# Louisville Rates Decreased



## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

It just happened here too. Usual, stupid bullshit - "Business is so good, we have to lower the rates!"

Who are these dumbasses? What are the long term goals??

Base fare was $2.50, now it's $1.30. Per mile was $1.40, now it's $1.15. Per minute was $.30, now it's $.20 Of course, the minimum fare is still $5.00, so at least I would have been killing it there! I guess I could have just rode everyone 2 blocks and thrown them out of MY car.

***** Uber, **** Travis Humperdinck!!!!!*

Might go out, accept every ping, call the riders and tell them Uber just went out of business, and that they should call a cab. They're legal, and the drivers can afford food, so they wouldn't have to worry about them passing out from malnourishment while diving.

Just sent en email to support to find out when they'll be in town so I can return their phone. I'm much too valuable to do this crap, and so is everyone here!

As long as they can continue to exploit people, they will! They've made that perfectly clear.


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## AintWorthIt (Sep 30, 2014)

hey buddy! Yeah I got the bullshit email today too, what a joke, so depressing.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

Yeah, I hope no one stays on. There's no way you can come out ahead. It's not easy figuring in a major car repair, but they will be coming. One major repair could easily put you in the red. 

I can't figure these idiots out to save my life. I know what they're doing - I just don't know why!

Good luck to you.


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## AintWorthIt (Sep 30, 2014)

I'm going to do it for a few hours tonight. I already know the outcome but want to see it with my own eyes. It was barely worth it before, now it's just silly. Time to send in the ole phone.


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## Orlando_Driver (Jul 14, 2014)

Uber rates are too cheap for me in Orlando. I feel your pain.

Uber has gone ghetto in my book.....I'm done too


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## AintWorthIt (Sep 30, 2014)

So frustrating....


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

Orlando_Driver said:


> Uber rates are too cheap for me in Orlando. I feel your pain.
> 
> Uber has gone ghetto in my book.....I'm done too


Yep, they're looking for that equilibrium where they can't supply enough drivers for the riders, then they'll S-L-O-W-L-Y start sweetening the pot. They're there, and pasted it long ago. They're just too stupid to realize it.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

AintWorthIt said:


> I'm going to do it for a few hours tonight. I already know the outcome but want to see it with my own eyes. It was barely worth it before, now it's just silly. Time to send in the ole phone.


Man, I would never try to tell anyone what is right for them, but just know that you are much too good to be treated like a disposable piece of trash. As long as you keep taking it, they'll keep giving it. They're just testing the bottom.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

DriverJ said:


> Yep, they're looking for that equilibrium where they can't supply enough drivers for the riders, then they'll S-L-O-W-L-Y start sweetening the pot. They're there, and pasted it long ago. They're just too stupid to realize it.


Hence the need to recruit, recruit, recruit! They'll never have a stable, safe, reliable workforce. They don't want that. If their drivers make $7.14/week, but they're making more - all is well.


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## suewho (Sep 27, 2014)

Recruit recruit recruit you say. With rates that low, only the very desperate will join up. On those rates they will not be able to afford tyres, repairs or even decent accomodation. They will be sleeping in their cars, and not be able to afford to keep their cars clean. The more desperate they become the more dangerous. We will see more accidents, more incidents because these drivers will be living on the edge. 
And now, lets all drink a toast.... to travis...


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## AintWorthIt (Sep 30, 2014)

For what it's worth there does seem to be fewer drivers on the map here in Louisville


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

AintWorthIt said:


> For what it's worth there does seem to be fewer drivers on the map here in Louisville


With the new and improved rates there shouldn't be any.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

suewho said:


> Recruit recruit recruit you say. With rates that low, only the very desperate will join up. On those rates they will not be able to afford tyres, repairs or even decent accomodation. They will be sleeping in their cars, and not be able to afford to keep their cars clean. The more desperate they become the more dangerous. We will see more accidents, more incidents because these drivers will be living on the edge.
> And now, lets all drink a toast.... to travis...


You're exactly right, but as long as they can payoff families of 7 year old girls that are killed by one of their drivers, they're good to go. A few million here or there is laughable to keep them running their crooked empire.

It will change, but to what extent, who knows. Of course, it will change only will Uber is FORCED to change it.

This isn't news to any driver, but Uber is a machine. Much like a computer. A computer has zero intelligence, zero compassion, zero understanding. It can only do addition and subtraction, albeit extremely quickly. Even multiplication and division are just repeated addition and subtraction, respectively. Nothing there to be admired for it's intelligence, to be sure.

The only differences between a computer and Uber is - a computer runs on electrictricity and spits out data, and Uber runs on hard-working humans trying to make ends meet, and spits out money.

**** UBER!!!

Sorry to offend anyone. That just says it best.


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## Orlando_Driver (Jul 14, 2014)

Yeah **** UBER !!


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

AintWorthIt said:


> For what it's worth there does seem to be fewer drivers on the map here in Louisville


My phone hasn't been on all day, nor will it ever be again - at least by me!


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## suewho (Sep 27, 2014)

Uber on? Uber OFF!


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

suewho said:


> Uber on? Uber OFF!


Yes indeed. I understand people having to do what they feel they need to, but I LET NO ONE DETERMINE MY FATE, BUT ME!!

The longer you let someone abuse and exploit you, the easier it becomes to take.


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## bigdaddy55 (Sep 20, 2014)

Just got the email in Cleveland! Cutting rates...


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## AintWorthIt (Sep 30, 2014)

My phone will most definitely be off tomorrow evening and probably for good. I'm having trouble understanding the rationale of cutting the rates. People were going to use uber at the old rates, and doesn't it decrease their 20% cut? I don't get it. ****ing frustrating


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

bigdaddy55 said:


> Just got the email in Cleveland! Cutting rates...


Don't be overly concerned. I sent an email to support, and they put my mind at ease. In a nutshell, even though we'll be making less money, we'll really be making more money.

I'm headed out to UBER ON!

NOT!!!!

Oh, they said the fare changes are tested, and thought through before they're implemented. THAT'S THE SCAREY PART!


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

bigdaddy55 said:


> Just got the email in Cleveland! Cutting rates...


Don't worry, they'll implement another fare reduction to cover your losses on this fare reduction!

I'm never at a loss for words, but Uber has nearly done it - I'm mystified and stupified.


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## Amiya (Sep 26, 2014)

AintWorthIt said:


> My phone will most definitely be off tomorrow evening and probably for good. I'm having trouble understanding the rationale of cutting the rates. People were going to use uber at the old rates, and doesn't it decrease their 20% cut? I don't get it. ****ing frustrating


By cutting rates, they are getting more short distance fares. On such fares, they get much more than 20% in commissions, thanks to the safe ride fee. Perhaps that's one of the reasons.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

AintWorthIt said:


> My phone will most definitely be off tomorrow evening and probably for good. I'm having trouble understanding the rationale of cutting the rates. People were going to use uber at the old rates, and doesn't it decrease their 20% cut? I don't get it. ****ing frustrating


They believe they'll get more riders faster. They don't understand the fares were plenty cheap. Had they kept reasonable fares and advertised, like maybe on television, they could have saved millions on driver recruitment and giving away free rides. Not to mention the thousands upon thousands of lawsuits headed their way.

Just like with trying to make every private vehicle in the world an Uber car. If they have an average wait time time of 2 minutes, that means they'll be getting that many more rider fees and fares. It doesn't matter that the 2.4 million Uber drivers in Chicago are making $2.46/week. More rides equals more money...for Uber.

I had a guy a couple of weeks ago that splits his time between Chicago and Louisville (my market). We were talking about Uber, and I asked his what his average wait time was for an Ubermobile in Chicago, and he said *ONE TO TWO minutes*. I believe it was like seven for me because I was out a ways, and there probably wasn't any other drivers out at that time of the very early morning, which is usually dead. He said he had a car in Chicago, but he didn't even remember the last time he drove it.

This is all going with Uber's vision/delusion of having it where it doesn't make financial sense for anyone to own their own vehicle.

I would imagine, some day soon, when you wake up in the morning there will be an Uber driver lying in bed next to you, waiting for that ping.


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## Courageous (Sep 18, 2014)

DriverJ said:


> Don't be overly concerned. I sent an email to support, and they put my mind at ease. In a nutshell, even though we'll be making less money, we'll really be making more money.
> 
> I'm headed out to UBER ON!
> 
> ...


*shakes head. When the shit hits the fan it will blow hard. Uber will find itself with gutter drivers giving crap service. This cut fare tactic only cuts decent drivers. You get what you pay for...crappy fares = shit service.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

AintWorthIt said:


> For what it's worth there does seem to be fewer drivers on the map here in Louisville


Glad to know I'm making a difference! 

Oh, I almost forgot - **** UBER!!


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## suewho (Sep 27, 2014)

Courageous said:


> *shakes head. When the shit hits the fan it will blow hard. Uber will find itself with gutter drivers giving crap service. This cut fare tactic only cuts decent drivers. You get what you pay for...crappy fares = shit service.


unfortunately, I think by that time travis will have taken his money and run


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## Courageous (Sep 18, 2014)

DriverJ said:


> Glad to know I'm making a difference!
> 
> Oh, I almost forgot - **** UBER!!


LOL... sorry about laughing .. none of this is funny , but you're KILLIN' meh. lol


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

Courageous said:


> LOL... sorry about laughing .. none of this is funny , but you're KILLIN' meh. lol


Brother, that's all you can do is laugh. Trying to think logically about something like this is like trying to figure out where a circle ends.


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## AintWorthIt (Sep 30, 2014)

I agree, laughter is the best medicine for something like this. I turned off my phone and went to the bar


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## chi1cabby (May 28, 2014)

Amiya said:


> By cutting rates, they are getting more short distance fares. On such fares, they get much more than 20% in commissions, thanks to the safe ride fee. Perhaps that's one of the reasons.


You are exactly right! These rate cuts don't have anything to with either Lyft or taxis. They are about increasing Uber's market share, boosting revenues, but most importantly about increasing the volume of short distance $4-6 Fares. These shorter fares are the highest profit margin rides for Uber. A $4 Minimum Fare Ride yields 40% to Uber, and 60% to the driver, thanks to the $1SRF/Ride.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

AintWorthIt said:


> I agree, laughter is the best medicine for something like this. I turned off my phone and went to the bar


Yes sir, I think you made a good move! You've only got a chance of getting screwed in the bar though, if you would have kept the phone on it would have been a sure thing.


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## Courageous (Sep 18, 2014)

DriverJ said:


> Brother, that's all you can do is laugh. Trying to think logically about something like this is like trying to figure out where a circle ends.


Don't you think my eyes are too pretty to be your "brother"? LOL


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

Courageous said:


> Don't you think my eyes are too pretty to be your "brother"? LOL


Actually, you have a point. Maybe I can be your red-headed, goofy step-brother with the lazy eye.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

I really don't like posting this, as I'm sure Uber sees every word on the forum, and my local support has always been great, and I really don't want to offend them. I know they can only, or at least mostly, say what Uber tells them to say.

However, the following is part of an email I got in response to my firing Uber over the fare reduction. I'm sure you've all seen it before. If you haven't, keep an eye out, it's coming to an inbox near you. I'm really not a very smart guy, as you can probably tell from my post, so I was wondering if I decoded this message right.

_*"Maintaining drivers' well-being was a primary concern."* <Absolute Lie>

*"We truly have been testing this price cut over the last several weeks, and the results indicate that this is a positive change."* <True, but positive *only* for Uber>

*"Since we expect demand to continue to rise, we also fully expect your earnings to increase."* <Pseudo-Truth, Although I could possibly do enough extra rides to cover my losses on the fare cuts, and possibly even earn a little more, I would also have to accelerate the destruction of my car, use more fuel, learn to sleep and eat (actually eating is no problem) while driving, and lastly - get comfortable shitting in an adult diaper. I guess Uber will have refueling tankers (with a card reader) on the road for us, as there would be no time to stop!
_
*"This winter will be a busy time, and we really believe that demand increases will overall increase your fares in the long term."* <Not Applicable, as I won't be driving another mile until you - *Payup Sucka!!*>

*Uber Off!* (hope you don't mind me using that @suewho)


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

Any who buy Ubers self interest double speak will be sorely disappointed. Typical large dotcorp cya verbiage cloaked in deception. Typically translated as "Yeah we screwed you. So what? If you don't like it too bad. If you don't like our deceiving math detrimental to drivers and we claim it's good, shove off."


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## panda gloves (Oct 13, 2014)

Courageous said:


> *shakes head. When the shit hits the fan it will blow hard. Uber will find itself with gutter drivers giving crap service. This cut fare tactic only cuts decent drivers. You get what you pay for...crappy fares = shit service.


I don't understand this. Why would they be stuck with crappy drivers? While some drivers, like us, are pissed and will not return to Uber that doesn't mean all good drivers are done. I'm sure some highly rated drivers will sweep up all of the work we are leaving on the table.

And don't think that just because they are bad drivers that they are also stupid. Just like everyone else commenting here they have to determine if the expenses are worth the pay.


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## Realityshark (Sep 22, 2014)

DriverJ said:


> You're exactly right, but as long as they can payoff families of 7 year old girls that are killed by one of their drivers, they're good to go. A few million here or there is laughable to keep them running their crooked empire.
> 
> It will change, but to what extent, who knows. Of course, it will change only will Uber is FORCED to change it.
> 
> ...


Certainly not offended here.. Uber could be a good thing. Why can't they see that? Pay the drivers a decent wage. Quit lying about what a driver can make in their stupid Craigslist ads to attract more suckers. Imagine if Uber would strive to become a place where drivers were proud to work. This ride share experiment could actually have some redeeming value. Uber seems to enjoy being a money machine that screws its' employees.


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## Realityshark (Sep 22, 2014)

Amiya said:


> By cutting rates, they are getting more short distance fares. On such fares, they get much more than 20% in commissions, thanks to the safe ride fee. Perhaps that's one of the reasons.


You are 100% correct. The short rides are the cash cow for Uber and the one's that destroy the drivers bottom line and car. The long rides are the dangling carrot that keeps the drivers coming back for more.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

scrurbscrud said:


> Any who buy Ubers self interest double speak will be sorely disappointed. Typical large dotcorp cya verbiage cloaked in deception. Typically translated as "Yeah we screwed you. So what? If you don't like it too bad. If you don't like our deceiving math detrimental to drivers and we claim it's good, shove off."


I've always kinda got a kick out of that nonsense.

*
"Hi,

Thanks for reaching out to us. If you need to be ignored in the future, we're always here for you! You have a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious kind of day!

Thank You,

The Invisible Ones"*


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

panda gloves said:


> I don't understand this. Why would they be stuck with crappy drivers? While some drivers, like us, are pissed and will not return to Uber that doesn't mean all good drivers are done. I'm sure some highly rated drivers will sweep up all of the work we are leaving on the table.
> 
> And don't think that just because they are bad drivers that they are also stupid. Just like everyone else commenting here they have to determine if the expenses are worth the pay.


The saying, 'You get what you pay' for applies here, as mentioned previously. You pay peasant wages and you get people that despise you, that could care less about what kind of job they do, and that are looking to steal from you at every turn. A professional driver would laugh at working for what I was making in UberX here. The crappy drivers part comes in because the best rise to the top, and the worst, drivers in this case, will wind up at the lowest-paying, shit-hole jobs out there. That's just the way it works.

Some will, 'chase the surge.' Also, yes, some of those 'highly rated drivers' will sweep up all of that work, but most people have more self-respect, and aren't so desperate that they have to sweep up crumbs to make it. I guess if you can make good extra money on Uber charging someone 10 times the normal fare, go for it. I just need a full-time income, and Uber is not it. Their greed is something like I've never seen before.

Everyone will need to decide for themselves when enough is enough. I asked the local manager when I signed up for this scam if there were any plans to lower the fares in Louisville, since I had seen what had happened in other markets. I told him then that if the fares were decreased I wouldn't be able to keep doing it. As he looked away from me he said, 'I haven't heard anything.' It didn't sound exactly convincing, and I really knew it was coming. I was just hoping to make it until at least Spring before I had to leave. As I've said many times on here, my biggest problem is that I loved the job, but a job is about making a living, and I can't do that with Uber. They're gonna make damn sure of that.

So yeah, they'll keep luring new, unsuspecting victims in. Some will stay...for a while. Maybe until they need a new car even, and then they'll figure out it's not worth it. Others will get a taste of it and leave before their iPhone needs to be recharged.


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## Realityshark (Sep 22, 2014)

I'm afraid that there will simply be a infinite number of new drivers to fill in the void. We all fell for this scam. An 80 / 20 split sure sounds good at the outset. I know I bought into it. Now I simply don't drive much anymore. I quickly understood that this is simply a way to make a couple extra $$. I've already taken measures to create new revenue streams that offer a better return on my time. I too enjoyed my time on the road, meeting new people and the other pluses that ride share has offered. I simply cannot handle being continuously lied to by Uber. It makes me feel like a total dick to buy into their Kool-aid logic. They lost me when I read the e-mail trying to convince me that I would be making more money after they dropped their rates. I've given it long enough to see that this claim is simply an insulting lie designed slow down a mass driver exodus.


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## DriverJ (Sep 1, 2014)

Realityshark said:


> Certainly not offended here.. Uber could be a good thing. Why can't they see that? Pay the drivers a decent wage. Quit lying about what a driver can make in their stupid Craigslist ads to attract more suckers. Imagine if Uber would strive to become a place where drivers were proud to work. This ride share experiment could actually have some redeeming value. Uber seems to enjoy being a money machine that screws its' employees.


You get it, they don't. I'd want my EMPLOYEES running around in Uber t-shirts proud to display the Uber logo, having people stopping them on the street and asking them if they work for Uber, and 'Can you get me a job?' Of course the answer would be, 'No, it's such a great place to work they've got a waiting list of 3 years to get on.' Not, they'll hire anyone, anyplace, anytime, as long as you don't want money out of the deal. Got a really tall 8 year old with a 4-door Big Wheel? Bring'em along, they're good to go.


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## UberPissed (Aug 13, 2014)

.90mile / .20 minute + 1.7 base fare. Not gonna get sympathy from Chicago drivers.


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