# Well, Uber proved you don't make more money with lower rates...



## jimsbox (Oct 20, 2014)

Uber is now increasing rates in a way that only they make more money, by raising the safe rider fee which is income only to Uber. I guess they don't believe their own hype about making more with lower rates or they would have lowered the rates again. Also, they obviously don't care about our success as it was fine to raise rates to increase their take but not to benefit the drivers. Prove me wrong.


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## XUberMike (Aug 2, 2015)

You are absolutely correct but you forgot to add raising their commission in combination with the SRF increase.

They have done both without blinking, reaching into both the riders and partners wallet to grab cash while just opening their wallet just enough to stuff the cash into.


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## RainbowPlate (Jul 12, 2015)

Three words: "Because we can."

http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-cfo-because-we-can-2015-5


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## jimsbox (Oct 20, 2014)

RainbowPlate said:


> Three words: "Because we can."
> 
> http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-cfo-because-we-can-2015-5


Because we can is true but the real issue is that they use a double standard when setting fees. If they want more money now they will increase their percentage cut and increase fares as much as they need but only if 100% of the increase bypasses the drivers and goes straight into their own pockets. This is dishonest and misleading. It is anything but irrelevant to the drivers.


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## stuber (Jun 30, 2014)

When people ask, "So how do you like UBER?" I just grin and say, "How do you like Wal-Mart?"

UBER. Always Low Prices. Always!
(except sometimes, when we feel like charging a lot more.)


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## jimsbox (Oct 20, 2014)

Hopefully, sooner rather than later the rank and file driver will wake up to the abusive behaviour they are tolerating from Uber. There is not even a facade any more of being fair to drivers. You cannot avoid the obvious unless you choose to let them take advantage of you while you look the other way. Uber drivers are like lemmings going over the cliff, following one after the other oblivious to the final result of blind faith/obedience below on the rocks (financial ruin).


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## jimsbox (Oct 20, 2014)

For those of us that feel like Uber has our backs, consider that after all the Uber hype about lower fees means more rides means more money for everybody, they now find it necessary to demand more percentage from the driver and increased fees benefiting only themselves. What does it take for us to see the obvious? Fees are too low now even for Uber.


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## rickybobby (Jul 13, 2015)

strike this weekend. send your FU message to FUber by not driving 10/16 to 10/18


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## jimsbox (Oct 20, 2014)

rickybobby said:


> strike this weekend. send your FU message to FUber by not driving 10/16 to 10/18


I haven't driven since March and I will not until they get reasonable fees and insurance coverage available that covers my car in as accident as well as the other party. Too much risk of loss in case of an accident and virtually no return on invested expenses and time as it is now.


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## volksie (Apr 8, 2015)

jimsbox said:


> Uber is now increasing rates in a way that only they make more money, by raising the safe rider fee which is income only to Uber. I guess they don't believe their own hype about making more with lower rates or they would have lowered the rates again. Also, they obviously don't care about our success as it was fine to raise rates to increase their take but not to benefit the drivers. Prove me wrong.


I tell everyone their SRF went up. They say " What's That?". I inform them about the fee they pay & then I say it's for legal fees. They say "Legal Fees For What?". I tell them the drivers never got the tips that were built into the fares.

This conversation would never happen if the fares were raised instead of the SRF. Tell everybody because I actually believe the SRF is for Legal Fees!


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## jimsbox (Oct 20, 2014)

volksie said:


> I tell everyone their SRF went up. They say " What's That?". I inform them about the fee they pay & then I say it's for legal fees. They say "Legal Fees For What?". I tell them the drivers never got the tips that were built into the fares.
> 
> This conversation would never happen if the fares were raised instead of the SRF. Tell everybody because I actually believe the SRF is for Legal Fees!


I agree, they should have raised fares so everyone benefit but I respectfully disagree, I do not believe this has anything to do with legal fees and everything with showing a larger bottom line for the Uber investers, they have to expect a profit eventually.


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## volksie (Apr 8, 2015)

jimsbox said:


> I agree, they should have raised fares so everyone benefit but I respectfully disagree, I do not believe this has anything to do with legal fees and everything with showing a larger bottom line for the Uber investers, they have to expect a profit eventually.


Uber keeps its #1 customers (The Drivers) in the dark so I have the luxury of making assumptions about the fees. I don't think the fees will be enough to pay Uber's legal fees, lawsuits, fines, etc....


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## jimsbox (Oct 20, 2014)

I don't know either if it is enough to show a profit at Uber yet, that is why I used the term"larger bottom line". I do not believe it is earmarked for any particular purpose but is in actuality an "Uber tip", which of course they will never call it. I don't know of any other transportation company besides TNCs that charge you to offer you a safe ride. It is understood everywhere else that they are responsible for giving safe transport. I think is just another profit center and a deceitful way for Uber to give itself a raise.


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## andaas (May 19, 2015)

Lyft also as a similar fee, the Trust and Safety Fee, however, it is billed directly to the rider and is not included in minimum fare calculations. The driver actually never sees this charge appear on any payment statements or records.


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## jimsbox (Oct 20, 2014)

andaas said:


> Lyft also as a similar fee, the Trust and Safety Fee, however, it is billed directly to the rider and is not included in minimum fare calculations. The driver actually never sees this charge appear on any payment statements or records.


Exactly, when they raise that fee that money goes straight to Uber and you get none of it. Think of it as a tip for Uber.


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## MrsUberJax (Sep 2, 2014)

Drivers are now functioning like cash machines for uber... We don't even collect a fee... the rider gets in.. they don't pay us enough to cover expenses.. but Uber withdraws cash right off the top.. Whew! What a ride... Oh and the reason they don't want experienced drivers is because we figure it out and poison the pool of new drivers.. the fresh new blood is what keeps Uber profitable...


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## jimsbox (Oct 20, 2014)

MrsUberJax said:


> Drivers are now functioning like cash machines for uber... We don't even collect a fee... the rider gets in.. they don't pay us enough to cover expenses.. but Uber withdraws cash right off the top.. Whew! What a ride... Oh and the reason they don't want experienced drivers is because we figure it out and poison the pool of new drivers.. the fresh new blood is what keeps Uber profitable...


I think that pretty well describes the reality about how Uber treats its drivers. Sad but true


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## yoyodyne (Oct 17, 2015)

jimsbox said:


> Uber is now increasing rates in a way that only they make more money, by raising the safe rider fee which is income only to Uber.


Uber: "We're lowering the rates in Phoenix. This has been shown to increase driver earnings, so have fun with that!"
Uber (1 month later): "We're increasing the total amount that we're going to charge drivers with the SRF. Drivers, of course, will not see a penny of that. Also, please disregard the logic we shoveled at you last month."


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## jimsbox (Oct 20, 2014)

yoyodyne said:


> Uber: "We're lowering the rates in Phoenix. This has been shown to increase driver earnings, so have fun with that!"
> Uber (1 month later): "We're increasing the total amount that we're going to charge drivers with the SRF. Drivers, of course, will not see a penny of that. Also, please disregard the logic we shoveled at you last month."


Absurd but true


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## The_One (Sep 9, 2015)




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## Lack9133 (Mar 26, 2015)

Considering it's physically impossible to put more than 60 minutes into an hour, you as a driver are limited on how many trips you can physically make per hour. If drivers are already making the max number of trips within that 60 minute span, please Uber explain to me how lower rates equals greater hourly pay?


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## ApertureHour (May 8, 2015)

Lack9133 said:


> Considering it's physically impossible to put more than 60 minutes into an hour, you as a driver are limited on how many trips you can physically make per hour. If drivers are already making the max number of trips within that 60 minute span, please Uber explain to me how lower rates equals greater hourly pay?


I would love to hit the max amount of trips per hour that's physically possible, even at the current rate it would be decent (from a dollar amount at least). Sitting for hours at a time without a ride is the biggest thing thats killing us.


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## Lack9133 (Mar 26, 2015)

ApertureHour said:


> I would love to hit the max amount of trips per hour that's physically possible, even at the current rate it would be decent (from a dollar amount at least). Sitting for hours at a time without a ride is the biggest thing thats killing us.


Completely agree. That is why cities put cap's on the number of taxi's on the road. There is about a two hour window on both Friday and Saturday nights where there is more demand than there is supply. The other 164 hours of the week that need to be considered as well when there is way more supply than there is demand and those drivers still need to make a living even when demand is slow.

The public complains all the time that there is not enough cabs and wait times are too long but that is only maybe 5% of the time when that occurs. I understand the public's frustration during those times but it's no different than building churches for easter. I mean, I'm sure cities could put enough cabs on the road to handle NYE but what are you going to do with all that excess supply that you have to feed come January 2nd? Works well for passengers but not for those paying the bills.


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