# Is everyone here sour?



## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

I'm new here and have not started driving yet. I'm still thinking about it. If one were to judge from the comments here, nobody is happy or making decent money. Are there happy drivers? If there are, I get the feeling they are out driving and not trolling a forum looking for a place to gripe. Is it really that bad?


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## jason_womack (Nov 17, 2014)

I'm not, I cleared $1200 in a week before. Granted that was a ton of driving but the way I've been working Chicago and the suburbs I'm catching more long runs. I don't mind dropping off at either of the airports because I've been getting better and finding fares around there. If someone asks me to pick them up in the arrivals I won't do it and I've had a few people that will take subway to the first stop on the line and I'll pick them up.

I work at a golf course in the summer and I day trade so I'm not relying on it for full time income. It's something nice on the side and I'll buy a new car with cash once mine goes in another few years.

I can see where it can be frustrating for drivers in smaller markets. An advantage of Chicago a lot of people that move to Chicago get rid of their cars and there's always something going on at all hours of the day.


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## jason_womack (Nov 17, 2014)

What goes on with the insurance and if I were to get into an accident is very troublesome to me though, I've really cut back on the hours I drive because it's just not worth it if something were to happen.


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Hey, Jason. Thanks for replying. I'm in Atlanta. I want to make some extra money so that I can move to Denver. If I like driving, I'll continue to do it out there.

$1200 in a week. Wow. How many hours did you have to drive to make that?

The insurance thing concerns me, too. USAA, the company I'm with, has a new type of policy in Colorado for rideshare drivers. I'm sure I'd get right on that if I lived out there.


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## fork2323 (Aug 27, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> I'm new here and have not started driving yet. I'm still thinking about it. If one were to judge from the comments here, nobody is happy or making decent money. Are there happy drivers? If there are, I get the feeling they are out driving and not trolling a forum looking for a place to gripe. Is it really that bad?


Just start doing it and you will find out.. if uber was an up front honest company it wound be fine.. but they strait up lie right to you and no matter what it pisses a person to be lied to and conned. unless they grew up abused and dig that sort of thing.


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

fork2323 said:


> Just start doing it and you will find out.. if uber was an up front honest company it wound be fine.. but they strait up lie right to you and no matter what it pisses a person to be lied to and conned. unless they grew up abused and dig that sort of thing.


Why do you continue to do it, and if you have stopped driving, why do you continue to visit this forum and pour salt in your own wounds?


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

There are happy Uber drivers. They are ignorant when it comes to math though. Ignorance is bliss.


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

UberHammer said:


> There are happy Uber drivers. They are ignorant when it comes to math though. Ignorance is bliss.


Are you still driving?


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Why do you continue to do it, and if you have stopped driving, why do you continue to visit this forum and pour salt in your own wounds?


I continue to use this forum because I like to help people. Uber deceives people into becoming drivers with a lot of shady practices. It makes me feel good to shed light on the truth for those currently deceived. I honestly feel like I am helping the blind to see. It makes me feel good. It makes me feel like I am doing something positive for society. Unfortunately many drivers who have been deceived by Uber have to go through the five stages of grief before they can accept the truth and let it go. You'll find a lot of people in the different stages here.


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## brikosig (Dec 16, 2014)

No.... i get frustrated at times out there at times.... but I like this (part-time) gig.... I want/need a flexible schedule so I can spend more time with my teen boys....and my own business is slow this time of year.
Although somewhat saturated with drivers Boston is a big market and I can EASILY make $150+ in a 5 hr shift on a busy night... thurs/fri/sat. Cold weather here.... with FAT surges at times... $200 in 2 hours.... cha-ching. If I don't have much going on on a given day I'll go on a 12hr marathon drive.... only bathroom breaks.... I leave the app on while I'm in a place grabbing a sandwich. (love when other customers hear my ping go off...funny). 12 hr shift on an busy 2.2 - 3.0 night $450+. I do Hate putting all the miles on my car..... but after doing this for a while I have a good idea where to go for shorter drive pickups. I can usually keep my miles at less than 40% of my gross $$ for the night. (100 total miles on a $250 night)

Being where I came from I'm probably an exception to the rule in general.... Grew up pretty poor went to college, .... worked my way up the corporate ladder in boston forms (no, not a lawyer...LOL).... was an associate at a top 5 boston firm being flown around the northeast on the firm's leased corporate jet. 

Didn't list all that to boast.... I'll do ANYTHING to spend more time with my boys.... I'll let my corporate yuppie friends spend 70+ hrs/week working. No more for me.

DINGO... do what feels right to you... don't let the negativity on this blog dissuade you from trying something new. BUT... there's a LOT of good hints/tricks/info on this blog that will help you.... it certainly helped me.

Cheers Mate!


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Are you still driving?


Only to game the guarantee rates. In a nutshell, I go get the $4 fares and use the guarantee to turn them into $22 fares. It's the only way to make a profit anymore, unless you can work the surges. Unfortunately Uber is creating "fake" surges to move drivers around to where they want them to be, only to end the surge when some event ends so the people can be moved for non-surge rates. Again, Uber lies and deceives drivers. It's a core component of their business model. When the guarantee ends, I have ZERO reason to drive anymore.


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## brikosig (Dec 16, 2014)

UberHammer said:


> I continue to use this forum because I like to help people. Uber deceives people into becoming drivers with a lot of shady practices. It makes me feel good to shed light on the truth for those currently deceived. I honestly feel like I am helping the blind to see. It makes me feel good. It makes me feel like I am doing something positive for society. Unfortunately many drivers who have been deceived by Uber have to go through the five stages of grief before they can accept the truth and let it go. You'll find a lot of people in the different stages here.


Hammer is Correct... uber DOES deceive and manipulate ...and take advantage of their drivers. You not only have to be cautious with pax you need to protect yourself from the UBER-MONSTER!!!!!!!!!!!! HE WILL EAT THE MILES FROM YOUR CAR!!!!! ....just being funny LOL


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## ElectroFuzz (Jun 10, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> I'm new here and have not started driving yet. I'm still thinking about it. If one were to judge from the comments here, nobody is happy or making decent money. Are there happy drivers? If there are, I get the feeling they are out driving and not trolling a forum looking for a place to gripe. Is it really that bad?


Quick rough math for the newbie:

*Income:*
Atlanta Georgia ------ gross $0.95 per mile
After Uber 20% ------- *$0.76*

*Cost to operate:*
2010 Toyota Camry ------- $0.42 per mile
If for every paid mile you drive one unpaid mile 
(going to and coming from rides, about average for most drivers)
then your cost per paid mile will double (the unpaid miles have to be paid from your profit)
So cost per every paid mile is ------- *$0.82*

*Your Net profit:* 
$0.76-$0.82=* (-$0.06) loss!*

That's right you work hard but what you are really doing is donate money to Uber.
It doesn't feel so because you see gross money coming into your bank account.
However this money is not "profit" it's your car equity and deferred cost.
You are simply borrowing from your future and even give some of it to Uber.


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

ElectroFuzz said:


> Quick rough math for the newbie:
> 
> *Income:*
> Atlanta Georgia ------ gross $0.95 per mile
> ...


Why do you do it?


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## BlkGeep (Dec 7, 2014)

Yup, all sour.


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## jason_womack (Nov 17, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Hey, Jason. Thanks for replying. I'm in Atlanta. I want to make some extra money so that I can move to Denver. If I like driving, I'll continue to do it out there.
> 
> $1200 in a week. Wow. How many hours did you have to drive to make that?
> 
> The insurance thing concerns me, too. USAA, the company I'm with, has a new type of policy in Colorado for rideshare drivers. I'm sure I'd get right on that if I lived out there.


It was the week before Christmas and the direct deposit came in on Christmas Eve and I needed to still do shopping.

Uber said I was in the app a little over 60 hours. Plus being not logged into the app at times it had to be close to 70. Back when I drove a lot I stuck to the OHSA rule of 10 hours on, 14 hours off.

To make this your sole income isn't a smart thing to do. I believe they are regulated in Denver so that helps you pick up at the Arrivals in the airport I believe. Don't quote me on that, find out from a Denver driver.

As long as you get that hybrid insurance it helps. Keep in mind though that Travis the CEO couldn't care less about you


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## Shine'ola (Oct 7, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Why do you do it?


Orlando 75c a mile = 60c after 20% OUCH, with any dead miles it's charity


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## ElectroFuzz (Jun 10, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Why do you do it?


I don't.
We had rates of $1.20 + $0.20 here in Phoenix up until yesterday.
Today we are at $0.90 + $0.16...... not worth it anymore.
I will not drive anymore but I will hang out here for a while to open drivers eyes.
All this in hopes that one day all drivers will see reality and stop driving.
The moment that happens rates will go back up.

Some fare history:
2013 ------------ $2.25 per mile
Oct 2013 ------- $1.95 per mile
Jan 2014 ------- $1.47 per mile
July 2014 ------- $1.20 per mile
Feb 2015 -------- $0.90 per mile

Most cab companies here $2.20 per mile


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

jason_womack said:


> To make this your sole income isn't a smart thing to do.


OK. Why not?


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## jason_womack (Nov 17, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> OK. Why not?


Like other people said on here, the math on it comes down to a losing proposition when you figure out the cost of operating your car. Keeping track of your miles helps with the tax deduction, but to do this full time around the clock you will run your car into the ground quick.


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## marketmark (Dec 2, 2014)

I'm happy.
Been ubering for a year and a half.
Works great as part time and flexible work and is mostly fun.
I wouldn't rely on it more than part time/temporary though.


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> OK. Why not?


For the same reason people don't use pawn shops as their sole income. Eventually you run out of assets to liquidate.

For someone who has lost their job, or bought too much car, Uber is actually a decent option for these situations even at the current rates. It's better to turn some of your car's equity into cash to keep food on the table and utilities paid. But it's only a temporary solution. One can't live like this unless they have so many assets they can just live off them by liquidating them infinitely.

The rates need to go up for this to become an income and not just asset liquidation. This is not opinion. It's math.


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## ElectroFuzz (Jun 10, 2014)

marketmark said:


> I'm happy.
> Been ubering for a year and a half.
> Works great as part time and flexible work and is mostly fun.
> I wouldn't rely on it more than part time/temporary though.


Just to put things in perspective
Uber San Francisco:

Base ----------- $2.20
Per mile ------- $1.30
Per minute ---- $0.26

Still in the profit zone, would you still be happy if the rate was cut to $0.90 per mile?


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

ElectroFuzz said:


> I don't.
> We had rates of $1.20 + $0.20 here in Phoenix up until yesterday.
> Today we are at $0.90 + $0.16...... not worth it anymore.
> I will not drive anymore but I will hang out here for a while to open drivers eyes.
> ...


They are heartbreaking rate cuts.


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## Shine'ola (Oct 7, 2014)

or down to 75c and 13c ?


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> I'm new here and have not started driving yet. I'm still thinking about it. If one were to judge from the comments here, nobody is happy or making decent money. Are there happy drivers? If there are, I get the feeling they are out driving and not trolling a forum looking for a place to gripe. Is it really that bad?


I gotta ask flyingdingo. Whats your attachment to Australia with a screen name like that?


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Sydney Uber said:


> I gotta ask flyingdingo. Whats your attachment to Australia with a screen name like that?


Haha. I have an Australian Cattle Dog. She defies gravity when leaping for a Frisbee or football. She is the flying dingo. She is good natured, smart, energetic.


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

UberHammer said:


> For the same reason people don't use pawn shops as their sole income. Eventually you run out of assets to liquidate.
> 
> For someone who has lost their job, or bought too much car, Uber is actually a decent option for these situations even at the current rates. It's better to turn some of your car's equity into cash to keep food on the table and utilities paid. But it's only a temporary solution. One can't live like this unless they have so many assets they can just live off them by liquidating them infinitely.
> 
> The rates need to go up for this to become an income and not just asset liquidation. This is not opinion. It's math.


I hear you. I will take a good look at the math. I just wonder if it could work if someone bought late model used cars for this purpose and to use it solely for business. The rates will ebb and flow with supply and demand. The economy is heating back up, and many people are re-entering the job market.


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## RiderMD (Feb 7, 2015)

flyingdingo said:


> I'm new here and have not started driving yet. I'm still thinking about it. If one were to judge from the comments here, nobody is happy or making decent money. Are there happy drivers? If there are, I get the feeling they are out driving and not trolling a forum looking for a place to gripe. Is it really that bad?


Most on this forum just want to blame others for their own failures, instead of looking within themselves for answers.


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## RiderMD (Feb 7, 2015)

ElectroFuzz said:


> I don't.
> We had rates of $1.20 + $0.20 here in Phoenix up until yesterday.
> Today we are at $0.90 + $0.16...... not worth it anymore.
> I will not drive anymore but I will hang out here for a while to open drivers eyes.
> ...


When all you have to offer as a skill is driving, don't be surprised when your employer devalues your work.

Now if you had a marketable skill you'd be telling the employer what you will accept as compensation.


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## Shine'ola (Oct 7, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> I hear you. I will take a good look at the math. I just wonder if it could work if someone bought late model used cars for this purpose and to use it solely for business. The rates will ebb and flow with supply and demand. The economy is heating back up, and many people are re-entering the job market.


WRONG ! Uber will go as low as drivers will drive and eventually get people to stop using public transportation (bus, rails , etc.) and get stupid rich in the process, more rides and $1 off the top of every ride adds up, on a minimum $4 ride Uber's cut is 40%, my 1099 gross and what I got prior to expenses was 31% Uber 69% Shineboy


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Haha. I have an Australian Cattle Dog. She defies gravity when leaping for a Frisbee or football. She is the flying dingo. She is good natured, smart, energetic.


I'm always surprised at how many Aussie Cattle Dogs are over in the US.

They are one of THE best breeds


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## RiderMD (Feb 7, 2015)

UberHammer said:


> I continue to use this forum because I like to help people. Uber deceives people into becoming drivers with a lot of shady practices. It makes me feel good to shed light on the truth for those currently deceived. I honestly feel like I am helping the blind to see. It makes me feel good. It makes me feel like I am doing something positive for society. Unfortunately many drivers who have been deceived by Uber have to go through the five stages of grief before they can accept the truth and let it go. You'll find a lot of people in the different stages here.


nobody is deceiving anyone. The reason your work is devalued is because you have no bargaining leverage. Until you do, don't expect anyone to respect you.


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Shine'ola said:


> WRONG ! Uber will go as low as drivers will drive and eventually get people to stop using public transportation (bus, rails , etc.) and get stupid rich in the process, more rides and $1 off the top of every ride adds up, on a minimum $4 ride Uber's cut is 40%, my 1099 gross and what I got prior to expenses was 31% Uber 69% Shineboy


This is impossible. There is a floor. If drivers cannot afford to drive, they will drop out, and rates must go back up. Supply and demand will seek a balance.


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## Shine'ola (Oct 7, 2014)

RiderMD said:


> When all you have to offer as a skill is driving, don't be surprised when your employer devalues your work.
> 
> Now if you had a marketable skill you'd be telling the employer what you will accept as compensation.


WRONG ********, I have a 50k SUV and pax are more than happy to pay a decent rate to ride in it with an english speaking knowledgeable great driver, Uber being over the top greedy is a whole nother story


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Best to ignore RiderMD. Do not engage this person.


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## Shine'ola (Oct 7, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> This is impossible. There is a floor. If drivers cannot afford to drive, they will drop out, and rates must go back up. Supply and demand will seek a balance.


common sense is not so common, I had a new Uber lady tell me she was making great money, then I explained to her how she just made $4.85 in the hour before her expenses, her reply was priceless


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Shine'ola said:


> WRONG ********, I have a 50k SUV and pax are more than happy to pay a decent rate to ride in it with an english speaking knowledgeable great driver, Uber being over the top greedy is a whole nother story


Please don't engage with this guy. He's trolling two or three different threads right now.


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## RiderMD (Feb 7, 2015)

Shine'ola said:


> WRONG ********, I have a 50k SUV and pax are more than happy to pay a decent rate to ride in it with an english speaking knowledgeable great driver, Uber being over the top greedy is a whole nother story


You have a 50k SUV, and you use it for taxi service? And you think the problem is Uber is too greedy? Have you considered that your 50k asset is being devalued at a much higher rate than Uber would ever be willing to pay for use of it?


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Shine'ola said:


> common sense is not so common, I had a new Uber lady tell me she was making great money, then I explained to her how she just made $4.85 in the hour before her expenses, her reply was priceless


Right, but even people like that cannot continue to do it if the economics don't work. They will have to drop out.


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## RiderMD (Feb 7, 2015)

flyingdingo said:


> Please don't engage with this guy. He's trolling two or three different threads right now.


Truth hurts, doesn't it?


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

marketmark said:


> I'm happy.
> Been ubering for a year and a half.
> Works great as part time and flexible work and is mostly fun.
> I wouldn't rely on it more than part time/temporary though.


How much do you make? You mind my asking?


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## ElectroFuzz (Jun 10, 2014)

Sydney Uber said:


> I'm always surprised at how many Aussie Cattle Dogs are over in the US.
> 
> They are one of THE best breeds


I had a Queensland Heeler that died in 2008... still brings tear to my eyes when I think of her.


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## jason_womack (Nov 17, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> This is impossible. There is a floor. If drivers cannot afford to drive, they will drop out, and rates must go back up. Supply and demand will seek a balance.


Their business model is reflecting what Amazon was at the start with free shipping. Uber is taking a 25 cent hit for every UberX passenger they take on.

With the way Travis runs the company I see him raising rates once Cab companies start going out of business. I have riders in Chicago tell me that it's harder to hail a cab in the city now because they don't drive around looking for fares as much. You see them lined up outside clubs, train stations, and residential towers.

Once he raises the rates, he'll find another way to screw over the drivers and keep more of a cut.


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

jason_womack said:


> Their business model is reflecting what Amazon was at the start with free shipping. Uber is taking a 25 cent hit for every UberX passenger they take on.
> 
> With the way Travis runs the company I see him raising rates once Cab companies start going out of business. I have riders in Chicago tell me that it's harder to hail a cab in the city now because they don't drive around looking for fares as much. You see them lined up outside clubs, train stations, and residential towers.
> 
> Once he raises the rates, he'll find another way to screw over the drivers and keep more of a cut.


Well, and hopefully the market will respond with the rise of Lyft, Sidecar, and others. The best drivers will shift over (as will the riders), and then Uber will have to respond to that.


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## ElectroFuzz (Jun 10, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Right, but even people like that cannot continue to do it if the economics don't work. They will have to drop out.


Right but this delay is all that Uber needs.
Uber only needs you to donate your money until they release of the IPO.
Rumored to happen sometime this year.
Currently valued at $41 billion these latest fare cuts are the last effort to raise that
valuation even higher before the IPO.
The drivers lack of math skills and/or desperate economic situation will help Uber push the $41 billion to lets say $61 billion.
Once they release the IPO and cash in that $61 billion.... they could care less what happens next.
The new owners (stock holders... 401K middle class America) will have to deal with the mass driver exodus and bankruptcy.
By working for a loss you allow these billionaires to make a few more billions.

We will see drastic changes after the IPO is released.
It will become a completely different company.
It might even disappear all together.


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## Raquel (Jan 9, 2015)

flyingdingo said:


> OK. Why not?


I work very hard and I so far this week pulled in 1,150. But that's for over 40+ hours of work. It's really not a cycle you want to put yourself through. I really think you should explore other options first.


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## jason_womack (Nov 17, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Well, and hopefully the market will respond with the rise of Lyft, Sidecar, and others. The best drivers will shift over (as will the riders), and then Uber will have to respond to that.


Uber is valued higher than Viacom and FedEX they aren't going anywhere


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## Shine'ola (Oct 7, 2014)

RiderMD said:


> You have a 50k SUV, and you use it for taxi service? And you think the problem is Uber is too greedy? Have you considered that your 50k asset is being devalued at a much higher rate than Uber would ever be willing to pay for use of it?


Look ********, it's my wife's lease, she was about 10k miles below where she could have been, before the rate cuts I ran about 5k on it, made some cash and had fun doing it ON MY TIME, I refuse to do it at these absurd rates even though I have FREE miles looking me in the face


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Raquel said:


> I work very hard and I so far this week pulled in 1,150. But that's for over 40+ hours of work. It's really not a cycle you want to put yourself through. I really think you should explore other options first.


What is the worst part about driving a 40-hour week? How do you deal with riders who are demeaning to you? Do you put them out?


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

jason_womack said:


> Uber is valued higher than Viacom and FedEX they aren't going anywhere


No, they aren't, but there is room for other players. They have to respond to competitive pressure. Right now they are responding by pushing prices down, but the supply of drivers will inevitably become something they must respond to. (Unless they collude with Lyft and Sidecar, but that's, y'know, illegal.)


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## Raquel (Jan 9, 2015)

Shine'ola said:


> Look ********, it's my wife's lease, she was about 10k miles below where she could have been, before the rate cuts I ran about 5k on it, made some cash and had fun doing it ON MY TIME, I refuse to do it at these absurd rates even though I have FREE miles looking me in the face


Stop ****ing feeding him


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## Raquel (Jan 9, 2015)

flyingdingo said:


> What is the worst part about driving a 40-hour week? How do you deal with riders who are demeaning to you? Do you put them out?


Well Ive had over 100 rides so far with 2 days left and multiple incidents.. but I need the money..so i dont have a choice.

See my pay statement attached. Is that really something you want to do? Because I hate myself more for it everyday.


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## ElectroFuzz (Jun 10, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> No, they aren't, but there is room for other players. They have to respond to competitive pressure. Right now they are responding by pushing prices down, but the supply of drivers will inevitably become something they must respond to. (Unless they collude with Lyft and Sidecar, but that's, y'know, illegal.)


Uber at the moment is a startup company funded by Venture capital.
Uber so far raised $4 billion dollars and spent it.
They are $4 billion in the hole.
They do not need to show profit, normal economic forces do not currently apply to them.
All they need to do is show "future potential profit", a "proof of concept" that this company might become
very profitable in the future.
Judging by the current evaluation they are doing a great job.


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Raquel said:


> Well Ive had over 100 rides so far with 2 days left and multiple incidents.. but I need the money..so i dont have a choice.
> 
> See my pay statement attached. Is that really something you want to do? Because I hate myself more for it everyday.


What are some of the incidents? This is the nitty gritty stuff I'm trying to learn about.


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## Raquel (Jan 9, 2015)

flyingdingo said:


> What are some of the incidents? This is the nitty gritty stuff I'm trying to learn about.


Just go to my profile and look at some of the threads I posted.

Dog peeing in my car. 
Rich pricks..
uber giving out my #

Now this ubermd ****er .


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Raquel said:


> See my pay statement attached. Is that really something you want to do?


Yeah, actually, I think I'm ready to put up with a lot right now in the short term to make quick money to move out west. I'm miserable here in Atlanta. I'm a social worker, and it has worn me down to a nub. The prospect of having a client in my car for a short while and then moving on to a new one is appealing.

I'm not thrilled about putting wear and tear on my car, but one year of it wouldn't be so bad. It's new.


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Raquel said:


> Just go to my profile and look at some of the threads I posted.
> 
> Dog peeing in my car.
> Rich pricks..
> ...


Oh, that guy. Don't even read his shit. If he is an MD, he is a self-loathing one. Why does he feel the need to come here to make himself feel superior? He's a poser.

Have you ever stopped your car and asked someone to get out and call another car?


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

RiderMD said:


> nobody is deceiving anyone. The reason your work is devalued is because you have no bargaining leverage. Until you do, don't expect anyone to respect you.


"Make $1500 a week driving for Uber!"


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## Raquel (Jan 9, 2015)

flyingdingo said:


> Yeah, actually, I think I'm ready to put up with a lot right now in the short term to make quick money to move out west. I'm miserable here in Atlanta. I'm a social worker, and it has worn me down to a nub. The prospect of having a client in my car for a short while and then moving on to a new one is appealing.
> 
> I'm not thrilled about putting wear and tear on my car, but one year of it wouldn't be so bad. It's new.


There will be a lot of rixh ****s like ubermd in your car, not to mention the cost of maintenance of your car.

But if your heart is set on it, you can pm me any time with questions.. I'll help as much as I can.


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## Shine'ola (Oct 7, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> What are some of the incidents? This is the nitty gritty stuff I'm trying to learn about.


drunk entitled kids wanting to get 10 of them with solo cups full of liquor in the car, you threaten to cancel and waist your time getting them then you get a 1 star rating for ???


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## Raquel (Jan 9, 2015)

UberHammer said:


> "Make $1500 a week driving for Uber!"


Ughhhhh..dam it UberHammer stop ****ing feeding thay nut job. He is ****ing fishing for attention


----------



## Raquel (Jan 9, 2015)

flyingdingo said:


> Oh, that guy. Don't even read his shit. If he is an MD, he is a self-loathing one. Why does he feel the need to come here to make himself feel superior? He's a poser.
> 
> Have you ever stopped your car and asked someone to get out and call another car?


There are a lot of ubermd's out there among the paxs. He is not an isolated nut.

Have kicked people out. I've also had a stalker .


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## flashgordonnc (Oct 24, 2014)

UberHammer said:


> Only to game the guarantee rates. In a nutshell, I go get the $4 fares and use the guarantee to turn them into $22 fares. It's the only way to make a profit anymore, unless you can work the surges. Unfortunately Uber is creating "fake" surges to move drivers around to where they want them to be, only to end the surge when some event ends so the people can be moved for non-surge rates. Again, Uber lies and deceives drivers. It's a core component of their business model. When the guarantee ends, I have ZERO reason to drive anymore.


I would appreciate your help. Where do you get all your "data" about Uber's practices. I can "feel" your answer coming back already....


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Right, but even people like that cannot continue to do it if the economics don't work. They will have to drop out.


In theory, you are correct. In practice, people tend to continue negative behavior a lot longer than they should. If they didn't, casinos wouldn't be as profitable as they are. And to many of those continuing to drive for Uber, that $30+ fare is like winning a hand of poker. It's the feeling that keeps them driving, not the profit.


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

No.

Just the drivers that were lied to.

or any driver in other words that has been around more than 90 days

New drivers are like babies all shiny and smell good ...and then they turn into 2 year olds!


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Shine'ola said:


> drunk entitled kids wanting to get 10 of them with solo cups full of liquor in the car, you threaten to cancel and waist your time getting them then you get a 1 star rating for ???


I'd still put them out and make an immediate report in the hope that the low rating can be mitigated.


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

flashgordonnc said:


> I would appreciate your help. Where do you get all your "data" about Uber's practices. I can "feel" your answer coming back already....


I gather the "fake" surge data anecdotally. I've seen too many surges in areas with dozens and dozens of available drivers which coincide 10 to 15 minutes before an obvious expected situation of high demand, such as a major sporting event ending. Just as the event ends so does the surge and the riders/drivers get base rate trips. You can also read of many testimonies claiming the same here at UP.net. the surges aren't always occurring naturally. Some are manipulated. In other words, "fake".


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## SDUberdriver (Nov 11, 2014)

Raquel said:


> Ughhhhh..dam it UberHammer stop ****ing feeding thay nut job. He is ****ing fishing for attention


_Hey Raquel,Where ya been?_


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## jason_womack (Nov 17, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> No, they aren't, but there is room for other players. They have to respond to competitive pressure. Right now they are responding by pushing prices down, but the supply of drivers will inevitably become something they must respond to. (Unless they collude with Lyft and Sidecar, but that's, y'know, illegal.)


That's what TIME magazine said. Lyft and Sidecar aren't anywhere near what Uber is valued at. Google is developing a ride sharing app and has a 10 year start on them for automated cars.


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## Shine'ola (Oct 7, 2014)

flashgordonnc said:


> I would appreciate your help. Where do you get all your "data" about Uber's practices. I can "feel" your answer coming back already....


running the user app I see it constantly, no demand 3 cars sitting idle downtown, surge goes on, 10 more cars enter , surge goes away


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## Shine'ola (Oct 7, 2014)

Raquel said:


> Because I hate myself more for it everyday.


I am proud of you and you should be also, please don't beat yourself up over doing what you need to do, may happiness come your way


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## jackstraww (Jan 20, 2015)

flyingdingo said:


> I'm new here and have not started driving yet. I'm still thinking about it. If one were to judge from the comments here, nobody is happy or making decent money. Are there happy drivers? If there are, I get the feeling they are out driving and not trolling a forum looking for a place to gripe. Is it really that bad?


Yeah,plenty of people (if they,re smart) are waiting till later or tonight to start thier gig. Because you new and havent started yet, you probably shouldn't judge any of the comments here. Some of us have had good experiences and some of us have had horrible experiences. .. Personally, I could never do this full-time. The hours,and wear and tear on the car v/s the pay...osnt worth it for me. However, p/t ..its OK.. Listen, there are plenty of things that could be better,,,from the tips,,the rating system,,the drunken kids that will be in my car tonight...but it is what it is....
Good Luck..Im interested to see your comments after you,ve been driving for a few weeks


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

jackstraww said:


> Yeah,plenty of people (if they,re smart) are waiting till later or tonight to start thier gig. Because you new and havent started yet, you probably shouldn't judge any of the comments here. Some of us have had good experiences and some of us have had horrible experiences. .. Personally, I could never do this full-time. The hours,and wear and tear on the car v/s the pay...osnt worth it for me. However, p/t ..its OK.. Listen, there are plenty of things that could be better,,,from the tips,,the rating system,,the drunken kids that will be in my car tonight...but it is what it is....
> Good Luck..Im interested to see your comments after you,ve been driving for a few weeks


Thanks, Jack. I'll try to stay active on the forum and report back my experience. I know Atlanta like the back of my hand. Hopefully, that will work in my favor.


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## Shine'ola (Oct 7, 2014)

Uber CEO Travis tweeted today his goal was to LOWER prices NOT INCREASE


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## ChrisInABQ (Oct 21, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> This is impossible. There is a floor. If drivers cannot afford to drive, they will drop out, and rates must go back up. Supply and demand will seek a balance.


You're right, there is a floor. But because of the various ways drivers "work the math", that floor will be too far below where it makes sense to drive. Many drivers, the 'happy' ones, only look at gas and maybe an oil change or two as their only expenses, so their math looks to be in their favor. As has been mentioned, if the rates are $0.95/mile as they are in your town, it only makes sense if there is no other alternative to make ends meet. Just know that you're liquidating you vehicle's value in the short-term, but not actually making money.

So, you have a person driving a Honda Civic getting over 30 mpg, so about $0.07/mile, and an occasional oil change, about $0.01/mile. This person thinks they're per mile burden is only 8 cents, so of course they think they're making money. The real cost won't come until that early set of brakes and new tires, not to mention when it comes time to sell or trade-in.

Rates here are still okay, even after last month's cuts. Any further drop will push me away from this gig that I enjoy. I am a happy Uber/Lyft driver with occasional frustration at thoughtless, non-tipping pax, but I still look forward to starting my weekends driving. I am, however, absolutely disillusioned with Uber as a "partner" (I say that in great jest).


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## jackstraww (Jan 20, 2015)

Well, sour or not- - Its 5:30 here ,,almost time for my few weekend hours of ubering ....hope I get a few nice ones early. 
Its freezing,and I'm not doing the 2 AM thing tonight!** 

later folks


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## Luberon (Nov 24, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> I'm new here and have not started driving yet. I'm still thinking about it. If one were to judge from the comments here, nobody is happy or making decent money. Are there happy drivers? If there are, I get the feeling they are out driving and not trolling a forum looking for a place to gripe. Is it really that bad?


Why dont you drive and be happy instead of trolling unhappy drivers forum?


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Luberon said:


> Why dont you drive and be happy instead of trolling unhappy drivers forum?


My background check hasn't finished. I'm trying to learn as much as I can before I start. I'm learning that the people with sour attitudes probably get lower ratings for a reason.


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## gregthedriver (Dec 28, 2014)

I'm sour as fk


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## ChrisInABQ (Oct 21, 2014)

RiderMD said:


> nobody is deceiving anyone. The reason your work is devalued is because you have no bargaining leverage. Until you do, don't expect anyone to respect you.


I've been reading some of this guys post and pretty certain I know what his deal is. So last night, he sets out with his token girl under his arm. He's a baller, so he calls up an UserX to impress his gal. Problem was, she took a liking to their underskilled, low-life driver who has nothing to offer society! Next thing he knows, he's a cuckold victim watching his girl getting railed by this loser UberX driver. Went home, cried it out, and found this forum. Understandable!


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

RiderMD said:


> Truth hurts, doesn't it?


Hey RiderMD, I've sorta stepped away from your posts till now. Because in some way, you are communicating a message to drivers that UBER puts out by its strategies and disregard for driver concerns.

You are right in saying that UBER doesn't respect its drivers, it's lies, sneaky guarantees, and rate drops all say that loud and clear.

But a Truth that escapes you is there are folk out there with a range of competencies and skill-sets that may or may not be in demand. Just like the Printing industry going it's computer based reforms of the 80's when 1000's of typesetters were replaced by word processing programs and new printing equipment - simple point "a" - to - "b" driving is heading for the toilet especially with the eventual advent of driverless cars.

What convinces me that you are NOT a doctor is the total lack of empathy and acceptance that individuals are differant, and find themselves in difficult positions for all manner of reasons. Most are not within their control.

So come clean about your real vocation, you simply don't have a Doctor's demeanour or skill set that it demands. The Truth Hurts.


----------



## marketmark (Dec 2, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> How much do you make? You mind my asking?


My income from ubering was about $30k for 2014. This is after uber's cut but before figuring out my expenses.


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## jimsbox (Oct 20, 2014)

Sydney Uber said:


> Hey RiderMD, I've sorta stepped away from your posts till now. Because in some way, you are communicating a message to drivers that UBER puts out by its strategies and disregard for driver concerns.
> 
> You are right in saying that UBER doesn't respect its drivers, it's lies, sneaky guarantees, and rate drops all say that loud and clear.
> 
> ...


I agree, RiderMD is way too immature and lacking in self respect to be a professional anything but probably lives in his mom's basement ranting anonymously to make himself feel superior, rather sad really. He needs to get out and see what the sun looks like again.


----------



## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> I'm new here and have not started driving yet. I'm still thinking about it. If one were to judge from the comments here, nobody is happy or making decent money. Are there happy drivers? If there are, I get the feeling they are out driving and not trolling a forum looking for a place to gripe. Is it really that bad?


I'm not sour. I just hang out here allowing others to benefit from my experience, craftiness, and sound advice.


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## MoneyUber4 (Dec 9, 2014)

Uber is only Lunch Money! U Better Exit Running - UBER
No one is sour here. We are all Happy People with nothing to do. 
We make money and laugh at newbies.


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## marketmark (Dec 2, 2014)

ElectroFuzz said:


> Just to put things in perspective
> Uber San Francisco:
> 
> Base ----------- $2.20
> ...


I would still be happy at $0.90 per mile.
It's likely would be ubering much less though...
I drove much more before the last round of rate cuts.


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## fork2323 (Aug 27, 2014)

I spend more time on this forum than driving


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

Shine'ola said:


> WRONG ********, I have a 50k SUV and pax are more than happy to pay a decent rate to ride in it with an english speaking knowledgeable great driver, Uber being over the top greedy is a whole nother story


Starve the ****... I mean troll.


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

Shine'ola said:


> WRONG ********, I have a 50k SUV and pax are more than happy to pay a decent rate to ride in it with an english speaking knowledgeable great driver, Uber being over the top greedy is a whole nother story


Just curious, but why on earth would a person pay $50K for a silly SUV? That's just pointless and wasteful, pragmatically speaking, of course.


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## Monica rodriguez (Nov 16, 2014)

Yes Uber has turned us sour by promising 35/hr but in reality making 6/hr!


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> I'd still put them out and make an immediate report in the hope that the low rating can be mitigated.


Some nights 50 percent of your riders will have beer cans or solo cups, and you'll be driving around wasting time, gas and mileage to cancel trips left and right. Look at other posts on this forum about this. I have begged uber to send out an email to passengers about this.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> My background check hasn't finished. I'm trying to learn as much as I can before I start. I'm learning that the people with sour attitudes probably get lower ratings for a reason.


Nope. Good ratings, shitty treatment from uber, then rate cuts as a cherry on top of that sundae


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## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

My mom has a really nice basement ...


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## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

JaxBeachDriver
Eat your heart out

*Lyft*

Devin B. Feb 05, 2015 06:51PM PST

Lyft Agent
@michael,

Whether you let passengers eat in your car is entirely up to you! If you are not comfortable with it, go ahead and kindly ask them to refrain from eating until they reach their destination. I am sure you'll find that most passengers will be happy to oblige!

If a passenger leaves behind a mess you can always take some photo's and send them to the support team via the Help Center: http://lyft.com/help/contact, and we can determine if they should receive a damage fee.

For more information on how to handle a damage case, check out this article: https://www.lyft.com/drive/help/article/1229209

I hope that helps!


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

My last week with Uber, I was logged in for 45.6 hours, and I made $80 before expenses!

Then they announced almost 50 percent rate cuts with a little more than 12 hours' notice. I quit.

I'm still here because I enjoyed the job and think the service was a great idea (people love it and use it), but I detest the culture of that company and their tactics. I am starting my own legal sedan service, and I may try to supplement it with UberBlack.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

Sacto Burbs said:


> JaxBeachDriver
> Eat your heart out
> 
> *Lyft*
> ...


What was this in response to, you complaining about open containers?


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## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> I have begged uber to send out an email to passengers about this.


Solo cups.


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## Chauffeur_James (Dec 12, 2014)

Raquel said:


> Well Ive had over 100 rides so far with 2 days left and multiple incidents.. but I need the money..so i dont have a choice.
> 
> See my pay statement attached. Is that really something you want to do? Because I hate myself more for it everyday.


There's a lot of people that would kill for what your making! If that's consistant your pulling in around $50,000 a year! Your an Uber drivers dream


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## Rich Brunelle (Jan 15, 2015)

brikosig said:


> No.... i get frustrated at times out there at times.... but I like this (part-time) gig.... I want/need a flexible schedule so I can spend more time with my teen boys....and my own business is slow this time of year.
> Although somewhat saturated with drivers Boston is a big market and I can EASILY make $150+ in a 5 hr shift on a busy night... thurs/fri/sat. Cold weather here.... with FAT surges at times... $200 in 2 hours.... cha-ching. If I don't have much going on on a given day I'll go on a 12hr marathon drive.... only bathroom breaks.... I leave the app on while I'm in a place grabbing a sandwich. (love when other customers hear my ping go off...funny). 12 hr shift on an busy 2.2 - 3.0 night $450+. I do Hate putting all the miles on my car..... but after doing this for a while I have a good idea where to go for shorter drive pickups. I can usually keep my miles at less than 40% of my gross $$ for the night. (100 total miles on a $250 night)
> 
> Being where I came from I'm probably an exception to the rule in general.... Grew up pretty poor went to college, .... worked my way up the corporate ladder in boston forms (no, not a lawyer...LOL).... was an associate at a top 5 boston firm being flown around the northeast on the firm's leased corporate jet.
> ...


What are the rates where you are and have your rates been cut at all recently?


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## UberxN.J.sucks (Dec 3, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Oh, that guy. Don't even read his shit. If he is an MD, he is a self-loathing one. Why does he feel the need to come here to make himself feel superior? He's a poser.
> 
> Have you ever stopped your car and asked someone to get out and call another car?


You are a ****ing dork, stop the questions and sign up, you will be here moaning with the rest of us. Raquel showed you an 1,100 dollar payment. You want me to tell you how much of that is profit after fuel, vehicle maintenance and taxes? Close your eyes and what do you see. well a little more than that. 1,100 =about 750 profit. Now is even 20 dollars an hour worth the liability and bullshit, no ****ing chance. So sit home and play with Dingo, this is not for you.


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

UberxN.J.sucks said:


> You are a ****ing dork, stop the questions and sign up, you will be here moaning with the rest of us. Raquel showed you an 1,100 dollar payment. You want me to tell you how much of that is profit after fuel, vehicle maintenance and taxes? Close your eyes and what do you see. well a little more than that. 1,100 =about 750 profit. Now is even 20 dollars an hour worth the liability and bullshit, no ****ing chance. So sit home and play with Dingo, this is not for you.


No wonder you're bitter. It seems to run deep with you. Thankfully, I've met a few friendly people here. Good luck to you.


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> Some nights 50 percent of your riders will have beer cans or solo cups, and you'll be driving around wasting time, gas and mileage to cancel trips left and right. Look at other posts on this forum about this. I have begged uber to send out an email to passengers about this.


When can't you do this yourself? Send a text as you are arriving. "Happy to have you ride with me. No drinking in my car, please. See you in a few seconds! "


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> My last week with Uber, I was logged in for 45.6 hours, and I made $80 before expenses!
> 
> Then they announced almost 50 percent rate cuts with a little more than 12 hours' notice. I quit.
> 
> I'm still here because I enjoyed the job and think the service was a great idea (people love it and use it), but I detest the culture of that company and their tactics. I am starting my own legal sedan service, and I may try to supplement it with UberBlack.


Maybe Jacksonville just isn't a good market for ridesharing. I've talked to several drivers here in Atlanta and other major cities who are happy doing the work. As a consolation, the economy is heating up at a nice pace. If driving makes you bitter, there should be other things you can do.


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## Truth & Facts (Jan 15, 2015)

flyingdingo said:


> If driving makes you bitter, there should be other things you can do.


Can't I drive and **** Uber at the same time?
https://uberpeople.net/threads/uber...e-deceiving-company-and-the-bad-riders.13319/


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## Lidman (Nov 13, 2014)

I'm happy with what I make. But then again I don't drive for UBER.


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## Lidman (Nov 13, 2014)

Truth & Facts said:


> Can't I drive and **** Uber at the same time?
> https://uberpeople.net/threads/uber...e-deceiving-company-and-the-bad-riders.13319/


 Absolutely!!!!!


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## Lidman (Nov 13, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Hey, Jason. Thanks for replying. I'm in Atlanta. I want to make some extra money so that I can move to Denver. If I like driving, I'll continue to do it out there.
> 
> $1200 in a week. Wow. How many hours did you have to drive to make that?
> 
> The insurance thing concerns me, too. USAA, the company I'm with, has a new type of policy in Colorado for rideshare drivers. I'm sure I'd get right on that if I lived out there.


 about 100


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> When can't you do this yourself? Send a text as you are arriving. "Happy to have you ride with me. No drinking in my car, please. See you in a few seconds! "


I thought about it, but well you should hit the road first and try some of these things out yourself. Some of these entitled assholes will then hide their drinks and/or have a huge attitude with you... Some will argue with you, "The last guy said it was fine."


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Maybe Jacksonville just isn't a good market for ridesharing. I've talked to several drivers here in Atlanta and other major cities who are happy doing the work. As a consolation, the economy is heating up at a nice pace. If driving makes you bitter, there should be other things you can do.


Did you read my post?! Driving doesn't make me bitter, Uber's shitty treatment does.

Why are you on here trying to debunk everyone's feedback? This reminds me of childless people who fork out parenting advice. Just try it first, then come back with your advice.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

I love this new culture of ultra-positivity. Everyone is so wrapped up in positive thinking and being happy all the time that they think no critique or grievance is valid.

"If you don't like the company, work somewhere else."

A similar suggestion can be made to you, "If you don't like the truth being shared on this forum, go find another forum." 

There are plenty of Stepford-wife-like happy Uber forums out there where people hide their eyes and cover their ears about concepts such as math, logic, laws and risk.

I hate to turn away someome who is looking for the truth, but I'm starting to believe you're not looking for the truth. You seem like a smart person capable of math. Keep track of all the miles you drive, and figure out your cost per mile (not just your gas costs). You'll see very quickly how great this gig is.


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## Lidman (Nov 13, 2014)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> Did you read my post?! Driving doesn't make me bitter, Uber's shitty treatment does.
> 
> Why are you on here trying to debunk everyone's feedback? This reminds me of childless people who fork out parenting advice. Just try it first, then come back with your advice.


 He's probably on uber's payroll.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

Lidman said:


> He's probably on uber's payroll.


Yes, seems like a good PR move to try to discredit detractors.


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> Yes, seems like a good PR move to try to discredit detractors.


Conspiracy theories abound. That's part of the mindset. Sigh. I'll report back my experiences once I start. We'll see how it goes.


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## Truth & Facts (Jan 15, 2015)

Uber's own interest is much higher than *government regulations*, *public safety*, *rider's interests* and *driver's interests*.

Uber is great *until you get into one car wreck*. Good luck to you all.


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## Realityshark (Sep 22, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> This is impossible. There is a floor. If drivers cannot afford to drive, they will drop out, and rates must go back up. Supply and demand will seek a balance.


The part of this hypothesis that you have not realized is that Uber will bombard the masses with Craigslist ads and the like promising people $1500 per week driving for them. They get an endless stream of people to buy into this lie. When drivers quit, the ads ramp up again. Recently, they have been offering drivers 100's of dollars to their drivers to find new sheep. Additionally, Uber loves to "help" people buy new cars. This is obviously designed for people with limited means and no real credit. This is simply opportunistic exploitation of humans who are down on their luck or just starting out. These people then get into debt with Uber and are left with no choice but to drive their new cars into the ground with no way out. There will be plenty of people lured into the easy money scheme. There might be a floor as you put it, but I believe there are far more people who find themselves in desperate situations that will easily replace those who quit. I'm good at math. The math doesn't add up. Full time? forget it. The one's who make this work are those that use Uber as a secondary income stream. These are the same people, if they are smart enough, who never tell their insurance company they drive for Uber and constantly pray to their God's that they wont get into an accident while driving a passenger because they know they would potentially lose everything they own. These people are the one's who need a bit of extra income and then don't drive after they hit their nut. This keeps the mileage under control and their liability a wee bit less. Mileage is the demon, but the real unseen evil is the liability. I'd suggest calling your insurance company and telling them what you are considering to do. They'll give you an honest assessment of your true liability. Reading your posts, it sounds like you have already made up your mind. You have already dismissed those of us who have been around long enough to understand the game, the math and the liability. I don't care if you drive for Uber or not. I do care that Uber takes advantage of people who have found themselves in financial hardships.


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## Realityshark (Sep 22, 2014)

ElectroFuzz said:


> Right but this delay is all that Uber needs.
> Uber only needs you to donate your money until they release of the IPO.
> Rumored to happen sometime this year.
> Currently valued at $41 billion these latest fare cuts are the last effort to raise that
> ...


You actually get it! I thought I was the only person on this site who understood what was happening. You are dead on accurate. What happens when all of Uber's investors call in their markers? The valuation of this company is a joke. All Uber cares about is their IPO. Drivers are the pawns. Your post sums up everything. I'll stop, you nailed it.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Right, but even people like that cannot continue to do it if the economics don't work. They will have to drop out.


As has been pointed out, people continue to do it because they don't see ALL of the expenses, they only see the gas money leaving their pockets.

When it comes time for new tires or repairs, the driver is in much worse condition than s/he started. At that point, they drop out. Uber has used them, they are expendable to Uber.

Let's look at other cases where the economics don't work out but desperate/foolish people continue to do them: title loans, pawn shops, gambling, MLM/pyramid schemes...


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## haohmaru (Sep 18, 2014)

I liked the "job" per se (meeting people, learning the Jacksonville area, driving, etc...) but I'm not going to pay Uber to do it. Am I bitter? No, because Uber isn't worth my time expending negative emotions about. Did the math, it doesn't work, moved on.


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## Realityshark (Sep 22, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> My background check hasn't finished. I'm trying to learn as much as I can before I start. I'm learning that the people with sour attitudes probably get lower ratings for a reason.


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## Realityshark (Sep 22, 2014)

Since you have dismissed the experienced people on this site as angry, disgruntled people, make sure to have plenty of water for your passengers, keep your car squeaky clean, always open the doors for everyone, make sure you look professional, don't forget to brush your teeth, have mints and candy for your passengers, make sure to link up Spotify so your passengers can play DJ. Don't worry about anything cause Uber "has your back." Keep a close eye on your rating. That's the only thing you should ever worry about.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

haohmaru said:


> I liked the "job" per se (meeting people, learning the Jacksonville area, driving, etc...) but I'm not going to pay Uber to do it. Am I bitter? No, because Uber isn't worth my time expending negative emotions about. Did the math, it doesn't work, moved on.


OP's follow-up question: Why are you still here?


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## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

jason_womack said:


> I'm not, I cleared $1200 in a week before. Granted that was a ton of driving but the way I've been working Chicago and the suburbs I'm catching more long runs. I don't mind dropping off at either of the airports because I've been getting better and finding fares around there. If someone asks me to pick them up in the arrivals I won't do it and I've had a few people that will take subway to the first stop on the line and I'll pick them up.
> 
> I work at a golf course in the summer and I day trade so I'm not relying on it for full time income. It's something nice on the side and I'll buy a new car with cash once mine goes in another few years.
> 
> I can see where it can be frustrating for drivers in smaller markets. An advantage of Chicago a lot of people that move to Chicago get rid of their cars and there's always something going on at all hours of the day.


POST # 2 /@jason_womack: ♤♡♢♧ Hello
and Welcome to the UP.net Forums, your complete
source of UNCENSORED information re: TNCs in gen-
eral and #FUBER specifically.

Thank you for your excellent Post, the type of which
Membership would like to see more of. Although your
mastery of The Basics ( Format, Grammar,Spelling,
Syntax, Tone and Tenor) is all there, it is your even-
handed response to @flyingdingo's somewhat pro-
vocative "AllTrollsHere?" lure that is where you 
shine!

PLEASE keep coming back with Necessary Input
despite the Style of Questionable Posters.


----------



## Luberon (Nov 24, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> My background check hasn't finished. I'm trying to learn as much as I can before I start. I'm learning that the people with sour attitudes probably get lower ratings for a reason.


And how did you learn that without ever driving for Uber?
Did an Uber CSR tell you that or did you magically see all our ratings?


----------



## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Luberon said:


> And how did you learn that without ever driving for Uber?
> Did an Uber CSR tell you that or did you magically see all our ratings?


I've been an Uber rider for a while. Piss poor attitudes from the driver are easy to read and affect how the passenger feels.


----------



## Courageous (Sep 18, 2014)

jason_womack said:


> Like other people said on here, the math on it comes down to a losing proposition when you figure out the cost of operating your car. Keeping track of your miles helps with the tax deduction, but to do this full time around the clock you will run your car into the ground quick.


Lets not forget...you will run YOURSELF into the ground. To do Uber fulltime is a very stupid / ignorant move.... Self-employment is not your forte if you considered all angles and chose to do this fulltime. You would LIVE in your vehicle 12-16 hours daily, EVERY day, including holidays. Who wants to be driven by a driver that is "cross-eyed" from being on road that number of hours? Trust me...regulating the number of hours you are "online" will be a factor in future regulations.

This is not and never will be a full-time viable business. But, if that is what you decide...go for it. Failure is bitter but many lessons are learned.

For those Uber "partners"....you ARE a business correct? Sometimes I wonder just how many Uber drivers don't realize they are required to be a business for tax purposes.

btw...I'm "do it in my own time, when it suits me, Uber driver...and I love it.


----------



## Courageous (Sep 18, 2014)

Realityshark said:


> Since you have dismissed the experienced people on this site as angry, disgruntled people, make sure to have plenty of water for your passengers, keep your car squeaky clean, always open the doors for everyone, make sure you look professional, don't forget to brush your teeth, have mints and candy for your passengers, make sure to link up Spotify so your passengers can play DJ. Don't worry about anything cause Uber "has your back." Keep a close eye on your rating. That's the only thing you should ever worry about.


LMAO


----------



## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Courageous said:


> LMAO


Yep. Sour.


----------



## Courageous (Sep 18, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Yep. Sour.


Not "sour" at all! Uber can be done for pocket change if you are smart about it. I love Uberring!


----------



## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Courageous said:


> Not "sour" at all! Uber can be done for pocket change if you are smart about it. I love Uberring!


No _you_, sir, are someone I want to talk to.


----------



## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

What you learn on this forum is how to handle the obnoxious riders, or difficult situations. It is boot camp, not a sales pitch.

As a rider, I am sure you gave 5 stars to every driver who got you there safely in one piece, and never gave them a 4 star or lower score that would have got them fired just because They or You were having a bad day. I'm sure you were curbside when the car arrived, tried to cheer up an unhappy driver who was supposed to do the same job as a cabbie for half the price, and gave them 5 stars no matter what. I'm sure you have already been in a low paying dead-end job and have empathy for others in the same boat. I'm sure you treated every driver as an equal, and not as a client/servant for the few minutes you were in their car. I'm sure you never tried to pull a fast one like cups of beer in the car.

The shoe is going to be on the other foot now, and I commend you for trying it out. I LIKE driving, I LIKE meeting people, but have been deactivated for low ratings. Go figure.

No one likes to be told that their new girlfriend left another perfectly nice guy in tears. We are who we are. We'll be here when you have problems. Now get out there and drive !


----------



## Courageous (Sep 18, 2014)

Sacto Burbs said:


> What you learn on this forum is how to handle the obnoxious riders, or difficult situations. It is boot camp, not a sales pitch.
> 
> As a rider, I am sure you gave 5 stars to every driver who got you there safely in one piece, and never gave them a 4 star or lower score that would have got them fired just because They or You were having a bad day. I'm sure you were curbside when the car arrived, tried to cheer up an unhappy driver who was supposed to do the same job as a cabbie for half the price, and gave them 5 stars no matter what. I'm sure you have already been in a low paying dead-end job and have empathy for others in the same boat. I'm sure you treated every driver as an equal, and not as a client/servant for the few minutes you were in their car. I'm sure you never tried to pull a fast one like cups of beer in the car.
> 
> ...


weird


----------



## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

UberHammer said:


> I continue to use this forum because I like to help people. Uber deceives people into becoming drivers with a lot of shady practices. It makes me feel good to shed light on the truth for those currently deceived. I honestly feel like I am helping the blind to see. It makes me feel good. It makes me feel like I am doing something positive for society. Unfortunately many drivers who have been deceived by Uber have to go through the five stages of grief before they can accept the truth and let it go. You'll find a lot of people in the different stages here.


POST # 9 /@UberHammer : ♤♡♢♧ Hail
to you Fellow Well-Known Member and
thank you for your Clearly Stated Reasons
for Participating in These Forums calmly
returned to the Sneering Newcomer!

Thank you for utilizing WebTools to pro-
vide a Service Mark that Makes Sense.
The #FUBERPawn analogy is spot-on
much to the Loss of Non-Member Drivers.

Lastly, thanks for the Sales and Produc-
tivity Achievements. Sure, you had a
72 hr. headstart but you've outpaced me
by 55% in Postings and your Likes are
7-fold mine. Bombastic Bison is NOT YET
a BIG Vote Getter but You are Exemplary in
this category with Likes at 156.2% of
Posts. 
True, we all SHOULD "take a page
out of " @chi1cabby's book as he is the Raw
Numbers Champeen like the Boston Celtics 
of the Sixties.

You are Noteworthy among
the Notable Members for positively affec-
ting your Readership. I can only hope to
emulate your wisely palatable style.


----------



## brikosig (Dec 16, 2014)

Rich Brunelle said:


> What are the rates where you are and have your rates been cut at all recently?


Hey Rich:
Metro boston area.... Boston, People's Republic of Cambridge, (aka Moscow on the Charles (river)), Brookline.

2.00 base - .21/min - 120/mi
$5 min fare $10 cancellation $1 - *** the driver's uber fee
Yes, rates have been cut a couple of times, (before I started driving)... but not in the most recent round of cuts.


----------



## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> I've been an Uber rider for a while. Piss poor attitudes from the driver are easy to read and affect how the passenger feels.


Drivers need at least $1.30/mile before they should put their feelings aside and put the passenger's feelings first.

Anything below that and they're being exploited and they are the person in the car in most need of empathy.


----------



## brikosig (Dec 16, 2014)

Hey Rich:
Metro boston area.... Boston, People's Republic of Cambridge, (aka Moscow on the Charles (river)), Brookline.

2.00 base - .21/min - 120/mi
$5 min fare $10 cancellation $1 - *** the driver's uber fee
Yes, rates have been cut a couple of times, (before I started driving)... but not in the most recent round of cuts.


----------



## Txchick (Nov 25, 2014)

jason_womack said:


> I'm not, I cleared $1200 in a week before. Granted that was a ton of driving but the way I've been working Chicago and the suburbs I'm catching more long runs. I don't mind dropping off at either of the airports because I've been getting better and finding fares around there. If someone asks me to pick them up in the arrivals I won't do it and I've had a few people that will take subway to the first stop on the line and I'll pick them up.
> 
> I work at a golf course in the summer and I day trade so I'm not relying on it for full time income. It's something nice on the side and I'll buy a new car with cash once mine goes in another few years.
> 
> I can see where it can be frustrating for drivers in smaller markets. An advantage of Chicago a lot of people that move to Chicago get rid of their cars and there's always something going on at all hours of the day.


.90 cents per mile $4.00 minimum. Really longer fares?? Do you know what your true costs are?? You are the reason Uber dropped rates in 48 markets cause you will drive for .90 cents per mile. Just love ya!!


----------



## Txchick (Nov 25, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Well, and hopefully the market will respond with the rise of Lyft, Sidecar, and others. The best drivers will shift over (as will the riders), and then Uber will have to respond to that.


Lyft had their opportunity to keep rates at a decent rate when Uber dropped their rates in January 2015. They could have taken a lot of drivers from Uber. Did they??? Nope dropped their pants!!


----------



## Denouber (Jan 9, 2015)

flyingdingo said:


> I'm new here and have not started driving yet. I'm still thinking about it. If one were to judge from the comments here, nobody is happy or making decent money. Are there happy drivers? If there are, I get the feeling they are out driving and not trolling a forum looking for a place to gripe. Is it really that bad?


Most driver are idiots !! Just turn off your freaking app during surge for one hour they uber listen , otherwise you guys stay as slaves .


----------



## Rich Brunelle (Jan 15, 2015)

brikosig said:


> Hey Rich:
> Metro boston area.... Boston, People's Republic of Cambridge, (aka Moscow on the Charles (river)), Brookline.
> 
> 2.00 base - .21/min - 120/mi
> ...


Those rates are still too low to earn a reasonable income. I commend you making it work, but please check your math to see if you truly are earning a profit. Many of us can work our ass off bringing in a check, but most goes to expenses with ridiculous profit. Remember, after Uber takes their cut, then you have to pay the car, pay expenses, and pay yourself.


----------



## Luberon (Nov 24, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> No _you_, sir, are someone I want to talk to.


You are one out of that drivers 500 ratings. Just because you rate based on Uber hatred there are 499 others that rate based on God-knows-what.

Besides, being sour in the forum does not mean one is sour to passengers. Except of course you use that magic Uber mike to listen in all our rides.
Face your own Uber fandom and lets see how sweet you will be 6 months down the line.
Point is you have not completed a single Uber ride, you have never been rated by a drunk rider that placed a pin 5 blocks away, smelled like a sewer rat, wanted to bring all his 5 friends with open drinks and insisted on giving directions while falling asleep between every turn.

Dont take this personal, but you are in no position to understand why we sound sour because you have no idea what it feels like to wake up to a rate cut or being cheated out of guarantees.

Until you complete a few hundred trips, you should be careful what you say because Karma is a *****.


----------



## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Luberon said:


> You are one out of that drivers 500 ratings. Just because you rate based on Uber hatred there are 499 others that rate based on God-knows-what.
> 
> Besides, being sour in the forum does not mean one is sour to passengers. Except of course you use that magic Uber mike to listen in all our rides.
> Face your own Uber fandom and lets see how sweet you will be 6 months down the line.
> ...


I promise to report back.


----------



## Oc_DriverX (Apr 29, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> ...
> 
> I'm not thrilled about putting wear and tear on my car, but one year of it wouldn't be so bad. It's new.


The problem is, the newer the car the higher the depreciation. The Uber miles will hurt down the road.


----------



## brikosig (Dec 16, 2014)

Rich Brunelle said:


> Those rates are still too low to earn a reasonable income. I commend you making it work, but please check your math to see if you truly are earning a profit. Many of us can work our ass off bringing in a check, but most goes to expenses with ridiculous profit. Remember, after Uber takes their cut, then you have to pay the car, pay expenses, and pay yourself.


Yup.... Agreed rich....rates are too low, but yes I'm definitely earning a profit. Im able to earn a profit for a few reasons. I only drive when there's a surge.... Virtually never with base rates. My car is paid for.... Low maintanence .... I do minor maintainence myself.... Oil changes, tune ups, brake jobs, mail order tires. ....and when I do have a repair, I have a mechanic that i pay in cash and is very reasonable.


----------



## John Anderson (Jan 12, 2015)

brikosig said:


> Yup.... Agreed rich....rates are too low, but yes I'm definitely earning a profit. Im able to earn a profit for a few reasons. I only drive when there's a surge.... Virtually never with base rates. My car is paid for.... Low maintanence .... I do minor maintainence myself.... Oil changes, tune ups, brake jobs, mail order tires. ....and when I do have a repair, I have a mechanic that i pay in cash and is very reasonable.


And when your car breaks and you end up on the Satander deal?


----------



## Oc_DriverX (Apr 29, 2014)

brikosig said:


> Yup.... Agreed rich....rates are too low, but yes I'm definitely earning a profit. Im able to earn a profit for a few reasons. I only drive when there's a surge.... Virtually never with base rates. My car is paid for.... Low maintanence .... I do minor maintainence myself.... Oil changes, tune ups, brake jobs, mail order tires. ....and when I do have a repair, I have a mechanic that i pay in cash and is very reasonable.


You do have an advantage being able to do the maintenance yourself. However, depreciation happens whether your car is paid for or not.


----------



## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

The depreciation also varies based on mileage ... But how much. We talk a lot about the $0.57 a mile, but not so much about Model/year specific depreciation.


----------



## brikosig (Dec 16, 2014)

John Anderson said:


> And when your car breaks and you end up on the Satander deal?


I always buy low mileage used cars and drive them into the ground. Previous car cost 16k (only 8k was a car loan) with 50k miles.... I drove it to 260k miles. Bought my present car for 18k with 50k miles. I only needed to finance a small portion, paid it off in a year

Personally I would NEVER sign any of the loans that have been described on this blog.


----------



## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

What do you drive, UberX ? Can you add it to your profile?


----------



## brikosig (Dec 16, 2014)

Sacto Burbs said:


> What do you drive UberX ? Can you add it to your profile?


Yes. UberX.


----------



## brikosig (Dec 16, 2014)

Sacto Burbs said:


> The depreciation also varies based on mileage ... But how much. We talk a lot about the $0.57 a mile, but not so much about Model/year specific depreciation.


Yes sacto..... EX: A Chrysler 200/300 will depreciate significantly more than a Toyota Avalon ..... And although the Avalon will cost more to fix, the Toyota will need many fewer repairs over its lifespan and engine will last twice as long\mileage.

.57 is the IRS's number..... It's not a "real" number, it means very little for anything other than taxes..... And if you choose to deduct the "Actual" expenses of your car instead of the .57 on ypur taxes then it truly means nothing. Everyone should research their specific year\model car to figure out what their actual depreciation/mile is.


----------



## brikosig (Dec 16, 2014)

I've been thinking about this a lot.... I don't think you can "win" the depreciation game if you're driving 1 for 1 (or more) on gross fares vs mileage, (which is what I was driving when I started ubering).
i.e. having to drive 200 miles to make $200 in a night.... the mileage depreciation is just too dam high. I shoot to drive 50% depreciation miles.... 100 miles on a $200 night. I've occasionally been able to get it down to 40%... but that's really hard. 

Unless you live in a busy metro area.... in an area with regular surges.... or uber guarantees that are attainable.... doing 50% depreciation miles is difficult. I don't think it can be done in the suburbs with longer pickup drives.

I'm curious..... So a QUESTION for everyone????
How many miles do you drive on a given shift in comparison to your gross fares??

Thx


----------



## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

Brand new driver. 3000 miles - $1500 net - over 5 weeks. If I quit now depreciation because of the added miles is negligible. Gas not included yet.

By the way, thank you for showing us how a truly successful UberX driver operates.


----------



## brikosig (Dec 16, 2014)

Sacto Burbs said:


> Brand new driver. 3000 miles - $1500 net - over 5 weeks. If I quit now depreciation because of the added miles is negligible. Gas not included yet.
> 
> By the way, thank you for showing us how a truly successful UberX driver operates.


LOL.... Not sure how you meant the statement below??
"By the way, thank you for showing us how a truly successful UberX driver operates." <<<< is that sarcasm/busting my chops??


----------



## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

You telling me you put 200,000 miles on your car and have nothing to show for it? according to the guys on this forum you live in the promised land of Boston with high rates.


----------



## brikosig (Dec 16, 2014)

Sacto Burbs said:


> You telling me you put 200,000 miles on your car and have nothing to show for it? according to the guys on this forum you live in the promised land of Boston with high rates.


Now you've really confused me Sacto??? or perhaps I'm just tired from smashing ice dams on my roof for 2 hrs..........LOL 
I Assume your being sarcastic about some of the other people on this blog??


----------



## frndthDuvel (Aug 31, 2014)

Average commute in my area is 21 miles or so. That is over 200 miles a week. I think I put about 600 miles on last week. So actually the depreciation everybody is always crying about is reduced at least 1/3 because it would have happened if I would have been working at Walmart. UBER, the BEST slightly above minimum wage job there is. If you have another wage earner in the house, or have other 1099 income it might even be better, errr uh,uhh, not as bad as you think.


----------



## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

I am just sick of the long tirades involving a whole bunch of numbers in a zillion posts in order to try and figure out the exact point where this gig is worth it or not. A Single cut and dried formula based in my actual car and miles sounds good to me. how many miles can I suck out of my car without doing myself any harm. Let's find it.


----------



## ElectroFuzz (Jun 10, 2014)

With $1.50 per mile you can make a living.
$1.20 is OK for some pocket money.
$0.90 you are funding Uber.


----------



## frndthDuvel (Aug 31, 2014)

Sacto Burbs said:


> I am just sick of the long tirades involving a whole bunch of numbers in a zillion posts in order to try and figure out the exact point where this gig is worth it or not. A Single cut and dried formula based in my actual car and miles sounds good to me. how many miles can I suck out of my car without doing myself any harm. Let's find it.


It can't be done. everybody is going to have factors that influence their decision on how low they can go. If you are trying to buy a house, UBER is not for you. If you are trying to save a house and need a few hundred bucks while pawning your car's value, well that is another decision. One could argue the 75 cents or more in Lexington is worth more than 1 dollar in SoCal.
But pychologically, a $1.00 a mile should be the minimum, just so the Riders can estimate the ride. Least they downrate you later when they see the charge. Rates will go up. UBER will use the rise in gas prices as the excuse,but of course the rise in price will not fully cover the increase fuel cost. but at least it will keep another generation of Drivers around for one more cycle.


----------



## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

Those are just three numbers. I can suck a certain amount of miles out of my car and turn it into cash without taking a serious depreciation hit. How many miles is that ?

The only thing I hear is quit, quit, quit.

There is another possible message. Get in, take some money and get out.

frndthduvel just Showed an important variable to include.

Let's just have some fun with this, ok.


----------



## SCdave (Jun 27, 2014)

Raquel said:


> Ughhhhh..dam it UberHammer stop ****ing feeding thay nut job. He is ****ing fishing for attention


Just used "ignore" for the first time. For some strange reason, reading this thread just got more enjoyable.


----------



## marketmark (Dec 2, 2014)

JJcriggins said:


> Everyone I have Bad News...
> Dr. ****** took his last UberX trip last evening
> 
> View attachment 4801


umm.
ok?


----------



## JJcriggins (Dec 28, 2014)

marketmark said:


> umm.
> ok?


^^^^there was a picture


----------



## marketmark (Dec 2, 2014)

JJcriggins said:


> ^^^^there was a picture


and it was referring to?


----------



## JJcriggins (Dec 28, 2014)

marketmark said:


> and it was referring to?


Sorry, This got complicated
I'll pull it


----------



## The Kid (Dec 10, 2014)

frndthDuvel said:


> UBER, the BEST slightly above minimum wage job there is.


As long as you ignore the financial risk! Accidents only happen to other people, Right.


----------



## bigsneakertees (Nov 18, 2014)

jason_womack said:


> I'm not, I cleared $1200 in a week before. Granted that was a ton of driving but the way I've been working Chicago and the suburbs I'm catching more long runs. I don't mind dropping off at either of the airports because I've been getting better and finding fares around there. If someone asks me to pick them up in the arrivals I won't do it and I've had a few people that will take subway to the first stop on the line and I'll pick them up.
> 
> I work at a golf course in the summer and I day trade so I'm not relying on it for full time income. It's something nice on the side and I'll buy a new car with cash once mine goes in another few years.
> 
> I can see where it can be frustrating for drivers in smaller markets. An advantage of Chicago a lot of people that move to Chicago get rid of their cars and there's always something going on at all hours of the day.


----------



## bigsneakertees (Nov 18, 2014)

jason_womack said:


> I'm not, I cleared $1200 in a week before. Granted that was a ton of driving but the way I've been working Chicago and the suburbs I'm catching more long runs. I don't mind dropping off at either of the airports because I've been getting better and finding fares around there. If someone asks me to pick them up in the arrivals I won't do it and I've had a few people that will take subway to the first stop on the line and I'll pick them up.
> 
> I work at a golf course in the summer and I day trade so I'm not relying on it for full time income. It's something nice on the side and I'll buy a new car with cash once mine goes in another few years.
> 
> I can see where it can be frustrating for drivers in smaller markets. An advantage of Chicago a lot of people that move to Chicago get rid of their cars and there's always something going on at all hours of the day.


Chicago is a wonderful place to drive, you can come out anytime of the day even over night and get money , only problem I have is the bullshit rating system, I treat everyone nice and with respect and still rated 4.6 for no reason , this is bulks hit .


----------



## JJcriggins (Dec 28, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> I'm new here and have not started driving yet. I'm still thinking about it. If one were to judge from the comments here, nobody is happy or making decent money. Are there happy drivers? If there are, I get the feeling they are out driving and not trolling a forum looking for a place to gripe. Is it really that bad?


I think we are more like Sour Patch Kids here.
at first we are Sour...
Then we are Sweet


----------



## cybertec69 (Jul 23, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Hey, Jason. Thanks for replying. I'm in Atlanta. I want to make some extra money so that I can move to Denver. If I like driving, I'll continue to do it out there.
> 
> $1200 in a week. Wow. How many hours did you have to drive to make that?
> 
> The insurance thing concerns me, too. USAA, the company I'm with, has a new type of policy in Colorado for rideshare drivers. I'm sure I'd get right on that if I lived out there.


He slept in his car, and drove it to the ground,.


----------



## Tx rides (Sep 15, 2014)

RiderMD said:


> nobody is deceiving anyone. The reason your work is devalued is because you have no bargaining leverage. Until you do, don't expect anyone to respect you.


That's not true. They most certainly DO deceive drivers. I've seen emails sent to drivers stating they have operating authority at airports, when they don't. They have also told drivers that their personal insurance would cover the app on phase when they have no trip. Granted, it is up to each individual "independent contractor" to do their own homework, but this company most definitely deceives their drivers. Their income claims have been laughably off the charts.


----------



## Tx rides (Sep 15, 2014)

Sydney Uber said:


> Hey RiderMD, I've sorta stepped away from your posts till now. Because in some way, you are communicating a message to drivers that UBER puts out by its strategies and disregard for driver concerns.
> 
> You are right in saying that UBER doesn't respect its drivers, it's lies, sneaky guarantees, and rate drops all say that loud and clear.
> 
> ...


He could be a surgeon


----------



## SCdave (Jun 27, 2014)

Wear you live in the Atlanta Area can make a big differ


Tx rides said:


> He could be a surgeon


Which in the near future, could be a skill that will be in diminishing demand as robotic surgery advances. Heck, it might even be a new OnDemand 1099 classification soon enough.

Edit: Wow, what would the HumanSurgeonsUnite (dot net) Forum look like? " F'ing Uber Driverless Vehicle just dropped off another F'ing Uber Robotic Surgical Unit and my F'ing mom actually ordered it then called me asking why I'm at the golf course and it isn't even a Wednesday".

Argg...I'm writing this and listening to a Radio Advertisement for "Uber Driver Stories...blah, blah, blah...start earning great money with Uber"...sigh.

Anyway...off to do some Non-Uber Work.


----------



## Lidman (Nov 13, 2014)

Dr. Uber! Dr Uber! We need clarification. Calling Dr Uber!!


----------



## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

QUOTE="SCdave, post: 175026, member: 322"]Wear you live in the Atlanta Area can make a big differ

Which in the near future, could be a skill that will be in diminishing demand as robotic surgery advances. Heck, it might even be a new OnDemand 1099 classification soon enough.[/QUOTE]

My best private client is the Asia Pac agent for the Da Vinci surgical robot. Does a heaps better job than surgeons on particular procedures.

Hospitals around the world are lining up to buy these $1 million machines. After all the only reason why healthcare is so expensive is because of that "dude wearing a mask"!!


----------



## jason_womack (Nov 17, 2014)

bigsneakertees said:


> Chicago is a wonderful place to drive, you can come out anytime of the day even over night and get money , only problem I have is the bullshit rating system, I treat everyone nice and with respect and still rated 4.6 for no reason , this is bulks hit .


With some of the Surges I'll cut the riders some slack. Soldier Field was busy last night with the college hockey games going on. I caught 3.9 and up on surges and my rating for the last 24 hours is 5.0.

I'll end the fare for some of them early so they don't get raped on the fair


----------



## SCdave (Jun 27, 2014)

jason_womack said:


> With some of the Surges I'll cut the riders some slack. Soldier Field was busy last night with the college hockey games going on. I caught 3.9 and up on surges and my rating for the last 24 hours is 5.0.
> 
> I'll end the fare for some of them early so they don't get raped on the fair


Pls don't end the Fare Early.

I tell all my Riders to never ask or allow the Driver to end the Fare Early because then Uber is not Primary on the Insurance.

If you need to, Fare Adjust the Trip down.

* Keeping that analogy, Rider Paying the Surge is only Sexually Harassment, Not Having Uber as Primary would be the R Word if, G-D forbid, you got into a serious accident after ending the Fare Early.


----------



## Actionjax (Oct 6, 2014)

Will try and make this one simple.

Q. Can you make a profit on Uber?
A. In most markets yes. (Anything you take home after all expenses is profit)

Q. Can I make a living on Uber?
A. In all markets I have seen, No. (Unless your standard of living is below the minimum wage)

Are some people full of shit on this site? The answer is yes.
(And that's my invite....flame away)


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## Luberon (Nov 24, 2014)

Actionjax said:


> Will try and make this one simple.
> 
> Q. Can you make a profit on Uber?
> A. In most markets yes. (Anything you take home after all expenses is profit)
> ...


Sometimes you are full of shyte, but this post is spot on!!!


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## John Anderson (Jan 12, 2015)

Actionjax said:


> Will try and make this one simple.
> 
> Q. Can you make a profit on Uber?
> A. In most markets yes. (Anything you take home after all expenses is profit)
> ...


Actually, when you say below minimum wage, you have to remember that much of your audience lives in the third world self hating hell to your south.

Canada doesn't hate its citizens like your neighbor does. You get sick, go to the doctor. We get sick working for uber, we die. Need a quick minimum wage job, find one at lowest living wage of $10.20. We do that? In par with Uber.

You have it so much better. Higher literacy. Fewer stingy **** heads. Healthcare. Education from young age in all neighborhood. Yes, even education is restricted. Bankers redline property values and property tax pays for education.

The point: at least you don't live in a completely pointless hell.


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## Skullchik (Jan 15, 2015)

flyingdingo said:


> Hey, Jason. Thanks for replying. I'm in Atlanta. I want to make some extra money so that I can move to Denver. If I like driving, I'll continue to do it out there.
> 
> $1200 in a week. Wow. How many hours did you have to drive to make that?
> 
> The insurance thing concerns me, too. USAA, the company I'm with, has a new type of policy in Colorado for rideshare drivers. I'm sure I'd get right on that if I lived out there.


You don't want to drive for Uber in Denver. You won't make money here. When I drove for them, I would go sometimes 2+ hours without a ping during the day, and most rides on the weekends are very short, not worth it. Besides, most of the Pax are pretentious jerks or stalkers. Sorry, and yes I am sour. There was one week that I made $300. There are too many drivers on the road and the commercial insurance is very expensive.


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## Actionjax (Oct 6, 2014)

John Anderson said:


> Actually, when you say below minimum wage, you have to remember that much of your audience lives in the third world self hating hell to your south.
> 
> Canada doesn't hate its citizens like your neighbor does. You get sick, go to the doctor. We get sick working for uber, we die. Need a quick minimum wage job, find one at lowest living wage of $10.20. We do that? In par with Uber.
> 
> ...


While all of what you say has truth to it it's not all roses up here. We have our share of issues.

1) Cost of living is higher. Everything from Gas to food, clothing, cars, rent, property. It's all inflated to our neighbors to the south.
2) Our taxes are higher. (But I think we get more for our money since we don't need to feed a trillion $ military machine)
3) Our $ tanks to the rest of the world when the markets go funny. It's good for our export business. Not so much for the consumer.
4) Regulations can be restrictive up here when it comes to access to media like movies, TV shows and music

There is a reason we go south to shop big ticket items.


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## John Anderson (Jan 12, 2015)

Actionjax said:


> While all of what you say has truth to it it's not all roses up here. We have our share of issues.
> 
> 1) Cost of living is higher. Everything from Gas to food, clothing, cars, rent, property. It's all inflated to our neighbors to the south.
> 2) Our taxes are higher. (But I think we get more for our money since we don't need to feed a trillion $ military machine)
> ...


But your government doesn't regularly let pieces of shit from c-suites **** up your lives, all with the blessings of dirt poor people who literally cannot count.


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## ChrisInABQ (Oct 21, 2014)

Actionjax said:


> While all of what you say has truth to it it's not all roses up here. We have our share of issues.
> 
> 1) Cost of living is higher. Everything from Gas to food, clothing, cars, rent, property. It's all inflated to our neighbors to the south.
> 2) Our taxes are higher. (But I think we get more for our money since we don't need to feed a trillion $ military machine)
> ...


In 2010, I interviewed for a job at the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in Canada. As part of their pitch, they mention that the position pays $25k/year more than the same job in New York to make up for the extra taxes. So, in other words, they'll make sure that you're taking home the same as you would in the US. Then later they mentioned, as another pitch, that the health care is "free". I couldn't help but laugh at them for thinking that an extra $25k paid in taxes was balanced out by "free" health care. It's sad actually.


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## Actionjax (Oct 6, 2014)

ChrisInABQ said:


> In 2010, I interviewed for a job at the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in Canada. As part of their pitch, they mention that the position pays $25k/year more than the same job in New York to make up for the extra taxes. So, in other words, they'll make sure that you're taking home the same as you would in the US. Then later they mentioned, as another pitch, that the health care is "free". I couldn't help but laugh at them for thinking that an extra $25k paid in taxes was balanced out by "free" health care. It's sad actually.


And you wonder why most people feel they hit the jackpot if they get a job south of the border for the same pay. They make out like bandits.


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## Gemgirlla (Oct 16, 2014)

ElectroFuzz said:


> I don't.
> We had rates of $1.20 + $0.20 here in Phoenix up until yesterday.
> Today we are at $0.90 + $0.16...... not worth it anymore.
> I will not drive anymore but I will hang out here for a while to open drivers eyes.
> ...


Thanks for posting the fare history. I didn't realize fares were cut this much over the past 2 years. UberPlus in LA is now just a little higher ($2.35 per mile) than what X started out at in 2013. Now I really understand why drivers who have been driving for a few years are so pissed.


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## CJ ASLAN (Sep 13, 2014)




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## Gemgirlla (Oct 16, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> This is impossible. There is a floor. If drivers cannot afford to drive, they will drop out, and rates must go back up. Supply and demand will seek a balance.


We are also seeing the quality of service going down as the rates go down. Uber is actually hurting it's brand with these low rates. Most Pax in LA don't even realize there was a rate cut but they are certainly complaining about the quality of X these days.


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## Gemgirlla (Oct 16, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Oh, that guy. Don't even read his shit. If he is an MD, he is a self-loathing one. Why does he feel the need to come here to make himself feel superior? He's a poser.
> 
> Have you ever stopped your car and asked someone to get out and call another car?


I ignore people like him and don't ever have to see his posts again.... helps keep me sane (ish).

I drive part time and mostly weekends when its busy. It works for me to make some extra money when I feel like it. I love the flexibility. However, I also drive Plus, which is a better experience. I will drive X at a high surge although I can't stand X paxs. If you can drive when X surges you can make at least reasonable $ considering how easy driving is (compared to other jobs). I certainly would not want to do this full time and would never buy a car for purposes of driving.


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## Gemgirlla (Oct 16, 2014)

UberHammer said:


> I gather the "fake" surge data anecdotally. I've seen too many surges in areas with dozens and dozens of available drivers which coincide 10 to 15 minutes before an obvious expected situation of high demand, such as a major sporting event ending. Just as the event ends so does the surge and the riders/drivers get base rate trips. You can also read of many testimonies claiming the same here at UP.net. the surges aren't always occurring naturally. Some are manipulated. In other words, "fake".


Surges are most definitely manipulated!


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## mauimark (Feb 11, 2015)

ElectroFuzz said:


> Uber at the moment is a startup company funded by Venture capital.
> They do not need to show profit, normal economic forces do not currently apply to them.


I don't know why more people don't understand this. I'll say it again: Normal economic forces do not apply to venture capital-backed companies.

"Taxi cartels are monopolies. Uber is free market!" I've heard or read this so many times, and it's not even close to the truth. Uber sets the prices, Uber lowers the prices as an experiment, and when they like the result, Uber lowers them again. UBER lowers the prices, not the market. You know what a free market looks like? The drivers and passengers agree on a price, and Uber takes a cut from that. Sidecar uses this arrangement, and they're losing, because, you know what? Riders don't really want free market, they want dirt-cheap prices.

Uber's venture capital-backed price-fixing is about as far from free market as you can get.


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## kaboom08 (Nov 19, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> I'm new here and have not started driving yet. I'm still thinking about it. If one were to judge from the comments here, nobody is happy or making decent money. Are there happy drivers? If there are, I get the feeling they are out driving and not trolling a forum looking for a place to gripe. Is it really that bad?


Not that I am unhappy driving for Uber, I am as I wouldn't still be doing it.

Its just this is a forum and drivers can share their experiences, but being human that tends to be a lot of moaning and groaning about stuff, lol

And at first when you start to drive, Uber just keeps on throwing incentives at you but after a couple of months these start to disappear and you start to question things, then you find this forum and learn from all the other drivers about the mistakes they have made, tips that they share or about government legislation etc etc.

I would highly recommend that you get out there and start driving to experience for yourself to see if it is for you? But please when you are disgruntled please come back and give us a shout I am sure we would all love to hear!


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## kaboom08 (Nov 19, 2014)

Gemgirlla said:


> Surges are most definitely manipulated!


I agree its just a ploy to get all of the drivers back into the city centre, I have been told this by a Uber worker.

If you are lucky you may get the odd one or two (exception to the rare extremely busy days) but generally the intention to offer drivers the chance to earn more is nothing more than clever scam.

Some Uber PAX are catching on to this and they will wait an extra 5 mins knowing that the surge will end as there will be more drivers that riders.


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## Gemgirlla (Oct 16, 2014)

kaboom08 said:


> I agree its just a ploy to get all of the drivers back into the city centre, I have been told this by a Uber worker.
> 
> If you are lucky you may get the odd one or two (exception to the rare extremely busy days) but generally the intention to offer drivers the chance to earn more is nothing more than clever scam.
> 
> Some Uber PAX are catching on to this and they will wait an extra 5 mins knowing that the surge will end as there will be more drivers that riders.


I think it's also more than that. There are certain areas where it appears there are cars and yet there is a surge. Then other area with hardly any cars and no surge. My guess is that uber will try to get surge pricing in areas where paxs will pay it and are constantly testing paxs sensitivity to pricing. Remember Uber makes more money as well on surge pricing, not just the drivers. I've seen them do rolling surge pricing from Santa Monica to Downtown LA for no apparent reason.


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## frndthDuvel (Aug 31, 2014)

ChrisInABQ said:


> In 2010, I interviewed for a job at the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in Canada. As part of their pitch, they mention that the position pays $25k/year more than the same job in New York to make up for the extra taxes. So, in other words, they'll make sure that you're taking home the same as you would in the US. Then later they mentioned, as another pitch, that the health care is "free". I couldn't help but laugh at them for thinking that an extra $25k paid in taxes was balanced out by "free" health care. It's sad actually.


Well if the extra pay is for taxes that gets you even with the US? Do you get free health care with that lesser pay in the US? If you are getting taxes paid by Canadien employer to make you even with NEw York pay, AND your health care is free, that is not just balanced.


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## Lidman (Nov 13, 2014)

Halloween must have been a surge heaven for some of the drivers and of course a surge hello for some drunk pax who didn't see what they were getting into. There were a few other days back in Nov, but the Halloween one sticks out the most.


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## Gemgirlla (Oct 16, 2014)

Lidman said:


> Halloween must have been a surge heaven for some of the drivers and of course a surge hello for some drunk pax who didn't see what they were getting into. There were a few other days back in Nov, but the Halloween one sticks out the most.


It was crazy. Since then I've seen several of the platforms go to 5x (including last Saturday night in Hollywood but only for a few minutes not hours like on Halloween).


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## Actionjax (Oct 6, 2014)

Lidman said:


> Halloween must have been a surge heaven for some of the drivers and of course a surge hello for some drunk pax who didn't see what they were getting into. There were a few other days back in Nov, but the Halloween one sticks out the most.


In Toronto UberX was less than 2 months old and they only just turned on surge pricing the week before. From 10 at night till I packed it in at 4 am most areas were between 1.8x to 6.0x the red never went away all night. We had less drivers then and no one knew what surge was or how bad it would sting.

The Uber honeymoon was over after that.


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## jeerar (Dec 4, 2014)

jason_womack said:


> Their business model is reflecting what Amazon was at the start with free shipping. Uber is taking a 25 cent hit for every UberX passenger they take on.
> 
> With the way Travis runs the company I see him raising rates once Cab companies start going out of business. I have riders in Chicago tell me that it's harder to hail a cab in the city now because they don't drive around looking for fares as much. You see them lined up outside clubs, train stations, and residential towers.
> 
> Once he raises the rates, he'll find another way to screw over the drivers and keep more of a cut.


It is impossible for Uber to "take a hit." lol. They aren't PRODUCING anything. The "service" provided is your labor. You are taking the "hit." Not Uber.


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## Raquel (Jan 9, 2015)

SDUberdriver said:


> _Hey Raquel,Where ya been?_


Banned from the forum for 5 days.


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## Quintessence (Sep 8, 2014)

ElectroFuzz said:


> Just to put things in perspective
> Uber San Francisco:
> 
> Base ----------- $2.20
> ...


How do you find out what the rates are in your area? I have an MBA and want to know!


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## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

Click resources at the top of the page


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## ElectroFuzz (Jun 10, 2014)

Quintessence said:


> How do you find out what the rates are in your area? I have an MBA and want to know!


https://www.uber.com/cities

Select the city you want and see the rates.


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## Chris Dee (Nov 19, 2014)

Desert Driver said:


> Just curious, but why on earth would a person pay $50K for a silly SUV? That's just pointless and wasteful, pragmatically speaking, of course.


Why would you state something so ridiculous? Think about it... What do you say to the person that can afford it? Why buy a Hyundai Sante Fe when I can afford a Audi Q7 ? It's a matter or preference and affordability. I have a SUV of much greater value, it sits in my garage all week but I need it for towing and hauling. I decided to use it for Uber and it pays for itself and more every month now. 
I could see truth in your statement if one decided to purchase a vehicle solely for Uber, then, you are definitely on point.


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## Lidman (Nov 13, 2014)

Raquel said:


> Banned from the forum for 5 days.


 Welcome back!


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## SDUberdriver (Nov 11, 2014)

Raquel said:


> Banned from the forum for 5 days.


_Oh my really? You must have posted some bad shit_


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## Raquel (Jan 9, 2015)

SDUberdriver said:


> _Oh my really? You must have posted some bad shit_


See the thread where I got called a prostitute by @RiderMD


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## Kim Chi (Dec 10, 2014)

I cannot say ppl here on the forum is sour. Ppl need to vent. A big difference between the term sour or frustrated.


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## MKEUber (Aug 20, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Why do you continue to do it, and if you have stopped driving, why do you continue to visit this forum and pour salt in your own wounds?


You're not driving yet, why do you post?


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## Lidman (Nov 13, 2014)

He said he's going to start driving uber this weekend and report back to us to see how it went.


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## MKEUber (Aug 20, 2014)

Lidman said:


> He said he's going to start driving uber this weekend and report back to us to see how it went.


My point being is that the first thing this person did to everybody who responded negatively was say "uhh duuhhhh, do you still drive for Uber? If not why do you post here?".

I don't know who the f#$% this newbie thinks he/she is, but don't come on here and in your first post start telling people who can and cannot post. As far as I'm concerned, if you have driven for Uber in the past, you have a right to post here whether you are still driving or not.


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

MKEUber said:


> You're not driving yet, why do you post?


I've been out driving all afternoon. So far, so good. I'll head out there again in a few.


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

MKEUber said:


> My point being is that the first thing this person did to everybody who responded negatively was say "uhh duuhhhh, do you still drive for Uber? If not why do you post here?".
> 
> I don't know who the f#$% this newbie thinks he/she is, but don't come on here and in your first post start telling people who can and cannot post. As far as I'm concerned, if you have driven for Uber in the past, you have a right to post here whether you are still driving or not.


Thank you, Mr Sunshine.


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## fork2323 (Aug 27, 2014)

I'm happy again, feels like the good old days from early last summer, two price cuts back.. no weirdos in my car, get to listen to whatever I want, get to see pick up and drop off location befor e I accept the trip and what base payout is.. 

today driving for Postmates:

Commission: 51.40
Tips (collected): 97.67
----------------------------
Total payout: 149.0

9 trips, averaging $16.55 per trip.

all trips very low miles as only did trtips in west Hollywood and Beverly Hills area. most time was spent in restaurants waiting for food to be ready rather than spending gas driving around.


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

Chris Dee said:


> Why would you state something so ridiculous? Think about it... What do you say to the person that can afford it? Why buy a Hyundai Sante Fe when I can afford a Audi Q7 ? It's a matter or preference and affordability. I have a SUV of much greater value, it sits in my garage all week but I need it for towing and hauling. I decided to use it for Uber and it pays for itself and more every month now.
> I could see truth in your statement if one decided to purchase a vehicle solely for Uber, then, you are definitely on point.


But the point remains, why on earth would a person pay $50K for a silly SUV? That's just pointless and wasteful, pragmatically speaking, of course.


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## Quintessence (Sep 8, 2014)

ElectroFuzz said:


> https://www.uber.com/cities
> 
> Select the city you want and see the rates.


My city is not listed. I'm 2 counties up from San Francisco, I doubt we have the same rates. I have driven in about 8 towns in my area, mine is 157,000 population and not on this list.

Thanks for any help!


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## ElectroFuzz (Jun 10, 2014)

Quintessence said:


> My city is not listed. I'm 2 counties up from San Francisco, I doubt we have the same rates. I have driven in about 8 towns in my area, mine is 157,000 population and not on this list.
> 
> Thanks for any help!


Open your Partner App.
From the drop down menu select WAYBILL.
The rates for your last ride will be listed there.


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

Atlanta @ 95 cents a mile. Oh yeah baby. Tall cotton...heh heh. What a joke.

For the newbie who doesn't like negativity.

95 cents a mile X .80 (Uber's cut of 20% off the top) = 76 cents a paid mile.

Typical (good) day 1 paid mile to one unpaid.

So, 38 cents a mile.

*minus

costs*

yee haa

Gotta be makin' what? 8-10 cents a mile!

200 miles. Why, that's at least 20 bucks!

yee haa. Go get 'em cowboy!


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

I drove 148 miles over two days. My payout was $148.18 from Uber, $38.42 from Lyft, one private ride charged on my Square reader for $16.00, and $58.00 in tips. I met two people who asked for my phone number; one has already called. That was the $16.00 private ride to the mall. The other needs help with her dog during the week. I'm happy to do it. I met two guys who invited me for drinks later in the week. I'll go.

I work mostly Midtown Atlanta, which is the main gay area of our city. I'm gay, so that helps. I'm also not surly. I smile. I talk. I know every shortcut, nook, and cranny of my city and its neighborhoods, having lived here for 17 years, much of it riding a Vespa. 

All of my riders were pleasant. I did have one stinky one, but oh, well. He smelled like garlic. Valentine's Day I drove the dinner crowd and stayed out for bar closings. Sunday, I hit the Midtown hotels to catch people checking out and heading to the airport and then tooled around the afternoon picking up drinkers.

I had a few no-shows and some cancellations. That part is disappointing, but I'm getting better at looking at how far the pickup is and the rider rating before accepting. I also made the mistake of getting stuck at Atlantic Station three times (!) during insane traffic. That was a lot of wasted time for small fares.

I know the parts of the city where I don't want to pick up riders, and if a trip takes me near those areas, I go offline and get myself back to home base before going back online. Otherwise, it's too easy to get farther and farther out and away from my preferred clientele.


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> I drove 148 miles over two days. My payout was $148.18 from Uber, $38.42 from Lyft, one private ride charged on my Square reader for $16.00, and $58.00 in tips. I met two people who asked for my phone number; one has already called. That was the $16.00 private ride to the mall. The other needs help with her dog during the week. I'm happy to do it. I met two guys who invited me for drinks later in the week. I'll go.
> 
> I work mostly Midtown Atlanta, which is the main gay area of our city. I'm gay, so that helps. I'm also not surly. I smile. I talk. I know every shortcut, nook, and cranny of my city and its neighborhoods, having lived here for 17 years, much of it riding a Vespa.
> 
> ...


You have a solid strategy. Good on ya. Well done!


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## Chris Dee (Nov 19, 2014)

Short trips are the disappointing end of the ride spectrum, next too pukers and drunk arses. Private rides will hopefully work out good for you but just be aware that if god forbid you get into a mishap. I do quite a bit of private rides but I have the customer request me via Uber and then they will supplement.


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## DrJeecheroo (Feb 12, 2015)

Desert Driver said:


> You have a solid strategy. Good on ya. Well done!


If he's still this cheery after two months, I'll be impressed.


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Had another good day today. All business people, including three airport runs. As I approach my pax, I text "Ride in the front or back. Either way is cool with me. -Rick "

Then most sit in the front, and when they are up front, they don't treat you like a lump of meat. It is more like real ride sharing instead of taxi cab driver. Met a guy today who travels 200 days out of the year and has three pets at home. My other side business is pet sitting and dog walking, so another regular customer for me.

Tomorrow I'm starting at 4:30 in the morning to catch early airport runs to see how that goes.


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> Had another good day today. All business people, including three airport runs. As I approach my pax, I text "Ride in the front or back. Either way is cool with me. -Rick "
> 
> Then most sit in the front, and when they are up front, they don't treat you like a lump of meat. It is more like real ride sharing instead of taxi cab driver. Met a guy today who travels 200 days out of the year and has three pets at home. My other side business is pet sitting and dog walking, so another regular customer for me.
> 
> Tomorrow I'm starting at 4:30 in the morning to catch early airport runs to see how that goes.


Your cheery outlook is refreshing. But we can't help but be curious regarding how long you'll be able to retain that wide-eyed wonder.


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## IndyDriver (Nov 6, 2014)

What are you going to do when you get in an accident on one of your Square charged private rides?


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

Desert Driver said:


> Your cheery outlook is refreshing. But we can't help but be curious regarding how long you'll be able to retain that wide-eyed wonder.


Well, we'll see. I'm single and live very frugally. I don't require much, but I don't want to spend every waking hour working.


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## flyingdingo (Feb 5, 2015)

IndyDriver said:


> What are you going to do when you get in an accident on one of your Square charged private rides?


I'm not going to do that again.


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## IndyDriver (Nov 6, 2014)

flyingdingo said:


> I'm not going to do that again.


I'm not saying I didn't do a ride or two off the books, but I only took cash and told the rider up front that if anything happens we are just friends and I am giving you a ride cause your car broke down. I quit doing it though...my mind runs wild with all the whatifs when things go wrong.


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