# Rider 15 minutes away



## blair (Apr 10, 2014)

ill be the first to complain. i really enjoy driving uber but there are some instances where it does not work out me as a driver. the situation arises where i get a request for a passenger that is 15 minutes away. half the time this happens in an area that is usually busy with drivers. somehow i'm in a usually busy area and im the closest driver - 15 minutes away, and it isn't surge pricing? how is that possible. after i drive 15 minutes, maybe 5+ miles i get there and the rider wants to go a walks worth of a ride on a sunny day. i lose on this deal. uber doesn't lose. occasionally i will even travel the 15 minutes and the rider will cancel and i well get absolutely $0. i lose. uber does not lose. i think this could be different.


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## Larry B (Apr 9, 2014)

I know what you speak of Mr Blair. Sometimes I get pulled by a request over a bridge and through the woods for a quick stroll down the street. $4 for 25 minutes and 5+ miles of travel.

I think surge could use some improvement. I agree it doesn't always seemed based on supply/demand. Perhaps longer pickup times could come with a small surcharge? As for cancellation, yes I agree it seems as if Uber is going to offer a free cancelation it shouldn't be the driver who eats the cost. Theres no free rides in Larrys Chariot!

All things take time Mr Blair, and nobody wins in the end.


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## dark knight (Apr 10, 2014)

Glad to find this forum. I agree if the passenger cancels the uber ride, the driver shouldn't lose for their time and mileage. I understand the users are just getting used to the ap, but I think Uber could afford to pay perhaps a minimum based on distance traveled since the ride was requested.


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## peanutbutter (Apr 10, 2014)

In this article on the huffington post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-fagin/life-as-an-uber-driver_b_4698299.html
An experimenting driver talks at length about his travels around New York as an Uber driver compared to his fares. His conclusion being "it's not fare!"


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## tess (Apr 10, 2014)

I also agree that when a rider is 15 minutes away but they only want to go 3 minutes down the road, it's a loss. Perhaps Uber could build something into their ap so that there is a surcharge. 

Interesting article peanutbutter, sounds like that guy didn't think that driving for uberX was really worth his time. Thanks for sharing.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

If a rider really needs a Uber car, that is over 10 mins away (say over 7 miles away) it would be so easy for the App to ask the rider something like: " we've found a willing Uber driver who's running further than usual to get to you. This does add to costs - are you willing to pay a $10.00 running fee for a car now?" 

That asserts the willingness of a driver to provide the service, educates the rider that service comes at a cost, and puts another $2 in UBER's pocket if the charge is accepted! Everyone wins the way I see it.


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## TheSheibs (Apr 17, 2014)

If the passenger is far away, ie other side of the city or across a bridge with a toll. I will not accept based on the simple fact that by the time I get there they could have been gone or already at their destination or cancel on me when I'm half way there. I had two request this week that where in Oakland and I was in SF. There was no way I was going to get them just on the fact they where in Oakland and there has been some crazy things going on in that city that I don't feel safe going there.


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## smoothOP (Apr 10, 2014)

Wow you can get a call from Oakland while being in SF. You sure you aren't signed into UberCHOPPER? My friend told me they inquired about his acceptance rate, but also said he's a good driver - so it wasn't a threat. 

I think you are right Sydney, it's a simple solution. How about just 50cents a mile from pickup to cover our costs?


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## dark knight (Apr 10, 2014)

Bridges are an enemy of the Uber driver. I'll take 50 cents a mile to the pickup destination.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

How much are tolls in NYC? Our Airport is only 12-14kms away on the Motorway which often is a carpark. Airport Pickup fee = $4.50
Eastern Distributor = $6.17
Trip to city tolls = $10.67

If we need to go over the bridge to say our big IT industrial park at North Ryde a 26km total adds:

Lane Cove Tunnel. = $3.20
M2 Toll = $3.00

To my place just 33kms from the airport adds another $3.00

Total tolls for just 33kms = $19.87!!

Sure I can take non-tolled secondary routes but double transit times. I'm able to put a separate charge on some account customers and the UBER app here automatically adds tolls to the clients invoice, but its a big Tax I'm collecting and having to pass on. But a large amount is a cost that just comes off my bottom line.


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## Wyatt (Apr 17, 2014)

Sydney Uber said:


> If a rider really needs a Uber car, that is over 10 mins away (say over 7 miles away) it would be so easy for the App to ask the rider something like: " we've found a willing Uber driver who's running further than usual to get to you. This does add to costs - are you willing to pay a $10.00 running fee for a car now?"
> 
> That asserts the willingness of a driver to provide the service, educates the rider that service comes at a cost, and puts another $2 in UBER's pocket if the charge is accepted! Everyone wins the way I see it.


Exactly the correct solution!


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## SunSmith (Apr 20, 2014)

Each time I've had a long distance request (e.g., I'm in Seattle and passenger is in Bellevue) I call the customer and tell them it will be __ minutes until I get there and will that be okay with them? I let them know I can cancel if they don't want to wait. Each time I've confirmed the ride it has worked out well and the rides have been of decent length to make it worth it. When I haven't confirmed the ride by phone I've had cancellations when I've gotten close and no fee and that is a bummer.


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## blair (Apr 10, 2014)

That is a good technique! +1 thank you.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

SunSmith said:


> Each time I've had a long distance request (e.g., I'm in Seattle and passenger is in Bellevue) I call the customer and tell them it will be __ minutes until I get there and will that be okay with them? I let them know I can cancel if they don't want to wait. Each time I've confirmed the ride it has worked out well and the rides have been of decent length to make it worth it. When I haven't confirmed the ride by phone I've had cancellations when I've gotten close and no fee and that is a bummer.


The longest quoted time I've had on a job offer was 19 mins. I took the job knowing it was closer to 10 mins, I rang the client right away with the real time but they said not to hurry stop for a coffee as they would not be ready.

Every rider has different requirements which an APP that asserts a "McDonald's menu" of choices doesn't cover. It's not till you speak with people that the guesswork is taken out.


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## Jeeves (Apr 10, 2014)

I don't think I get them over 15 minutes when they beep in. Maybe that's a regional setting. And yes anything over 7 or 8 minutes and Im calling for a quick chat to let them know Im human and on the way to pick them up.


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## UberComic (Apr 17, 2014)

Dropped my daughter off at school this morning and went online. Before I could even start the car I get a request 25 minutes away! I declined it and immediately another call 10 minutes away in the area I usually hit in the morning came up. Would up being a $37.50 fare to the area where I needed to be two hours later. Sometimes you get lucky


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## Jeeves (Apr 10, 2014)

Wow, 25 minutes away! I guess when you live in LA even 3 miles can be 25 minutes away!

Around christmas I unknowingly accepted a ride where the roads were so blocked off and traffic so bad that pickup took me an hour. Its important to know what's going on around town, so you can avoid getting roped into logistical nightmares.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

Jeeves said:


> Wow, 25 minutes away! I guess when you live in LA even 3 miles can be 25 minutes away!
> 
> Around christmas I unknowingly accepted a ride where the roads were so blocked off and traffic so bad that pickup took me an hour. Its important to know what's going on around town, so you can avoid getting roped into logistical nightmares.


My time is too valueable to waste if I come up against gridlock. I just cancel off the job.

If UBER's App ain't clever enough to take into account traffic issues and to continue on would take a resource away from multiple riders then for the good of many (me included), I cancel. A black car returning 15-18 mpg (LPG) has to avoid dead miles.


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## Jeeves (Apr 10, 2014)

Do you call them before you cancel then?


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

Not necessarily. Sometimes just a SMS. If they were watching the APP then they would see the lack of progress.


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## UberComic (Apr 17, 2014)

Was the only car in Old Town Pasadena this morning when I got a request for East LA, which was 28 minutes away! I declined and got a request for Highland Park 12 minutes away. 

Uber needs to figure out an incentive to get drivers to hang around under served areas. I get distant requests in Pasadena all the time.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

UberComic said:


> Was the only car in Old Town Pasadena this morning when I got a request for East LA, which was 28 minutes away! I declined and got a request for Highland Park 12 minutes away.
> 
> Uber needs to figure out an incentive to get drivers to hang around under served areas. I get distant requests in Pasadena all the time.


This is another weak point in the App's service delivery. The rider can see there arent the resources, the driver ISN'T going to invest 50% of his productive time burning fuel to a job that may be a local.

A simple message to a any rider over 12 mins away would be: 
"We have a willing UBER driver, but is driving further than usual to get to you. Do you approve a $10.00 running fee for this consideration?"

They can say yes or no or wait. I bet it will be more "yes" responses.


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## Wyatt (Apr 17, 2014)

Great idea


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## SoCal_Uber (May 2, 2014)

@Sydney Uber

Thats a novel approach to a growing problem.

Last year I was pinged on Venice Beach from Westwood ( 18 minute drive, almost 9 miles to get there ) to pickup a kid who rode to a destination 5 blocks away. Total fair $4.86...... Cypress Hill's classic "How I Can Just Kill A Man" started flowing through my brain as I drove off....or was it "Hand On The Pump".

Something is very wrong with the system, and a base compensatory rate as you describe could be the remedy.


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## kenny (May 11, 2014)

lol are you guys serious? I don't pick up anyone longer than 8 mins away never mind 15 mins lol. Even at 8 mins I think about it. and I don't get this, even if you made a mistake and accepted the request you are still able to cancel it. Uber with it's rating system has really put everyone on eggshells huh? lol remember we are not employees, we are supposedly their partners so let's act like a partner not a stepchild. My acceptance rate is only 75% and I cancel all day if it's not worth it for me. Stop being scared people, we are here to make money not lose money.


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## BroccoliBundini (May 11, 2014)

That's the worst. This weekend I spend 25 minutes fighting through heavy city traffic only to pick up a few girls who we're going three blocks. They didn't want to walk in their heels.


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## myuber (Apr 18, 2014)

The only way to fix this problem is to make the the minimum fare $10..


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

The minimum on the Black cars in Sydney has just gone up from $15 to $25. Along with a re-jig on how the job is charged. Before it was a flat $3.25 p/ km and $1.25 p /min if travelling slower than 17 km/phr. Now it's 2.40 per/km + $1.00 p/min for the whole duration of the job, regardless if moving or stopped. 

I'm happy to drive 20 mins for a job if the minimum is $25.00 or more. It will help get the wider work covered, build broader network coverage areas for riders to rely on more, and hopefully build turnover. A job from out wide to take towards a UBER stronghold is worth twice as much to a driver


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## myuber (Apr 18, 2014)

Here in phoenix ubersuv pays $25 minimum. 40 cents min. 4.10 a mile.. I'm working on buying a gmc Yukon/tahoe..


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

Uber x is on an $8 min. 

I'd love to get a Yukon - but they are a special import here. 
So I have to settle for a Audi Q7. Aim to have that by the end of the year, one of my sedans come off finance in June so I'll have a little breathing space to go shopping


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