11 miles and made $43. Just be more careful next time, and if you threaten to quit is not going to do anything.


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## MilTownSHO (Aug 20, 2014)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cxg92w47dy1etem/IMAG0597.jpg?dl=0

No I made $63.09 on the trip.

How is that so hard to understand?

I'm not threatening to quit, I'm saying I am going to quit. I could care less, I don't need the money, mainly just something to do to kill time after work. It's the principle of the matter.

I was still in the same parking lot I picked them up from when the trip was restarted. If the $13 from the first trip is voided, how should I only make $43 when the restarted trip actually cost them $63.09?

Thank you all for your input, but you will not convince me otherwise. Just wanted to know if this was a common theme with Uber, changing fares without any notification.


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## Swed (Jul 20, 2014)

You said you made/paid $43.07.

Not threatening to quit and saying you are going to quit is exactly the same thing. You screwed up by accidently ending the trip, and if a customer complains about a fare they are not going to notify you.


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## OldTownSean (Aug 14, 2014)

Not to be a total cock about it ... but it sounds like a hard learned lesson. How you handle that phone affects your money.

I have made a few more costly mistakes than that driving. Just be sure to learn from them and try not to repeat them. Also try to watch for mistakes others make that make you money and encourage those to happen. 

In this case your loss was their gain, it's going to happen. If you want to succeed then their loss has to be your gain more often than the other way around.

That simple, keep your wits and stay sharp and you win more often than not.


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## uberdriver (Aug 4, 2014)

Swed said:


> and if a customer complains about a fare they are not going to notify you.


Shouldn't it be exactly the opposite ? If a customer complains, then get also the driver's version of what happened and only after that make a decision. That is supposed to be due process. But since to Uber riders are customers (and the customer is king) and drivers are expendable fools, Uber totally disregards the driver's interest.


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## Uber Driver 007 (Jun 17, 2014)

When you mistakenly ended the trip, you should've apologized and tell your customer YOU will email uber and get the $13 refunded. Then politely ask them if they're Ok with that and if they can re-request you. Further, the customer may have had some $30 refer-a-friend promo codes on their account, and your mistake costed them an extra $30 promo credit. You didn't do the right thing and it came back to bite you. Take it as a lesson and do it right if this ever happens again.


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## painfreepc (Jul 17, 2014)

uberdriver said:


> The passenger may have contacted them. The passenger is Uber's customer, and the customer is king. For Uber, drivers are just expendable fools.


You are not a fool, you are a tool, can a carpenters hammer have any say as to how it it used - No.


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## MilTownSHO (Aug 20, 2014)

Swed said:


> You said you made/paid $43.07.


It's like arguing with a wall.

First off here is what I wrote in the very first post _"I log on today and the $13.00 is gone and the $63.09 has been reduced to $43.07."_

I screwed up by accidently ending the trip, sure. I talked to them and they agreed to restart it So I should have just kicked them out, or what driven them all the way home for free? What are you on crack?

I notified Uber to remove the $13 and to keep the $63 fare. Apparently they felt like removing the $13 and taking an additional $20 bucks.

Like I have said it would be a different story if I had driven a bit already I would have taken the hit but we literally had only gone a few feet and were still in the same parking lot.


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## MilTownSHO (Aug 20, 2014)

Uber Driver 007 said:


> When you mistakenly ended the trip, you should've apologized and tell your customer YOU will email uber and get the $13 refunded. Then politely ask them if they're Ok with that and if they can re-request you. Further, the customer may have had some $30 refer-a-friend promo codes on their account, and your mistake costed them an extra $30 promo credit. You didn't do the right thing and it came back to bite you. Take it as a lesson and do it right if this ever happens again.


Who says I didn't? You act like I was intentionally trying to steal $13, get real.

I DID do the right thing, and still got screwed, that's the whole point of this thread.

I can't believe it charged them $13 regardless for the few feet I had moved.

Whatever, I'm done with this thread, I'll update with what they say but I'm not arguing with people who are gonna armchair quarterback something they weren't even their for.

Just wanted to see if this was Uber's normal behavior.


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## OldTownSean (Aug 14, 2014)

Yup it is


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## grams777 (Jun 13, 2014)

MilTownSHO said:


> I DID do the right thing, and still got screwed, that's the whole point of this thread.


We should start a collection of these. I believe Sydney uber was the first one to use the phrase on the board.
For a refresher:










Last example:
https://uberpeople.net/threads/help-ride-refusal.2160/


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## KrisThuy (Aug 6, 2014)

MilTownSHO said:


> Who says I didn't? You act like I was intentionally trying to steal $13, get real.
> 
> I DID do the right thing, and still got screwed, that's the whole point of this thread.
> 
> ...


dont get mad at us
we are the same as u
we dont like the way uber treated us
and we know how uber roll better than u
so take our advice or leave it
everyone is just telling u to learn from it
coz theres no way uber will side with u as a driver, we aint anything to them but slaves with cars they need

heres another take on this
they got charge $63+$13 for a trip that normally cost them $20 who wouldnt complain about that?
thats a total of $76 dollars of course when they found out and specially if it was the first time they encounter that much surge they would really be surprise :/

trust me i have a customers that thought a x5 would still cost him below a hundred but when he found out it was 200 he emailed uber and complain about the driver might have trick the time :/

one thing for sure is they complained to uber...
now i just wish u luck that ur voice will be louder than them when it comes to ubers ears


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## OldTownSean (Aug 14, 2014)

MilTownSHO said:


> https://www.dropbox.com/s/cxg92w47dy1etem/IMAG0597.jpg?dl=0
> 
> No I made $63.09 on the trip.
> 
> ...


Is cheating drivers their theme? Yes it is. Nice working with you.


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## kalo (Jun 28, 2014)

MilTownSHO said:


> Picked up a fare during a surge, accidently canceled the trip shortly after I picked them up when I moved my phone to put it back on the charger. The app charged them $13.00.
> 
> I pulled over and had them re-request the ride, they did so, I accepted, and off we went. All good, surge price was the same and still in effect.
> 
> ...


It does seem fishy. They would have been entitled to the Base fare back. It's $3 in my market. (I gave $3 cash to a rider once when I made a mistake.) Even if they lost an extra $30 promo because of your error, they shouldn't ax your fare. Could you post the route you took? Are you sure it wasn't a fare adjustment for an inefficient route?


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## MilTownSHO (Aug 20, 2014)

Here is the original trip that got cancelled before we even left the parking lot, it originally charged them $13.00 for 18 seconds and 0 miles. That is the one I told Uber to remove.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1vnzljdt4qoezge/Uber 1.png?dl=0

Here is the actual trip once we got going that was $63.09, fastest way and the way the client requested

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uclrm46zfbcx9pc/Uber 2.png?dl=0


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## RS King (Aug 18, 2014)

MilTownSHO said:


> Picked up a fare during a surge, accidently canceled the trip shortly after I picked them up when I moved my phone to put it back on the charger. The app charged them $13.00.
> 
> I pulled over and had them re-request the ride, they did so, I accepted, and off we went. All good, surge price was the same and still in effect.
> 
> ...


Yeah, the base fare is also multiplied, so when they re-requested the ride, they were over-charged. I'm not an Uber fan, but they probably made a mistake. Next time, don't have the customer re-request. Instead, just keep driving and submit a fare review. Uber has all the data from your iPhone and the customer's phone. When they put the two together, they can see where the ride actually ended.


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## chi1cabby (May 28, 2014)

Sydney Uber said:


> I wonder when the tipping point will come where the thin veneer that paints Uber as the shining light of innovation is pulled away to show the reality that is below?
> 
> The lack of concern where personal risk and injury to children needing approved restraints and riders & drivers given no warning of requirements?
> 
> ...


Driver awareness and voicing of these issues is a healthy start.


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## kalo (Jun 28, 2014)

MilTownSHO said:


> Here is the actual trip once we got going that was $63.09, fastest way and the way the client requested


Seems right on. I think you are completely entitled to the $63. Works out to 3.5 surge


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## getemtheresafely (Jul 1, 2014)

RS King said:


> Next time, don't have the customer re-request. Instead, just keep driving and submit a fare review. Uber has all the data from your iPhone and the customer's phone. When they put the two together, they can see where the ride actually ended.


I disagree..... Because once the $13 ride ended uber would have no more data to track after that unless a re-request was made to the destination or perhaps unless your customer input their destination thru the app prior to your arrival.....


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## OldTownSean (Aug 14, 2014)

kalo said:


> Seems right on. I think you are completely entitled to the $63. Works out to 3.5 surge


Entitled? Yes. Gonna get it? No.


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## MilTownSHO (Aug 20, 2014)

Here is Uber's reply

"Thanks for writing in. When a rider requests a ride they are able to get an estimate of price, with surge pricing, based on the most efficient route (shortest distance) to their location. The estimated cost for NRYCTRWT was 43.07. As the trip cost was higher than estimated quoted price, with surge x3.5, the rider is able to get a fare review. The fare was reduced to the estimated price rider was shown and why you see a different price on your invoice."

Upon looking at my statement this morning the trip is noted as "Inefficient route"

Really, since it's the way Google Maps recommended with traffic and the way the client wanted me to go. The estimate doesn't take into consideration weather, construction, or traffic either.

So apparently it comes out of my pocket that Uber didn't estimate a fare correctly.

They should have to eat the difference since they can't properly estimate a fare. I didn't know Uber was able to see/save fare estimates client's have run. I have a strong feeling they ran the estimate at a lower surge price.

I will keep my phone until they start charging a weekly fee for it. Only going to drive during surge and only the trips I want.

Might as well, since apparently they are just gonna screw you anyhow.


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## MilTownSHO (Aug 20, 2014)

And here's my reply, not gonna do anything or go anywhere, but I still felt I should write it

"So the Uber app gave them an incorrect fare estimate and that is the my fault? That's fine if you want to refund them the difference but you should still be paying me what the actual fare came out to be.

Upon looking at my payment statement this week, this trip is noted as inefficient route. How so? I followed the route recommended by Google Maps AND the client. It would have cost them more to go a different route with the heavy rain, construction, and traffic. Hence why I use Google Maps...

You don't even contact the driver and ask, you just assume I am in the wrong? It's mind boggling that I can go out of my way to get someone safely and efficiently to their destination and get treated this way.

I do not feel that is right."


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## UberHick (Aug 17, 2014)

Have fun with uber support. Email them and ask if its ok to pick up nudists. or midgets. Try...what is ubers policy on driving circus clowns. Lol


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## OldTownSean (Aug 14, 2014)

I thought you already quit?


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## MilTownSHO (Aug 20, 2014)

OldTownSean said:


> I thought you already quit?


Was waiting to hear their response.

We aren't being charged a weekly fee for the phone, so I'll hang on to it for now.


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## Oc_DriverX (Apr 29, 2014)

MilTownSHO said:


> And here's my reply, not gonna do anything or go anywhere, but I still felt I should write it
> 
> "So the Uber app gave them an incorrect fare estimate and that is the my fault? That's fine if you want to refund them the difference but you should still be paying me what the actual fare came out to be.
> 
> ...


Did you deserve the $63? Yes
Did the stopped trip hurt your cause? Yes
I think you tried to do the right thing by asking that the first trip be cancelled.

Unfortunately, Uber does lean over backwards to the customer, even when they complain about things they were warned about, like surge rates. Uber should eat the fare since it was their estimator that was the cause of the dissension. I think most fare adjustments get marked as "inefficient route" when they get posted.


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## OldTownSean (Aug 14, 2014)

Oc_DriverX said:


> Did you deserve the $63? Yes
> Did the stopped trip hurt your cause? Yes
> I think you tried to do the right thing by asking that the first trip be cancelled.
> 
> Unfortunately, Uber does lean over backwards to the customer, even when they complain about things they were warned about, like surge rates. Uber should eat the fare since it was their estimator that was the cause of the dissension. I think most fare adjustments get marked as "inefficient route" when they get posted.


I bet a days pay they don't refund the driver.

EDIT: uber day not cab day LOL


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## kalo (Jun 28, 2014)

MilTownSHO said:


> So apparently it comes out of my pocket that Uber didn't estimate a fare correctly.


Earlier in the day I had composed the following, but it was setting here unsent.
"You know.. there is another route that would save about 20% in distance and a min or two. Doesn't seem enough to cut the fare 32% though."

I entered the same points on google maps and it did recommend the shorter route first. Your route was alternate.

Looks like drivers always need to take the shortest route or suffer. If the customer complains, drivers will actually get less than the shortest route would have been. Sucks.. sorry


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## MilTownSHO (Aug 20, 2014)

Correct there is another route, but at the time the route I took was the fastest and was the route requested by the client.

Lesson learned, next time I will take the absolute shortest route and sit in traffic, long as it's during a good surge, I'm still making money.


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## OldTownSean (Aug 14, 2014)

I take my route and I never suffer ... unless I upset my wife!


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## MilTownSHO (Aug 20, 2014)

*HOLY CRAP!* I'm shocked to say the least. They actually changed it back, granted it should have never happened in the first place, but still I wasn't even expecting a reply.

Just got this as a reply

"Thanks for the information and I apologize for the long time between my emails. I definitely understand your side of the issue and have adjusted the fare to $63.09, which was the original. You will see the difference on your next invoice. I am also sorry if you did not get notification of the original adjustment that lowered the fare. That would have given you the opportunity to explain the situation sooner. We never assume the driver is in "the wrong" and that is why a notification is sent so that the driver has a chance to speak up about the adjustment.

I am happy I could help and again, sorry for the delay."


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## KrisThuy (Aug 6, 2014)

MilTownSHO said:


> *HOLY CRAP!* I'm shocked to say the least. They actually changed it back, granted it should have never happened in the first place, but still I wasn't even expecting a reply.
> 
> Just got this as a reply
> 
> ...


good for you congrats
its a mirracle whenever uber sides with a driver

for future advice, try to ask the passenger first if they want the shortest or the fastest route
you dont want them to get stuck in traffic if their in a hurry


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## MilTownSHO (Aug 20, 2014)

KrisThuy said:


> for future advice, try to ask the passenger first if they want the shortest or the fastest route
> you dont want them to get stuck in traffic if their in a hurry


States right in the thread I took the route the client requested 

But thanks


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

congrats, you pissed into the wind and won!

I have yet to have an interaction with uber end in my favor.


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## KrisThuy (Aug 6, 2014)

MilTownSHO said:


> Correct there is another route, but at the time the route I took was the fastest and was the route requested by the client.
> 
> Lesson learned, *next time I will take the absolute shortest route and sit in traffic*, long as it's during a good surge, I'm still making money.


sorry i was only reading this


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## UberDC (Jul 12, 2014)

MilTownSHO said:


> Picked up a fare during a surge, accidently canceled the trip shortly after I picked them up when I moved my phone to put it back on the charger. The app charged them $13.00.
> 
> I pulled over and had them re-request the ride, they did so, I accepted, and off we went. All good, surge price was the same and still in effect.
> 
> ...





MilTownSHO said:


> Picked up a fare during a surge, accidently canceled the trip shortly after I picked them up when I moved my phone to put it back on the charger. The app charged them $13.00.
> 
> I pulled over and had them re-request the ride, they did so, I accepted, and off we went. All good, surge price was the same and still in effect.
> 
> ...


Uber simply reduced the fare because your riders responded with a request to have it done on their trip receipt. Whenever this happens it also gets reduced on your end as well. They didn't steal from you. The amount shown on your phone or dashboard is never final. It is only made final on your weekly invoice.


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## Scott V. (Jul 28, 2014)

I have had 2 occassions to complain about fares and Uber came down in my favor. In my limited experience, if your issue is pretty clear cut, like this one was, they will come down in your favor.

Something to keep in mind in the future... if you are the type of driver to email Uber when there is an issue which does the right thing for the customer, they will probably be more likely to take your side.

Also, I have had the issue of the ride ending before it started as I think the app can sometimes sense 2 swipes when you only intended to swipe once. I had this happen once.


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## Just Some Guy (Jun 10, 2014)

MilTownSHO said:


> *HOLY CRAP!* I'm shocked to say the least. They actually changed it back, granted it should have never happened in the first place, but still I wasn't even expecting a reply.
> 
> Just got this as a reply
> 
> ...


Happens all the time in my experience. As long as you can reasonably justify the route you took, they always go with it in my experience. It's just a pain to go through the process. I got in the habit of preemptively requesting fare reviews on any trips which I suspect would be considered an "inefficient route", and explain the reasoning in an email (ie multiple stops, traffic, construction, etc). It saves me from playing the game and having to wait until the next week for my money.


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## MilTownSHO (Aug 20, 2014)

OldTownSean said:


> I bet a days pay they don't refund the driver.
> 
> EDIT: uber day not cab day LOL


I'll take your days pay now, preferably a good Saturday surge night.


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## OldTownSean (Aug 14, 2014)

MilTownSHO said:


> I'll take your days pay now, preferably a good Saturday surge night.


Lol ... Friday and Saturday are my cab days ... made [email protected] this weekend! Can't give that away ....

I also had a few customers ask about uber, and if it's hurting my business (LOL, please) ... I told them uber does not hurt my business but it is affecting some of the drivers who just aren't very good to begin with. My business is up 20% this summer.

Most importantly, I told them uber drivers just took a huge pay cut and are now working for fast food wages or less, so if you like the service you need to tip your uber driver.

Ofc I don't mention uber unless they ask. I like taking a half mile trip for 6 dollars and 90% throw me a 10$ and say keep it. Why would I encourage people to pay $4 and I keep $2.50 ... ******ed lol


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