# Uberblack is dying?



## rtaatl (Jul 3, 2014)

I've recently ran a few uber runs due to how slow the holiday season has been for me and so far Uberblack has been atrocious this week. Now maybe it's also due to the time of year, but you mean to tell me the past 3 days I'm out for almost 5 hours each day and only one call to show for it. Even he didn't appear happy to order up Uberblack...I just happened to be the closest in 5pm rush hour from a MARTA station and he insisted on being let out a few blocks early. I guess to avoid a higher costs than the $46 he paid to go 11 miles. Talk about some cheap bastards...left the empty water bottles in the car too....wtf. I'd like to hear from other black sedan drivers how's business in your city..especially during the week in the daytime. Even the weekend night customers seemed like people who couldn't find an UberX and settled for me....I don't know..lol!


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## grUBBER (Sep 11, 2014)

Unbelievable. 
If business is so bad, why uber won't send out some coupons to people who use to order uberBlack?


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## DriversOfTheWorldUnite (Nov 11, 2014)

lol walking a few blocks to save some bucks. that is the opposite of classy, to say the least.


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## Chip Dawg (Jul 27, 2014)

I hope its not dying in the ATL. I'm starting the long process of moving to Uber Black.


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## The Black Car Guy (Dec 6, 2014)

Earlier this week and a lot of the last couple weeks it's been slow. Part of that is the lag from the Turkey Day holiday and a big part was Ubergate. We had nasty rainstorms here yesterday and it was the busiest day I've seen in months, did 21 runs for around $800 gross. Today was much better as well, but not as good as yesterday. Never fear, holiday party season is here, it's the weekend, and folks should start using again as Ubergate blows over. What you really need to watch out for is Jan/Feb/March, at least, here in SF you do.


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## rtaatl (Jul 3, 2014)

Yeah, maybe it's just the time of year. Good to hear you had a profitable day. And Chip good luck with the transition...shouldn't be too hard to get everything straight in paperwork.


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## Chip Dawg (Jul 27, 2014)

rtaatl said:


> Yeah, maybe it's just the time of year. Good to hear you had a profitable day. And Chip good luck with the transition...shouldn't be too hard to get everything straight in paperwork.


Thx. I'm tired of waiting on the ATL airport to write regs for TNC drivers. I'm doing the paperwork now and maybe they will write regs at some point.


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## Tx rides (Sep 15, 2014)

rtaatl said:


> I've recently ran a few uber runs due to how slow the holiday season has been for me and so far Uberblack has been atrocious this week. Now maybe it's also due to the time of year, but you mean to tell me the past 3 days I'm out for almost 5 hours each day and only one call to show for it. Even he didn't appear happy to order up Uberblack...I just happened to be the closest in 5pm rush hour from a MARTA station and he insisted on being let out a few blocks early. I guess to avoid a higher costs than the $46 he paid to go 11 miles. Talk about some cheap bastards...left the empty water bottles in the car too....wtf. I'd like to hear from other black sedan drivers how's business in your city..especially during the week in the daytime. Even the weekend night customers seemed like people who couldn't find an UberX and settled for me....I don't know..lol!


I've had some weird feelings about the future of it were black. We turn them down several times because it didn't make sense, and they were tone deaf. But they have "[email protected] several times in Austin, then shut it off right after f1. They told prospective partners that they were not legally able to keep Uberblack in Austin. That was a total crock, they were operating X and XL wide open against the laws. Then, I hear multiple stories of X drivers being added to black even though they were not owner/operators. They just had high end cars. Calling shenanigans


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## rtaatl (Jul 3, 2014)

Just got an email last night that ATL operations is no longer accepting Uberblack starting in January and will be taking all of the town cars off their system in February.


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## No-tippers-suck (Oct 20, 2014)

I was in the process signing up for SUV in OC, then I stopped.

I recognize much more rides with UberX from people that usually would use "black or SUV"
A few weeks ago I had a business type customer who told me that UberX is usually much faster but he sometimes has to cancel a few requests until he finds an appropriate car.
(I drive a 06 C class so I missed the requirement for Uberplus by three months.) 

I believe that those type of people will be more attracted by Uber Plus since it's cheaper than black and has a higher standard than "X"
As soon as "X" has Airport permits for all major airports I personally believe we will notice a significant change in the black vs. Uber X and Uber Plus game..

I will rather wait a little longer before I either give driving up or get a newer model C or E class.
But I will rather sign up for Uber plus than Uber black.


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## DjTim (Oct 18, 2014)

I always see a ton of UberBlack drivers on the rider app in the North suburbs of Chicago. I had a few riders say that if X isn't available, they will take black. I wonder if they will change it in Chicago too.


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## Chip Dawg (Jul 27, 2014)

rtaatl said:


> Just got an email last night that ATL operations is no longer accepting Uberblack starting in January and will be taking all of the town cars off their system in February.


Sucks for me. I will not be ready in January.


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## Chip Dawg (Jul 27, 2014)

No-tippers-suck said:


> I believe that those type of people will be more attracted by Uber Plus since it's cheaper than black and has a higher standard than "X"
> As soon as "X" has Airport permits for all major airports I personally believe we will notice a significant change in the black vs. Uber X and Uber Plus game..
> 
> I will rather wait a little longer before I either give driving up or get a newer model C or E class.
> But I will rather sign up for Uber plus than Uber black.


I hope Uber Plus is coming to the ATL since they are allegedly not accepting any new Uber Black drivers starting Jan. 2015. ATL airport permitting Uber X drivers will be nice (fingers crossed).


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## Suberman (Dec 17, 2014)

My perception is people are "cheap bastards" in general. They just want a ride from point A to point B at the least expense. They dont care if they get there in a Mercedes or a well used Prius. They certainly wont pay 3 times the Uberx rate for a Black car. 

Even corporations will ask their employees...why didnt you choose the cheaper Uberx option? Why is this Black Car on your expense report?


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## UBERbldc (Aug 29, 2014)

We are alive and well in DC. Ran $600 last night and $200 this am before the big hockey game. Lincoln stopped making the old TownCar in 2011 but there are plenty of Lincoln MKT TownCar Livery vehicles operating in most major cities.


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## rtaatl (Jul 3, 2014)

UBERbldc said:


> We are alive and well in DC. Ran $600 last night and $200 this am before the big hockey game. Lincoln stopped making the old TownCar in 2011 but there are plenty of Lincoln MKT TownCar Livery vehicles operating in most major cities.


NYE was good to Uberblack here in ATL. Not great, but decent. I felt like this is the type of business I should be doing most weekends. Hopefully it will pick up when Uber takes off the old Towncars in February. I don't see a lot of the MKTs here. A lot of people don't like the look..say they look like hearses. I'd have to agree, yet there aren't a lot of other options. I personally went with a Chrysler 300...liked the XTS, but didn't see any justification of spending an additional $20k for it. The MKS was just blah.


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## Suberman (Dec 17, 2014)

The MKT is expensive to repair. Expensive parts, lots of parts. Its not like the old Lincoln Town Car in terms of reliability and economical repair. Lets say you want to replace the hood on a black town car. Junk yard hood and just put it on. No one knows the difference. Good luck finding junk yard parts for the MKT.

I guess it can fit 6 passengers and lots of luggage. Probably better to get a Suburban than a MKT.


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## cybertec69 (Jul 23, 2014)

DriversOfTheWorldUnite said:


> lol walking a few blocks to save some bucks. that is the opposite of classy, to say the least.


I get uberx clients do this, people want free service.


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## UberLuxbod (Sep 2, 2014)

Suberman said:


> The MKT is expensive to repair. Expensive parts, lots of parts. Its not like the old Lincoln Town Car in terms of reliability and economical repair. Lets say you want to replace the hood on a black town car. Junk yard hood and just put it on. No one knows the difference. Good luck finding junk yard parts for the MKT.
> 
> I guess it can fit 6 passengers and lots of luggage. Probably better to get a Suburban than a MKT.


JunkYard parts on a nearly new car?

Just claim on your Insurance


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## rtaatl (Jul 3, 2014)

I believe all these new cars are expensive to maintain. It's $60 for an air filter on a 2014 Chrysler 300 from the dealer. Won't be doing that again. Yet I will say the car has been very reliable so far.


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## cybertec69 (Jul 23, 2014)

rtaatl said:


> I believe all these new cars are expensive to maintain. It's $60 for an air filter on a 2014 Chrysler 300 from the dealer. Won't be doing that again. Yet I will say the car has been very reliable so far.


Why would anyone go to the dealer for an air filter, you can get an STP air filter for your 300 for $15, I got a K&N air filter for my 300 for $40 which will outlast my car.


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## rtaatl (Jul 3, 2014)

cybertec69 said:


> Why would anyone go to the dealer for an air filter, you can get an STP air filter for your 300 for $15, I got a K&N air filter for my 300 for $40 which will outlast my car.


Didn't know that at the time...I was on my 4th free oil change and they said the air filter needed changing... I figured sure, can't be no more than $15 or so...lesson learned


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## UBERbldc (Aug 29, 2014)

Actually the MKT Towncar Livery comes with 4 year or 50,000 mile bumper to bumper in addition to a 5 year 150,000 Extended Warranty that covers 160 components including transmission, electrical, etc. We have four in service the longest on which is 2 1/2 years with no problems as of yet.


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## Optimus Uber (Oct 7, 2014)

No-tippers-suck said:


> I was in the process signing up for SUV in OC, then I stopped.
> 
> I recognize much more rides with UberX from people that usually would use "black or SUV"
> A few weeks ago I had a business type customer who told me that UberX is usually much faster but he sometimes has to cancel a few requests until he finds an appropriate car.
> ...


Once X can pick up from airport, black is dead. I think peeps may want to make sure they get a descent car so they may upgrade to plus, but I think that will be it for how high they go


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## cybertec69 (Jul 23, 2014)

I am an uberx and picking up at the airports, which is no problem, of course I am in NY, and every uber tier car is considered a black car dispatch service by the TLC.


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## No-tippers-suck (Oct 20, 2014)

Optimus Uber said:


> Once X can pick up from airport, black is dead. I think peeps may want to make sure they get a descent car so they may upgrade to plus, but I think that will be it for how high they go


I totally believe that !
Uber ****ed up the taxi business and if the "demand" says they want to have a cheaper service that picks them up at Airports,
we will see how loyal Uber will be to their "black partners"

*They probably will say something similar like this :

"Hey partners don't complain about making less trips..
With less trips you spend less money for gas which saves you lots of money.."*

They lied to UberX partners and they will also lie to Uber Black partners..

UBER CAN'T BE TRUSTED !


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## stuber (Jun 30, 2014)

90-95% of the public wants a cheap ride. That's good for UBER X, XL, and taxis in general. Personally I think UBER should cut the number of BLACK and SUV downwards by half, or more. The fewer the better. 

Like a passenger conversation I heard the other day.

Pax1: "Man this is a nice ride. I hope we can get another one of these later."

Pax2: "Oh don't worry, there's a gazillion of these SUV's sitting around out there."

Too true.


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## rtaatl (Jul 3, 2014)

stuber said:


> 90-95% of the public wants a cheap ride. That's good for UBER X, XL, and taxis in general. Personally I think UBER should cut the number of BLACK and SUV downwards by half, or more. The fewer the better.
> 
> Like a passenger conversation I heard the other day.
> 
> ...


Not only cut the number of vehicles available l, but have solid lines drawn out to UberX, Select, and Black. None of this cross selection of services.

Of course I believe Uber at this point thinks Black is an unnecessary evil and deals with us until they find a way to kill it off.


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## stuber (Jun 30, 2014)

The Black platform is only kept around to provide help in selling the fiction that UBER is legitimate. Without Black, it would become harder to confuse customers and smooth the ruffled feathers of industry and government.


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## stuber (Jun 30, 2014)

The Black, SUV, TAXI, and any other licensed service platform should be on a separate app, not bundled with the X, XL and other non-commercial offerings. But of course, UBER doesn't want this. They like it just the way it is. Nice and confused.


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## forkedover (Oct 26, 2014)

One of my friends had his best week even out in OC came how with nearly 2000 after uber tax with 56 hours worked so I don't think it's going anywhere.

ATL is gonna be tough, every black person except 1 in 4000+ rides has either complained about black car pricing or has been a guest of someone else. That 1 person was a pro football player from the east coast who thought it was the best thing, he did however complain about the pricing of normal for hire cars he uses.

This is standard service industry etiquette though despite what anyone claims.


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## rtaatl (Jul 3, 2014)

forkedover said:


> One of my friends had his best week even out in OC came how with nearly 2000 after uber tax with 56 hours worked so I don't think it's going anywhere.
> 
> ATL is gonna be tough, every black person except 1 in 4000+ rides has either complained about black car pricing or has been a guest of someone else. That 1 person was a pro football player from the east coast who thought it was the best thing, he did however complain about the pricing of normal for hire cars he uses.
> 
> This is standard service industry etiquette though despite what anyone claims.


The people I've driven didn't seem to complain about black car pricing; it just seemed like they ended up with me at the time because there wasn't another available option. People in this city seem to be cheap when it comes to standard car service, but will splurge if you come with something bigger like a party bus. Stretched limos these days are becoming a cliché.


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