# Longest trip ever. Not worth it.



## RonL (Sep 16, 2014)

It's almost midnight. I decided to take one more ping. Ping from the airport! This could be good. I get to the airport, Pax wants to go OUT OF STATE 125 mi. I quickly decide to go and we're on our way. At 3:45 am I'm home (4 1/2 hrs). Total fare: $151.00. Let's look at this. $151.00 -20% -$1.00 SRF. leaves me with $120.00. Now subtract ~$30.00 for gas. leaves me with $90.00. Not counting the wear and tear on my vehicle. It's just not worth it. Yep, is does equal $20.00 / hr. But geezz, It's midnight, Just think what a cab would cost for the same trip! Where's the value for what a service is really worth? I'm going to rethink my options here.


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## Lidman (Nov 13, 2014)

It that was our cab company it would have about $260. We get 40% of the total fare, and split the gas costs 50/50 with the company. So roughly estimated my cut would have been $260 x .4 - 15.00= $89.00. Most likely no tip.


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## Tx rides (Sep 15, 2014)

RonL said:


> It's almost midnight. I decided to take one more ping. Ping from the airport! This could be good. I get to the airport, Pax wants to go OUT OF STATE 125 mi. I quickly decide to go and we're on our way. At 3:45 am I'm home (4 1/2 hrs). Total fare: $151.00. Let's look at this. $151.00 -20% -$1.00 SRF. leaves me with $120.00. Now subtract ~$30.00 for gas. leaves me with $90.00. Not counting the wear and tear on my vehicle. It's just not worth it. Yep, is does equal $20.00 / hr. But geezz, It's midnight, Just think what a cab would cost for the same trip! Where's the value for what a service is really worth? I'm going to rethink my options here.


Actually, you did better than you may think 

Consider this: the wear on your car is a little gentler. Highway miles, and less door slamming and button fiddling. Less idle time spent waiting for another ride, and an opportunity to actually bond with a passenger in hopes of seeing a decent gratuity. Not that it WILL result in a gratuity, but you increase the chances when you personally connect with someone for more than an hour in a vehicle. If I drove this type of service, I would always want those types of trips.
We really promote the city to city transfers with our company, much gentler on the vehicles, less risk of door dings and parking dents, less paperwork, better gas mileage, etc. additionally, they get to know our chauffeurs, and our business, and called us more often for local work as well.


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## toi (Sep 8, 2014)

In this business when on the meter you always make more money in longer rides unless your short riding customers are tipping you extremely well - period


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## Frank Martin (Nov 12, 2014)

Too bad it didn't happen during a surge. $$$


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

the sad part of this math exercise is that you drove 250 miles for a gross fare to you of $120 or about 48 cents per mile - costs. Way less then the IRS deduction for miles.

It's called going backwards.


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## UberXTampa (Nov 20, 2014)

I will take that trip any day I work. What is to be thankful is what you complain of. Reduce your cost. On a 300 mile trip why do you spend $30 for gas? Buy a Prius! The math will work better. Be grateful you had that long trip.


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## Robert G (Nov 15, 2014)

What you made from that 4 1/2 hour trip is what I make for an entire 9 hour shift on Friday night here in Nashville. I much prefer the long trips versus short trips.


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

Another way to look at is the mileage deduction results in a loss tax wise. When you get your 1099 you will be able to deduct all the miles for which you have kept a record supporting business use, thereby lowering your taxable income. Of course if you wind up operating at a loss for the year your question of value will be answered.


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## Roogy (Nov 4, 2014)

Older Chauffeur said:


> Another way to look at is the mileage deduction results in a loss tax wise. When you get your 1099 you will be able to deduct all the miles for which you have kept a record supporting business use, thereby lowering your taxable income. Of course if you wind up operating at a loss for the year your question of value will be answered.


Great point. Tax deduction: 0.56 * 250 miles = $140. The fare was $120 after Uber's cut. You get to claim a $20 loss on the ride lol.


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## BOSsMAn (Aug 15, 2014)

toi said:


> In this business when on the meter you always make more money in longer rides unless your short riding customers are tipping you extremely well - period


Tue. But, given the likely empty return, long trips aren't anywhere near as good as they may seem. Especially if the trip is on slow roads.


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## Chicago-uber (Jun 18, 2014)

I will take that trip any day of the week. Even though you will put lots of miles, these miles are easy on your car. I'd rather do that trip than do bunch of small ones in stop and go traffic.


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## prdelnik666 (Sep 17, 2014)

I used to get excited about long trips like this one, now I am declining them - you can decline trips over 50 miles I think and especially out of state ones. Simply not worth it, especially since these stiffs don't tip


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## burnlord (Nov 23, 2014)

RonL said:


> It's almost midnight. I decided to take one more ping. Ping from the airport! This could be good. I get to the airport, Pax wants to go OUT OF STATE 125 mi. I quickly decide to go and we're on our way. At 3:45 am I'm home (4 1/2 hrs). Total fare: $151.00. Let's look at this. $151.00 -20% -$1.00 SRF. leaves me with $120.00. Now subtract ~$30.00 for gas. leaves me with $90.00. Not counting the wear and tear on my vehicle. It's just not worth it. Yep, is does equal $20.00 / hr. But geezz, It's midnight, Just think what a cab would cost for the same trip! Where's the value for what a service is really worth? I'm going to rethink my options here.


dont forget you get to deduct $.56 * 250 miles off your taxes.

plus, you just burned up any water in your oil from all the city driving.. makes your oil last longer.


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## Neighbourly (Nov 23, 2014)

I'm definitely not the legal whistleblower, but is it even *legal* for us to transport across the state line where we do not have a driver's license? As I was typing that, I realized that the northeast would be hell if that were the case and a lot of states arent as big as Arizona, but I'm not going to delete what I type nonetheless. Why are we not able to drive in out of state markets if it's legal to transport across state lines?


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## UberLuxbod (Sep 2, 2014)

I would have thought the important thing is that the job originated from the County the drivers works in.

But I can only speak on how the fully licensed Private Hire Industry works in the UK.


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## Tx rides (Sep 15, 2014)

UberLuxbod said:


> I would have thought the important thing is that the job originated from the County the drivers works in.
> 
> But I can only speak on how the fully licensed Private Hire Industry works in the UK.


True, any locality regulating the trade can only regulate at point of trade. Buses are clearly regulated through federal laws, and commercial insurance may have limitations on intrastate coverage.


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## RonL (Sep 16, 2014)

Also, The trip appears in my trips list on my dashboard, but wasn't in my PAY on this check.
Apparently someone has to approve it. Who, and how long does that take??


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## UberLuxbod (Sep 2, 2014)

I wonder if they suspect CC fraud.

Which has certainly been an issue in London.


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## Txchick (Nov 25, 2014)

Frank Martin said:


> Too bad it didn't happen during a surge. $$$


Surge in uptown Dallas last night picked up pax at W hotel to Frisco $133.00. Had nice rides all night. Made 350.00 net after Uber costs.


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## MiamiFlyer (Sep 22, 2014)

A long highway run from the airport should be a profitable venture, even with an empty return, an occupied rate of 50% driving 60-80 miles an hour should be strong.
It's the rate that's killing you, at .16/min and $1.05/mile in Nashville, the earnings potential is pretty much shot to begin with.


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## Heather D (Dec 20, 2014)

Frank Martin said:


> Too bad it didn't happen during a surge. $$$


What is a "surge"?


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