# How much of a bonus does Uber need to offer to entice ants to come back online before September?



## Young Kim (Jan 28, 2015)

I wrote last week that I was offered a bonus of almost $400 to do 50 rides from Sunday to Thursday night 4:00 am. What I found odd is that I've been online and hitting 50 rides easily most weeks. That makes me puzzled as to why Uber would offer ants like me an incentive if I am already working and haven't stopped during the pandemic. But I am wondering what amount of money it would take for ants currently at home and not working to hit that online button before the UI runs out in September?


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## AvisDeene (Jun 7, 2019)

I hope nothing they could do will bring back drivers. I hope everyone who left knows better and that things with LyUber hasn't changed and that once the honeymoon is over, it'll go back to LyUber abusing their drivers- like how they are in California with their recent decision to remove the ability to see where the trips are going.


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## rkozy (Apr 5, 2019)

Young Kim said:


> But I am wondering what amount of money it would take for ants currently at home and not working to hit that online button before the UI runs out in September?


Even if Lyft/Uber offered bonuses that were equal to the UI money they're currently getting, it wouldn't do much to combat the $3-$4 gallon of gas, and the omnipresent wear-and-tear on your vehicle, which can cost hundreds to repair in each instance.

So, if you're making $500 per week collecting unemployment, it's pretty hard to see where Uber or Lyft can match that without offering an enormous bonus to make up for fuel costs and the attendant bad attitude you get from most rideshare pax. In fact, some people might say if they could net $500 per week driving rideshare, or net $500 per week watching TV, playing video games, and sleeping 11 hours per day, the choice is still pretty clear.


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## BestInDaWest (Apr 8, 2021)

the dollar amount is not as critical as is the time frame in which they give you to earn it. Like everything they do it's designed to appear to be more lucrative then it really is.


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## 25rides7daysaweek (Nov 20, 2017)

rkozy said:


> Even if Lyft/Uber offered bonuses that were equal to the UI money they're currently getting, it wouldn't do much to combat the $3-$4 gallon of gas, and the omnipresent wear-and-tear on your vehicle, which can cost hundreds to repair in each instance.
> 
> So, if you're making $500 per week collecting unemployment, it's pretty hard to see where Uber or Lyft can match that without offering an enormous bonus to make up for fuel costs and the attendant bad attitude you get from most rideshare pax. In fact, some people might say if they could net $500 per week driving rideshare, or net $500 per week watching TV, playing video games, and sleeping 11 hours per day, the choice is still pretty clear.


Yea but what about all the money
you need to spend on food while 
you are sitting around watching tv? 
And the omnipresent costs of housing?


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## rkozy (Apr 5, 2019)

25rides7daysaweek said:


> Yea but what about all the money
> you need to spend on food while
> you are sitting around watching tv?
> And the omnipresent costs of housing?


So, you are saying you only have rent or mortgage due when you're not logged on to Uber? You only eat when you are not driving around pax? None of what you said makes any sense.



BestInDaWest said:


> the dollar amount is not as critical as is the time frame in which they give you to earn it. Like everything they do it's designed to appear to be more lucrative then it really is.


It all depends on the specifics of the bonus. In some cases, the bonus will "guarantee" a certain amount of money for doing a certain amount of rides. There are quite a few cases where the rides will naturally produce more money than the bonus guarantees, and in those cases, Uber/Lyft isn't paying you anything extra.

When Lyft was running the $15 additional bonus for three consecutive rides (and they were running each bonus for three different dayparts every day of the week) those bonuses made it well worth my while to drive. After ride number three, I logged off and went home. Rinse. Repeat.


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## 25rides7daysaweek (Nov 20, 2017)

rkozy said:


> So, you are saying you only have rent or mortgage due when you're not logged on to Uber? You only eat when you are not driving around pax? None of what you said makes any sense.
> 
> 
> It all depends on the specifics of the bonus. In some cases, the bonus will "guarantee" a certain amount of money for doing a certain amount of rides. There are quite a few cases where the rides will naturally produce more money than the bonus guarantees, and in those cases, Uber/Lyft isn't paying you anything extra.
> ...


Bonuses are bonuses 
Last week was $600 for 100 rides 
each mon -thur and fri- sun
ride guarantees are just that worthless
#s that dont really affect anything
The topic here was bonuses.
Uber offered over $1000 per week
if one was to drive hard all week
At a very minimum one would book at least $2000 - $2500 doing that much work
Cost of gas and or vehicles doesnt factor 
in much if you are making $3000 a week
Apparantly sarcasm blows over your head
Staying home for $700 a week citing gas and vehicle costs is what doesnt make sense...


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## W00dbutcher (Jan 14, 2019)

Who cares the drivers ever come back. This is something that the market needed very badly, thin the herd a bit.

And nobody is going to come back until the UI runs out. Now they'll have to work.


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## Fusion_LUser (Jan 3, 2020)

Uber is making a smart move to get drivers back on the road here in CA. Uber just announced a pay reduction and less ride info because Uber believes most ants do not like the idea of higher pay and ride info, which is why they are staying home.

Once the reduction in pay and less rider info is in play you can bet drivers will be out in full force!


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## Dice Man (May 21, 2018)

They will come back without one $.
It’s just a matter of time.
Back to normal, endless supply of new drivers with new cars.


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## rkozy (Apr 5, 2019)

25rides7daysaweek said:


> Bonuses are bonuses
> Last week was $600 for 100 rides


You're making the faulty assumption that all drivers in all markets are being offered the same thing. They aren't. You're also making the faulty assumptions that the bonuses offered to you in your market, will continue to be offered to everyone else in other markets through August. They won't be.

You're also making the faulty assumption that everyone in America wants to work. Offer a person the choice between $1000 per week to work their ass off, or $800 per week to sleep in as much as they want....guess which option at least 50% of America would chose.

Your post is rife with false assumptions and incorrect assessments about human nature.


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## Mista T (Aug 16, 2017)

Not sure my exact number. It is in the four digits. Since I know I wont be offered I haven't really thought about it. Maybe $1,500.


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## 25rides7daysaweek (Nov 20, 2017)

rkozy said:


> You're making the faulty assumption that all drivers in all markets are being offered the same thing. They aren't. You're also making the faulty assumptions that the bonuses offered to you in your market, will continue to be offered to everyone else in other markets through August. They won't be.
> 
> You're also making the faulty assumption that everyone in America wants to work. Offer a person the choice between $1000 per week to work their ass off, or $800 per week to sleep in as much as they want....guess which option at least 50% of America would chose.
> 
> Your post is rife with false assumptions and incorrect assessments about human nature.


I didnt tell people not to work you did.
If people are lazy or in a crappy market
that is on them not me...


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## kcchiefsfan1982 (Aug 19, 2019)

Be careful with that "bonus".

From what I heard...it is actually saying that if you do 50 rides, you are guaranteed to make at least $400.

So, if you only make $350 for the 50 rides..they will pay you the remaining $50

so I have heard. Maybe that is not the case.


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## 25rides7daysaweek (Nov 20, 2017)

kcchiefsfan1982 said:


> Be careful with that "bonus".
> 
> From what I heard...it is actually saying that if you do 50 rides, you are guaranteed to make at least $400.
> 
> ...


Theres a difference between a ride guarantee (usually lyft or new uber driver)
and a quest bonus.
Quests are do however many rides and 
get a set amount on top of the fares
Below is this weekends top tiers








It will automatically enroll you
in a lower tier if you dont make a choice
of one of these 3 14 hour day levels
This will still add up to than more an additional $10 an hour but you will be working your ass off and a problem like a flat or some other unforseen circumstance can screw you out of it..


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## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

I think you need to have another choice on this poll:

Not going back online until fully vaxxed with the mind control, tracking, extra body parts growing, gogo juice.

Just saying.


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## W00dbutcher (Jan 14, 2019)

SHalester said:


> I think you need to have another choice on this poll:
> 
> Not going back online until fully vaxxed with the mind control, tracking, extra body parts growing, gogo juice.
> 
> Just saying.


Aka.... Kool-Aid


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

W00dbutcher said:


> Who cares the drivers ever come back. This is something that the market needed very badly, thin the herd a bit.
> 
> And nobody is going to come back until the UI runs out. Now they'll have to work.
> 
> View attachment 589253


Mexican Pesos?


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## _Tron_ (Feb 9, 2020)

Since I am a part-time weekend driver, right now Uncle Sam if offering an incentive far beyond any incentive Uber is capable of.


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## kcchiefsfan1982 (Aug 19, 2019)

_Tron_ said:


> Since I am a part-time weekend driver, right now Uncle Sam if offering an incentive far beyond any incentive Uber is capable of.


What? The unemployment????


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## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

_Tron_ said:


> Uncle Sam if offering an incentive far beyond any incentive Uber is capable of.


because RS was your only source of income? Huh, really? There are some variables missing here. Maybe.


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## _Tron_ (Feb 9, 2020)

kcchiefsfan1982 said:


> What? The unemployment????


Well it's not an Army enlistment incentive.


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## rkozy (Apr 5, 2019)

25rides7daysaweek said:


> I didnt tell people not to work you did.


What exactly are you b!tching about?

If every idle Uber/Lyft driver on unemployment right now decided instead to work, do you honestly think you'd be getting all those big bonuses? Hell no, you wouldn't, because there would be plenty of ants signed in to answer every ping.

So instead, you'd be here b!tching about how there are too many ants, and they should stay home because it is costing you big bonus money.


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## 25rides7daysaweek (Nov 20, 2017)

rkozy said:


> What exactly are you b!tching about?
> 
> If every idle Uber/Lyft driver on unemployment right now decided instead to work, do you honestly think you'd be getting all those big bonuses? Hell no, you wouldn't, because there would be plenty of ants signed in to answer every ping.
> 
> So instead, you'd be here b!tching about how there are too many ants, and they should stay home because it is costing you big bonus money.


What really got me aggravated was you complaining about 3-4 gas and car repair costs. As if either one of those things should be a reason to sit at home and collect enomployment. If anyone around here is a lazy whiner around here ITS YOU!!!!


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## rkozy (Apr 5, 2019)

25rides7daysaweek said:


> What really got me aggravated was you complaining about 3-4 gas and car repair costs. As if either one of those things should be a reason to sit at home and collect enomployment. If anyone around here is a lazy whiner around here ITS YOU!!!!


I presently work an actual W-2 job, and I've done 20 Uber and Lyft rides this week, with no bonus incentives whatsoever. I own my house and have a massive savings in the bank. Money is not an issue for me. Rideshare is way to earn a small amount of cash and have random conversations with random people. It's not a career. It's barely a reliable source of income when I need something extra.

For people who don't have my resources, driving for Uber and Lyft can be a bit dicey on the personal finances. This is especially true if they're driving in a market with little promotional support and lousy mileage rates. Operating an automobile for 45 cents per mile is a recipe for losing money. Yet, Uber and Lyft set millions of drivers up to do precisely that.

I don't find tremendous fault in their mathematical analysis of taking unemployment while they can. You should be happy they're not listening to a damn word you're saying, because you'd be getting bupkes for bonuses right now.


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## Taxi2Uber (Jul 21, 2017)

&#127926; I don't want to work. I just want to bang on the drum all day. &#127926;


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## Driving With A Purpose (Jul 28, 2020)

So-called “free” money has some serious disadvantages. First, many develop lazy habits. Secondly, the longer you go without work, the harder it becomes to get a job. Many employers won’t tell you that they often think there is something “wrong” with someone who doesn’t have a really good explanation for a gap in employment of a year or more. If I was unemployed due to COVID right now, I’d be getting awful antsy about getting another job- since it has been about 13 months since the pandemic began.


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## rkozy (Apr 5, 2019)

Driving With A Purpose said:


> So-called "free" money has some serious disadvantages. First, many develop lazy habits.


Not only lazy habits, but a comfort zone that is so fragile and easily breached, that one becomes almost unemployable. After 18 months of living life 100% on your own terms, you become psychologically dependent on having everything your way. We all know in rideshare, that simply isn't going to be the case...even on a good day.

What's really going to be the rude wake-up call, though, is the number of new ants Uber/Lyft is currently trying to deploy ahead of the unemployment expiration. These rideshare pros who took an 18-month sabbatical paid for by taxpayers will find the new rideshare environment (too many ants, not enough rides) far more depressing than the pre-COVID landscape.

Many of them won't be able to handle it. Their conflict resolution skills have atrophied, and the pool of competition will be greater. The sum total of that frustration will overwhelm them. Uber and Lyft will be weeding out those drivers who brag about their 5% AR, or their 25% cancel rate.


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

Another reason Ubers TNC is running out of drivers is it's competing with itself.

Ubereats has been siphoning off drivers as have the other delivery companies.

Uber is stretching out the driver pool with more and more delivery options and a pool of drivers that has not kept up.


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## rkozy (Apr 5, 2019)

observer said:


> Another reason Ubers TNC is running out of drivers is it's competing with itself.
> 
> Ubereats has been siphoning off drivers as have the other delivery companies.


God bless these folks who love driving food around. Personally, it sounds like an even bigger hassle than transporting people, but if they like it and can make good money, I love the number of pings their absence in the rideshare market creates.


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## jetes1998 (Oct 20, 2016)

This is a good time to test the waters. Remember, you can only lose 1 week of benefits at a time and youre claim remains open. For quests, id use a sampling of prior trips to see how much time it would seem to take to get to the required number(s) for the bonus(es).To me right now the question is how much ( and when and where) are surges and is that based on supply and demand or more a byproduct of scarce drivers. In my market, there have been surges of up to $20 at the airport ( at all times of the day)... I only live 10 minutes away... If some of those rides are longer with big surges( where trip pay has to be adjustsd up to fall more in line with what pax pays) that could add up pretty nicely...


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## Flawlessbox (Oct 6, 2019)

I might upload my documents and ready to go for $600+. 

Now... 

Will I pickup any paxholes?

I want Uber and Lyft to give me that offer and see what the algorithm say.


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## RJ50 (Aug 16, 2020)

I jumped at a Lyft bonus of $29 for 20 rides in a week, until I realized it was an extra $1.50 a ride. I got frazzled on a crazy Saturday night, with bars opening back up and all the vaxxed flocking out in droves, until I realized it just wasn't worth it, especially since most of them were angry at me for having to wait for a ride. Lyft keeps upping the referral bonus, now $800 in my town, but then I'm not going to recruit an eager newbie who will be taking some of my rides as possible to earn their initial 100-ride monthly bonus, and who will be more competition once UI/PUA ends and everyone has to go on a cheese-free diet. The news stories say Uber is lobbying against emergency orders prohibiting surge pricing, but then I bet that if they get that, drivers are going to still see their $1-2 token surge bonus, while the company keeps the multiple charged to the pax. In any case, I'm not going to procure new drivers for Lyft; if they want me to drive more, they have to simply use the effective supply-and-demand tool they once had--when there's a shortage of drivers, give a surge multiple that makes it worth a driver to go out and chase the money. Fortunately I live in WA state, which allows business profits to be deducted from PUA, not gross income, so I can use mileage/cell phone expenses to cover most driver earnings.


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## JeanOcelot0 (Dec 30, 2020)

This question is ill-defined. Is it a one-time bonus, or per week, etc.? If it is a one-time bonus, what is the minimum length of time that the ant would need to continue to hustle, etc.?


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## JeanOcelot0 (Dec 30, 2020)

Young Kim said:


> I wrote last week that I was offered a bonus of almost $400 to do 50 rides from Sunday to Thursday night 4:00 am. What I found odd is that I've been online and hitting 50 rides easily most weeks. That makes me puzzled as to why Uber would offer ants like me an incentive if I am already working and haven't stopped during the pandemic. But I am wondering what amount of money it would take for ants currently at home and not working to hit that online button before the UI runs out in September?


A Rational Economic Actor - LOL, I think I can safely say that a lot of ants are not rational, or they would have quit by now - would look at 2 possible cases: hustling at a maximum level, or continuing to take the CHEESE. The CHEESE requires no work or vehicle expenses (OK, filing a weekly claim and doing a "job search" does take maybe half an hour, LOL), whereas hustling does. There is some revenue that is brought in by both, and so with this Rational Economic Actor having some reservation wage (i.e., the lowest pay rate he would accept), he would need to get a net profit (i.e., in whatever way he defines his expenses) whose rate per time would exceed his reservation wage. I live in one of the cheap-a33 states , and I still get work-free & expense-free revenue of $407/week 😁; hence, even if I were to hustle at 60 hours/week, I would be giving up $7/hr CHEESE that would need to be above my reservation wage for me to rationally start hustling. (NOTE: This is a completely academic question, as my ride is too old to qualify for ant duty - and I'm not about to buy a new car just to hustle. )


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## somedriverguy (Sep 6, 2016)

25rides7daysaweek said:


> Yea but what about all the money
> you need to spend on food while
> you are sitting around watching tv?
> And the omnipresent costs of housing?


Is your argument that people dont need to eat if they are driving? Or that they don't need to pay rent while they are driving? I'm confused.

EDIT: Sorry, others already asked this.

You didnt answer them either.


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## SpinalCabbage (Feb 5, 2020)

A couple months back Uber offered me $100 to do three rides. I gave it some thought and figured I'd go for it and do three rides on the way home from work. I have had Covid and recovered and I have been fully vaccinated. So it is as safe for me to give rides as it has ever been. When I attempted to go online it said my background check was pending. I am still stuck there. Checkr says Uber hasn't even requested a background check for me for at least six months. Meanwhile my area is constantly surging (Charlotte-style) due to lack of drivers. Lyft had no problem completing my background check, but they aren't offering me any incentive to drive other than a questionable claim that I can make $27 an hour.


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## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

I don't want a bonus, I want real earnings, I want 80% of what U/L charges the pax, I want full transparency and I want Dhara, John and Logan tarred and feathered


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## DDW (Jul 1, 2019)

Base fare of $5.00, plus $1.50 per mile and $1.00 per minute in perpetuity.....


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## DDW (Jul 1, 2019)

SpinalCabbage said:


> A couple months back Uber offered me $100 to do three rides. I gave it some thought and figured I'd go for it and do three rides on the way home from work. I have had Covid and recovered and I have been fully vaccinated. So it is as safe for me to give rides as it has ever been. When I attempted to go online it said my background check was pending. I am still stuck there. Checkr says Uber hasn't even requested a background check for me for at least six months. Meanwhile my area is constantly surging (Charlotte-style) due to lack of drivers. Lyft had no problem completing my background check, but they aren't offering me any incentive to drive other than a questionable claim that I can make $27 an hour.


$27 per hour is really $20 per hour net after ALL expenses..... I can make $20 an hour sitting on a manufacturing production line doing mindless work , getting health insurance, OT, 501k matching, vacation and sick pay, and unemployment compensation when the time comes. 

Uber would need to offer consistent $40 an hour earnings just to MATCH that, much less be considered a better job.....


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## Mole (Mar 9, 2017)

Uber just lowered wages in California over 30% they can now keep 90% of the surge charged to customers and have taken away the name your own price tool. Uber says they are handing out bonuses and that is a lie they make you work for a guarantee it is not free money 130 rides for $1,200 that is around $9 a ride most drivers after performing 130 make over $1,200 so uber gives you nothing extra. Uber need to be regulated every state and every county need to have a minimum mile/minute pay rate for drivers just like NYC and Seattle. Now is the time for government intervention and California would be a great place to start.


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## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

DDW said:


> I can make $20 an hour sitting on a manufacturing production line doing mindless work


yeah, but how many here could handle a 40hr a week job M-F? Not a large percent for sure.


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## SpinalCabbage (Feb 5, 2020)

DDW said:


> $27 per hour is really $20 per hour net after ALL expenses..... I can make $20 an hour sitting on a manufacturing production line doing mindless work , getting health insurance, OT, 501k matching, vacation and sick pay, and unemployment compensation when the time comes.
> 
> Uber would need to offer consistent $40 an hour earnings just to MATCH that, much less be considered a better job.....


It gets even worse and is why I said that their $27 an hour claim is questionable... here is the small print of their offer:


* For illustrative purposes only; results may vary. Above figures based on earnings in Inland Empire from April 11, 2021 to April 18, 2021. Drivers using Lyft earn by the job, not by the hour. The hourly earnings communicated are no guarantee of future performance and not indicative of any specific driver's earnings, and calculated before taxes, insurance, depreciation, and other costs associated with being a rideshare driver. This calculation includes all online platform time for drivers, including any potential time spent engaged with other app-based services.


"This calculation includes all online platform time for drivers, including any potential time spent engaged with other app-based services." is my favorite part. Hehe. 

Basically if you're out there delivering packages for Flex, delivering groceries for Instacart, running take out food to customers for DoorDash, and doing Lyft in your spare time with a few Uber runs thrown in as well, you might just make $27 an hour - before expenses.


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## SpinalCabbage (Feb 5, 2020)

SpinalCabbage said:


> A couple months back Uber offered me $100 to do three rides. I gave it some thought and figured I'd go for it and do three rides on the way home from work. I have had Covid and recovered and I have been fully vaccinated. So it is as safe for me to give rides as it has ever been. When I attempted to go online it said my background check was pending. I am still stuck there. Checkr says Uber hasn't even requested a background check for me for at least six months. Meanwhile my area is constantly surging (Charlotte-style) due to lack of drivers. Lyft had no problem completing my background check, but they aren't offering me any incentive to drive other than a questionable claim that I can make $27 an hour.


Oh man! Uber just sent me the same offer: $100 for 3 rides. But I still cannot drive due to a pending background check that ain't ever happening. However, they did finally approve my 2020 LAX Placard. Hehe.

Other than asking local drivers to drive 100 miles to LAX, this is literally only the second time I have ever received a promotional offer in my area in 6 years. And once again I cannot take advantage of it.


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## ldriva (Jan 23, 2015)

Young Kim said:


> View attachment 591906​I wrote last week that I was offered a bonus of almost $400 to do 50 rides from Sunday to Thursday night 4:00 am. What I found odd is that I've been online and hitting 50 rides easily most weeks. That makes me puzzled as to why Uber would offer ants like me an incentive if I am already working and haven't stopped during the pandemic. But I am wondering what amount of money it would take for ants currently at home and not working to hit that online button before the UI runs out in September?


Lyft gave me like a $300 or $400 back in October that I got (and needed). While that can be tempting, I’m never going back. I got car jacked and that was it. No amount of money is worth putting my life in danger. Besides I have other opportunities now.


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## Hono driver (Dec 15, 2017)

I started back with no promotions and I don’t get any promotions outside of the crappy $7 streaks. But the surges are insane and they last pretty much all day. So I’m good. do they expect me to refer people so my pay will drop ? Moròns


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Where is Young Kim ? Has he Disappeared on us ?


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