# “Preferred Partner” function utilized by Uber offices?



## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

This was posted on another site...
I've heard rumors of this before but never seen it described quite like this.
Any truth to it?
-------------------------------------
FYI: The Uber Partner app has a “Preferred Partner” function utilized by Uber offices. It allows Uber to select “Preferred Partners” and manipulate their GPS location. The function decreases the GPS distance of a “Preferred Partners” from ride requests. It’s used to assure that new drivers and drivers with high online times receive calls ahead of other drivers. It’s one way Uber encourages new drivers to continue working and full-time drivers to maintain longer hours. It can also be used to increase GPS location.


----------



## Jason2k15 (Jul 31, 2015)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> This was posted on another site...
> I've heard rumors of this before but never seen it described quite like this.
> Any truth to it?
> -------------------------------------
> FYI: The Uber Partner app has a "Preferred Partner" function utilized by Uber offices. It allows Uber to select "Preferred Partners" and manipulate their GPS location. The function decreases the GPS distance of a "Preferred Partners" from ride requests. It's used to assure that new drivers and drivers with high online times receive calls ahead of other drivers. It's one way Uber encourages new drivers to continue working and full-time drivers to maintain longer hours. It can also be used to increase GPS location.


This may be true. When I first started, the range was about within 5 miles now I am also getting pings from about 10 miles out if I am understanding you correctly.


----------



## MemeSpeak (Aug 5, 2015)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> This was posted on another site...
> I've heard rumors of this before but never seen it described quite like this.
> Any truth to it?
> -------------------------------------
> FYI: The Uber Partner app has a "Preferred Partner" function utilized by Uber offices. It allows Uber to select "Preferred Partners" and manipulate their GPS location. The function decreases the GPS distance of a "Preferred Partners" from ride requests. It's used to assure that new drivers and drivers with high online times receive calls ahead of other drivers. It's one way Uber encourages new drivers to continue working and full-time drivers to maintain longer hours. It can also be used to increase GPS location.


What about notification updates to pickups?


----------



## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

MemeSpeak said:


> What about notification updates to pickups?


What about them? 
And what do they have to do with this topic?


----------



## MemeSpeak (Aug 5, 2015)

Communicating with the customers, since GPS and not real distances may be decreased for preferred drivers from customers.


----------



## UberXking (Oct 14, 2014)

I hear nothing of preferred partners but I have heard of magic mushrooms and long weekends filled with uncontrollable laughter as Uber executives brainstorm how to obtain and maintain the world's largest fleet of service vehicles for free.


----------



## JimS (Aug 18, 2015)

If they 'decrease' your GPS location to manipulate receiving a ping, then do they decrease the amount of time you have to get to your rider?


----------



## DocT (Jul 16, 2015)

Sounds like discrimination to me.


----------



## beezlewaxin (Feb 10, 2015)

Jason2k15 said:


> This may be true. When I first started, the range was about within 5 miles now I am also getting pings from about 10 miles out if I am understanding you correctly.


I think this is exactly the opposite of what the OP describes as a "PreferredDriver".

A "preferred driver" would be getting the farther away pickups so that they are tricked into believing their market is "busy as _heck_". A non-preferred driver would still be waiting for a request.

I'll take the 10-mile pickups if the alternative is no pickups for the next half-hour or more. I'd rather deal with possible min fares on long pickups than deal with possible half-hour or more of no pickups.


----------



## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

beezlewaxin said:


> I think this is exactly the opposite of what the OP describes as a "PreferredDriver".
> 
> A "preferred driver" would be getting the farther away pickups so that they are tricked into believing their market is "busy as fμ©k". A non-preferred driver would still be waiting for a request.
> 
> I'll take the 10-mile pickups if the alternative is no pickups for the next half-hour or more. I'd rather deal with possible min fares on long pickups than deal with possible half-hour or more of no pickups.


But a minimum fare on a long pickup LOSES you money.


----------



## OrlUberOffDriver (Oct 27, 2014)

FUber has manipulated time to pick up forever. 
The fact is that time to pick up doesn’t really matter, distance to pick up does. 
I get pings that shows 5,6.7 minutes away in city, but then miles show 3-5 away. 
How on earth can a pick up 5 miles away be only 7 minutes away in the city. 
So, I really do not look so much at the time to pick up(as fuber wants you to) but at miles away. 
Under 3 miles is good. 3-5 miles maybe depends on the area. Over 5 miles FUber can suck it!


----------



## MyRedUber (Dec 28, 2015)

Sounds like an urban myth to me.


----------



## 2Cents (Jul 18, 2016)

MyRedUber said:


> Sounds like an urban myth to me.


----------



## bpm45 (May 22, 2017)

I don't think Uber is that smart to be able to use this, if it exists, and achieve a desirable result.


----------



## 2Cents (Jul 18, 2016)

They do it every day


----------



## cratter (Sep 16, 2017)

It would be foolish of Uber *not *to give new drivers more than "normal" ride requests.

It is also smart business sense for Uber to throw a few extra pings to a driver that "just started for the day" during the first hour or two, over someone who has already been online for 8-10 hours already.


----------



## 92707 (Dec 12, 2017)

DocT said:


> Sounds like discrimination to me.


It sounds like we are employees if they are controlling the workflow.


----------



## JonC (Jul 30, 2016)

92707 said:


> It sounds like we are employees if they are controlling the workflow.


It's like we are employees if they're controlling the rates too.

For my technology clients, there's no question that I'm an independent contractor. I tell them when I can be there, I supply my tools, and I set the rates they pay.

That last bit is important, they don't get to tell me what they'll pay me (well, they do, sort of - but if they offer less than my rate, I explain that I'm afraid I can't offer them service at the rate they want, and they're free to hire the Geek Squad.)

So yeah, I'd prefer to be able to set a minimum "I'm not leaving my driveway unless it's at least this much" rate for Uber. I'd probably get less rides, but at least I'd know they were worth bothering with.


----------

