# Why do riders expect so much for a $3.75 fare?



## Matt moraes (Mar 19, 2017)

They will give 1 star for a 2 block ride? My car is clean and I'm polite at all times, so what is going on?


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

Matt moraes said:


> They will give 1 star for a 2 block ride? My car is clean and I'm polite at all times, so what is going on?


It's called Uber. When most drivers 1st start they cater to the pax by handing out water and other items for free. The pax have come to expect this kind of service for sub $1/mile rates. Pax also know if they complain then there's a chance of Uber refunding the fare. Uber has ruined this industry. The fare for hire industry will never be more then a minimum wage job.


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## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

There is no logical reason. Just don't worry and drive. Your ratings will go up


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## emdeplam (Jan 13, 2017)

Matt moraes said:


> They will give 1 star for a 2 block ride? My car is clean and I'm polite at all times, so what is going on?


Hang in there Matt. I remember the first time someone down voted a tweet of mine. I cried for days...it was a tweet about butterflies...what can be wrong with that. Years later I still bear the scar, but the wound heals.


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## crookedhalo (Mar 15, 2016)

emdeplam said:


> Hang in there Matt. I remember the first time someone down voted a tweet of mine. I cried for days...it was a tweet about butterflies...what can be wrong with that. Years later I still bear the scar, but the wound heals.


 I have a negative rating on my imgur profile. I havnt slept in weeks cause of it.


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## Matt moraes (Mar 19, 2017)

Ok I'm guessing they are accustomed to have free water and candy, if I'm going to buy candy and water and give out to minimum fare rides, I'll probably won't even cut even. One more thing, can you not accept an airport ride due to a low rating and not lose your spot in the queue? Because never again I'm picking a 4.57 from there ever again.


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## joebo1963 (Dec 21, 2016)

pax with low ratings give low ratings......... they expect a limo ride with drinks and snacks at an Uber price$5..... its a whole class of people that should return to the city bus.....


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## Matt moraes (Mar 19, 2017)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> It's called Uber. When most drivers 1st start they cater to the pax by handing out water and other items for free. The pax have come to expect this kind of service for sub $1/mile rates. Pax also know if they complain then there's a chance of Uber refunding the fare. Uber has ruined this industry. The fare for hire industry will never be more then a minimum wage job.


I'm starting to notice that people who use uber around my city is because it's cheaper than having a car and if they get hit with surge their expenses increase. I enjoy driving drunks way better than people going or coming from work. Most of the time they're nice and leave a big tip for my efforts.


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## emdeplam (Jan 13, 2017)

Matt moraes said:


> Ok I'm guessing they are accustomed to have free water and candy, if I'm going to buy candy and water and give out to minimum fare rides, I'll probably won't even cut even. One more thing, can you not accept an airport ride due to a low rating and not lose your spot in the queue? Because never again I'm picking a 4.57 from there ever again.


Buying water and candy is novice move! STOP

Water- Do it Baja style and recycle bottles and fill from tap. Pax will think you are super green to collect their empties when done to save the planet. Pet peeve is those pax that rip the labels aarrrrggggg you just cant make it look new again

Candy- I have a list of restaurants that have a candy jar at the exit and just load up. Best tips every when I took the whole portion of the "Mukhwas" from an indian joint, spoon and all and pax loved it...but a bit messy

And its LA so I always have a bottle of Tapatio....pax put it on everything and you can grab them at any Mex joint


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## I_Like_Spam (May 10, 2015)

joebo1963 said:


> pax with low ratings give low ratings......... they expect a limo ride with drinks and snacks at an Uber price$5..... its a whole class of people that should return to the city bus.....


You are apparently not onboard with the Uber Vision, to run the city buses out of business, and really grab that market share.



emdeplam said:


> Candy- I have a list of restaurants that have a candy jar at the exit and just load up. Best tips every when I took the whole portion of the "Mukhwas" from an indian joint, spoon and all and pax loved it...but a bit messy


The candy in restaurants is meant for actual customers, not the general public or other, independent businesses like Uber Partners just to come in and take.

The owners might take offense at this kind of move.


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## joebo1963 (Dec 21, 2016)

Matt moraes said:


> I'm starting to notice that people who use uber around my city is because it's cheaper than having a car and if they get hit with surge their expenses increase. I enjoy driving drunks way better than people going or coming from work. Most of the time they're nice and leave a big tip for my efforts.


I've been hearing that too from pax here in fort lauderdale, thats its cheaper than owning a car.....too many americans are always out to find the cheapest service but they want quality....cant have both...me and my infiniti will be cutting back hours.....


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## Matt moraes (Mar 19, 2017)

joebo1963 said:


> pax with low ratings give low ratings......... they expect a limo ride with drinks and snacks at an Uber price$5..... its a whole class of people that should return to the city bus.....


I'm finding that out quickly.



joebo1963 said:


> I've been hearing that too from pax here in fort lauderdale, thats its cheaper than owning a car.....too many americans are always out to find the cheapest service but they want quality....cant have both...me and my infiniti will be cutting back hours.....


And I know they want to find the cheapest way to get home, so the least they could do is to appreciate and give a good rating to the driver for driving them home for $5.



emdeplam said:


> Buying water and candy is novice move! STOP
> 
> Water- Do it Baja style and recycle bottles and fill from tap. Pax will think you are super green to collect their empties when done to save the planet. Pet peeve is those pax that rip the labels aarrrrggggg you just cant make it look new again
> 
> ...


My bank offers free candy, but I wouldn't give it out anyways, from what I'm seeing, they'll probably throw the trash on my floors or even stick gum to the seats which would be worst.


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## Apu (Feb 22, 2017)

To answer your question it is simply an entitlement mentality. Mostly millennials but it is also prevalent in the low classes of society. They expect everything to be offered to the collective, except of course their stuff! 

This came about due to society always catering to the LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR. Remember governments arguments against Uber? They would say its unfair because people without smartphones or credit cards cant access Uber, or that drivers wouldn't take rides in certain parts of town. 

Well the mentality has full on taken over, and the only wat to stop it is not give in to the complainers, this mentality will eventually cycle through but it will take a while.


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## charmer37 (Nov 18, 2016)

joebo1963 said:


> pax with low ratings give low ratings......... they expect a limo ride with drinks and snacks at an Uber price$5..... its a whole class of people that should return to the city bus.....


 Exactly! Uber put all the power in the passengers hand with the corrupt rating system by giving drivers a 1 star and complaining to uber for a free ride, In my opinion a lot of uber and lyfts passengers need to go back to riding the bus especially uberpool riders.



Matt moraes said:


> I'm finding that out quickly.
> 
> And I know they want to find the cheapest way to get home, so the least they could do is to appreciate and give a good rating to the driver for driving them home for $5.
> 
> My bank offers free candy, but I wouldn't give it out anyways, from what I'm seeing, they'll probably throw the trash on my floors or even stick gum to the seats which would be worst.


Just be yourself and keep your car clean and give the riders a safe ride, Drivers aren't paid enough to offer anything extra.



joebo1963 said:


> I've been hearing that too from pax here in fort lauderdale, thats its cheaper than owning a car.....too many americans are always out to find the cheapest service but they want quality....cant have both...me and my infiniti will be cutting back hours.....


 I have a Acura so the cheap skates can take the bus if I feel any tension when riding in my car, Uber created the platform and pricing but it's our car and our rules.


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## Treetop Flyer (Apr 1, 2017)

Here's an example of why:
I pull into a nice oceanside gated community the other day and pick up an attractive 50 something year old woman and her girlfriend for a 3 mile trip to the restaurant/ bar part of town. The woman tells me that I'll be picking up another friend around the block and not to worry because she'll be ready. The third woman approaches my car and gets in the back seat. I have all three women in the back seat and can see each of their faces in the rear view mirror. The ride is fun and the women are lively, pleasant and enjoying the ride. As we approach the drop off location one of the women asks (because it's her first ride) if she can tip me. I say yes. At that very moment I see the account holders expression. She wanted so badly to say "you don't tip Uber drivers" and flashed me a look like the cat who ate the canary. These people know better. And frankly, they're surprised and feel a little guilty for the abuse the shared ride culture has created relating to the drivers. I was handed $10.00 for a $3.50 fare....I stuffed the bill in my shirt.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Matt moraes said:


> They will give 1 star for a 2 block ride? My car is clean and I'm polite at all times, so what is going on?


Because Uber PROMISED them the World off of Your Back !



emdeplam said:


> Hang in there Matt. I remember the first time someone down voted a tweet of mine. I cried for days...it was a tweet about butterflies...what can be wrong with that. Years later I still bear the scar, but the wound heals.


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## Matt moraes (Mar 19, 2017)

It's fair to say that I'll be driving exclusively during games and events only and saturdays of course. I'm lucky we have 3 big home teams. Penguins, steelers and the pirates. No way I'm driving these cheap, arrogant people anymore.



Treetop Flier said:


> Here's an example of why:
> I pull into a nice oceanside gated community the other day and pick up an attractive 50 something year old woman and her girlfriend for a 3 mile trip to the restaurant/ bar part of town. The woman tells me that I'll be picking up another friend around the block and not to worry because she'll be ready. The third woman approaches my car and gets in the back seat. I have all three women in the back seat and can see each of their faces in the rear view mirror. The ride is fun and the women are lively, pleasant and enjoying the ride. As we approach the drop off location one of the women asks (because it's her first ride) if she can tip me. I say yes. At that very moment I see the account holders expression. She wanted so badly to say "you don't tip Uber drivers" and flashed me a look like the cat who ate the canary. These people know better. And frankly, they're surprised and feel a little guilty for the abuse the shared ride culture has created relating to the drivers. I was handed $10.00 for a $3.50 fare....I stuffed the bill in my shirt.


Funny, they always tell me that they've selected an option to tip automatically but ask if they can tip me anyways. I always tell them that is up to them and tips are very appreciated.


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## Zoey jasmine (Mar 25, 2017)

Shangsta said:


> There is no logical reason. Just don't worry and drive. Your ratings will go up


I can't help but wonder the same and keep driving even with added commodities and am down to 4.77. Due to these kinds of rides


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## Matt moraes (Mar 19, 2017)

Zoey jasmine said:


> I can't help but wonder the same and keep driving even with added commodities and am down to 4.77. Due to these kinds of rides


I'm down to 4.74 50 rated trips 45 being 5 stars 2 being 1 star


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## Go4 (Jan 8, 2017)

I have not given water or mints to pax.
I say it's simpler to just tip your pax. Just a dollar each ride for the account holder should assure a 4* rating. If you want 5* ratings then tip all the riders $5 each.
And no empty bottles or mint wrappers to clean up.


Just Kidding guys


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## Zoey jasmine (Mar 25, 2017)

Matt moraes said:


> I'm down to 4.74 50 rated trips 45 being 5 stars 2 being 1 star


Upsurd. Excellent service should at least keep our ratings better, if nothing else


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## Rakos (Sep 2, 2014)

I had a lady pax that stated she was tipping 20% on EVERY ride...

because thats what she originally programmed into the app...

When I corrected and informed her...

That it was not happening...

She was FLOORED and mad as hell...

When they begin using the app...

It SPECIFICALLY asks them what percentage they want to tip...

What they dont know is...

It ONLY applies to Ubercab and nothing else...

Obviously we are NOT Ubercab...

So we NEVER get it...

They need to STOP that immediately!!!
Rakos

PS. Educate them you guys!


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## Matt moraes (Mar 19, 2017)

Rakos said:


> I had a lady pax that stated she was tipping 20% on EVERY ride...
> 
> because thats what she originally programmed into the app...
> 
> ...


Exactly what someone told me. She thought she was tipping every time automatically.


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## Perrin2016 (Mar 30, 2017)

I don't provide water or candy or any of that. I don't get paid enough to provide free water and snacks to a bunch of cheap skates. I do this part time until I pay off a few bills, I am starting to think it would be cheaper to sell my car and just take uber myself. Without a car payment, insurance and gas out of my monthly budget I wouldn't need to make the extra money.


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## Rakos (Sep 2, 2014)

Thats about right...

Butt then you wont have the joy...

Of someone getting sick in your car...

Or someone just for the helluvit...

Rating you a 1 star...

cause thats the mark of excellence...8)

Rakos


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## Geno71 (Dec 23, 2016)

Matt moraes said:


> It's fair to say that I'll be driving exclusively during games and events only and saturdays of course. I'm lucky we have 3 big home teams. Penguins, steelers and the pirates. No way I'm driving these cheap, arrogant people anymore.
> 
> Funny, they always tell me that they've selected an option to tip automatically but ask if they can tip me anyways. I always tell them that is up to them and tips are very appreciated.


Oh Matt, well you can sure give it a try, but in my experience dealing with Pittsburgh fans after games was the worst time. The last one I did took 45 minutes to get to the rider (because they will always be in the worst spot) , then another 30 or so minutes to get out of there (PPG Paints Arena after the Pens game) and the fare ended up being like $7. The group I was driving was bad too, drunk and loud. After that I said no more and made a point to avoid games traffic.


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## touberornottouber (Aug 12, 2016)

Matt moraes said:


> They will give 1 star for a 2 block ride? My car is clean and I'm polite at all times, so what is going on?


I don't know. I had one lady a little upset because I didn't call her after waiting 2 minutes (it automatically texts her). She claimed all the other drivers call her. I know that is BS because in the training video it says not to call upon arrival unless there is a good reason. Maybe they were callign her because they were ready to no-show her. I felt like telling her, "Actually you shouldn't ping for Uber until you are outside or at the door".

Last night there was a banquet for some group on the beachside. They were all entitled 20 somethings dressed up nice. The trip each way was like $3.30 for me. I did a few trips but then I noticed they were doing things like leaving candy wrappers purposely in my car. The final straw was the last trip where the kid basically ignored me while sitting up front when I talked to him (about how long it would take, the traffic, etc - not long conversation but uber related stuff). I figured the hell with this and went home. I'm not putting up with this and the traffic for $3 each trip. There were like 100 of them waiting for an Uber too. Screw 'em.


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## Matt moraes (Mar 19, 2017)

touberornottouber said:


> I don't know. I had one lady a little upset because I didn't call her after waiting 2 minutes (it automatically texts her). She claimed all the other drivers call her. I know that is BS because in the training video it says not to call upon arrival unless there is a good reason. Maybe they were callign her because they were ready to no-show her. I felt like telling her, "Actually you shouldn't ping for Uber until you are outside or at the door".
> 
> Last night there was a banquet for some group on the beachside. They were all entitled 20 somethings dressed up nice. The trip each way was like $3.30 for me. I did a few trips but then I noticed they were doing things like leaving candy wrappers purposely in my car. The final straw was the last trip where the kid basically ignored me while sitting up front when I talked to him (about how long it would take, the traffic, etc - not long conversation but uber related stuff). I figured the hell with this and went home. I'm not putting up with this and the traffic for $3 each trip. There were like 100 of them waiting for an Uber too. Screw 'em.


Not worth it.


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## Whothought (Jan 18, 2017)

My bank now accepts my 5 Stars & Badges.


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## Bean (Sep 24, 2016)

Matt moraes said:


> Exactly what someone told me. She thought she was tipping every time automatically.


I hear this from pax all too often as well. Uber's wording seems intentionally misleading when they sign up.


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## Trump Economics (Jul 29, 2015)

I think you're 5 stars.









Matt moraes said:


> They will give 1 star for a 2 block ride? My car is clean and I'm polite at all times, so what is going on?


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## UberX_zoom (Apr 3, 2017)

I try to stay away from minimum fare hot spots.


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## CherylC (Dec 5, 2016)

Matt moraes said:


> They will give 1 star for a 2 block ride? My car is clean and I'm polite at all times, so what is going on?


Why ask why. Drunks rate drivers. No wonder there is a driver merry-go-round:-/


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## PrestonT (Feb 15, 2017)

Treetop Flyer said:


> I stuffed the bill in my shirt.


Of course, because another man never woulda let her go.


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## Tim In Cleveland (Jul 28, 2014)

emdeplam said:


> Buying water and candy is novice move! STOP
> 
> Water- Do it Baja style and recycle bottles and fill from tap. Pax will think you are super green to collect their empties when done to save the planet. Pet peeve is those pax that rip the labels aarrrrggggg you just cant make it look new again
> 
> ...


Nice ways to save money on giving out candy and water...but better yet, give NOTHING. They shouldn't be accepting water and candy from a stranger and Uber will NOT compensate you for damages. I had a customer dump her entire bottle of water all over my seat so I had to take the rest of the night off and Uber said "tough cookies". The same will happen when they shove half eaten candy onto your seats, etc. You will not get tips or a better rating for handing this stuff out so just stop.
and omg, did you just say you take hot sauce and allow the pax to use it? That's insane! a) don't allow eating in your car. b) hot sauce can stain your interior. c) restaurants are not okay with you lifting bottles of ketchup, hot sauce, whatever so I hope your discussing packets.


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## PrestonT (Feb 15, 2017)

Wanna keep your ratings high? Just say No to UberPool.


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## Strange Fruit (Aug 10, 2016)

cuz they can


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## UberLaLa (Sep 6, 2015)

Treetop Flyer said:


> ... I was handed $10.00 for a $3.50 fare....I stuffed the bill in my shirt.


_Don't put it in your pocket...





_


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## Anonymously (Mar 28, 2017)

Matt moraes said:


> They will give 1 star for a 2 block ride? My car is clean and I'm polite at all times, so what is going on?


I own a software company and we build mobile apps. Around the office we call your post "Being In The Weeds" lol every time we get a negative review everybody gets offended - some comments are so nasty (especially those Australians! They ALWAYS rate negatively!) it's easy to get caught up in the ratings, tryjng to figure out why someone rated 1 star, why they left a nasty review. I stay away from checking them now. So moral of the story, stay out of the weeds Matt stay out of the weeds! They will drive you crazy lol


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## Matt moraes (Mar 19, 2017)

Anonymously said:


> I own a software company and we build mobile apps. Around the office we call your post "Being In The Weeds" lol every time we get a negative review everybody gets offended - some comments are so nasty (especially those Australians! They ALWAYS rate negatively!) it's easy to get caught up in the ratings, tryjng to figure out why someone rated 1 star, why they left a nasty review. I stay away from checking them now. So moral of the story, stay out of the weeds Matt stay out of the weeds! They will drive you crazy lol


I'm always wondering wth I did wrong.


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## Anonymously (Mar 28, 2017)

Matt moraes said:


> I'm always wondering wth I did wrong.


Personally I rate 1 star when the car is filthy. If you cant take 5 minutes out of ur day to vacuum your disgusting car or at least clean the seat of all of your junk I rate 1 star. That's the only reason I ever rate 1 star as a rider. Is your car clean? lol


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## Matt moraes (Mar 19, 2017)

Anonymously said:


> Personally I rate 1 star when the car is filthy. If you cant take 5 minutes out of ur day to vacuum your disgusting car or at least clean the seat of all of your junk I rate 1 star. That's the only reason I ever rate 1 star as a rider. Is your car clean? lol


My car is always clean, 2017 jeep, black leather with heated seats. I don't think this was the problem. Idk what the problem was.


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## JAnightrider (Jun 25, 2015)

Matt moraes said:


> They will give 1 star for a 2 block ride? My car is clean and I'm polite at all times, so what is going on?


Uber,and the rating system.


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## klaatu (Nov 17, 2015)

Treetop Flyer said:


> I was handed $10.00 for a $3.50 fare....I stuffed the bill in my shirt.


Ha ha...Kudos for the Harry Chapin reference!!


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## dirtylee (Sep 2, 2015)

Matt moraes said:


> My car is always clean, 2017 jeep, black leather with heated seats. I don't think this was the problem. Idk what the problem was.


I'd 1 star you out of spite for doing base rate uber x in a brand new jeep.


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## Adieu (Feb 21, 2016)

dirtylee said:


> I'd 1 star you out of spite for doing base rate uber x in a brand new jeep.


That happens a lot.

Even in overly clean and shiny old cars that broke azz paxholes like yourself mistake for new, expensive toys

Heck I got envy-rated in a $4600 government surplus truck more than a few times.


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## ratethis (Jan 7, 2017)

emdeplam said:


> Buying water and candy is novice move! STOP
> 
> Water- Do it Baja style and recycle bottles and fill from tap. Pax will think you are super green to collect their empties when done to save the planet. Pet peeve is those pax that rip the labels aarrrrggggg you just cant make it look new again
> 
> ...


Hey free teabags and sugar at Royal farm and Wawa stores... Pax just want free stuff right.


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## Geno71 (Dec 23, 2016)

dirtylee said:


> I'd 1 star you out of spite for doing base rate uber x in a brand new jeep.


If it's a Jeep Renegade or Liberty, it's perfect for Uber.


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## Doowop (Jul 10, 2016)

Matt moraes said:


> I'm down to 4.74 50 rated trips 45 being 5 stars 2 being 1 star


Foot massages increase ratings.



PrestonT said:


> Wanna keep your ratings high? Just say No to UberPool.


This driver knows what he's talking about. Survival.


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## UberLaLa (Sep 6, 2015)

Matt moraes said:


> My car is always clean, 2017 jeep, black leather with heated seats. I don't think this was the problem. Idk what the problem was.


I stopped opening doors or having water 2 years ago...my Rating went from 4.91 to 4.93/4.94 with over 4k Trips...

Keep the car clean, be pleasant and get them their safely. END OF STORY 



Anonymously said:


> I own a software company and we build mobile apps. Around the office we call your post "Being In The Weeds" lol every time we get a negative review everybody gets offended - some comments are so nasty (especially those Australians! They ALWAYS rate negatively!) it's easy to get caught up in the ratings, tryjng to figure out why someone rated 1 star, why they left a nasty review. I stay away from checking them now. So moral of the story, stay out of the weeds Matt stay out of the weeds! They will drive you crazy lol


_Haters love to hate...Lovers hate to love. _Just plain lazy human nature...imo.


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## Retired Senior (Sep 12, 2016)

Treetop Flyer said:


> Here's an example of why:
> I pull into a nice oceanside gated community the other day and pick up an attractive 50 something year old woman and her girlfriend for a 3 mile trip to the restaurant/ bar part of town. The woman tells me that I'll be picking up another friend around the block and not to worry because she'll be ready. The third woman approaches my car and gets in the back seat. I have all three women in the back seat and can see each of their faces in the rear view mirror. The ride is fun and the women are lively, pleasant and enjoying the ride. As we approach the drop off location one of the women asks (because it's her first ride) if she can tip me. I say yes. At that very moment I see the account holders expression. She wanted so badly to say "you don't tip Uber drivers" and flashed me a look like the cat who ate the canary. These people know better. And frankly, they're surprised and feel a little guilty for the abuse the shared ride culture has created relating to the drivers. I was handed $10.00 for a $3.50 fare....I stuffed the bill in my shirt.


I've GOTTEN TIPPED CASH 3 TIMES IN 6 MONTHS. I DON'T HOLD MY BREATH!
One was an airplane pilot that needed a "rush" job to Sikorsky.
One was an impoverished looking older woman who insisted that I take her $5 bill.
One was a retired Fireman who chatted with me about the pros and cons of Ubering.

I don't care if I get tipped or not... it is the stupid complaints that frost me!


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## Matt moraes (Mar 19, 2017)

dirtylee said:


> I'd 1 star you out of spite for doing base rate uber x in a brand new jeep.


I realized that and learned that caring for theses pax is a waste of time. Uberx pax don't deserve nice cars.



Geno71 said:


> If it's a Jeep Renegade or Liberty, it's perfect for Uber.


Renegade



Retired Senior said:


> I've GOTTEN TIPPED CASH 3 TIMES IN 6 MONTHS. I DON'T HOLD MY BREATH!
> One was an airplane pilot that needed a "rush" job to Sikorsky.
> One was an impoverished looking older woman who insisted that I take her $5 bill.
> One was a retired Fireman who chatted with me about the pros and cons of Ubering.
> ...


I'll get the occasional tip if it's an airport run, long ride or older people. College students or people going to work I'll get a door slam as a tip.


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## Lee239 (Mar 24, 2017)

Anonymously said:


> I own a software company and we build mobile apps. Around the office we call your post "Being In The Weeds" lol every time we get a negative review everybody gets offended - some comments are so nasty (especially those Australians! They ALWAYS rate negatively!) it's easy to get caught up in the ratings, tryjng to figure out why someone rated 1 star, why they left a nasty review. I stay away from checking them now. So moral of the story, stay out of the weeds Matt stay out of the weeds! They will drive you crazy lol


I've only heard of in the weeds meaning you have too much work to do and are way behind. I heard it when I worked in a restaurant and a server had to take orders and deliver drinks and take food to tables all at the same time.



Retired Senior said:


> I've GOTTEN TIPPED CASH 3 TIMES IN 6 MONTHS. I DON'T HOLD MY BREATH!
> One was an airplane pilot that needed a "rush" job to Sikorsky.


You were lucky I have found pilots to be notoriously cheap, I used to work at an airport hotel restaurant and they were demanding and cheap.


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## Pixyl (Apr 6, 2017)

My trips vary, either in the short side, people going to work or errands, or average to long, people travelling. I've never had water or anything, except I did give out candy canes at Christmas. People enjoyed that, but I can't afford to do it all the time. Its impossible to make everyone happy, no matter how polite you are.


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## Lee239 (Mar 24, 2017)

They are not paying $3.75, they are paying maybe $7, no way to know since Uber does not let you know the gross amount of the ride, pun intended. 

Most don't expect a lot, if they do let them know how much you make on short rides from Uber and after deductions and empty miles.


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## oscardelta (Sep 30, 2015)

Apu said:


> Remember governments arguments against Uber? They would say its unfair because people without smartphones or credit cards cant access Uber, or that drivers wouldn't take rides in certain parts of town.


Most municipal arguments against Uber had to do with the fact that cab drivers had to be licensed as such, were subject to background checks by law enforcement agencies, had to carry commercial insurance, fares were regulated by local governments, and a limit was placed on the number of cab permits which could be issued.
The argument was that Uber was skirting local ordinances. It's a compelling argument, whether you like it or not.


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## uber1111 (Sep 2, 2017)

lol they want free water and candy??? why??? the fare its only 3.75 ,plus they smelled awful uber should let drivers charge for smelly sweaty riders they should go back to regular transit bus service


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## Retired Senior (Sep 12, 2016)

Maybe I am fortunate that my home base is a economically distressed city that was once an industrial giant but today is best known for the antics of 2 of it's Mayors: P T Barnum and the current job holder - Joe Ganim. 

(N.Y. Times: Mr. Ganim’s victory is a stunning return to public office. He was mayor from 1991 to 2003, resigning after he was convicted of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from people and companies doing business with the city. He spent seven years in federal prison). Go Joe

I gave a foreign exchange student a ride from the Trumbull Shopping Park to the University of Bridgeport a few days ago. For this I was paid $9.50. Using Uber.com's fare estimator I see that my services as an Uber X driver cost the student between $10 - 14 dollars. As far as I know Southern Ct does not have "Uber Pool", so the costs per mile for the customer who uses Uber X should remain the same... it should be based on the distance driven (plus any upfront fee) with the only variable being surge pricing.

I do know that the kid paid more because I followed the UBER GPS prompts to keep him happy. This took us a few miles out of the way. If the kid had spoken better English I could have explained it, but.... He did ask me to help him carry his packages, a microwave oven, a water filtration system, some obvious school supplies... Given the seedy neighborhood (a few blocks away from UB), I put my cell phone in my pocket and unloaded my car. I locked it back up and then helped him carry his stuff to the back of the building.

I did balk at helping him carry his stuff up 2 flights of stairs. Even I have my limits!

From what I could see the house was being used as an illegal rooming house. Just one of many in a city that is so broke it has an abundance of UBER drivers who must travel south towards New York every day in order to make a living.

Now I just checked the Uber Trip advisor/route calculator for the cost a UBER Rider would incur if he was picked up in downtown Stamford and the trip ended at the Darian Police Dept. (Roughly the same miles as the Trumbull to UB trip, but from and to areas with a much higher income. For this ride the customer would pay between $9 and $11. (non surge).

What makes driving in Norwalk and areas closer to the New York boarder worth doing is simply this: you keep busy! The pay rates are the same but a much higher percentage of the population calls for an Uber. In Bridgeport most stand in wait for the bus...

Gas does cost me about $5 in the morning to get to Stamford and - when I decide to quit for the day - about $5 to get home. I did get an EZ Pass for the New York toll booths and it does help tremendously. I did buy a Samsung Galaxy 8+ and I am glad to be able to say that the larger screen and more powerful processor has definitely enhanced my driver's experience. Both my ratings and my net pay have slowly risen....

In general my riders are not entitled jerks, and some are clearly clueless. I have never provided any food or drink for the Pax. I don't play music. I do try to keep my car clean and well maintained. A few times riders have asked to recharge their phones while in my car.

At the end of the day I am simply a low cost taxi-like driver, not a casino bus operator!


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## NHDriver (Aug 6, 2017)

When I first started in the ride share business I always had water on the hot days for pax. Pax would drink the water then stuff the empty bottle in the pouch in the back of the front seat and leave. I did not get any extra tips or increased ratings from providing the water. I carry a 4.96 rating after 1631 trips so you do not have to go the extra mile. If i get asked about water, I simply reply, I use to offer it and buy it with my tip money sir/mam, but most people don't tip and I cannot afford to keep buying and giving it out free, I apologize. That usually ends the conversation and most likely their expectation. I had picked up 4 pax from a restaurant. One of the pax asked why I don't have water. I said in this particular case, IDK probably because riders don't usually offer me any left overs they may be taking home when they leave a restaurant. That ended the conversation and two of the other pax laughed and said, good point.


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## Doowop (Jul 10, 2016)

NHDriver said:


> When I first started in the ride share business I always had water on the hot days for pax. Pax would drink the water then stuff the empty bottle in the pouch in the back of the front seat and leave. I did not get any extra tips or increased ratings from providing the water. I carry a 4.96 rating after 1631 trips so you do not have to go the extra mile. If i get asked about water, I simply reply, I use to offer it and buy it with my tip money sir/mam, but most people don't tip and I cannot afford to keep buying and giving it out free, I apologize. That usually ends the conversation and most likely their expectation. I had picked up 4 pax from a restaurant. One of the pax asked why I don't have water. I said in this particular case, IDK probably because riders don't usually offer me any left overs they may be taking home when they leave a restaurant. That ended the conversation and two of the other pax laughed and said, good point.


Sad but true. Their expectation that you should have water Etc. Is disgusting. By the way did they leave you a tip? For sure they left one at the restaurant where you pick them up from.


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## I_Like_Spam (May 10, 2015)

Matt moraes said:


> They will give 1 star for a 2 block ride? My car is clean and I'm polite at all times, so what is going on?


The minimum fare the rider pays is $7.70, not $3.75. That's pretty much for a 2 block ride


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## Doowop (Jul 10, 2016)

Anonymously said:


> Personally I rate 1 star when the car is filthy. If you cant take 5 minutes out of ur day to vacuum your disgusting car or at least clean the seat of all of your junk I rate 1 star. That's the only reason I ever rate 1 star as a rider. Is your car clean? lol


Do you EVER tip?


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## NHDriver (Aug 6, 2017)

Yes I got a $5 tip actually. Thought for sure it was a no go after I said that, lol


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## Doowop (Jul 10, 2016)

NHDriver said:


> Yes I got a $5 tip actually. Thought for sure it was a no go after I said that, lol


Do you read?


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## Maquis (Jul 6, 2017)

Uber is a Nazi Empire pandering to cheapskates and tightwads. 

Driving around LA I pick up these guys bragging about what hotshots they are in business. They don't tip. Some say now they'll tip me thru the app. Like the check is in the mail. I picked up a guy in Hermosa, dropped him off in MDR, he left his Iphone in my car. He calls me, I'm in West LA, promises to take care of me if I run it back to him. He gave me $8 tip.

Met some nice folks driving. Some are great, tip you a couple bucks. But how the others can even show their face in public, being such chespskates, is beyond me.

Uber uber alles


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## I_Like_Spam (May 10, 2015)

Maquis said:


> Uber is a Nazi Empire pandering to cheapskates and tightwads.


Uber advertises itself as "everyone's private driver", and that implies popular pricing.

I'm sure some people choose to ride Uber because they are cheapskate tightwads, but a lot are just pinching pennies and trying to live frugally.

If someone who can easily afford something better chooses to go uber- you are right, but a lot are just braggarts, if they had real money they'd be taking a limo.


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## 45821 (Feb 15, 2016)

emdeplam said:


> Buying water and candy is novice move! STOP
> 
> Water- Do it Baja style and recycle bottles and fill from tap. Pax will think you are super green to collect their empties when done to save the planet. Pet peeve is those pax that rip the labels aarrrrggggg you just cant make it look new again
> 
> ...


WTF??? Really???


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## Maquis (Jul 6, 2017)

I_Like_Spam said:


> I'm sure some people choose to ride Uber because they are cheapskate tightwads, but a lot are just pinching pennies and trying to live frugally.


Isn't that the freaking DEFINITION of a cheapskate?

These tightwads riding with us for 40-50% of what a taxi might cost, they can't throw the driver a buck or 2 tip?


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## I_Like_Spam (May 10, 2015)

Maquis said:


> Isn't that the freaking DEFINITION of a cheapskate?
> 
> These tightwads riding with us for 40-50% of what a taxi might cost, they can't throw the driver a buck or 2 tip?


Uber is more expensive than the bus, and the bus driver doesn't ask for a tip.

Cabs are largely irrelevant, as these passengers never took them.


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## Maquis (Jul 6, 2017)

Then the tightwads should take the bus with 20 other people, take 3 times as long, have to walk the last half mile.

What kind if moron are you?


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## Julescase (Mar 29, 2017)

joebo1963 said:


> pax with low ratings give low ratings......... they expect a limo ride with drinks and snacks at an Uber price$5..... its a whole class of people that should return to the city bus.....


You literally took the words out of my mouth! I say the same thing all the time. Uber is so freaking CHEAP (in LA we get .65 cents per mile- ludicrous!) and then we have Uber getting even more ridiculous with ****ing Pool - I mean, are you ****ing kidding me for Pete's sake?! These cheap assholes who think $1 tip will break them need to start using public transport; learn the damn bus schedule and have lots of fun, ya *****. Uber has also brainwashed these morons that a $2.62 minimum fare doesn't deserve a $1 tip even if it took 20 minutes in Los Angeles traffic in a clean, fresh-smelling car with a stellar driver who is friendly and helpful and will drop you off at any specific picky annoying area you need to be escorted to, heaven forbid you walk an additional 12 steps - that might kill ya.

It kills me that I used to pay $65 + $20 tip ($85 total, one way, no questions asked - and that's in a smelly, dirty, hot, horrible music playing, maniacal driver taxi) to get to the airport via taxi (pre-Uber) and now these brainwashed cheapskates think $20 and NO TIP to get to the airport is OK. Like it or not, the US has a tipping culture and service jobs: taxi, uber, chauffeurs, waitstaff, housecleaning, bartenders should all be tipped. If you're too cheap to tip, don't use the service. Period.

Who the hell thinks tipping isn't the norm? I'm absolutely baffled on a daily basis about how GD cheap these Uber idiots are. That's why they all get a "1" star rating; to warn their next Uber driver that they're cheap mother****ers. I even had an UBER SRIVER as a pax last night - we're talking about how pax are such assholes and cheap and lo and behold, the ****er didn't tip me! WTF?!?! If a goddamn Uber driver doesn't tip, there's no hope. I'm just over these *********. They want limousine services for basement bottom of the barrel prices. And if they don't get what they think they deserve for ttheir whopping $4.00 fare, it's a 1-star for the driver. Holy shit it's simply beyond words.

I could go on about this subject, I'm sure you're shocked about that......words cannot convey the aversion and resentment I feel towards 95% of the douchbags who get in my car. And yes, I know I can stop any time. That's not the point, lolol!



Maquis said:


> Then the tightwads should take the bus with 20 other people, take 3 times as long, have to walk the last half mile.
> 
> What kind if moron are you?


The kind who takes Ubers and then doesn't tip, apparently!


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## rembrandt (Jul 3, 2016)

A side effect of corporate power play. Uber has created the rating system to have a leash to the 'independent contractors to exert power and the passengers are used as tools. They don't care about the passages at all.
This is all about keeping the employees (yes!) at bay. Call centers record the phone calls and ask customers to rate the CSR for the same reason. Ask any CSR how abusive the callers are. Corporate culture love control- the body and soul.
A fearless mind is the only solution to this corporate tyranny my dear friends. Keep your head high all the time so that they can't get you.


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## brendon292 (Aug 2, 2016)

I_Like_Spam said:


> The minimum fare the rider pays is $7.70, not $3.75. That's pretty much for a 2 block ride


Minimum fare is different in each market. It is $5 in mine.



rembrandt said:


> Corporate culture love control


Only for the low skilled employees. You think they're tracking everything Janice from accounting or Steve from IT is doing? No chance. They only care about what the people earning minimum wage in front facing positions are doing. As if paying them shit wages isn't bad enough, they have to micro manage them too.


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## rembrandt (Jul 3, 2016)

brendon292 said:


> Minimum fare is different in each market. It is $5 in mine.
> 
> Only for the low skilled employees. You think they're tracking everything Janice from accounting or Steve from IT is doing? No chance. They only care about what the people earning minimum wage in front facing positions are doing. As if paying them shit wages isn't bad enough, they have to micro manage them too.


Everyone is subject to micro management in a corporate world regardless of the pay. Senior Executives laugh at those 'cheap' accounting 'clerks' or IT techies even though these people Janice and Steve have managerial badges. And those senior executives are micro managed by their boss. Get a job at a corporate house and you will find that out pretty quick. Micro management is the most rudimentary and ancient form of management style starting at home by tyrannical parents.

Check how Trump micro manages his 4* generals and White House staffs.


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## Doowop (Jul 10, 2016)

rembrandt said:


> Everyone is subject to micro management in a corporate world regardless of the pay. Senior Executives laugh at those 'cheap' accounting 'clerks' or IT techies even though these people Janice and Steve have managerial badges. And those senior executives are micro managed by their boss. Get a job at a corporate house and you will find that out pretty quick. Micro management is the most rudimentary and ancient form of management style starting at home by tyrannical parents.
> 
> Check how Trump micro manages his 4* generals and White House staffs.


http://www.military.com/daily-news/...hority-afghanistan-trump-remains-engaged.html

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-launch-massive-military-response-nkorea-threats-mattis-195826168.html


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## Julescase (Mar 29, 2017)

Whothought said:


> My bank now accepts my 5 Stars & Badges.


Omg me too! I have almost enough stars to buy a new car! :/


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## kdyrpr (Apr 23, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> It's called Uber. When most drivers 1st start they cater to the pax by handing out water and other items for free. The pax have come to expect this kind of service for sub $1/mile rates. Pax also know if they complain then there's a chance of Uber refunding the fare. Uber has ruined this industry. The fare for hire industry will never be more then a minimum wage job.


It seems to me that at least in this market, thankfully most riders don't even rate. I am rated less than 45% of the time. I say thankfully because I much rather get no rating than anything less than 5. Having said all that.....WGAF, really.


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## Mvlab (Apr 12, 2017)

Maquis said:


> Uber is a Nazi Empire pandering to cheapskates and tightwads.
> 
> Driving around LA I pick up these guys bragging about what hotshots they are in business. They don't tip. Some say now they'll tip me thru the app. Like the check is in the mail. I picked up a guy in Hermosa, dropped him off in MDR, he left his Iphone in my car. He calls me, I'm in West LA, promises to take care of me if I run it back to him. He gave me $8 tip.
> 
> ...


I had a couple several days ago, students, I guess, in their early twenties, they were talking about what wrist watch to buy for somebody as a gift- girl was insisting on Rolex, boy was leaning towards Patek Philippe. Guess what- how much tips I got?


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## kdyrpr (Apr 23, 2016)

creeps


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## Retired Senior (Sep 12, 2016)

ALL OF YOU ARE EITHER MISSING THE BIGGER PICTURE, OR ARE AFRAID TO SPEAK AND THINK ABOUT IT!

According to MIT University, Forbes, Fortune and Time magazines, Ric Edelman (The Truth About Your Future) and an ever growing number of "Think Tanks", by the year 2050 more than half the Americans who want to work a job will be unable to find one, no matter what their level of education is.

Yet many of the financial elite top 1% who fund the Republican Party are against universal funding for birth control, against raising the minimum wage to at least level with the Federal poverty limits, against a single payer health insurance system (such as expanded Medicaid) and most definitely against what has been called a "negative income tax" - giving every family living below the Federal poverty limit enough cash each year so as to provide the ability to live and provide for their families.

The top financial 1%, Hell, the top 50%, and the public Republican Party policy platform, makes it very clear that (1) if you get pregnant it "obviously" was your choice (2) don't expect the Government to aid you in getting an abortion or any form of birth control, (3) since you "chose" to bring another child into the world it is your responsibility to care for and provide for that child.

Violate any of these "norms" and you risk having the State or Federal Government taking the child away from you and possibly putting you in jail.

Note: many other political types, not simply Republicans, expose the same sentiments, as well as religious leaders you endorse the "Gospel of Prosperity".
To understand just what "The Gospel of Prosperity" is, skip to the bottom of this post... the purple prose will explain it!

So we face massive unemployment brought about by increasingly intelligent computers and robots, politicians who refuse to discuss any aspect of the problem, religious leaders who are more about circuses and self glorification than emulating Jesus and the way he fed the hungry while he delivered "The Sermon on the Mount", and a beaten down population that actually believed that a self professed billionaire could feel empathy for them and actually wanted to help them better their own lives. So they voted Donald Trump into office. (Not that Hillary was any better...)

In a way, that all too short video of Travis arguing with the Uber driver that if the driver was not happy with his life it was the driver's fault for the poor life choices that he made, was an expression of "the prosperity gospel".

It's getting late... I gotta run... all of this (and much else) has led me to believe that the plutocrats who actually run our (American) government are looking forward to the day when there will exist a huge population of unemployed people who will do anything and everything that they are asked (told!) to do for simple food and boarding. We are all going to become outright slaves because of the over-population and job scarcity. We will be made to believe that it is our own fault, and, like the early Christians 2000 years ago, we will be told by religious leaders to suck it up because if we do we will be rewarded in heaven.

Now... topics to be explored:
Jack Williamson's The Humanoids
Margaret Atwood's: The Handmaid's Tale
George Orwell's: 1984
Aldous Huxley's Brave New World
Ray Kurzweil: The Singularity is Near.


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## Retired Senior (Sep 12, 2016)

_*A plea to the moderators...

Please do not repost this NY Times article to some other section. The "Gospel of Prosperity" is central to understanding the larger subtext to answering: why do riders expect so much for a $3.75 fare? The unspoken question is: Why are drivers willing to settle for so little?*_

Ok, had to divide my post in half...
From John Calvin thru Reverend Ike to the present day leaders of the mega-churches, religious leaders have claimed that wealth and health, here on earth, is a sign that "god loves you". This is despicable on many levels.

Here is a New York Times article on the subject as it applies to Houston Texas today....

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/30/opinion/trump-osteen-harvey-church.html

The Opinion Pages | Op-Ed Contributor 
*The Cheap Prosperity Gospel of Trump and Osteen*


By ANTHEA BUTLERAUG. 30, 2017

in Houston last week, the spectacularly wealthy pastor Joel Osteen could have opened up his megachurch to serve as a logistics center. He could have announced that evacuees were welcome to take shelter there when Hurricane Harvey landed. Instead he wrote tweets like "God's got this" and "don't drift into doubt and fear &#8230; stay anchored to hope." Only a couple of his posts on Twitter offered "prayers."

On Sunday, Mr. Osteen's church announced that it was inaccessible because of "flooding." But intrepid journalists proved otherwise. After Mr. Osteen was humiliated on social media, he finally opened the 16,800-seat church to the public on Tuesday. When asked about the delay, Mr. Osteen said that "the city didn't ask us to become a shelter."

President Trump, too, revealed his morally bankrupt soul during the storm when he said that he timed his pardon of the racist former sheriff Joe Arpaio to coincide with the hurricane's landfall because he assumed that it would garner "far higher" TV ratings than usual. Mr. Trump did visit Texas, but there was apparently no mention of dead or displaced Texans, and no expressions of sympathy.

Photo 








Joel Osteen at his Lakewood Church in Houston on Tuesday. Credit LM Otero/Associated Press 
Mr. Trump and Mr. Osteen are mirrors of each other. Both enjoy enormous support among evangelicals, yet they lack a command of biblical scripture. Both are among the 1 percent.

Natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey are the worst kind of crises for people like Mr. Trump and Mr. Osteen, who purvey their own versions of the prosperity gospel. This is a belief that says if you think positively and make affirmations, God will reward you with financial success and good health. If you don't, you may face unemployment, poverty or sickness. (Mr. Trump in particular always speaks in laudatory terms about himself and his companies.)

But the problem is that it's hard to promote "Your Best Life Now" or "The Art of the Deal" to people whose houses have flooded or been blown away, or to evacuees who have only the clothes on their backs.

Mr. Trump's and Mr. Osteen's brands are rooted in success, not Scripture. Believers in prosperity like winners. Hurricanes and catastrophic floods do not provide the winning narratives crucial to keep adherents chained to prosperity gospel thinking. That is why it is easy for both men to issue platitudes devoid of empathy during natural disasters. They lack compassion for people who are not prosperous, because those people simply did not follow the rules.

This empathy-less prosperity gospel also permeates attitudes about the role of our government. Consider when Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson said in March that poverty was a "state of mind." Representative Mo Brooks of Alabama echoed this in a May interview when he said that "people who lead good lives" don't have to deal with pre-existing medical conditions. This kind of thinking by the Republicans, that individual effort and religious faith are paramount, has desensitized them to poverty, disaster and the vagaries of disease. They have already cut millions from federal disaster aid, and if an uptick in disasters occurs, many more people will die.

Mr. Trump and Mr. Osteen aren't the first to display such tone deafness. President George W. Bush, an evangelical known for his "compassionate conservatism," was crucial in promoting an individual ethic of compassion. "Government cannot solve every problem," Mr. Bush said in 2002, "but it can encourage people and communities to help themselves and to help one another." What that really meant was churches, rather than the government, needed to administer social aid programs. The self-reliance of individuals and communities would substitute for federal support.

So while the storm churns through Texas and Louisiana, causing floods, death and misery, it is time to consider the damage the prosperity gospel has done to America. Mr. Trump and Mr. Osteen unwittingly revealed its ugly underbelly: the smugness, the self-aggrandizing posturing. It has co-opted many in the Republican Party, readily visible in their relentless desire to strip Americans of health care, disaster relief and infrastructure funding.

Now Ted Cruz and Texas Republicans seek federal disaster aid, although they voted against the same in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The Republicans in states affected by the disaster will find out soon enough what it feels like to come to Washington and relief organizations with their hat in their hands.

The survivors of Hurricane Harvey do not need empty tweets and platitudes from people like Donald Trump and Joel Osteen. They have shown beyond a shadow of a doubt that, as we say in Texas, they are all hat and no cattle.

Anthea Butler (@AntheaButler) is an associate professor of religious studies at the University of Pennsylvania and the author of "Women in the Church of God in Christ: Making a Sanctified World."


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## NHDriver (Aug 6, 2017)

I_Like_Spam said:


> Uber is more expensive than the bus, and the bus driver doesn't ask for a tip.
> 
> Cabs are largely irrelevant, as these passengers never took them.


Bus Drivers are city/town employees with a salray, paid time off, don't own or maintain the bus or have any associated cost providing their services as well as a pretty generous benefits package. Uber drivers have NONE of these advantages. A tip to a bus driver would be welcome i am sure, but to an uber driver it is pretty much a need.



Doowop said:


> Sad but true. Their expectation that you should have water Etc. Is disgusting. By the way did they leave you a tip? For sure they left one at the restaurant where you pick them up from.


I did actually, but it was from the person who had the account not the person who asked for the water.


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## I_Like_Spam (May 10, 2015)

NHDriver said:


> A tip to a bus driver would be welcome i am sure, but to an uber driver it is pretty much a need.


The public doesn't know that, Uber's ads on TV and radio make Ubering seem like a pretty sweet deal, putting on the "ultimate side hustle".


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## Saltyoldman (Oct 18, 2016)

Whothought said:


> My bank now accepts my 5 Stars & Badges.


HAHA Good Stuff


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## uber1111 (Sep 2, 2017)

i cant drive in the suburbs anymore ,every trip is 12 minutes away,4 to 5 miles aproximately,it drains my gas tank for a cheap 3.75$ pay i will stay in the city


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## I_Like_Spam (May 10, 2015)

uber1111 said:


> i cant drive in the suburbs anymore ,every trip is 12 minutes away,4 to 5 miles aproximately,it drains my gas tank for a cheap 3.75$ pay i will stay in the city


If a trip is 12 minutes away, you probably shouldn't be taking it, if you are in the city or the suburbs.


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## Doowop (Jul 10, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> It's called Uber. When most drivers 1st start they cater to the pax by handing out water and other items for free. The pax have come to expect this kind of service for sub $1/mile rates. Pax also know if they complain then there's a chance of Uber refunding the fare. Uber has ruined this industry. The fare for hire industry will never be more then a minimum wage job.


Also goes to show you the lack of good character of many people we unwittingly allow in our vehicle.


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## I_Like_Spam (May 10, 2015)

Doowop said:


> Also goes to show you the lack of good character of many people we unwittingly allow in our vehicle.


Cab drivers understood the character of their passengers, when I started cab driving I was given the instructions on how to maintain control of the passengers. A lot of Uber drivers went out on the road, answering pings, without a clue as to how to captain their vehicle and enforce the rules.

As a result, you have people puking all the time, doing all kinds of other crazy things, they wouldn't even entertain the thought of doing in a yellow cab.

I worked strictly at night in a cab, and had one puker in 4 years. Guy's wife brought a bucket with her, and we were going to the Mercy ER- man was under chemo treatment for cancer.

I don't know how Uber partners can regain control of their industry, people now expect catered to at no extra cost.


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## Friendly Jack (Nov 17, 2015)

[QUOTE="I stuffed the bill in my shirt.[/QUOTE]
Ah, a Harry Chapin fan? Great song, but he sure wasn't an Uber driver!


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## Retired Senior (Sep 12, 2016)

As Bob Dylan once sang: "The times they are a'changing" Can the TIPPING CULTURE be on it's death bed?

*https://www.fastcompany.com/40473475/how-danny-meyer-led-his-company-through-the-challenges-of-eliminating-tips*
*How Danny Meyer Led His Company Through The Challenges Of Eliminating Tips*
*To create a more equitable restaurant, the founder of Shake Shack and many other New York restaurants got rid of tips. Here's how he helped steer his workforce through the difficult transition. *

"The tipping system in America has been like a bad drug," [Photo: Liz Clayman]
*By Aaron Hurst* 7 minute Read
You may not think about this after a satisfying meal at your favorite restaurant, but your tip typically goes just to your waiter and does not include the chef who prepared your meal, the maitre d' or the dishwasher, all of whom were involved in creating your dining experience.

Danny Meyer, CEO of Union Square Hospitality, who has launched some of the most successful restaurants in New York city, from the Modern to Shake Shack, wanted to do something about this even if it meant taking on the entrenched compensation system that pervades the restaurant industry.










*Removing Tips*
Over his two decades in the industry, Meyer had seen the tipping culture have what he saw as a negative impact on the careers of his employees, who get stuck in frontline roles and never grow out of them because management positions would require a 25% pay cut. Despite the fact that you gain a lot in base compensation when you move to an entry-level manager position, you do lose out on making tips via guests; if you were making a lot of tips, it can affect their total compensation.









Danny Meyer, CEO of Union Square Hospitality.
"They wake up in some cases some 20 years later and realize they sort of missed the boat. The tipping system in America has been like a bad drug," says Meyer. And it's not just waitstaff not advancing. Meyer also points to the fact that, in many states, tips can't be shared with cooks or other staff unless they spend at least 80% of their time facing the customer, "The system has effectively kept cooks in a place where they make 10 times less per hour, in many cases, than tipped employees."

Over the last couple of years, Meyer has eliminated tips in nine of the 14 restaurants he owns, increasing the prices on the menus by the cost of the average tip. In announcing the change to his customers in a letter he said, "Once these changes are implemented, the total cost you pay to dine with us won't differ much from what you pay now. But for our teams, the change will be significant. We will now have the ability to compensate all of our employees equitably&#8230;And by eliminating tipping, our employees who want to grow financially and professionally will be able to earn those opportunities based on the merit of their work."

When I asked Meyer how the change has turned out, he says when you make such a sweeping move across your business you have to make sure everyone is listened to, including your customers and your staff, "Our first priority was engaging and educating our own team in this conversation through a series of internal townhalls, so that they could be genuine ambassadors of the change. We started the conversation about "Hospitality Included" with our own people months before we made the news public or implemented it in any of our restaurants."

*They also had to educate their customers on why paying higher prices for your meal and not tipping was a more sustainable way of doing business.* "Before the launch, we hosted town halls in which our guests had the opportunity to ask questions and share feedback. We discussed the change on social media and other marketing channels, we used clear language in on-site signage and menus, and we made sure to communicate with our guests when they made a reservation, when they arrived at the restaurant, and yes, when they sat down at the table."

Each restaurant where they eliminate tips goes through a fundamental change to set up the new compensation model for their staff. "So of course we approach these roll-outs thoughtfully&#8230;in a process which typically takes three to six months," adds Meyer. Several of their remaining businesses, which have yet to eliminate tips are more casual and have lower price points. In these cases, Meyers says price increases are potentially felt more significantly so that's a consideration they take into account in rolling out the change more gradually.

Under the new compensation system, Meyer's restaurants have increased the pay for their cooks by 20%. The move quickly addressed a shortage of cooks that the company had faced previously. But it also created new problems with recruiting waiters in a competitive job market, and it has cost them millions in tax benefits tied to having a tip-based compensation model.

At first income shrunk and management needed to re-educate their guests to understand that higher menu prices didn't mean they were paying more for the meal when they signed their check, "Even though everybody knows they're going to take an extra $20 out of their pocket at the end of the meal, most people don't do the reverse math. There were customers who were like, 'How can I go to your restaurants if I can't punish bad service?' Or 'How can I go to your restaurants if I can't give a nice reward for good service?' So you potentially put your business in jeopardy when you're trying to do the right thing."

When I asked Meyer if it had been a profitable move he says, "Our investors are patiently waiting because they believe that this is an investment in doing the right thing that will create a professional career path [for our employees]. They also believe as I do, because I've tried to convince them, that each time minimum wage goes up, which it now has for two consecutive years since we initiated this, we are immune because we're paying way over minimum wage absent tips."

*Hiring for Purpose*
How do you persuade your waiters to forgo a 20% tip on each table they serve? Meyer says they never wanted to hire people who would only have been nice to you if they assessed it out of the four tables in their section, you were the richest or you were the most generous. "I would never want someone on our team who would go through that calculus. To say, "Who should I bring the food out for first?"

Meyer explains that under the new compensation system, they raised servers' base wages and established a revenue share program at most of our restaurants, wherein employees can share in the financial performance of the business, and succeed when the restaurant succeeds. He adds, "We also implemented a career path with clear guidelines for advancement so that our team can earn promotions and raises through merit and hard work, rather than through guest-given gratuity or at the whim of the schedule."

Meyer admits that "hiring &#8230; emotionally intelligent people with hospitality in their DNA-has always been challenging" But he says the move helped clarify whom they should be hiring in the first place: those who are intrinsically motivated and not there just for the money. He recounts what a member of his team recently said to him, "I could be a manager anywhere, but I'm doing it here because I believe in the company. I want you to remind me of why I made this choice because I want to be really proud to tell my parents and friends where I work. I don't get that just because the burger is really good or the ribs are really good or wine was just really good."

*Enlightened Hospitality*
Every Monday, Meyer and his team welcome new employees to the company. They all come to the home office and spend the day there. He points out that the day isn't about how to set a table or cook food. "It's a meeting where we talk about what I call the culture of 'enlightened hospitality.'"

By that he means building a culture where employees focus first on pleasing one another, creating a warm energy that in turn fuels the staff as it tends to patrons, the community, and suppliers. His restaurants offer employees a variety of rewards, from bonuses to birthday cakes. And employees in turn have discretion to give customers free extras, all creating a virtuous cycle of hospitality.

Meyer regularly tests his approach to see if it's is working by asking members of the team to share their understanding and experience of the culture, "I think there's a deep craving for understanding and being reminded and having the purpose of the company reinforced." He says these discussions happen at pre-service meetings and in employee town halls, and through multiple internal channels that employees can use to offer their honest feedback.

When I asked Meyer what he wants to hear from his employees, he says, "it's the belief that we exist to make you [our customers] feel a little bit better than you would have felt if we hadn't been here, and to create great hospitality experiences that are essential in your life&#8230; Almost as if going to one of our restaurants is like hearing one of your favorite songs in your headphones."


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## sellkatsell44 (Oct 25, 2015)

Good luck to him.

There has been other restaurant owners that have gone this route (fav is homeroom in Oakland but I still tip despite the sign).

There are those who have gone back though: https://www.google.com/amp/s/ny.eater.com/platform/amp/2016/5/9/11643446/gabe-stulman-no-tipping

You'll be surprised how much waiters and waitresses make, depending on the restaurant. A good Japanese restaurant, a server can clear 10k a month. No joke.

I think the waiters/waitresses would revolt before the customers do if America goes to a no tipping culture.

But it really makes you wonder.

To me, I used to tip 30%, regardless of service (I really don't ask for much). But now I just double the tax.


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## rex jones (Jun 6, 2017)

Treetop Flyer said:


> Here's an example of why:
> I pull into a nice oceanside gated community the other day and pick up an attractive 50 something year old woman and her girlfriend for a 3 mile trip to the restaurant/ bar part of town. The woman tells me that I'll be picking up another friend around the block and not to worry because she'll be ready. The third woman approaches my car and gets in the back seat. I have all three women in the back seat and can see each of their faces in the rear view mirror. The ride is fun and the women are lively, pleasant and enjoying the ride. As we approach the drop off location one of the women asks (because it's her first ride) if she can tip me. I say yes. At that very moment I see the account holders expression. She wanted so badly to say "you don't tip Uber drivers" and flashed me a look like the cat who ate the canary. These people know better. And frankly, they're surprised and feel a little guilty for the abuse the shared ride culture has created relating to the drivers. I was handed $10.00 for a $3.50 fare....I stuffed the bill in my shirt.


It definitely is weird what people tip for and what they don't. People do get embarrassed often, when money is involved, especially in group situations. There are people who won't tip just because they are embarrassed to broach the topic. I've been tipped one -three dollars multiple times, followed by profuse apologies. It's like please don't apologize over your two dollar tip, when 75 percent of people do not tip at all. I never expect tips and am grateful when they do come. Occasionally, I will get swept up in overthinking why this person didn't tip and this person did. You try to think to yourself what went right or wrong, when the real answer is there is no logic to follow.

Uber has become just another subscription service for people, but without a subscription. You don't tip your phone service carrier or your power company. I don't tip the guy who brings my mail or any other packages. Cashless society, upfront pricing, and other factors are to blame, as well. A lot of people wouldn't use the service if it was 5-6 bucks for a short ride, plus a tip. This would just lead to even more saturation and getting a ride request once an hour.

I think trying to read to much into what people are thinking and their motives probably isn't the healthiest thing to do. I would venture to say that most people haven't given a single thought to "shared ride" culture as it pertains to the drivers.

Freakanomics had a podcast on Danny Meyer. Tipping doesn't really follow any real logic, most of the time based on emotion, along with tradition and societal norms. I think this guy really understands the flaws in the system, but he is fighting an uphill battle.

My friend who got a DUI a couple years ago, how did he pay it off? He got his old waiter job back and worked like 3 weekends.

The quote about creating a great hospitality experience that basically enhances the customers life, really stands out to me. I remember being a young teen working my first job, when i found that most waiters make more than the people preparing your food, or anybody else in the restaurant, save the management. Didn't understand it then and still don't.


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## empresstabitha (Aug 25, 2016)

Matt moraes said:


> They will give 1 star for a 2 block ride? My car is clean and I'm polite at all times, so what is going on?


Did you not park in the bus zone? Make them cross the street? Not run that red so they can get there one minute faster?


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## Metraka (Jun 19, 2017)

The shitty stars and badge wont pay anything... night riders have low rating due to drunk pax. so forget aabout the shit.. good day.


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