# Total disdain for Uber from it's drivers



## prdelnik666 (Sep 17, 2014)

Article in Forbes sums it up - although I think those numbers are still little soft. Full self-destruction mode. 
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/11/25/uber-driver-survey/


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## Selcric (Sep 1, 2014)

prdelnik666 said:


> Article in Forbes sums it up - although I think those numbers are still little soft. Full self-destruction mode.
> http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/11/25/uber-driver-survey/


Ha! A survey of 184 drivers is hardly an adequate sample size. I saw 184 drivers on Hollywood and Highland alone today. I'm not saying drivers aren't unhappy-they are...very. But not about the fiasco last week, which is bad in and of itself, rather 50% income lost and a poor rating system probably force most drivers to quit.


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## prdelnik666 (Sep 17, 2014)

Selcric said:


> Ha! A survey of 184 drivers is hardly an adequate sample size. I saw 184 drivers on Hollywood and Highland alone today. I'm not saying drivers aren't unhappy-they are...very. But not about the fiasco last week, which is bad in and of itself, rather 50% income lost and a poor rating system probably force most drivers to quit.


I agree with you, the "sample" size is small and it's not about the fiasco from last week. However, at least the tone is changing in the media in regards to how "great" Pooper (oops, sorry, Uber) is. I've been driving for a long time now and I think 99.99% of the drivers are mad as hell now - compared to when I started everyone was "over the moon happy"


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## big Dave (Nov 21, 2014)

I believe it will turn around. As Uber has gained market share, they will refine, improve, and increase rates = benefiting drivers, riders and corporate. Uber on!


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## suewho (Sep 27, 2014)

big Dave said:


> I believe it will turn around. As Uber has gained market share, they will refine, improve, and increase rates = benefiting drivers, riders and corporate. Uber on!


I think you should go and have a lie down, perhaps lay off the kool aid for a while


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## RideshareGuru (Nov 17, 2014)

big Dave said:


> I believe it will turn around. As Uber has gained market share, they will refine, improve, and increase rates = benefiting drivers, riders and corporate. Uber on!


They have grown their market share and ridership by lowering rates. The ultimate stated goal of Travis Kalanick is to make ridesharing cheaper than owning a vehicle, and he has also stated that he wants to eventually have driverless cars on the road because the driver is the biggest expense in driving a car. So, what you are saying is that you really hope that the CEO of Uber is lying to everyone. Trust me, the rates will continue to decline, things will get worse over time for drivers, not better, it is the design of the company. As far as tech goes, if cabbies are VHS players, and the driverless cars are DVD players, we are the combo VHS/DVD player, just a transition to the inevitable.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

big Dave said:


> I believe it will turn around. As Uber has gained market share, they will refine, improve, and increase rates = benefiting drivers, riders and corporate. Uber on!


Yes sir, you Uber On! too.

You have a day job, right?


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

RideshareGuru said:


> They have grown their market share and ridership by lowering rates.


Lowering rates didn't do a thing except hurt drivers. I've yet to meet a single person that only started using Uber when the rates got low enough. I've met many that told me the cheaper fares have absolutely nothing to do with why they use Uber. If they're so concerned about low fares then why do they commit price-gouging?



RideshareGuru said:


> the CEO of Uber is lying to everyone.


Uber is built on lies. I expect only lies from Uber. If they ever told the truth I wouldn't recognize it. I'm not lying - or maybe I am. I work for Uber.



RideshareGuru said:


> if cabbies are VHS players, and the driverless cars are DVD players, we are the combo VHS/DVD player, just a transition to the inevitable.


My analogy is different - If Uber drivers are a bunch of butt-holes, Uber is a bunch of dicks that keeps driving into us. Then backing up, and doing it again. But yeah, it's getting worse with no end in sight. At least until the driver-less Nirvana is reached. Then Uber can freeze dry us, grind us up, and sell us for dog food.


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## chi1cabby (May 28, 2014)

@prdelnik666 @Selcric @suewho 
@big Dave @RideshareGuru @DriverJ 
This thread has the Forbes article, the ongoing SherpaShare Survey link, and the ongoing UberPeople.net Poll for rating Uber:

http://www.uberpeople.net/threads/s...vers-say-theyll-drive-less-for-uber-now.7752/


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## RideshareGuru (Nov 17, 2014)

DriverJ said:


> Lowering rates didn't do a thing except hurt drivers. I've yet to meet a single person that only started using Uber when the rates got low enough. I've met many that told me the cheaper fares have absolutely nothing to do with why they use Uber. If they're so concerned about low fares then why do they commit price-gouging?
> 
> Uber is built on lies. I expect only lies from Uber. If they ever told the truth I wouldn't recognize it. I'm not lying - or maybe I am. I work for Uber.
> 
> My analogy is different - If Uber drivers are a bunch of butt-holes, Uber is a bunch of dicks that keeps driving into us. Then backing up, and doing it again. But yeah, it's getting worse with no end in sight. At least until the driver-less Nirvana is reached. Then Uber can freeze dry us, grind us up, and sell us for dog food.


Lowering rates did hurt drivers, yes, of course it did, but Uber doesn't care about us because we are expendable and more sign up every day, even in Chicago, where minimum fares are a paltry $1.70 and $0.90/mile. Uber lowers rates because they can and their models tell them it is good for them. They still do surge pricing to throw drivers a bone, but they closely monitor what percentage of time is surged, and they turn it on or off at will, this is why you can see "no uberx available" and no surge. As for price not being why people use Uber, I hear the same BS, but that doesn't stop them from griping about surge and low rating drivers because of it. Uber constantly advertises on price, not on service, so obviously they believe that is their key to growing and the reason that people start using them to begin with. Customers also gripe about not being able to tip on the app, but they still don't give you a dollar or two even though you know they have cash on them.


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## CLAkid (Oct 23, 2014)

big Dave said:


> I believe it will turn around. As Uber has gained market share, they will refine, improve, and increase rates = benefiting drivers, riders and corporate. Uber on!


I like your optimism


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

RideshareGuru said:


> minimum fares are a paltry $1.70


Are you f'ing kidding me?? I knew about the $0.90/mile joke, but I didn't know the minimum fare was $1.70!! I assumed it was $4 like some other places. (We're still at a _*lofty*_ $5 here.) That is beyond absurd. Why not just drop the bullshit and tell the customers, _*"Look, if you're not really going that far, we'll just have the driver pay for your trip."*_ I mean that's where it's at anyway.

I don't want this to be misconstrued, because Uber is little more to me now than a good target to lash out at, ridicule and make fun of, but I can see this getting to the point where some drivers start revolting in violent ways. People that have nothing else, especially those that got suckered into leasing a car, might not react so well after continuously getting squeezed for more and more ($1.70 ???). Just like all animals, people have a '*Fight or Flight*' response, when they feel flight is not an option, Uber had better watch their backs! I guess that's why the head guy knows to keep security around him. It must suck wondering how many people are out to get you. I know nearly everyone in the middle east wants me dead, but here, not so many. My ex and some cab drivers.

Now I know why the Uber portable office crew didn't come to town for a few weeks after they announced the 25% rate cut here. They were scared they wouldn't make it back out of town!  I guess when $1.70 rides hit here they'll be Skyping only! I would think the business isn't exactly going so well when you feel you have to hide from your employees.

My recurring thought is how great this whole thing could have been, but how big a pile of crap it was made in to.

Couldn't the Airbnb people buy this Uber turd and try to fix it? I hear they've got things figured out over there.


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## RideshareGuru (Nov 17, 2014)

Here it is, on their own website: https://www.uber.com/cities/chicago

Remember that you need to subtract $1 from the stated minimum fare since $1 of it isn't actually part of the fare, it's the "Safety fee".


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## RideshareGuru (Nov 17, 2014)

DriverJ said:


> Are you f'ing kidding me?? I knew about the $0.90/mile joke, but I didn't know the minimum fare was $1.70!! I assumed it was $4 like some other places. (We're still at a _*lofty*_ $5 here.) That is beyond absurd. Why not just drop the bullshit and tell the customers, _*"Look, if you're not really going that far, we'll just have the driver pay for your trip."*_ I mean that's where it's at anyway.
> 
> I don't want this to be misconstrued, because Uber is little more to me now than a good target to lash out at, ridicule and make fun of, but I can see this getting to the point where some drivers start revolting in violent ways. People that have nothing else, especially those that got suckered into leasing a car, might not react so well after continuously getting squeezed for more and more ($1.70 ???). Just like all animals, people have a '*Fight or Flight*' response, when they feel flight is not an option, Uber had better watch their backs! I guess that's why the head guy knows to keep security around him. It must suck wondering how many people are out to get you. I know nearly everyone in the middle east wants me dead, but here, not so many. My ex and some cab drivers.
> 
> ...


More food for thought: Uber's "leaked" December 2013 numbers showed that in Chicago, Uber taxi was almost 50% of their requests. On Uber Taxi, they don't get a percentage of the fares, only a booking fee, and pax pay standard cab rates, yet they still set the UberX rates at less than 50% of cab rates. What this means is that yes, people will pay more to use their service, and even use crappy cabs instead of personal vehicles, even at a higher price. The question that you have to ask is why? The answer is because Uber realizes that the bulk of their money comes from the "safety fee" portion anyway, all the lower rates are is a way to attract people into the lower tiers of service (aka growing the pie). The reason that people pay more for cabs is because there are more of them and they are going to be closer to the riders, plus cab rates don't get surged. If Uber can generate significant revenue from existing cabs and not have the insurance outlay that they do on X, then why not make X cheaper and attract people who wouldn't normally shell out cash for a cab? If Chicago proves anything, it is that Uber will never raise rates (or if they do, it will only be due to natural inflation, not to throw the drivers a bone).


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## chi1cabby (May 28, 2014)

RideshareGuru said:


> What this means is that yes, people will pay more to use their service, and even use *crappy cabs* instead of personal vehicles, even at a higher price.


I agree with your thinking in general about Uber's pricing policy in Chicago.

This is a 2 month old pic at O'hare Cab Staging lot. Chicago cab fleet is less than 5 years old and 80% hybrid. I don't see any *crappy cabs* in there.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

RideshareGuru said:


> not to throw the drivers a bone


I know you're exactly right. I've been getting _*the only bone*_ I'll ever get from Uber, and it's not financial. I'm just kinda screwing around, not really Ubering half as much as I was, and avoiding getting off my butt and getting back to gainful employment. Uber will only continue to get worse for drivers, that's obvious. The only ones that will be able to afford to drive for Uber(X) are the ones that live in their cars, or have ten people renting a house, and two or three sharing a car and lease. I would imagine at some point the lease will be too much, and it will become the oldest used car that will qualify for Uber.

I tried Uber, and the only thing it did was open my eyes to what the future hopefully doesn't bring.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

chi1cabby said:


> I agree with your thinking in general about Uber's pricing policy in Chicago.
> 
> This is a 2 month old pic at O'hare Cab Staging lot. Chicago cab fleet is less than 5 years old and 80% hybrid. I don't see any *crappy cabs* in there.


Those are impressive numbers. I believe I could count the hybrid cabs here on one hand. Probably more like (2) fingers. Most of the cabs are older too.


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## JeffD1964 (Nov 27, 2014)

I was planning to buy a car and start driving for Uber in my off hours. I do have a regular job. I was hoping to make $250 - $350 per weekend. Am I being naive?


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## SDUberdriver (Nov 11, 2014)

JeffD1964 said:


> I was planning to buy a car and start driving for Uber in my off hours. I do have a regular job. I was hoping to make $250 - $350 per weekend. Am I being naive?


_I am part time Fri Sat and some Sundays. I also have my airport permit. So I can easily hit those numbers ._


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## JeffD1964 (Nov 27, 2014)

I will have no airport permit, at least to start. How much of your business is airport traffic? My understanding in Dallas is the airports allow drop offs but no pick ups. And thank you for replying, SDU, I appreciate it.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

JeffD1964 said:


> I was planning to buy a car and start driving for Uber in my off hours. I do have a regular job. I was hoping to make $250 - $350 per weekend. Am I being naive?


I'd have to say it depends on your market. It sucks big-time here. You'd be looking at near full-time hours to do that here now (before expenses). This gig is a losing proposition.


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## SDUberdriver (Nov 11, 2014)

JeffD1964 said:


> I will have no airport permit, at least to start. How much of your business is airport traffic? My understanding in Dallas is the airports allow drop offs but no pick ups. And thank you for replying, SDU, I appreciate it.


_Most airports allow drop offs. I start my day @the airport. Where ever I drop off,I try and catch a ride back down. On a good day ,I can make about $ 200. Then I will hit the streets._


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## JeffD1964 (Nov 27, 2014)

Gotcha. The pick up permit makes a nice difference it seems.


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## SDUberdriver (Nov 11, 2014)

JeffD1964 said:


> Gotcha. The pick up permit makes a nice difference it seems.


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## RideshareGuru (Nov 17, 2014)

chi1cabby said:


> I agree with your thinking in general about Uber's pricing policy in Chicago.
> 
> This is a 2 month old pic at O'hare Cab Staging lot. Chicago cab fleet is less than 5 years old and 80% hybrid. I don't see any *crappy cabs* in there.


Crappy cabs is usually how our pax describe them to us. Some are abused on the inside, have drivers who dont speak English, smell, and here in Nashville, many are damaged. Can drivers over the years have earned a bad reputation. All I'm saying is that people usually value convenience over price, and will take what is in their mind a substandard ride at a higher price so long as that ride is there more quickly. A much smaller percentage is willing to wait longer to pay less. Uber wants all of their business, so they create tiers to accommodate them all.


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## Joseph medley (Nov 16, 2014)

prdelnik666 said:


> I agree with you, the "sample" size is small and it's not about the fiasco from last week. However, at least the tone is changing in the media in regards to how "great" Pooper (oops, sorry, Uber) is. I've been driving for a long time now and I think 99.99% of the drivers are mad as hell now - compared to when I started everyone was "over the moon happy"


Help me out what am I missing I've been with uber one month and im happy


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## RideshareGuru (Nov 17, 2014)

Joseph medley said:


> Help me out what am I missing I've been with uber one month and im happy


Read some of the stories and news articles. Do the math on what you actually earn per hour after gas, depreciation and maintenance/repairs on your vehicle. Ask yourself if you truly believe that the ratings system is "fair".


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## chi1cabby (May 28, 2014)

Joseph medley said:


> Help me out what am I missing I've been with uber one month and im happy


Uber is operating without approval in Philadelphia. As soon as it gets regulatory approval this will happen (+ a lot lot more crap):

Philadelphia UberX Rates









Chicago UberX Rates:









LA UberX Rates









I hope that gives you an idea of what's to come. Enjoy the good times while they last.


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## UberXTampa (Nov 20, 2014)

Joseph medley said:


> Help me out what am I missing I've been with uber one month and im happy


Only one month? Like in honey-moon? honeymoon effect will soon pass and you will tell a different story.

Uber knows when you are happy. They will flood your happy market with more drivers till you are happy no more. Still happy? Rates will be cut and uber cut will be hiked. Mark my words and come back to post when your happy status changes to something else.


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## RideshareGuru (Nov 17, 2014)

UberXTampa said:


> Only one month? Like in honey-moon? honeymoon effect will soon pass and you will tell a different story.
> 
> Uber knows when you are happy. They will flood your happy market with more drivers till you are happy no more. Still happy? Rates will be cut and uber cut will be hiked. Mark my words and come back to post when your happy status changes to something else.


I think @chi1cabby explained it best with his rate quotes from uber's site.


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

JeffD1964 said:


> I was planning to buy a car and start driving for Uber in my off hours. I do have a regular job. I was hoping to make $250 - $350 per weekend. Am I being naive?


Never buy a car for uber. EVER!

L.A. minimum fare driver gets $2.40, in Chicago $1.36

Shit pay is in everybody's future, can't pay for a car earning that


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## chi1cabby (May 28, 2014)

BTW, @Joseph medley also compare Philly Minimum Fare $7 & Cancellation Fee $10 to other cities'.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

big Dave said:


> I believe it will turn around. As Uber has gained market share, they will refine, improve, and increase rates = benefiting drivers, riders and corporate. Uber on!


Where did you go "Big Dave"?

Can you expand on theory/fantasy that UBER will change tack and "benifit" drivers?

Methinks you may know something like Travis is heading to the Himalayas to find himself a Buddhist Guru who'll show him the value of charity, humility and sharing.


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## arto71 (Sep 20, 2014)

Uber may increase the rates 15% to 20% in the future not because they feel sympathetic towards drivers but IMO cost of operation on our part will 
increase eather we want it or not(hybrid ins, local gov. fees).But by the end of the day we'll make same $.


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## arto71 (Sep 20, 2014)

Did any of you got an e-mail like this?
















Hey .....

We wanted to alert you that your account is at risk of deactivation very soon.

To keep your account active, simply complete a trip in the next week.

If you're out of town or unable to drive, or you've decided Uber isn't the right fit for you, please reply to this email and let us know. We will help sort things out.

Thanks,
The Uber Team


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## Joseph medley (Nov 16, 2014)

chi1cabby said:


> Uber is operating without approval in Philadelphia. As soon as it gets regulatory approval this will happen (+ a lot lot more crap):
> 
> Philadelphia UberX Rates
> View attachment 2670
> ...


Those rates are ridiculously low for any market but did they start higher? I'm thinking the lower rates extinguish competitors then goes back up.


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## arto71 (Sep 20, 2014)

Joseph medley said:


> Those rates are ridiculously low for any market but did they start higher? I'm thinking the lower rates extinguish competitors then goes back up.


Yes indeed it was as high as your market,we experience four rate cuts in los angeles.


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## Joseph medley (Nov 16, 2014)

So I can imagine that the taxi industry is probably nonexistent in la at this point is that close to true?


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## chi1cabby (May 28, 2014)

Joseph medley said:


> Those rates are ridiculously low for any market but did they start higher?


 They were higher, much higher than the current rates in Philly.



Joseph medley said:


> I'm thinking the lower rates extinguish competitors then goes back up.


 Exactamundo! 
Textbook definition of predatory pricing.


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## arto71 (Sep 20, 2014)

Joseph medley said:


> So I can imagine that the taxi industry is probably nonexistent in la at this point is that close to true?


you could say that


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## Joseph medley (Nov 16, 2014)

So Uber x low rates are killing the taxi industry and the public will back having cheap rates so what is the alternative for a career taxi/limo driver like myself


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## big Dave (Nov 21, 2014)

These are trying times I agree, and the CEO sounds like an ass often from what I heard. Either they perfect the model, as I and riders see it or they will be a footnote in history. But I expect good things, Polyanish maybe, but the Universe supplies based on expectations. Expect good things... a CEO can be here today, gone tomorrow if investors believe a liability, rather than asset. driverless cars, not likely, huge liability/trust issues.


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## CLAkid (Oct 23, 2014)

DriverJ said:


> Are you f'ing kidding me?? I knew about the $0.90/mile joke, but I didn't know the minimum fare was $1.70!! I assumed it was $4 like some other places. (We're still at a _*lofty*_ $5 here.) That is beyond absurd. Why not just drop the bullshit and tell the customers, _*"Look, if you're not really going that far, we'll just have the driver pay for your trip."*_ I mean that's where it's at anyway.
> 
> I don't want this to be misconstrued, because Uber is little more to me now than a good target to lash out at, ridicule and make fun of, but I can see this getting to the point where some drivers start revolting in violent ways. People that have nothing else, especially those that got suckered into leasing a car, might not react so well after continuously getting squeezed for more and more ($1.70 ???). Just like all animals, people have a '*Fight or Flight*' response, when they feel flight is not an option, Uber had better watch their backs! I guess that's why the head guy knows to keep security around him. It must suck wondering how many people are out to get you. I know nearly everyone in the middle east wants me dead, but here, not so many. My ex and some cab drivers.
> 
> ...


In Los Angeles the minimum is $4. if it went down to one dollar seventy, I would stop driving on that day.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

arto71 said:


> Did any of you got an e-mail like this?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sounds like something an Employer would say. Uber needs to be very careful about threatening deactivation of contractors. If i recall correctly, one of the stated reasons UBER advertised for working for UBER was the flexibility to work when the driver wanted. No mention of minimum log on hours then.

Same inconsistent BS that UBER is great at.


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## DriversOfTheWorldUnite (Nov 11, 2014)

DriverJ said:


> At least until the driver-less Nirvana is reached. Then Uber can freeze dry us, grind us up, and sell us for dog food.


lol


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

Sydney Uber said:


> Sounds like something an Employer would say. Uber needs to be very careful about threatening deactivation of contractors. If i recall correctly, one of the stated reasons UBER advertised for working for UBER was the flexibility to work when the driver wanted. No mention of minimum log on hours then.
> 
> Same inconsistent BS that UBER is great at.


That's but one of the things that will come back to bite them in the ass too.


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## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

big Dave said:


> I believe it will turn around. As Uber has gained market share, they will refine, improve, and increase rates = benefiting drivers, riders and corporate. Uber on!


SO, DAVE are you a rider, investor or 
just a less-than-cleverly-disguised
UBER employee? Your post is a
big, red KOOL AID flag, waving
vigorously!


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## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

UberXTampa said:


> Only one month? Like in honey-moon? honeymoon effect will soon pass and you will tell a different story.
> 
> Uber knows when you are happy. They will flood your happy market with more drivers till you are happy no more. Still happy? Rates will be cut and uber cut will be hiked. Mark my words and come back to post when your happy status changes to something else.


COULDN'T HAVE said it better or more 
concisely myself "Tampacino". My thanks
to all contributors removing KOOL AID
from the beverage cart.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

big Dave said:


> These are trying times I agree, and the CEO sounds like an ass often from what I heard. Either they perfect the model, as I and riders see it or they will be a footnote in history. But I expect good things, Polyanish maybe, but the Universe supplies based on expectations. Expect good things... a CEO can be here today, gone tomorrow if investors believe a liability, rather than asset. driverless cars, not likely, huge liability/trust issues.


Yeah, they pretty much have it all screwed up. Just had a couple from Baltimore that said, "We love Uber BUT..." Had a horror story on a surge ride. I know, they have the option of not taking them, but I'd still argue Uber has just about screwed everything up, that could be screwed up. The couple even said they would have had no problem paying a REASONABLE rate increase, but felt like they were being ripped off.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

Joseph medley said:


> Help me out what am I missing I've been with uber one month and im happy


Stick around, it's self-explanatory.


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