# Ok to start meter?



## Seinfeld (Apr 11, 2014)

Is it ok to start the meter once I have arrived at the pickup location and I have talked to the rider on the phone or via text? Do I have to wait for the rider to get in the car? Sometimes they have me waiting upwards of ten minutes out in front of their place.


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## dp3 (Apr 11, 2014)

Not until they get into the car. If they make you wait more than 15 minutes (which is asinine) call them and tell them you'll need to start the meter to keep the car reserved. I hate when people make me wait. I bust my ass to get to you as quickly as possible. Have some respect.


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## jakeV (Apr 10, 2014)

If you wait 10 minutes after 'arriving now' you can cancel and get the fee. If I talk to the rider and confirm Im in the right spot I start the trip so Im at least making the 30 cents a minute or whatever for my time. Im not sure what the official policy is on this. Be careful not to start your meter if you arent sure they are coming or if it could be the wrong location.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

Wow, How generous are you guys! I look at it this way. Uber is an "on demand" service. A client demands a car ASAP. I hit the "arriving now" button say 2 mins away, I arrive at the correct address (having sms'd a request to confirm the APP's pickup address given), I call the client immediatly when I arrive to once again confirm I'm at the right place (sometimes they dont respond to SMS) and get an idea how long the will be. If they say "a minute" I give them 2 minutes and then throw the APP. If they say "2 minutes" I give them 4 minutes gratis - that is MORE than fair when Cabbies get to throw their meters when a passenger takes the Network call on the 50th floor! If they say 5 or more minutes, I ask them if its OK to start the APP and secure the car for their transport.

Look, we accept that we are taking chicken-feed for trips, so we have to protect every available minute in the hour. If a client expects a professional service NOT to charge for time they are at their service, then they will be responsible for driving the standards they enjoy down.

In a busy hour with no surge in Sydney, say you do 3-4 trips, with a 5 minute gap in between - that's hustling to move as many Uber clients as possible. You can take $100-$120 p/hr before commission. But you get one client who sends you on a goose chase by not checking the address the APP has sent, or expects you to wait 10-15 minutes and there goes 25% of your hourly potential. 

(Costs are high in Sydney - UBER Black cars are licensed at $8235.00 p/a, Gasoline is $1.50-$1.70 p/l or roughly $6.00 p/gallon, LPG is now 60-70% the cost, Insurances $4,500 p/a, road tolls in Sydney are ALWAYS greater than fuel costs p/month, just paid $660.00 for a set of "cheap" chinese tyres and wheel alignment!)

Keep a tight rein on time-wasters. Show them you are at their service by being out of your seat and waiting to help them into your car when they finally arrive and do everything else right during the ride and they will respect service and wont mind about when the APP started.


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## TheSheibs (Apr 17, 2014)

I noticed people don't want to come out till they get the text saying you arrived or they see you out front. This wastes time so I started to call if I pull up and don't see them waiting for me. I also hit the arriving now button when I'm a block or two away to give the app time to send the notification. I also will not violate any laws by double parking or making illegal u-turns or parking where signs say "no parking". If I get there and there is no place for me to stop safely and legally, I cancel it and move on.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

TheSheibs said:


> I noticed people don't want to come out till they get the text saying you arrived or they see you out front. This wastes time so I started to call if I pull up and don't see them waiting for me. I also hit the arriving now button when I'm a block or two away to give the app time to send the notification. I also will not violate any laws by double parking or making illegal u-turns or parking where signs say "no parking". If I get there and there is no place for me to stop safely and legally, I cancel it and move on.


I'm noticing that clients aren't getting their "arrival" text till they get into my car - sometime 3-4mins after I've hit the button. Sydney riders get their texts from a US based number (+1) so I can understand the delay, but if it is collectively robbing the fleet of productivity then UBER is losing out as well as the drivers. That's a big reason I call or text riders myself to have them ready when I get there. Saves precious minutes when the work is hustling along like last night


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## Larry B (Apr 9, 2014)

What are the luxury clientele a doin on a Thursday in Sydney? Wining and Dining?


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

Larry B said:


> What are the luxury clientele a doin on a Thursday in Sydney? Wining and Dining?


I wouldn't say luxury clientele Larry. Cabs are so poor here, 80-90% of the drivers just don't know where they are going! and for single women it's scary. So they love the accountability that UBER provides and happy to pay the $1.20 per km more to ride in a Uber Black over a cab. The price difference is much less when you take into account Cabs adding 20% between 10pm-6am and ALL taxi credit card transactions are hit with a 11% "Cabcharge" surcharge (long story that, but regulators are finally putting an end to that and forcing them to drop surcharge to 5%)

This Thursday was very different being a day before a public holiday - it was like a pre-Christmas Friday night. It was still about 68deg at 2am so a lovely night to be out.


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## Wyatt (Apr 17, 2014)

Sydney Uber said:


> Wow, How generous are you guys! I look at it this way. Uber is an "on demand" service. A client demands a car ASAP. I hit the "arriving now" button say 2 mins away, I arrive at the correct address (having sms'd a request to confirm the APP's pickup address given), I call the client immediatly when I arrive to once again confirm I'm at the right place (sometimes they dont respond to SMS) and get an idea how long the will be. If they say "a minute" I give them 2 minutes and then throw the APP. If they say "2 minutes" I give them 4 minutes gratis - that is MORE than fair when Cabbies get to throw their meters when a passenger takes the Network call on the 50th floor! If they say 5 or more minutes, I ask them if its OK to start the APP and secure the car for their transport.
> 
> Look, we accept that we are taking chicken-feed for trips, so we have to protect every available minute in the hour. If a client expects a professional service NOT to charge for time they are at their service, then they will be responsible for driving the standards they enjoy down.
> 
> ...


Perfect! 
After reading this post I start the meter as soon as I know I'm in the right spot, it's 35 CENTS A MINUTE in San Diego for christ's sake! Should be more like a dollar a minute IMO!


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## Rich Chen (Apr 28, 2014)

Does it hurt the rating if driver cancels the ride for whatever the valid reason may be?


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## franklin (Apr 21, 2014)

after getting the 'Subscription Fee' notice I decided it was every driver for themself so I start the meter upon arrival now. I don't care what Uber thinks we should do, they've proven they don't give a damn about us. Also stopped handing out the promo code cards. I'll be damned if I'm going to help build their business when they're so quick to kick me to the curb. Anger building.


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## TxdoHawk (Jul 19, 2014)

I don't drive for Uber (yet), but based on the training video I saw thrown up on Youtube, the "official" process is:
- Pull up, wait for the passenger.
- Call them if they are keeping you waiting or you're unsure where they are.
- While calling them, you can ask if you can "start the trip". If they say yes, you can start the meter. If they say no, you can't.

Edit: Here's the video, the spot they talk about this begins at 6:40.


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## u_no_me (Jun 27, 2014)

TxdoHawk said:


> I don't drive for Uber (yet), but based on the training video I saw thrown up on Youtube, the "official" process is:
> - Pull up, wait for the passenger.
> - Call them if they are keeping you waiting or you're unsure where they are.
> - While calling them, you can ask if you can "start the trip". If they say yes, you can start the meter. If they say no, you can't.


Welcome TxdoHawk

Of course you also found the mandatory video that all passengers must watch before being authorized to use the system that instructs them not to rudely abuse the driver's time, expecting him to work for free, or to not in any way adversely rate the driver for having the gall to ask to start the meter while you take your sweet time?


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

I had only the 2nd customer in 1,001 rides call me as I was driving to their location tell me to pull up and start the meter... I have never started the meter while waiting on my own.

I do cancel after 6 minutes and get the $5.00 fee. "cancel", "client no show" Not per the video, but if I call and they say "I'll be down in 5 minutes" you KNOW that means 10!

I do it my way......


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## Jordan9K (Jul 6, 2014)

I have been waiting until the person(s) are in my car to start the meter. Now I think I'm going to start the meter once I have confirmed their location & identity. Each trip there is at least 1-3 mins from when I correctly do this to when I'm driving on the route to their destination. This could equal out to an extra $5-$10 a night. Will see what happens next weekend..

*On a side note, I got shot at this weekend, in front of a church. I guess at 3am church goers don't like cars parked outside.. (wrong address from rider was sent).


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## TxdoHawk (Jul 19, 2014)

u_no_me said:


> Welcome TxdoHawk
> 
> Of course you also found the mandatory video that all passengers must watch before being authorized to use the system that instructs them not to rudely abuse the driver's time, expecting him to work for free, or to not in any way adversely rate the driver for having the gall to ask to start the meter while you take your sweet time?


Don't get me wrong, I totally agree with the sentiment of this thread that you should have to pay to make a driver wait, 100%. I just saw that video and thought I'd mention the corporate line, as ridiculous as it is.


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## u_no_me (Jun 27, 2014)

TxdoHawk said:


> Don't get me wrong, I totally agree with the sentiment of this thread that you should have to pay to make a driver wait, 100%. I just saw that video and thought I'd mention the corporate line, as ridiculous as it is.


Wheh! you scared me for a moment.

I don't know that the corporate line is ridiculous, what else can they say? but it just doesn't fully capture the reality of the situation.


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## Just Some Guy (Jun 10, 2014)

Here's what I was told at my orientation in Boston; Uber says to wait 5 minutes after arrival before calling/texting. If they don't answer, wait another 5 minutes and call/text again. If they don't answer the second call/text, or show up after 10 minutes, then you can cancel as a "client no show", and collect your $10. If after the first call (at 5 minutes after arrival) they answer and say they're coming, you can start the meter.

They were very clear about not calling/texting unless absolutely necessary. Even to the point of specifically saying that if the address given doesn't make sense, try to figure out where they probably are based on the pin location, and go there and try to find them _before_ trying to call for a location.

I suspect the primary reason for this policy is that Uber gets billed for each call/text being forwarded by Twilio.


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## u_no_me (Jun 27, 2014)

Just Some Guy said:


> I suspect the primary reason for this policy is that Uber gets billed for each call/text being forwarded by Twilio.


That may be a secondary reason, but think about everything you know about Uber's philosophy of automation at the expense of human contact.


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## mp775 (Jun 26, 2014)

Just Some Guy said:


> They were very clear about not calling/texting unless absolutely necessary. Even to the point of specifically saying that if the address given doesn't make sense, try to figure out where they probably are based on the pin location, and go there and try to find them _before_ trying to call for a location.


AAAAHA HA HA! In response to my recent e-mail to "Partners" about the recent of rash pins a mile a way from the riders' actual locations, I was told "our top Partners call their clients when they accept the trip to verify their address to make sure that they are not wasting their time going to the wrong location."


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## Just Some Guy (Jun 10, 2014)

mp775 said:


> AAAAHA HA HA! In response to my recent e-mail to "Partners" about the recent of rash pins a mile a way from the riders' actual locations, I was told "our top Partners call their clients when they accept the trip to verify their address to make sure that they are not wasting their time going to the wrong location."


Welcome to Uber's consistency...


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## remy (Apr 17, 2014)

Lol! And when you do make calls you get a warning txt or email about it?


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## Roberto (Jul 16, 2014)

I start meter when I make contact with individual. Not necessarily when they get in car. A few times I got to their house when they weren't ready yet. I'm not gonna sit outside waiting in case it's the wrong house or something so I goto the door and ask if it's the right person. I carry my uber phone and then start the meter with them watching. I also end the meter in front of them. This insures they know there's no tomfoolery going on.


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

quote from mp775:
AAAAHA HA HA! In response to my recent e-mail to "Partners" about the recent of rash pins a mile a way from the riders' actual locations, I was told "our top Partners call their clients when they accept the trip to verify their address to make sure that they are not wasting their time going to the wrong location."

It sounds like Uber is talking about our very own Sydney!

All the printed material says "don't call", yet TOP partners CALL because they value their own time!


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## Joanne (May 7, 2014)

I do t start the meter until after the rider is in the car, everyone is buckled, and I know where we're going. 

Lately I've been wondering... For clients with luggage, requiring me to get out and pop the trunk, should I start the meter when I get out to help them? Likewise, would you end the trip after getting the bags out?


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## AMBUDRIVER03 (Jul 1, 2014)

Joanne said:


> I do t start the meter until after the rider is in the car, everyone is buckled, and I know where we're going.
> 
> Lately I've been wondering... For clients with luggage, requiring me to get out and pop the trunk, should I start the meter when I get out to help them? Likewise, would you end the trip after getting the bags out?


I do, and don't end the trip until all of their belongings and stuff is out of the car.

It's not fair to me to not only help them carry their bags in and out of the vehicle, for ZERO tip, and then not be paid $0.29 cents per minute for my trouble.


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## LookyLou (Apr 28, 2014)

AMBUDRIVER03 said:


> I do, and don't end the trip until all of their belongings and stuff is out of the car.
> 
> It's not fair to me to not only help them carry their bags in and out of the vehicle, for ZERO tip, and then not be paid $0.29 cents per minute for my trouble.


Good point. I am going to start using this technique from now on.


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## Oc_DriverX (Apr 29, 2014)

LookyLou said:


> Good point. I am going to start using this technique from now on.


One other reason popped up once. Unbeknownst to me, there was still a kid in the car who was going to a different location. Ever since, I have waited until I know everyone is out of the car and there is no additional stop coming.


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## AuxCordBoston (Dec 3, 2016)

That can get you deactivated


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## shiftydrake (Dec 12, 2015)

Resurrection of a dead thread wonder if they will respond


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

Roberto said:


> I start meter when I make contact with individual. Not necessarily when they get in car. A few times I got to their house when they weren't ready yet. I'm not gonna sit outside waiting in case it's the wrong house or something so I goto the door and ask if it's the right person. I carry my uber phone and then start the meter with them watching. I also end the meter in front of them. This insures they know there's no tomfoolery going on.


You GO TO THE DOOR? Are you NUTS?

Do you still do that at 3am? Must be fun when it's NOT the right house.

Edit: realized ancient thread. But for newbies, DO NOT GO TO THE DOOR! Lol


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## ABC123DEF (Jun 9, 2015)

This thread is so 2014....back when there was money to be made.


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## shiftydrake (Dec 12, 2015)

ABC123DEF said:


> This thread is so 2014....back when there was money to be made.


Like oh my gawd!!!!!!!!!! This is so 2014


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

Seinfeld said:


> Is it ok to start the meter once I have arrived at the pickup location and I have talked to the rider on the phone or via text? Do I have to wait for the rider to get in the car? Sometimes they have me waiting upwards of ten minutes out in front of their place.


No, it's not okay. It's also not wise. But, it is okay to ask, and if they agree, then start it, but remember, if you find out later you don't like these people, they can rate you once the app is started. You don't have to wait ten minutes, 5 is the allowed limit, I think ( though it used to be 10 ).


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## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

shiftydrake said:


> Resurrection of a dead thread wonder if they will respond


This thread started when Uber paid over 2 dollars a mile. Everyone in here is likely long gone LOL


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## ABC123DEF (Jun 9, 2015)

Well...almost all of us. If some things pan out like I hope they will, I'm headed for the exits as well.


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## Fubernuber (Jan 15, 2017)

Never start meter until all riders in your car. Eventually you will run into a bunch of pricks who want to stick 5 people into your sedan or bring a bong or a mastiff and say its a service animal. Be prepared always to give uber pax your middle finger. Only way to do that is to start when you are ready not when you want to be paid for minutes wasted.


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