# Taking customer phone numbers



## Precious (Oct 10, 2014)

Hello everyone,

I've had several riders ask for my phone number so they can call me to see if am in the area before they request their ride. What is the policy on exchanging phone numbers. Thanks.


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## crucian007 (Oct 5, 2014)

Get a GoogleVoice number, give them that. So you know when someone calls that number it's all UBER related. I can't remember seeing anything about sharing your number with passenger


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

If you text them or call them during the ride they will get your "Uber" phone number.

They can call it anytime and it rings to your personal cell phone.


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## Precious (Oct 10, 2014)

crucian007 said:


> Get a GoogleVoice number, give them that. So you know when someone calls that number it's all UBER related. I can't remember seeing anything about sharing your number with passenger


Great idea! Thanks.


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## Precious (Oct 10, 2014)

LAuberX said:


> If you text them or call them during the ride they will get your "Uber" phone number.
> 
> They can call it anytime and it rings to your personal cell phone.


LAuberX, let say they rode today, ride with another Uber driver tomorrow. I would think that if they call thereafter, they will get the last Uber driver they rode with. NO?


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

If you text or call that rider after you press "accept" until you end the ride your "Uber" number appears on their cell.

They can then call that number forever, and they get only you.

Like a week later to see if they left Ray Bans in your car!


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## IbedrivinUX (Oct 20, 2014)

LAuberX said:


> If you text or call that rider after you press "accept" until you end the ride your "Uber" number appears on their cell.
> 
> They can then call that number forever, and they get only you.
> 
> Like a week later to see if they left Ray Bans in your car!


Careful Uber changes the number periodically so it isn't always that same number. I would never give my number to a rider, just because hey may use it for something else. Always want to stay safe.


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

My "Uber" number has been the same for 11 months.

It has never changed.


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## IbedrivinUX (Oct 20, 2014)

LAuberX said:


> My "Uber" number has been the same for 11 months.
> 
> It has never changed.


I started in Feb. and I have had 3 on my 3rd now! Not sure why but it does change for some!


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## SCdave (Jun 27, 2014)

Google Voice is free and a good idea to have when you don't want to give out your actual mobile number. Good suggestion.

You need to go through Google Voice Setup to have calls "Call Forwarded" to your cellphone. You will then get all calls using your Google Voice Number call forwarded to your cell. If you can't pick up, it will go to Google Voicemail. A nice feature that you can turn on is voicemail transcription where Google Voice will transcribe send you voicemail as text message and/or email.


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## IbedrivinUX (Oct 20, 2014)

SCdave said:


> Google Voice is free and a good idea to have when you don't want to give out your actual mobile number. Good suggestion.
> 
> You need to go through Google Voice Setup to have calls "Call Forwarded" to your cellphone. You will then get all calls using your Google Voice Number call forwarded to your cell. If you can't pick up, it will go to Google Voicemail. A nice feature that you can turn on is voicemail transcription where Google Voice will transcribe send you voicemail as text message and/or email.


Data Usage and other fees may apply!


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

Precious said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I've had several riders ask for my phone number so they can call me to see if am in the area before they request their ride. What is the policy on exchanging phone numbers. Thanks.


Oh, for ****'s sake.

Why so many posts asking what is Uber's policy on this, that and the other? Do you really need to know whether Uber gives you permission to give your own number out to another individual? Really?!

I couldn't give a shit what Uber's policy is. Get real and grow a pair, people. Think i-n-d-e-p-e-n-d-e-n-t-l-y.


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## SCdave (Jun 27, 2014)

Don't every feel bullied or that you're asking a stupid question. You want to ask a question, ask. Just like hanging out with some buddies though, be prepared to get bashed every now and them. But ask your questions anyway and don't hold back.


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## SydneySuperUber (Nov 6, 2014)

Precious said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I've had several riders ask for my phone number so they can call me to see if am in the area before they request their ride. What is the policy on exchanging phone numbers. Thanks.


Unless they work for Uber do it dude!


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## pUBERty SUCKS (Nov 2, 2014)

Precious said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I've had several riders ask for my phone number so they can call me to see if am in the area before they request their ride. What is the policy on exchanging phone numbers. Thanks.


Precious, are you sure that's why they were asking you for your number


elelegido said:


> Oh, for ****'s sake.
> 
> Why so many posts asking what is Uber's policy on this, that and the other? Do you really need to know whether Uber gives you permission to give your own number out to another individual? Really?!
> 
> I couldn't give a shit what Uber's policy is. Get real and grow a pair, people. Think i-n-d-e-p-e-n-d-e-n-t-l-y.


Well said...


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## Courageous (Sep 18, 2014)

Precious said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I've had several riders ask for my phone number so they can call me to see if am in the area before they request their ride. What is the policy on exchanging phone numbers. Thanks.


Hi precious...I understand your question. I had similar concerns and read Uber's fine print. They vaguely allude to "no diversion of business". Being that Uber makes it clear that they are "no transportation" company, I can only assume they are warning against, say, an Uber driver promoting Lyft and that sort of thing. Kinda like a "no compete" clause or something.

That said...I get this allll the time too. 
1) It can get complicated to avail yourself for their next Uber request.
2) Is that $10 trip, or whatever, worth you sacrificing potential other work? You will have to go offline to accommodate them. **If you are trying to meet some "guarantee" pay promtions from Uber, being offline negatively affects that.
3) I have tried a long-term rider/driver relationship...the coordination of it alone is tedious. Gave it up after about 3 weeks. **Funny how they think they are doing you a favour** **Also funny how they think I should be "giddy" over that $5 tip** <~ I don't think so lol.

Passenger would text my personal number to see if I would be available at certain time. If I was, he would get in the car, request the trip and, of course, I get the ping. That worked for a while...but in retrospect..no where near worth the fares.


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## Fauxknight (Aug 12, 2014)

In Cbus it's specifically illegal within our new ride share regulations. Of course the city regulations look like Uber and Lyft had a heavy hand in helping to write them.


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## Charlie Chapman (Nov 6, 2014)

LAuberX said:


> If you text or call that rider after you press "accept" until you end the ride your "Uber" number appears on their cell.
> 
> They can then call that number forever, and they get only you.
> 
> Like a week later to see if they left Ray Bans in your car!


Yes. I made the stupid mistake of hitting "last number redial" instead of entering in the number new..... awkward, I got the fare that I dropped off an hour ago.


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## ValleyUber! (Nov 5, 2014)

I've had people leave items (phones, etc.) in my vehicle and actually call me on my cell phone the following day. They are able to get my number from Uber, thus clearly there is no hard and fast policy against it.

I've had people ask for my number so that I can pick them up. They text me about 10 minutes before they are ready to be picked up, I head their direction, then text them to ping their Uber app as I pull into their location. 

It's only happened a couple of times, but both times worked well.


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## StephenJBlue (Sep 23, 2014)

I have a few regulars. Including one I pick up 2 or more times per day. Helps with ratings also.


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## SCdave (Jun 27, 2014)

Courageous said:


> Hi precious...I understand your question. I had similar concerns and read Uber's fine print. They vaguely allude to "no diversion of business". Being that Uber makes it clear that they are "no transportation" company, I can only assume they are warning against, say, an Uber driver promoting Lyft and that sort of thing. Kinda like a "no compete" clause or something.
> 
> That said...I get this allll the time too.
> 1) It can get complicated to avail yourself for their next Uber request.
> ...


The ideal situation is driving from a suburb to a downtown bar/restaurant/event early in the evening that is far away. Then instead of your normal deadhead driving home at 2-3am without a fare, you have a paid fare for that 20 -30 miles+ last drive of the night. Rider also has a happy driver and not someone pissed that they are driving in the opposite direction of their home(or canceling saying nope, won't go there). That is, instead of a 30 mile drive home at 3am, they now have a 60 mile ride home.

Hmmm, think there would be an App with a Last Call feature that matched Drivers with Riders within a 15 minute pick-up radius?


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## Precious (Oct 10, 2014)

Courageous said:


> Hi precious...I understand your question. I had similar concerns and read Uber's fine print. They vaguely allude to "no diversion of business". Being that Uber makes it clear that they are "no transportation" company, I can only assume they are warning against, say, an Uber driver promoting Lyft and that sort of thing. Kinda like a "no compete" clause or something.
> 
> That said...I get this allll the time too.
> 1) It can get complicated to avail yourself for their next Uber request.
> ...


Courageous, thank you so much...you are right on all points, I could be in another part of town and it would be quite inconvenient.


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## Precious (Oct 10, 2014)

SCdave said:


> Don't every feel bullied or that you're asking a stupid question. You want to ask a question, ask. Just like hanging out with some buddies though, be prepared to get bashed every now and them. But ask your questions anyway and don't hold back.


Thanks SCdave, I appreciate the kind words.


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## yellow (Sep 7, 2014)

SCdave said:


> The ideal situation is driving from a suburb to a downtown bar/restaurant/event early in the evening that is far away. Then instead of your normal deadhead driving home at 2-3am without a fare, you have a paid fare for that 20 -30 miles+ last drive of the night. Rider also has a happy driver and not someone pissed that they are driving in the opposite direction of their home(or canceling saying nope, won't go there). That is, instead of a 30 mile drive home at 3am, they now have a 60 mile ride home.
> 
> Hmmm, think there would be an App with a Last Call feature that matched Drivers with Riders within a 15 minute pick-up radius?


Yeah, the app is called sidecar


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## Courageous (Sep 18, 2014)

yellow said:


> Yeah, the app is called sidecar


Adding a "preferred driver" option would be a fantastic addition to Uber app. If the requested driver is more than say, 15/20 minutes away...take usual closest car/driver (another option to that feature).


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

SCdave said:


> Don't every feel bullied or that you're asking a stupid question. You want to ask a question, ask. Just like hanging out with some buddies though, be prepared to get bashed every now and them. But ask your questions anyway and don't hold back.


I didn't mean to come across like that. The point I was trying to make is that people need to think for themselves, and put their own interests first. If you just drop your trousers and bend over then you're setting yourself up for a sub-optimal experience.

Uber and Lyft are not our employers, much as they'd like to think they are, when it suits. They say we are independent contractors. The way I see it, I am the independent and they are simply services which I use for customer generation. I am independent, therefore I will, for example, pick and choose which of the customers they introduce to me I want to provide the service to. And if a customer they introduced to me then wants at a later date to hire me direct without involving the rideshare company then of course I will accept that.

Similarly, they have no loyalty to me nor I to them. I regularly cross-promote the services I offer, giving Lyft referrals to Uber customers and vice versa. If I start driving for Sidecar then I'll do the same with them. I don't care which of the companies introduces the closest rider to me - it makes no difference if the pax pings me through Uber or Lyft. Each one's money is equally as spendable as that of the other.

I will also choose which of their recommendations and rules to abide by and which to pass on. Again, depending on which hold benefit for me.

So, think like a business owner, not like an employee.


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## NightRider (Jul 23, 2014)

LAuberX said:


> If you text or call that rider after you press "accept" until you end the ride your "Uber" number appears on their cell.
> 
> They can then call that number forever, and they get only you.
> 
> Like a week later to see if they left Ray Bans in your car!


And, in fact, anyone can call that number and it will ring through to you...


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## Precious (Oct 10, 2014)

elelegido said:


> I didn't mean to come across like that. The point I was trying to make is that people need to think for themselves, and put their own interests first. If you just drop your trousers and bend over then you're setting yourself up for a sub-optimal experience.
> 
> Uber and Lyft are not our employers, much as they'd like to think they are, when it suits. They say we are independent contractors. The way I see it, I am the independent and they are simply services which I use for customer generation. I am independent, therefore I will, for example, pick and choose which of the customers they introduce to me I want to provide the service to. And if a customer they introduced to me then wants at a later date to hire me direct without involving the rideshare company then of course I will accept that.
> 
> ...


THANK YOU for the clarification. I appreciate it and you're right!


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