# Only begin trip (start meter) AFTER riders get in car! Uber works on rider's side, not driver's side



## Truth & Facts

Only begin trip (start meter) AFTER riders get in car! I learnt this in a hard way.

In the past, once I arrived, I immediately hit the "Begin Trip" button to make a few pennies while waiting for riders. In my area, waiting charge is $0.15/minute.

One day, as usual, I arrived and immediately started the meter to charge the waiting time. After 5 minutes, rider still did not show up. I canceled request for "rider no show" to get $6. Uber rejected me and did not pay me the $6 cancellation fee. Why? Uber said, you shall never press "Begin Trip" button if riders are not in your car.

Again, never, never press "Begin Trip" button unless riders are in the car. Or, Uber will never pay you $6 even you have waited for more than 5 minutes.


----------



## puber

You mean lyft?


----------



## DC_Uber_Lyft_Driver

Uhmm, how should I put this. No shit.


----------



## OCBob

I can't believe you needed to make a thread to let all of us know this. Why would you start trip without saying anything to rider? What if the Dreeds of Society come out of the house and you want to cancel trip? Only good thing about starting a trip before they get there is if they are being rude and not showing up and you don't care about the $ just rate them a 1.


----------



## ElectroFuzz

You should only press "Begin Trip" once all the passengers are in the car
and you got the chance to "check them out"

The main reason is that you can cancel the trip and kick them out of the car
in case of any problems (like.... "wait we have 5 people", we have a baby but no child seat, 2 dogs and a snake.... or any other problems) 
all without them being able to ding your rating.


----------



## mizzrock

ElectroFuzz said:


> You should only press "Begin Trip" once all the passengers are in the car
> and you got the chance to "check them out"
> 
> The main reason is that you can cancel the trip and kick them out of the car
> in case of any problems (like.... "wait we have 5 people", we have a baby but no child seat, 2 dogs and a snake.... or any other problems)
> all without them being able to ding your rating.


2 dogs and a snake.


----------



## uberdriver

Ubermanpt said:


> You should begin trip as soon as they start to open your door so your insurance coverage starts. if something were to happen while they were getting in car to them or your car your in trouble if you didn't start trip


That is an incorrect statement, and thus could be wrongful advice.

The $1 million liability coverage starts when the ride is accepted by the driver. It does not change up or down when the "Begin trip" button is pressed. On the other side, that coverage ends when the driver presses "End trip". So, you should NOT "end trip" until the last passenger has exited the vehicle and preferably even until that last passenger is safely up the curb and out of the road.

As to the original post of this thread, there are pros and cons to starting the metter before all the passengers are in the car. Main pro is that the driver starts earning some paltry cents for his time before the car starts moving and using gas and wear and tear. But too many cons as mentioned above in this thread and many other threads. On balance it would seem better not to start it, even if pax had authorized the driver to do so.


----------



## Tim In Cleveland

ElectroFuzz said:


> You should only press "Begin Trip" once all the passengers are in the car
> and you got the chance to "check them out"
> 
> The main reason is that you can cancel the trip and kick them out of the car
> in case of any problems (like.... "wait we have 5 people", we have a baby but no child seat, 2 dogs and a snake.... or any other problems)
> all without them being able to ding your rating.


Wrong. You can still cancel and prevent them from rating you by choosing "Don't charge rider". I have started a trip after the passengers were in only to hear them say "wait, there's more coming" (meaning 5th and 6th passengers). Out they all went as I refused to drive them and then cancelled the trip.


----------



## Fuzzyelvis

Tim In Cleveland said:


> Wrong. You can still cancel and prevent them from rating you by choosing "Don't charge rider". I have started a trip after the passengers were in only to hear them say "wait, there's more coming" (meaning 5th and 6th passengers). Out they all went as I refused to drive them and then cancelled the trip.


Wouldn't you have been better then canceling the trip as a no show and never starting it in the first place so you do get paid


----------



## flyingdingo

Truth & Facts said:


> Only begin trip (start meter) AFTER riders get in car! I learnt this in a hard way.
> 
> In the past, once I arrived, I immediately hit the "Begin Trip" button to make a few pennies while waiting for riders. In my area, waiting charge is $0.15/minute.
> 
> One day, as usual, I arrived and immediately started the meter to charge the waiting time. After 5 minutes, rider still did not show up. I canceled request for "rider no show" to get $6. Uber rejected me and did not pay me the $6 cancellation fee. Why? Uber said, you shall never press "Begin Trip" button if riders are not in your car.
> 
> Again, never, never press "Begin Trip" button unless riders are in the car. Or, Uber will never pay you $6 even you have waited for more than 5 minutes.


I wait just a few seconds after that even. I want to see if they are going to bark at me or be rude. If they are, they can get out without having an opportunity to rate me.


----------

