# Heads up Australian Drivers



## QLDUberDriver (Jan 23, 2016)

Uber Pool hasnt arrived yet as far as I know here but I am so glad I no longer continue with UberX reading this news today.

Ever since Uber started here, keeping up with U.S. news was almost a crystal ball of how things develop here. It all down hill for earnings and the crowds will get bigger once we hit the next global financial trip up between now and 2018.

Uber will forever find ways to have the biggest market share of this industry at the expense of drivers. All I can say is I dont envy those that think things will stay the same or improve with earnings. Its all down hill and its as good as it gets if you haven't bothered to improve your skills to secure better earnings. Dont take my word for it, read the U.S. forums about this.

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*Uber Express Pool offers the cheapest fares yet in exchange for a little walking*

*Uber's first new product in three years*

UberPool has long occupied a weird place in the ride-hailing company's lineup of services. Riders love it because its so cheap, but drivers hate it because of the stress of ferrying multiple passengers to a variety of destinations. And the company's executives are torn between the belief that UberPool best personifies their long-term mission of reducing the number of vehicles on the road and the millions of dollars in subsidies they need to spend in order to keep it running.

This week, Uber is formally launching a new type of carpooling service that aims to address many of these issues. It's called Express Pool and it's Uber's first new product in three years. And for a company that's built its entire business model on unsustainable and unprofitable levels of convenience, its unique in that, well, it's kin dof a schlep.

Here's how it works: riders who select Express Pool will be asked to wait a minute or two longer than usual to be matched with a driver. The idea is that during this additional time, Uber's algorithm is blasting through hundreds of different drivers, routes, pickup and dropoff locations, and additional riders looking for the optimal match. After the match, riders will be directed to walk a few extra blocks to their pickup location, where (if Uber's algorithm worked the way its supposed to) they'll hopefully meet one or two additional riders who've also been matched with the same driver.

Ideally, these people are headed to the same general area as the original rider. At the end of the ride, passengers will be dropped off within walking distance to their final destination. And their reward for all this extra waiting and walking? Dirt-cheap fares, up to 50 percent cheaper than UberPool and 75 percent less expensive than UberX.

Uber isn't the first service to offer ridiculously low prices for less convenient, shared rides. Ride-sharing service Via, in which short trips can cost as low as $5, operates in New York City, Chicago, and Washington, DC. Lyft's carpooling service, Lyft Line, often is cheaper than UberPool, thanks to subsidies and discounts. So it makes sense that Uber would be getting more aggressive in this space.

Uber has been piloting Express Pool in San Francisco and Boston since last November. (_TechCrunch _was the first to catch wind.) And before that, Uber's team in New York City was experimenting with asking UberPool riders to walk to pickups and destinations in Manhattan. So pleased are they with the results, that they're now rolling it out to a bunch more cities: Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, San Diego, and Denver, with more cities on the way.

Read more here:
https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/21/17020484/uber-express-pool-launch-cities


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## Who is John Galt? (Sep 28, 2016)

QLDUberDriver said:


> Uber Pool hasnt arrived yet as far as I know here but I am so glad I no longer continue with UberX reading this news today.
> 
> Ever since Uber started here, keeping up with U.S. news was almost a crystal ball of how things develop here. It all down hill for earnings and the crowds will get bigger once we hit the next global financial trip up between now and 2018.
> 
> ...


The 'verge' article is interesting. Thanks.


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## tinymoon (Nov 26, 2017)

I am sure that I have done UberPool couple times in Goldie when the first rider directs me to pick up his/her friends, the so-called second rider then the third rider and finally to the destination. LoL

Some riders have a weird thinking that they can cheat the system by setting the destination 1km short of their actual destination and ask me to drive around the corner or further up. Yeah, sure every km I put on every km I earn.

I personally do not think UberPool or Uber ExpressPool will work in Australia as riders here do not even want to sit next driver let alone a stranger LoL.


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## UberDriverAU (Nov 4, 2015)

tinymoon said:


> I personally do not think UberPool or Uber ExpressPool will work in Australia as riders here do not even want to sit next driver let alone a stranger LoL.


If not for GST, I reckon we'd already have UberPool and Upfront Fares in Australia.


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## Skipper (Aug 14, 2017)

QLDUberDriver said:


> Uber isn't the first service to offer ridiculously low prices for less convenient, shared rides.


no they're not the first - we call it public transport


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## george manousaridis (Jan 27, 2017)

QLDUberDriver said:


> Uber Pool hasnt arrived yet as far as I know here but I am so glad I no longer continue with UberX reading this news today.
> 
> Ever since Uber started here, keeping up with U.S. news was almost a crystal ball of how things develop here. It all down hill for earnings and the crowds will get bigger once we hit the next global financial trip up between now and 2018.
> 
> ...


have you read on these forums in the US about the Pool? Its exiciting for the honey moon period then its not as good as it sounds.


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## Lowestformofwit (Sep 2, 2016)

tinymoon said:


> I personally do not think UberPool or Uber ExpressPool will work in Australia as riders here do not even want to sit next driver let alone a stranger LoL.


Agree - take public transport if you want to do that.
Whatever happened to "Uber - your private driver"?
Big direction reversal in spin there.
But, of course, it benefits Uber and riders' hip pockets - the name of the game.


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## tinymoon (Nov 26, 2017)

Skipper said:


> no they're not the first - we call it public transport


I call it taxpayer subsided transport service for public transport

I call it driver partner subsided Uber service for UberX

I call it Free Uber service at driver expense for UberPool



Lowestformofwit said:


> Agree - take public transport if you want to do that.
> Whatever happened to "Uber - your private driver"?
> Big direction reversal in spin there.
> But, of course, it benefits Uber and riders' hip pockets - the name of the game.


Totally agree, I feel weird when a block sits right behind and keep checking on the phone instead of making an effort to say "Hi"

Anyway, I do not give a damn F anymore. Wherever they choose to sit, I just drive A to B safe and sound. It is my only responsibility.

"Uber-Your private driver". That's why riders sometimes treat us like we are their slave.

It seems Uber Select is picking up the on the new trend now.


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## george manousaridis (Jan 27, 2017)

Ever life changing Uber and it's road to so called stardom,lol.Wait till Pool arrives and carrying paxs no one knows and putting up with different riders and their antics and their luggage.Watch and see the scratches and accidents that will happen and disagreements in car.Lol good luck to who ever is doing it.The driver will get blamed and the imagine depending the amount of riders you get for example four individuals that will rate you a 1 star,4 X 1 star ratings and driver dwactivated,the body heat and smells of riders and the airconditioning has to be put on all the time,burn for fuel and dollars or even maybe ,Pool will be used as a match for blind dating and much more.Lol good bye driver and deactivated.



george manousaridis said:


> Ever life changing Uber and it's road to so called stardom,lol.Wait till Pool arrives and carrying paxs no one knows and putting up with different riders and their antics and their luggage.Watch and see the scratches and accidents that will happen and disagreements in car.Lol good luck to who ever is doing it.The driver will get blamed and the imagine depending the amount of riders you get for example four individuals that will rate you a 1 star,4 X 1 star ratings and driver dwactivated,the body heat and smells of riders and the airconditioning has to be put on all the time,burn for fuel and dollars or even maybe ,Pool will be used as a match for blind dating and much more.Lol good bye driver and deactivated.


And imagine 4 idiots in the Pool and all on their phones and on Tindér or whatever,lol good luck Pool drivers.Imagine 4 smelly riders stinching of weed and all the phone chargers and the bottles of water and mints lol go getm Poopers.


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## tinymoon (Nov 26, 2017)

4 x 1*
4 x Different smells
4 x Bottle water - says request only
4 x different mints to accommodate 4 x different tastes
3 guys will fight for 1 girl or another way round lol
2 want to be cooler and 2 want to be warmer. Good luck driver to set the aircon.

And 4 x quicker driver get deactivate and 4 x less driver on the road and it might lead to 4 x better rate for those who do not do Pool LOL
I just found a good reason to support Pool


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## george manousaridis (Jan 27, 2017)

tinymoon said:


> 4 x 1*
> 4 x Different smells
> 4 x Bottle water - says request only
> 4 x different mints to accommodate 4 x different tastes
> ...


Go forth and prosper in the Pool!


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## U8er (Sep 11, 2017)

So is that POOL thingy called rideshare-share? Lol


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## tinymoon (Nov 26, 2017)

U8er said:


> So is that POOL thingy called rideshare-share? Lol


IMHO: Share the Rideshare


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## Lowestformofwit (Sep 2, 2016)

Uber Pool.
So much for "Be your own boss".


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## BuckleUp (Jan 18, 2018)

It seems it's hard enough for a pax to walk out of the driveway to your car, or cross the road to your car, asking them to walk a few blocks is out of the question. Not considering the fact of safety concerns at night time, drunks stumbling around on the streets trying to find the pickup location, people with shopping bags, etc, I don't see it working too well except in isolated scenarios. Easier to get the bus, more leg room too.


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