# Uber Abandons January Price Cuts [1/19/17 Quartz Media]



## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

*Uber has quietly abandoned its sweeping January price cuts*
*by Allison Griswold - 19 January 2017 *https://qz.com/885455/uber-quietly-ends-january-price-cuts/


​
The final numbers aren't yet in, but as of mid-December, Uber was on pace to lose an unprecedented $3 billion in 2016. Even for a company that's raised $13 billion and is valued at $68 billion, that's a lot of money. Uber burned at least $1.3 billion-and probably a good bit more-in the first half of last year, plus another $800 million in the third quarter. Those losses came despite the company's sale of its China business in August, the end of a fight that was costing Uber $1 billion a year.

This year, Uber needs to get those losses under control. Even if it doesn't pursue a rumored IPO in 2017, the company would do well to reassure investors that it can make money as fast as it spends it. And already, *Uber has made one big change: For the first time in three years, it isn't planning widespread January price cuts*.

Uber has made a habit of slashing fares to greet the new year, a practice it says spurs demand during the slower winter months. In a January 2015 blog post titled "Beating the Winter Slump-Price Cuts for Riders with Guaranteed Earnings for Drivers," Uber announced lower rates in 48 cities. The following year, in a blog post of virtually the same name, the company promised price cuts in more than 100 North American cities, "to fight the January blues."

Why all the price cuts? When Uber's rides are cheaper, people take a lot more of them (in econ lingo, this means Uber trips are highly _price elastic_). Ensuring the system is flooded with trip requests helps Uber keep its drivers busy, and also makes them more efficient. The result is that Uber says hourly earnings have consistently risen in cities like Boston and Los Angeles, even as rates have fallen. Drivers might make less money per trip, but they offset that with a lot more trips per hour.









(Uber)
How those price cuts affect Uber's bottom line is less clear. It's possible the company generates more revenue by lowering its fares: Ride-hailing is a high-volume, low-margin business, so having a lot of trips can end up being quite lucrative, even if each ride isn't. It's also possible Uber takes a short-term hit on its January reductions so that it can bring in new customers and grow the business long-term.

Uber declined to comment on whether it makes money from price cuts, and why it's abstaining from such cuts this year. But the implication-that the company has found other ways to beat the winter slump-suggests the eight-year-old business has finally hit maturity at home. Uber is big enough (78 million US rides in December) to be assured of its rider and driver supply without significant financial incentives.

It's likewise telling that the first indication of Uber's price-cut rethink came out of New York, one of the company's oldest and most profitable markets. *Last month, Uber's New York general manager, Josh Mohrer, told drivers not to expect any more price reductions*.

All in all, Uber's January plan seems like a good one. Drivers, often short on patience with the company, will be happy to see their fares remain stable. Customers, who tend to be less attuned to Uber's every move, likely won't notice (unless they read this story!). Uber may be able to fatten up its margins, perhaps even reprising the first-quarter profit it booked in the US last year. And Lyft, which lost $600 million in 2016 and has historically cut January fares just to keep up, will surely be relieved to skip that particular scramble for a change.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

> _And Lyft, which lost $600 million in 2016 and has historically cut January fares just to keep up,
> will surely be relieved to skip that particular scramble for a change._



lol... not one week after that was published, Lyft cut its fares in CLE to match Uber here.


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## ChortlingCrison (Mar 30, 2016)

I don't think they really abandoned them too much, because there's very little to cut.


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## Buckiemohawk (Jun 23, 2015)

There's nothing to cut. drivers who aren't desperate will leave. Uber has never understood, the basics of driving people around for a living. You can only do so many trips an hour depending on the city.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

Buckiemohawk said:


> Uber has never understood, the basics of driving people around for a living.


Most drivers have never understood that Uber isn't 'about' drivers.


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## Jermin8r89 (Mar 10, 2016)

The times of being a part timer r gone. If u live in the right city then full time u can still make a liveing.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

Jermin8r89 said:


> The times of being a part timer r gone. If u live in the right city then full time u can still make a liveing.


that's interesting - because in my experience [and the drivers I talk with agree], driving only part-time (during the drunk hours on weekends - and during large 'events') is the most profitable way to drive rideshare since it involves the fewest hours, the fewest dead miles and the most $s per mile and per hour).


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## Trebor (Apr 22, 2015)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> that's interesting - because in my experience [and the drivers I talk with agree], driving only part-time (during the drunk hours on weekends - and during large 'events') is the most profitable way to drive rideshare since it involves the fewest hours, the fewest dead miles and the most $s per mile and per hour).


I have had a couple riders tell me recently that most of their drivers are full time. Whereas, in the past, it was quite the opposite.


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## Trebor (Apr 22, 2015)

It may also be the fact that Uber has in the past experienced considerable backlash from drivers when the rates were slashed. 

We are going to need a price increase though. Gas is going to go up quite a bit now that the president is pro-oil & gas/anti-climate change. 

Higher pump prices are a double edged sword down here. It's going to eat into our bottom line on rides, but at the same time, we will see many drivers find jobs since our economy relies heavily on oil and gas and a lot of our drivers lost their real jobs in oil and gas this past year. Once these drivers find real jobs, that will mean less drivers.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

Trebor said:


> Gas is going to go up quite a bit now that the president is pro-oil & gas/anti-climate change.


Did you just misstate what you were trying to say or do you not see how illogical that is?


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

Uber loves these idiot reporters who just open up and swallow their glossy PR bullshit without question. This graphic is meaningless and shouldn't be regurgitated on Uber's behalf:










It's meaningless because, first, as any sixth grade math teacher will tell you, there are no numbers in it. Maybe "earnings" (actually revenue, not earnings) increased from $12.00 in '13 to $12.10 in '14 to $12.20 in '15. Who knows?

It's also meaningless because Uber's "earnings" figures are not earnings at all. Real earnings = revenue - costs, costs being the elephant in the room which drivers pay but Uber never, ever mentions. And if we don't know how costs increased in relation to revenue, then we can draw no conclusions at all on the effect of fare cuts on driver earnings.

From the article:
_
It's possible the company generates more revenue by lowering its fares: Ride-hailing is a high-volume, low-margin business, so having a lot of trips can end up being quite lucrative, even if each ride isn't. It's also possible Uber takes a short-term hit on its January reductions so that it can bring in new customers and grow the business long-term._

It's possible? What kind of factual reporting is "it's possible?" It's possible that aliens live on Alpha Centauri. It's possible that reporters who report on business may one day learn to do investigative journalism properly. It's possible that it may be sooner rather than later. No sign of that yet, though.


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## FL_Dex (Nov 13, 2016)

They didn't cut prices but they did set the pax app to default to Pool. Switching to X takes an extra step. Pool rates are a defacto rate cut. As an X driver you can't avoid Pool pax forever (despite what those guys in Atlanta tell you) without risking deactivation. That's a pay cut and more work all in one change.


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## Trebor (Apr 22, 2015)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> Did you just misstate what you were trying to say or do you not see how illogical that is?


If you understood the oil and gas industry, you would not think it was illogical.

When gas prices were low this summer people were losing their jobs left and right. November and December the industry slowed down to a halt because many oil and gas companies were waiting for Trump to take office before making deals and closing transactions, and that was merely because of the tax breaks that are expected. Right now, everything is kicking into high gear and the prices are rising and this is the busiest we have ever been in January.

Trump showed he is pro oil by signing off on the Dakota access pipeline. With that, the oil gods smiled.

Heck, my cousin who works on rigs finally found a job again after searching for 6 months.


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## Jermin8r89 (Mar 10, 2016)

FL_Dex said:


> They didn't cut prices but they did set the pax app to default to Pool. Switching to X takes an extra step. Pool rates are a defacto rate cut. As an X driver you can't avoid Pool pax forever (despite what those guys in Atlanta tell you) without risking deactivation. That's a pay cut and more work all in one change.


Not unless u in boston. U can keep denying pool all u want with no penalty


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## Jermin8r89 (Mar 10, 2016)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> that's interesting - because in my experience [and the drivers I talk with agree], driving only part-time (during the drunk hours on weekends - and during large 'events') is the most profitable way to drive rideshare since it involves the fewest hours, the fewest dead miles and the most $s per mile and per hour).


Its all about where u r.
If u im boston theres soo many danm schools with yuppie people u can still make good money when ever.

Boston also is one of few places where u dont have to do pool, deny it all day and u wont have uber penalize u

Not too mention sports success so bars and sports authority places r cramed.

Summer time i made more of a liveing as tourism im boston is soo high. Beutiful historic boston.

If u work full time in say st louis or cleveland u prolly would be wasteing money and time


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

Trebor said:


> If you understood the oil and gas industry, you would not think it was illogical.
> 
> When gas prices were low this summer people were losing their jobs left and right. November and December the industry slowed down to a halt because many oil and gas companies were waiting for Trump to take office before making deals and closing transactions, and that was merely because of the tax breaks that are expected. Right now, everything is kicking into high gear and the prices are rising and this is the busiest we have ever been in January.
> 
> ...


And if you understood anything about the commodities markets you would know that with reduced regulation, increased exploration, drilling and extraction, all resulting in higher supply against demand, that world oil prices will hold relatively steady (if they don't go even lower in the long run).
The price (hi/low) of WTI Oil futures is basically the same now for March 2017 as it is for January 2021 (when DJT may leave office).

Here's the avg price for spot Oil (WTI) 2010-2016

2010 79.48 
2011 94.88 
2012 94.05 
2013 97.98 
2014 93.17 
2015 48.66
2016 ~47.50

Your cousin didn't get work because the price of oil is rising. 
Companies are hiring and optimistic because the costs of producing are expected to come down.
In commodities, it's all about supply & demand. Under Trump, supply is expected to grow (and don't forget that Iran is now able to export oil again).


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## Trebor (Apr 22, 2015)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> And if you understood anything about the commodities markets you would know that with reduced regulation, increased exploration, drilling and extraction, all resulting in higher supply against demand, that world oil prices will hold relatively steady (if they don't go even lower in the long run).
> The price (hi/low) of WTI Oil futures is basically the same now for March 2017 as it is for January 2021 (when DJT may leave office).
> 
> Here's the avg price for spot Oil (WTI) 2010-2016
> ...


Yes, your basic supply and demand economics 101. We are on the same page, but I would expect gas prices to continue to climb, unless there is a serious cut on pump taxes.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

Trebor said:


> Yes, your basic supply and demand economics 101. We are on the same page, but I would expect gas prices to continue to climb, unless there is a serious cut on pump taxes.


Why? 
If supply is increasing and demand is flat, what would cause prices to rise?


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> Why?
> If supply is increasing and demand is flat, what would cause prices to rise?


Global geopolitical instability caused by the individual at the helm in the White House would do it.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

elelegido said:


> Global geopolitical instability caused by the individual at the helm in the White House would do it.


Global geopolitical instability caused by the individual at the helm in the White House _COULD_ do it.
Right now the futures markets show no indication that will happen, so...
so let's talk when there's any evidence that it's happening.


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> Global geopolitical instability caused by the individual at the helm in the White House _COULD_ do it.
> Right now the futures markets show no indication that will happen, so...
> so let's talk when there's any evidence that it's happening.


Give it time. In the first seven days he started a diplomatic crisis with Mexico, threatened a trade war, removed the US from the Transpac negotiating table, tried to silence his government departments, arrested reporters, and renewed his support for torture.

There's only so much a fella can do in one week.


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## SlaveWager (Sep 11, 2016)

elelegido said:


> Give it time. In the first seven days he started a diplomatic crisis with Mexico, threatened a trade war, removed the US from the Transpac negotiating table, tried to silence his government departments, arrested reporters, and renewed his support for torture.
> 
> There's only so much a fella can do in one week.











*And because Trump did all this HIS RATINGS SOARED to 59% !*









Most of the DBs don't get the Trumpocalypse yet, but you will in time realize that whatever smear you try to throw at him, it just makes him stronger.


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

SlaveWager said:


> *And because Trump did all this HIS RATINGS SOARED to 59% !*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Lol, 59℅ approval rating in China maybe. The Chinese still can't believe their incredible good fortune that Trump was elected.

Back in the US, though, he's down to 36% approval. Considering that just under 50% of voters approved of him on election day and voted for him, things don't look all that great!

_The survey found that 36% of American voters approve of Trump's handling of his job after his first week, while 44% say they disapprove. By comparison, former President Barack Obama received a 59%-25% approval rating in the first Quinnipiac poll taken after his inauguration in 2009. - _CNN


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## SlaveWager (Sep 11, 2016)

elelegido said:


> Lol, 59℅ approval rating in China maybe. The Chinese still can't believe their incredible good fortune that Trump was elected.
> 
> Back in the US, though, he's down to 36% approval. Considering that just under 50% of voters approved of him on election day and voted for him, things don't look all that great!
> 
> _The survey found that 36% of American voters approve of Trump's handling of his job after his first week, while 44% say they disapprove. By comparison, former President Barack Obama received a 59%-25% approval rating in the first Quinnipiac poll taken after his inauguration in 2009. - _CNN


More fake news lies from a liberal snowflake.

Here's the truth

*President Trump's job approval rating hits 59 percent*
Things appear very promising for the new White House: A new Rasmussen Reports survey released Thursday says *President Trump has a 59 percent job approval rating among likely voters.*

In separate findings, the pollster also isolated key passages in Mr. Trump's inaugural speech and asked respondents if they agreed with the ideas he presented.

Voters like Mr. Trump's populist standing: 72 percent agreed with his statement that "For too long, a small group in our nation's capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost." 17 percent disagreed, 11 percent were not sure.

A majority of the respondents - 52 percent - also agreed with this statement: "From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land. From this day forward, it's going to be only America first." Thirty-seven percent disagreed, 11 percent were undecided.

In addition, Rasmussen also reveals that 54 percent of voters favor a proposal that would cut spending up to 10 percent and cut staffing up to 20 percent. in some federal government agencies. Twenty-seven percent oppose such cuts, while 19 percent are undecided.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jan/25/president-trumps-approval-rating-rises-57-percent/


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

elelegido said:


> Give it time. In the first seven days he started a diplomatic crisis with Mexico, threatened a trade war, removed the US from the Transpac negotiating table, tried to silence his government departments, arrested reporters, and renewed his support for torture.
> 
> There's only so much a fella can do in one week.


The Doomsday Clock people (scientists) moved it closer to midnight, and said Trump is a reason. (Google it if you don't know what that is btw).


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

SlaveWager said:


> More fake news lies from a liberal snowflake.
> 
> Here's the truth
> 
> ...


Calm down, Tinkerbelle.


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## Karl Marx (May 17, 2016)

ChortlingCrison said:


> I don't think they really abandoned them too much, because there's very little to cut.


Spot on. Uber has maximized its total earnings and reached a demand/supply side equilibrium.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> *Uber has quietly abandoned its sweeping January price cuts*
> *by Allison Griswold - 19 January 2017 *https://qz.com/885455/uber-quietly-ends-january-price-cuts/
> 
> 
> ...


The whole article is contradictory. If Uber is not cutting prices because it needs to get losses under control, that's in complete contradiction to its argument that lowering prices increases earnings. If drivers are (supposedly) making more money, shouldn't Uber be too?


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> The whole article is contradictory. If Uber is not cutting prices because it needs to get losses under control, that's in complete contradiction to its argument that lowering prices increases earnings. If drivers are (supposedly) making more money, shouldn't Uber be too?


The whole article is a joke and provides no news or useful analysis.

_"The company would do well to reassure investors that it can make money as fast as it spends it."_

Gee... d'ya think so?


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

elelegido said:


> Give it time. In the first seven days he started a diplomatic crisis with Mexico, threatened a trade war, removed the US from the Transpac negotiating table, tried to silence his government departments, arrested reporters, and renewed his support for torture.
> 
> There's only so much a fella can do in one week.


I'm closing my eyes and holding my breath for 4 years.
(to be fair, DJT did say that while he personally likes torture and believes it 'works' (why would you even say something like that out loud?) he did say that was one area in which he would defer to his Sec'y of Defense)


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> The whole article is contradictory. If Uber is not cutting prices because it needs to get losses under control, that's in complete contradiction to its argument that lowering prices increases earnings. If drivers are (supposedly) making more money, shouldn't Uber be too?


What Uber is earning in revenues has no relationship to what they are spending as they expand services, products and geography, work on new product development - and continue their jobs program for lobbyists and attorneys.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

SlaveWager said:


> *And because Trump did all this HIS RATINGS SOARED to 59% !*


Great... another "Alternative Fact-er"


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## SlaveWager (Sep 11, 2016)

CNN Clinton News Network, Salon liberal rag, Democracy Now Donkey sense

*ALL PREDICTED* *HILLARY CLINTOON WOULD WIN THE ELECTION!*

..ALL YOUR FAKE NEWS ARE BELONG TO US


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## SlaveWager (Sep 11, 2016)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> I'm closing my eyes and holding my breath for 4 years.
> (to be fair, DJT did say that while he personally likes torture and believes it 'works' (why would you even say something like that out loud?) he did say that was one area in which he would defer to his Sec'y of Defense)


Maybe DJT dislikes ISIS cutting the heads off Christian children. Of course liberals think ISIS is just practicing their Mooslim religion by beheading Christians, but DJT might see this as tourture and retaliate to eliminate ISIS.

_Of course Trump and ACDC have something in common!_


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

SlaveWager said:


> DJT might see this as tourture and retaliate


Try to keep up; Trump supports torture, postulating that it is very effective. It's a belief he shares with ISIS and is very much in alignment with them on.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

<


SlaveWager said:


> More fake news lies from a liberal snowflake.
> 
> Here's the truth
> 
> ...


<smh> I guess you don't know what 'likely voters' means.
Of the 231 million eligible voters, only 130 million are 'likely voters'. That's 56% of eligible voters...
which means that 59% of the 56% who bother to vote, approved of DJT's performance -
or, put another way, 33% of eligible voters approved of his 1st 10 days' job performance, according to YOUR Rasmussen numbers.


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## Howie428Uber (Mar 4, 2016)

Changes to the system over the last year have had the effect of cutting rates without the need to change the numbers. The big one was the new surge map.
Indeed, the biggest reason why a rate cut wouldn't boost uber income this year is probably because of the changed surge map.

The old map had it's flaws, but it used to be supply and demand based. The new map is demand and demand based, i.e. there has to be a wave of demand that uses up all the supply, then there has to be another wave of demand, then when the shit has been thoroughly spread out by the fan the system will respond. The only other type of surge under the current system is the bait and switch, i.e. a trip is scheduled in a place that is short of cars so a surge is triggered, but it is triggered before the scheduled trip and ends just before that trip is required.

Under the old system a rate cut would trigger waves of off-peak, outlying area surge and push the normal surges higher and longer. The new system responds to those situations by doing nothing, because only a dump-truck worth of demand will get it to do anything at all.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

Howie428Uber said:


> Changes to the system over the last year have had the effect of cutting rates without the need to change the numbers. The big one was the new surge map.
> Indeed, the biggest reason why a rate cut wouldn't boost uber income this year is probably because of the changed surge map.
> 
> The old map had it's flaws, but it used to be supply and demand based. The new map is demand and demand based, i.e. there has to be a wave of demand that uses up all the supply, then there has to be another wave of demand, then when the shit has been thoroughly spread out by the fan the system will respond. The only other type of surge under the current system is the bait and switch, i.e. a trip is scheduled in a place that is short of cars so a surge is triggered, but it is triggered before the scheduled trip and ends just before that trip is required.
> ...


Sucks for drivers - but it is smart targeting that serves riders better.
The upside for drivers is that you can now actually see where the real demand is and position yourself accordingly, while with the older broader map, you could sit it what looked like a surge area only to find no demand. Interestingly, the newer hexagon maps also align more closely with Lyft's Primetimes.

And if you think it's hard to work an Uber surge map - try working a Lyft Primetime map when you can't even be certain the ride you accepted was in Primetime until the end of the trip.


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## Howie428Uber (Mar 4, 2016)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> Sucks for drivers - but it is smart targeting that serves riders better.
> The upside for drivers is that you can now actually see where the real demand is and position yourself accordingly, while with the older broader map, you could sit it what looked like a surge area only to find no demand. Interestingly, the newer hexagon maps also align more closely with Lyft's Primetimes.
> 
> And if you think it's hard to work an Uber surge map - try working a Lyft Primetime map when you can't even be certain the ride you accepted was in Primetime until the end of the trip.


In theory, I'd agree that the new surge format should work better than the old one. Unfortunately they threw in a bunch of other coding changes that negate the benefits. The end result is that the new map works like a single surge zone lumped down on top of the city center. It gets bigger and smaller and has minor targeting based variations, but you've still got to know for yourself where the actual event is.

The new map also makes it impossible for uber demand to spread out beyond urban areas. Bars close everywhere, but the price only surges in the city, so where do all the drivers go? The city has too many drivers, the outlying areas have too few for a reliable service, and the surge map locks that situation in.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

Howie428Uber said:


> The new map also makes it impossible for uber demand to spread out beyond urban areas.


That's not what we see here in the 216.
At bar close, you'll it surge in all of the bars in NE Ohio, including the downtown areas, DTW (downtown Willoughby), Lakewood, the John Carroll hang-out-du-Jour (Leer Rd, Coventry or Legacy Village)... and if we look south we can see that Akron, Kent, the "Valley" (Merriman Valley) and Cuy Falls all surge separately.
I'm sorry to hear it's not working that way in Pittsburgh.

You might want to look at using the Zello app to be able to talk to other drivers in Pittsburgh while you're driving. 
We use it here in Cleveland to great effect.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> *Uber has quietly abandoned its sweeping January price cuts*
> *by Allison Griswold - 19 January 2017 *https://qz.com/885455/uber-quietly-ends-january-price-cuts/
> 
> 
> ...


Uber UNSUSTAINABLE !


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## 35 sandcastles (Dec 27, 2016)

SlaveWager said:


> More fake news lies from a liberal snowflake.
> 
> Here's the truth
> 
> ...


Lol Washington times


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## KaIee (Jan 10, 2017)

elelegido said:


> Lol, 59℅ approval rating in China maybe. The Chinese still can't believe their incredible good fortune that Trump was elected.
> 
> Back in the US, though, he's down to 36% approval. Considering that just under 50% of voters approved of him on election day and voted for him, things don't look all that great!
> 
> _The survey found that 36% of American voters approve of Trump's handling of his job after his first week, while 44% say they disapprove. By comparison, former President Barack Obama received a 59%-25% approval rating in the first Quinnipiac poll taken after his inauguration in 2009. - _CNN


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You just referred to a fake pole by fake news network CNN as though it was meaningful! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! STOP IT! You're killing me here! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

CNN! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! The only thing possibly funnier than CNN is it's sister channel is theonion.com!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

HAAAAAAAAAAAAHA (cough, cough, *HACK*) HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

KaIee said:


> You just referred to a fake pole by fake news network CNN


*Reading comprehension. The poll was not done by CNN. It was carried out by independent Quinnipac university which is well regarded in the area of public opinion polls. The Quinnipac poll was reported on by mainstream news channels including:

USA Today
Christian Science Monitor
Washington Post
CNBC
And dozens of smaller regional publications

So I suppose you believe all these news outlets clubbed together to make and present a fake news story. Why the paranoid _everyone's-out-to-get-us_ mentality? To a normal person it makes no sense.


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

CuffLink said:


> Dude, "main stream media" are purveyors of information to benefit "corporate agendas" not inform the public of actual news.
> Just ask my Commander in Chief, or do u not support and want success for POTUS and the USA?


If he's your commander in chief, that means that you are in the military. Therefore you must carry out any orders he gives you without question. As your commander in chief, he is not answerable to you, as are none of your superior officers. You do as they say, and that's that.

But he's not my commander in chief, nor is he for the vast majority of people who also are not in the military. He is, however, the people's president and as such he is answerable to them. Not the other way round.

In communist China and other totalitarian states, the leader is indeed everyone's commander in chief. But we don't really want that in the US.


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

CuffLink said:


> you watch lots a TV don't u. bawhahahahahaha


Actually, it's your Consititution of the United States, namely Article II, which states that your president is commander in chief of your military.

Embarrassed much that a Brit has to school you on your own Constitution? lol


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

CuffLink said:


> Really? They lose $3bl followed by a bunch of rich guys that give them $13Bl.
> Sounds like Rich folk look to the future while low wage earners go day by day to make rent.
> 
> Unnatural for one of the aforementioned groups to understand the motivations and actions of the other.
> ...


Be careful walking under tall buildings when they start jumping out of Windows ! Pops .( it will be more of a SPLAT than a pop )


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

CuffLink said:


> Really? They lose $3bl followed by a bunch of rich guys that give them $13Bl.
> Sounds like Rich folk look to the future while low wage earners go day by day to make rent.
> 
> Unnatural for one of the aforementioned groups to understand the motivations and actions of the other.
> ...


Sounds like rich folks want a tax write off and Spyware.
I worked for an oilman,that would drill holes to nowhere at year end.
Come Dec. 31 shut down everything.
Would drill across fault lines and other crazy stunts.
Said he would rather pay his buddies than the govt.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

CuffLink said:


> I chose not to embarrass myself by speculating what rich folk want or why they do stuff cause it's usually complicated and orchestrated by very smart financial institutions, thousands of lawyers and several governments. Bravo that u figured it all out


And sometimes it is simple manipulation.
Buy low,sell high.
Start a stampede.
Pick a good spot to set up crossfire . . . watch when gold prices collapse . . .you will see how it works.
( keeping a " stable" of lawyers helps make things " legal".)


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

CuffLink said:


> Really? They lose $3bl followed by a bunch of rich guys that give them $13Bl.
> Sounds like Rich folk look to the future


 Looking towards the future is how all investments work. One makes a payment today, hoping to receive a larger amount of money in the future. All investments involve speculation about the future; that is not the deciding factor in whether an investment is good or bad.

Got any other "revelations" about investing?


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## SurgeWarrior (Jun 18, 2016)

Trebor said:


> Yes, your basic supply and demand economics 101. We are on the same page, but I would expect gas prices to continue to climb, unless there is a serious cut on pump taxes.


 That long dissertation and what he failed to mention was the OPEC reduction a few weeks ago...love the guys who parrot but dont know what they are talking about.


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## Trump Economics (Jul 29, 2015)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> *Uber has quietly abandoned its sweeping January price cuts*
> *by Allison Griswold - 19 January 2017 *https://qz.com/885455/uber-quietly-ends-january-price-cuts/
> 
> 
> ...


Wouldn't matter if they cut prices or not -- drivers will still earn less than minimum wage. McDonald's, anyone?


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## CuffLink (Sep 15, 2016)

Trump Economics said:


> Wouldn't matter if they cut prices or not -- drivers will still earn less than minimum wage. McDonald's, anyone?


Uber is meant to supplement an existing salary not be a primary source, cause it's a GIG! Anyway, most Uber drivers don't qualify for the rigors of the Fast Food service industry.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

Let's translate this. It means that Uber can no longer afford the cost of guarantees during the price cuts, and it is more profitable to leave the prices be.


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## roadman (Nov 14, 2016)

> Why all the price cuts? When Uber's rides are cheaper, people take a lot more of them (in econ lingo, this means Uber trips are highly _price elastic_). Ensuring the system is flooded with trip requests helps Uber keep its drivers busy, and also makes them more efficient. The result is that Uber says hourly earnings have consistently risen in cities like Boston and Los Angeles, even as rates have fallen. Drivers might make less money per trip, but they offset that with a lot more trips per hour.


After expenses drivers make less profit per hour now after each rate cut. This is a lazy author who doesn't understand simple math.


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## NC252 (Jan 8, 2016)

Uber gave their self a raise with upfront pricing


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## charmer37 (Nov 18, 2016)

ChortlingCrison said:


> I don't think they really abandoned them too much, because there's very little to cut.


 I agree, I can't drive for minimum fares.


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## charmer37 (Nov 18, 2016)

Trump Economics said:


> Wouldn't matter if they cut prices or not -- drivers will still earn less than minimum wage. McDonald's, anyone?


 I agree, And uber will still hire new drivers everyday.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

KaIee said:


> HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You just referred to a fake pole by fake news network CNN as though it was meaningful! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! STOP IT! You're killing me here! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
> CNN! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! The only thing possibly funnier than CNN is it's sister channel is theonion.com!
> HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
> HAAAAAAAAAAAAHA (cough, cough, *HACK*) HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!


??? What are you talking about?
"The Quinnipiac University Poll is one of the most accurate measures of public opinion on politics, elections, and issues of public concern."
Don't like that one, try Gallop.


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## TheFixer1 (Jan 29, 2017)

Trebor said:


> It may also be the fact that Uber has in the past experienced considerable backlash from drivers when the rates were slashed.
> 
> We are going to need a price increase though. Gas is going to go up quite a bit now that the president is pro-oil & gas/anti-climate change.
> 
> Higher pump prices are a double edged sword down here. It's going to eat into our bottom line on rides, but at the same time, we will see many drivers find jobs since our economy relies heavily on oil and gas and a lot of our drivers lost their real jobs in oil and gas this past year. Once these drivers find real jobs, that will mean less drivers.


The President has no power of the price of the oil, it's the OPEC cartels that control the price, where have you been.


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## Trebor (Apr 22, 2015)

TheFixer1 said:


> The President has no power of the price of the oil, it's the OPEC cartels that control the price, where have you been.


He may not control it directly, but what he says and does has a direct effect on how much OPEC decides to produce. Didn't obama piss off saudi arabia or something right before our oil prices dropped dramatically this past summer?


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## TheFixer1 (Jan 29, 2017)

Trebor said:


> He may not control it directly, but what he says and does has a direct effect on how much OPEC decides to produce. Didn't obama piss off saudi arabia or something right before our oil prices dropped dramatically this past summer?


I will repeat, no President has any power over OPEC and oil prices and production, they are a mafia cartel.


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## NachonCheeze (Sep 8, 2015)

Thats horrible....remember.... lower prices means more earnings for the driver.


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## Ojuice (Mar 2, 2015)

The POTUS controls the US Oil Reserves ... which is about 30 billion barrels of crude oil. When the POTUS puts some of that oil on the market he can very well effect the price of oil. 

OPEC producers and Russia (who's not a member of OPEC) have been meeting for the past year to set reduced amounts of production to counter the lower prices. The POTUS can change all that if he desires with the US Oil Reserves! The reserves can be put on the street to reduce prices or held back to increase prices.

I am willing to bet that @realDonaldTrump will hold back to increase prices and benefit his own investments and those of his gas/oil friends. What do you think he's going to do!

We have now reached a pathetic society where our leaders can steal us blind and all we can do is ............... bendover till the next election


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## TheFixer1 (Jan 29, 2017)

Ojuice said:


> The POTUS controls the US Oil Reserves ... which is about 30 billion barrels of crude oil. When the POTUS puts some of that oil on the market he can very well effect the price of oil.
> 
> OPEC producers and Russia (who's not a member of OPEC) have been meeting for the past year to set reduced amounts of production to counter the lower prices. The POTUS can change all that if he desires with the US Oil Reserves! The reserves can be put on the street to reduce prices or held back to increase prices.
> 
> ...


You just hate President Donald Trump for no good reason, envious much. How is President Donald Trump robbing you blind, you meant to say all the previous administration "all career corrupt politicians", you do know that Donald Trump WAS NEVER A POLITICIAN, until he became President, you know the President that just cut your taxes, and is bringing jobs back to our country, and securing our borders to keep you and your family safe. The guy has been working non stop to fix the mess we are in, has not taken one day off, and has done more in 9 days than the liar and divider in chief Barrack Obama did his last 4 years, the vacation and golfing President "100 million of tax payers dollars on his vacations". Donald Trump hates vacations, he is a workaholic.


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## Trump Economics (Jul 29, 2015)

I 


CuffLink said:


> Uber is meant to supplement an existing salary not be a primary source, cause it's a GIG! Anyway, most Uber drivers don't qualify for the rigors of the Fast Food service industry.


#brainwashed


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## I have nuts (Mar 29, 2015)

"Ride-hailing is a high-volume, low-margin business" 

No sh*t!


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## Fishchris (Aug 31, 2016)

Jermin8r89 said:


> Its all about where u r.
> If u im boston theres soo many danm schools with yuppie people u can still make good money when ever.
> 
> Boston also is one of few places where u dont have to do pool, deny it all day and u wont have uber penalize u
> ...


Okay..... But Boston has absolute BS weather ! I'd be freaking miserable 6 months out of the year.
BTW, I was born there.....

Cali is not bad... But Arizona would be better  I LIVE for heat !


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## Jermin8r89 (Mar 10, 2016)

Fishchris said:


> Okay..... But Boston has absolute BS weather ! I'd be freaking miserable 6 months out of the year.
> BTW, I was born there.....
> 
> Cali is not bad... But Arizona would be better  I LIVE for heat !


Its been a pretty easy winter so far. Still traffic on 90 and 95 is still a hassle but gotta live with it. I know it cant be as bad as the 405 out there? I hear nightmares about it.

Ive never been to cali but i know its expenseive and lots of liberals there


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

CuffLink said:


> In Addition, when using POTUS in a sentence it is incorrect to have "The" proceeding the title. There is No "The POTUS". There IS ONLY: POTUS.
> Correct: POTUS said this,,,,,,,,,,POTUS said that.... NOT Correct: The POTUS said.....The POTUS wants.


ZZZzzzzz... uh, I'm sorry - did you say something?


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

TheFixer1 said:


> You just hate President Donald Trump for no good reason, envious much.


That's right - you tell 'em what he thinks and why - clearly you know better than everyone else here what they think - and what their reasons are.


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## CuffLink (Sep 15, 2016)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> ZZZzzzzz... uh, I'm sorry - did you say something?


Do u also experience Narcolepsy when driving?


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## LVegas (Feb 13, 2015)

Gig economy = Trumponomics, yes MORE low paying jobs for everyone!


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

LVegas said:


> Gig economy = Trumponomics, yes MORE low paying jobs for everyone!


I don't have a problem with the gig economy. I kind of like that it provides most anyone the opportunity to supplement their income by developing skills they can use independently to work in ways and at times they want - without jeopardizing their 'job'... or to fill in the gap between jobs - or make the move to self-employed status, taking control of their live and livelihood.

What I _don't_ like, is that <soap-box> the bullies who create the opportunities work so hard to lobby government to ignore the new-reality of the gig-economy and prevent them from taking measures to put protections in place vis-a-vis an updating the Fair Labor and Standards act which would provide labor protections and guard against the exploitation of workers. It's just another indication of how we have become a society with increasing disparity between wealthy and poor. If it's not corrected, we can kiss our middle class good-bye. </soap-box>


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## CuffLink (Sep 15, 2016)

LVegas said:


> Gig economy = Trumponomics, yes MORE low paying jobs for everyone!


 complaining does nada. get used to it


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## CuffLink (Sep 15, 2016)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> I don't have a problem with the gig economy. I kind of like that it provides most anyone the opportunity to supplement their income by developing skills they can use independently to work in ways and at times they want - without jeopardizing their 'job'... or to fill in the gap between jobs - or make the move to self-employed status, taking control of their live and livelihood.
> 
> What I _don't_ like, is that <soap-box> the bullies who create the opportunities work so hard to lobby government to ignore the new-reality of the gig-economy and prevent them from taking measures to put protections in place vis-a-vis an updating the Fair Labor and Standards act which would provide labor protections and guard against the exploitation of workers. It's just another indication of how we have become a society with increasing disparity between wealthy and poor. If it's not corrected, we can kiss our middle class good-bye. </soap-box>


" by developing skills" What "Skills" do u refer?


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

CuffLink said:


> " by developing skills" What "Skills" do u refer?


depends on the gig.
I have a few friends that started in Air-BNB just renting out a room and now are building small real-estate rental businesses. I know one guy who started driving at the beginning of the rideshare phenom who now owns and operates a livery company with several 'black cars' and drivers. <shrug> The Gig economy, at its best, can provide an opportunity for people that would otherwise be difficult. It's pretty hard to just open up a McDonalds or Startbucks on your own if you don't have the capital to begin with.

(And no, I'm not suggesting that rideshare is the answer everyone's - or anyone's - problems, since the way it's run now appears to cost people more money that it earns them)


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## UberLou (May 5, 2015)

They have not cut prices however they are cutting drivers. They are using an annual background check to help thin the herd. Apparently this check is more stringent then they have done in the past. So less requests, less drivers. I actually prefer this way.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

UberLou said:


> They have not cut prices however they are cutting drivers. They are using an annual background check to help thin the herd. Apparently this check is more stringent then they have done in the past. So less requests, less drivers. I actually prefer this way.


Better background checks are due to the backlash on poor ones. I don't think they are in effort to cull the herd - if it were, you wouldn't continue to see advertising (including very expensive TV advertising) recruiting new drivers.

The way that Uber (and Lyft) cull the herd is that in each market there is an average * rating for drivers. On a somewhat regular basis, the company drops all drivers that are in the lowest 10 or 20% (or whatever). This reduces the number of drivers while at the same time bringing the average star rating of existing drivers up.

Need more workers and want to improve overall service/quality?
Recruit more, drop the lowest rated.
It's a standard [and very effective] business practice.


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## UofMDriver (Dec 29, 2015)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> ​
> lol... not one week after that was published, Lyft cut its fares in CLE to match Uber here.


Lyft cut fares in Michigan too. Drivers like Lyft because they make a little more. These Lyft price cuts hurt, not help recruitment of new drivers.


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## Elmo Burrito (Feb 3, 2017)

Uber has a loyal following and most if not all my PAX will NEVER go back to ok (taxis). They should stop the insanity of price cutting. It's totally not necessary and they should instead, raise prices for their bottom line and stop the bleeding 2-3 billion in 2016. And it will help us drivers tremendously so we can make more and maybe we'll stop bit ching so much! And besides all that where are these pax going to go? Back to the smelly dishonest taxi business!


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## Elmo Burrito (Feb 3, 2017)

elelegido said:


> Uber loves these idiot reporters who just open up and swallow their glossy PR bullshit without question. This graphic is meaningless and shouldn't be regurgitated on Uber's behalf:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yeah bro what a puff piece ay?


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## Elmo Burrito (Feb 3, 2017)

UofMDriver said:


> Lyft cut fares in Michigan too. Drivers like Lyft because they make a little more. These Lyft price cuts hurt, not help recruitment of new drivers.


The less drivers there are the better it is for those who have MORE skin in the game!


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## Elmo Burrito (Feb 3, 2017)

Trebor said:


> It may also be the fact that Uber has in the past experienced considerable backlash from drivers when the rates were slashed.
> 
> We are going to need a price increase though. Gas is going to go up quite a bit now that the president is pro-oil & gas/anti-climate change.
> 
> Higher pump prices are a double edged sword down here. It's going to eat into our bottom line on rides, but at the same time, we will see many drivers find jobs since our economy relies heavily on oil and gas and a lot of our drivers lost their real jobs in oil and gas this past year. Once these drivers find real jobs, that will mean less drivers.


If POTUS Trump is pro oil (which I think he is) and anti-environment (which remains to be seen) then the price st the pump WILL come down. That will be good for all sectors of the economy and that will be good for us drivers because people will have more disposable income to spend on Uber. You mistated your premise I think broa.


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## Elmo Burrito (Feb 3, 2017)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> ??? What are you talking about?
> "The Quinnipiac University Poll is one of the most accurate measures of public opinion on politics, elections, and issues of public concern."
> Don't like that one, try Gallop.


How did the "Quinnipiac" pole do on calling the election? Did they call it for Hill n Bill or the Trumpmeister? Just askin.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

Elmo Burrito said:


> How did the "Quinnipiac" pole do on calling the election? Did they call it for Hill n Bill or the Trumpmeister? Just askin.


Hill & Bill.
And they were right - by 3 million votes.

The Democrat outpaced President-elect Donald Trump by almost 2.9 million votes, 
with 65,844,954 (48.2%) 
to his 62,979,879 (46.1%), 
according to revised and* certified final election results* from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.​Maybe next time the pollsters will pay more attention to the electoral college.


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## iheartuber (Oct 31, 2015)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> *Uber has quietly abandoned its sweeping January price cuts*
> *by Allison Griswold - 19 January 2017 *https://qz.com/885455/uber-quietly-ends-january-price-cuts/
> 
> 
> ...


Guys, uber never really cut prices. Every year in Januay they dropped the rates here in LA from $1/mile to 90cents/mile. Then, when June rolled around they brought them back to $1/mile, and on and on it went forever. So even though they raised rates every June, and lowered them every January, they basically stayed the same net result year after year.

Something different happened in 2016. In February, tons and tons of drivers quit all at once creating surge pricing pretty much 24-7 due to a Shortage of drivers.

So uber introduced "the boost"-- a bonus system that paid drivers as high as twice their wages in an attempt to keep them from quitting. When June rolled around, if uber was to increase the rates as they usually do, they would also increase the bonuses they were paying to the drivers, which they could not afford.

So, quietly and without fanfare, they just let the rates stay as is. No need to entice drivers with higher rates... They were already paying healthy bonuses.

The bonus helped keep drivers and recruit many new ones and they have been weaned out slowly so that now they are almost nonexistent. Drivers make pretty much less than min wage now. Any cut in prices and uber could face another mass quitting.

So, just as quietly as they did not raise rates in June 2016, uber quietly did not lower them in Jan 2017 either.

Now you know the secret story behind the scenes.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

iheartuber said:


> Guys, uber never really cut prices. Every year in Januay they dropped the rates here in LA from $1/mile to 90cents/mile. Then, when June rolled around they brought them back to $1/mile, and on and on it went forever. So even though they raised rates every June, and lowered them every January, they basically stayed the same net result year after year.


LA is NOT the rest of the US (and I suspect even LA is actually more like what I describe below).

In the midwest, most of us saw the rates for X go from $1.25-$1.45/mi to$0.65-$0.77 over a period of 30 months.

Additionally. as Uber got better at managing its business, it was able to reduce the number and size of surges by attracting more drivers to more areas when rider demand was high. How did they do that? By introducing first, 'guarantees' (which are worthless - because if you didn't exceed the guarantee amount then you just weren't driving), and then 'boost's - which draw more than enough drivers into an area during a specific period of time all but assuring no surge - or a very low surge.


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## tootsie (Sep 12, 2015)

TheFixer1 said:


> I will repeat, no President has any power over OPEC and oil prices and production, they are a mafia cartel.


Well I sure felt like Bush did


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## Jermin8r89 (Mar 10, 2016)

Uber should just not bother with self driveing as then once they do every position includeing white collar would go AI as soon as all cars go self driveing and then u got a huge mess in ur hands. 

U can still evolve with tech but just dont go all AI. I dont think we evolving at all anyways. Racism is back to the days of the 50s. When i was in school in the 90s-2010 racism was never this bad.


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