# Would you take this 45+?



## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Got a short pickup in Annapolis at front end of rush hour. Woman says she's going to Philadelphia (!!), asks if thats alright.

I thought about it for five seconds and said "I can't make that work, not without something extra."

She declined and got out immediately. Didn't have to think about it for a second. I canceled and wished her the best.

A trip to Philadelphia is normally 3 hours under best circumstances, this is right in the frikken middle of rush hour. I'm thinking a nightmarish 5 hours up, 3 hours back. For $120ish. Zero chance of return trip. Getting home at midnight.

My question for you.. Who in their right mind would take this "without something extra?"

I'm guessing the next two cars declined her offer (unless noobs) and then she realized she would need to sweeten the deal.

Or are people so desperate to take that? BTW, it was a Lyft trip.


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## Gtown Driver (Aug 26, 2018)

Some noob ant took it I'm sure.


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Gtown Driver said:


> Some noob ant took it I'm sure.


I'm secretly hoping no one was that stupid.


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## DoYouEvenLyft? (Apr 11, 2019)

I would, if not somebody else would. I dont leave money on the table. Most long trips I have done included a tip that would pay for my gas on the way back. $120 for 5 hours? Your math is off. How many miles was the trip to her destination?


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## Gtown Driver (Aug 26, 2018)

DoYouEvenLyft? said:


> I would, if not somebody else would. I dont leave money on the table. Most long trips I have done included a tip that would pay for my gas on the way back. $120 for 5 hours? Your math is off. How many miles was the trip to her destination?


With the current rates her only paying gas on the way back isnt worth the miles you putting on your car round trip.

If the lady couldnt even handle a little extra it was obvious she was looking for a no tip ride. Not worth it with these rates


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

DoYouEvenLyft? said:


> I would, if not somebody else would. I dont leave money on the table. Most long trips I have done included a tip that would pay for my gas on the way back. $120 for 5 hours? Your math is off. How many miles was the trip to her destination?


Googled. Its 124 miles. (Maybe farther depending on suburb. I did ask here "where in philly" but she didn't answer.) Trip starting a 3:30p, hitting heavy rush hour, either on Bay Bridge or Baltimore depending on route, then hitting middle of rush hour in Philly. Guaranteed 4+ hour trip up, 3 hours deadhead back.

.80/mi rate, IME a trip of that distance would pay 120ish. For 7+ hours work.

Incidentally, I had some great airport runs after that, ran 6.5 hours total today and made 170. 25+/hr. Best day in a long time! So I'm not regretting the decision in any way, just curious how rekt someone would need to be to take that.



Gtown Driver said:


> With the current rates her only paying gas on the way back isnt worth the miles you putting on your car round trip.
> 
> If the lady couldnt even handle a little extra it was obvious she was looking for a no tip ride. Not worth it with these rates


Yeah, this!!!

Even if a tip made the hourly work out alright, the total miles would put the trip in the $.5/hr range. Really bad. Really really bad.

Based on miles, the trip would need to pay $250. I sure hope whoever took that trip negotiated a $100 cash tip!


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## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

ya if it's freeway speed, no problem, horrible time rates make it a deal breaker


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## Uber_Paul83 (Mar 4, 2019)

Damn you guys are getting screwed in the US. I did a nearly 6 hour trip and got paid $550. Got no return trip because of the way Uber works in Australia. But damn


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## Gtown Driver (Aug 26, 2018)

Its pretty damn bad in America now. 

At least where i live I wouldn't be getting a return ride for a 6 hour trip either. Extra not worth it


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## DoYouEvenLyft? (Apr 11, 2019)

Glad you did alright with the airport runs, that's where I make most of my money too. I get it, $120 for 7 hours of work is pure garbage.

Where I'm at, rates are:

.65/mile and .25 per minute. Sooooo

124 x .65 = $80.6
4 hour trip there which is 240 minutes × .25 = $60

So $140 right there....

I get about 32 mpg and gas is $3.00. Round trip mileage is 248 miles. So I will use about 8 gallons of gas. Which equals up to $24.00 in fuel used. So after expenses I would end up with under $120. All for 7 hours of work. The math isnt EXACT but bear with me.

Lolololololol that's bad ????


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## Gtown Driver (Aug 26, 2018)

Yup not good. Thanks Uber (and Lyft)


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Gtown Driver said:


> Yup not good. Thanks Uber (and Lyft)


Her immediate refusal to negotiate told me she doesn't understand the value of a driver's car and time. Wouldn't be completely surprised if she filed a complaint.

Regarding the pax... she was a mid/late 40s, middle class, short, bottle blondish, once cute, now frumpy, hit the wall ten years ago but hasn't realized it yet. Feminist. Thinks there's an "app for everything." Clothes were casual and had gone through many wash cycles. No bags, she wasn't in town on business. Probably thinks her father would be proud of her for "holding the line" and refusing to be "taken advantage of". Still trying to figure out what "leaning in" means. Will probably embellish the story when she retells it to her friends that driver was leering at her.


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## R3drang3r (Feb 16, 2019)

OldBay said:


> Got a short pickup in Annapolis at front end of rush hour. Woman says she's going to Philadelphia (!!), asks if thats alright.
> 
> I thought about it for five seconds and said "I can't make that work, not without something extra."
> 
> ...


 You did the right thing. You couldn't offer me enough money drive that part of the country during rush hour. Your assessment of a Pax unwilling to negotiate additional compensation is not worth the time of day.


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## New2This (Dec 27, 2015)

If they won't cover my tolls back they'll be in a different car.


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## O-Side Uber (Jul 26, 2017)

I just turned down a 70 minute trip. It was 5pm and traffic was heavy. Risk of being rear ended goes up, more wear and tear on the breaks, more gas and dead miles . Not at the current rates, and I don’t like to have to shake down the PAX for extra money... U/L should be adding a long trip fee to these 45+ rides, especially if we are being throttled once we drop the PAX off due to the fact that we just made over $20 in the hour we just worked. So now it’s a guaranteed dead mile back. No thanks!!


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## lyft_rat (Jul 1, 2019)

i would probably have taken it.


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## O-Side Uber (Jul 26, 2017)

lyft_rat said:


> i would probably have taken it.


???


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## BigRedDriver (Nov 28, 2018)

OldBay said:


> Got a short pickup in Annapolis at front end of rush hour. Woman says she's going to Philadelphia (!!), asks if thats alright.
> 
> I thought about it for five seconds and said "I can't make that work, not without something extra."
> 
> ...


Nope. Not a chance


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## BCS DRIVER (Oct 25, 2018)

If you made say $150 on the trip which includes miles and time her ride was likely costing her $250-$275. She might have been under the impression you got all or a big portion of it. Simply explaining what your cut was likely to be might have tipped her over to offering more.

My question is what figure could she have offered to induce you to take the trip?


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## Illini (Mar 14, 2019)

8 hour round trip?? I'd need a LOT more than $120 to do it.


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

BCS DRIVER said:


> If you made say $150 on the trip which includes miles and time her ride was likely costing her $250-$275. She might have been under the impression you got all or a big portion of it. Simply explaining what your cut was likely to be might have tipped her over to offering more.
> 
> My question is what figure could she have offered to induce you to take the trip?


In the moment, I was thinking $40, but after looking at it closer, I think $100 would be appropriate and assumed no return leg. Anything less would be a pretty big risk.

She rejected the "extra" pretty quickly, there wasn't any negotiating with this one.

In retrospect, I think her next move with the next driver was to NOT tell him where she's going (play dumb) until he starts trip, and then try to guilt and/or threaten him into taking it.


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## Mista T (Aug 16, 2017)

The only way I would take it is if she paid the full fare in cash. Cut the middle man out. Take her $250 and let Uber eat crow.

Make her feel better by offering to do it for only $240. Now she's getting a deal!


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

I would have taken her to Pennsylvania Station in Baltimore, Beltway Station in Lanham or Union Station in Washington and told her that AMTRAK is cheaper and faster.

Lanham is probably the easiest since all that you need to is head West on U.S. 50 and follow the signs.


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## Gtown Driver (Aug 26, 2018)

Another Uber Driver said:


> I would have taken her to Pennsylvania Station in Baltimore, Beltway Station in Lanham or Union Station in Washington and told her that AMTRAK is cheaper and faster.
> 
> Lanham is probably the easiest since all that you need to is head West on U.S. 50 and follow the signs.


This makes sense. If she was going to like somewhere way in the sticks like Harrisburg or Scranton...ok. You can get a bus to Philly for like nothing and Amtrak even better and faster. Not sure why these people want rideshare hails to places they can get to easier with public transit.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

Gtown Driver said:


> somewhere way in the sticks like Harrisburg or Scranton...


AMTRA*P* actually does go to Harrisburg. I do not think that it goes to Scranton, though. They would have to take a Doggie for that one. I expect that the Doggie picks up somewhere in Annapolis, in which case, Original Poster could take them to the Doggies, there.


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## EM1 (Apr 28, 2019)

OldBay said:


> Her immediate refusal to negotiate told me she doesn't understand the value of a driver's car and time. Wouldn't be completely surprised if she filed a complaint.
> 
> Regarding the pax... she was a mid/late 40s, middle class, short, bottle blondish, once cute, now frumpy, hit the wall ten years ago but hasn't realized it yet. Feminist. Thinks there's an "app for everything." Clothes were casual and had gone through many wash cycles. No bags, she wasn't in town on business. Probably thinks her father would be proud of her for "holding the line" and refusing to be "taken advantage of". Still trying to figure out what "leaning in" means. Will probably embellish the story when she retells it to her friends that driver was leering at her.


I guess maybe best to throw out a tangible concrete suggestion - an extra $30 or $40 cash (or whatever you feel is fair). Its a cash payment so no taxes, so consider the pre-tax equivalent (i.e. multiply it by 1.25%). Just a thought.


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## Roadmasta (Aug 4, 2017)

I turn down most 45+ just outside of NYC. Can't be dragged into the abyss. Can't pickup in the city and they don't pay return tolls. I always ask where they are going before I start trip. Some trips fall under 45+ and no warning. If trip is not profitable I just make up any excuse cancel and move on. Surge needs to be very high to take anything into NYC. Never ever take a ride if you have a doubt in your mind that trip isn't worth it. Screw Uber, I'm not your employee.


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Another Uber Driver said:


> I would have taken her to Pennsylvania Station in Baltimore, Beltway Station in Lanham or Union Station in Washington and told her that AMTRAK is cheaper and faster.
> 
> Lanham is probably the easiest since all that you need to is head West on U.S. 50 and follow the signs.


It was in the back of my mind to suggest a train, but ..convo was over before it started.



Another Uber Driver said:


> AMTRA*P* actually does go to Harrisburg. I do not think that it goes to Scranton, though. They would have to take a Doggie for that one. I expect that the Doggie picks up somewhere in Annapolis, in which case, Original Poster could take them to the Doggies, there.


Idk what is doggie.


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## Spider-Man (Jul 7, 2017)

BCS DRIVER said:


> If you made say $150 on the trip which includes miles and time her ride was likely costing her $250-$275. She might have been under the impression you got all or a big portion of it. Simply explaining what your cut was likely to be might have tipped her over to offering more.
> 
> My question is what figure could she have offered to induce you to take the trip?


Thats why on those Once in a blue moon Trips like that You ask to see there app to see what there paying. so how you estimated, i square her 275$ on my reader and i get 98% of the fare that way. You just drive extra careful.


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## nosurgenodrive (May 13, 2019)

OldBay said:


> Got a short pickup in Annapolis at front end of rush hour. Woman says she's going to Philadelphia (!!), asks if thats alright.
> 
> I thought about it for five seconds and said "I can't make that work, not without something extra."
> 
> ...


Only accept long trips if you are in a $1 a mile market or if that trip takes you to greener pastures and you can parlay the money into two nights in a motel.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

OldBay said:


> Idk what is doggie.


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

OldBay said:


> Got a short pickup in Annapolis at front end of rush hour. Woman says she's going to Philadelphia (!!), asks if thats alright.
> 
> I thought about it for five seconds and said "I can't make that work, not without something extra."
> 
> ...


Last week I advertised a trolling motor on Craigslist for $120. A guy texted me and offered me $75. I texted him back saying that I wouldn't accept a lowball. So no deal was done. No problem; I often lowball people when I'm buying stuff. A couple of days later another guy turned up with $120 cash and took the motor.

Lyft tried to lowball you with an offer that did not meet your requirements. You declined it; again, no big deal.


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## Roadmasta (Aug 4, 2017)

The Gift of Fish said:


> Last week I advertised a trolling motor on Craigslist for $120. A guy texted me and offered me $75. I texted him back saying that I wouldn't accept a lowball. So no deal was done. No problem; I often lowball people when I'm buying stuff. A couple of days later another guy turned up with $120 cash and took the motor.
> 
> Lyft tried to lowball you with an offer that did not meet your requirements. You declined it; again, no big deal.


Difference is they will find a sucker to take the passenger. They pay time and distance, nothing more will be offered unless promo or crappy surge. Problem is they still find drivers to these trips.


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

Roadmasta said:


> Difference is they will find a sucker to take the passenger. They pay time and distance, nothing more will be offered unless promo or crappy surge. Problem is they still find drivers to these trips.


Well, yes.

Some people eat at McDonalds
Some people smoke cigarettes
Some people drive drunk
Some people gamble away all their money in casinos
And some people give 5 hour rides at base rates

Protecting the dumb from themselves would be an admirable goal. But it's just not possible. There will never be a shortage of Darwin Award winners.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

OldBay said:


> Got a short pickup in Annapolis at front end of rush hour. Woman says she's going to Philadelphia (!!), asks if thats alright.
> 
> I thought about it for five seconds and said "I can't make that work, not without something extra."
> 
> ...


I don't think you can legally ask for "something extra" (unless you have a charter vehicle license ). Therefore, I woudln't, I would have just turned the ride down ( if I didn't want to go the distance, but for me, it depends on the time of day ).


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

Oscar Levant said:


> I don't think you can legally ask for "something extra" (unless you have a charter vehicle license ). Therefore, I woudln't, I would have just turned the ride down ( if I didn't want to go the distance, but for me, it depends on the time of day ).


There is no statute in California that I am aware of that prohibits drivers from requesting money over and above Uber's fare.

There are statutes concerning prohibition of street hails, street pickups, the need for insurance etc but nothing on asking for money for the return trip. This is the way it is in California; other states may be different.


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## VictorD (Apr 30, 2017)

OldBay said:


> Got a short pickup in Annapolis at front end of rush hour. Woman says she's going to Philadelphia (!!), asks if thats alright.
> 
> I thought about it for five seconds and said "I can't make that work, not without something extra."
> 
> ...


**** that "something extra" bullshit. Just don't take it. Period.


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## SFOspeedracer (Jun 25, 2019)

Mista T said:


> The only way I would take it is if she paid the full fare in cash. Cut the middle man out. Take her $250 and let Uber eat crow.
> 
> Make her feel better by offering to do it for only $240. Now she's getting a deal!


I feel like this is the only plausible way to do such trips .. lol, asking for return fee or wording it as I need a tip upfront will not work. I would always just do this if I were up for a long ride as if I was just taking a colleague


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## hawaiizeke (Dec 5, 2015)

I got $107 today for a 79-minute trip in Silicon Valley. That was the good part. Bad part is I was an hour late to my regular job and due to time constraints, I was unable to take any more rides so the drive home (which took 2.5 hours due to the always-heavy Bay Area traffic) was all dead time. And since I never got the notification that it was a 45+ trip I was stressing the whole way. IMO, unless you have the time to get more rides following long trips, they are not worth it.


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## CSDSF (May 11, 2019)

Uber and lyft made long-distance trips very unfair to the drivers. Don't understand



OldBay said:


> In the moment, I was thinking $40, but after looking at it closer, I think $100 would be appropriate and assumed no return leg. Anything less would be a pretty big risk.
> 
> She rejected the "extra" pretty quickly, there wasn't any negotiating with this one.
> 
> In retrospect, I think her next move with the next driver was to NOT tell him where she's going (play dumb) until he starts trip, and then try to guilt and/or threaten him into taking it.


That's her business, I would not think too much about it. But very likely no tip if you take the trip


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## Mista T (Aug 16, 2017)

CSDSF said:


> Uber and lyft made long-distance trips very unfair to the drivers.
> 
> *--> Uber and lyft made trips very unfair to the drivers.*


FIFY


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## goneubering (Aug 17, 2017)

Uber_Paul83 said:


> Damn you guys are getting screwed in the US. I did a nearly 6 hour trip and got paid $550. Got no return trip because of the way Uber works in Australia. But damn


Impressive!! Got a screenshot?


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## Julescase2 (Apr 1, 2019)

DoYouEvenLyft? said:


> I would, if not somebody else would. I dont leave money on the table. Most long trips I have done included a tip that would pay for my gas on the way back. $120 for 5 hours? Your math is off. How many miles was the trip to her destination?


But pax already declined to sweeten the deal, hence the OP's original post. She sounds like a pax who has zero concept of rideshare costs or consideration for someone who is trying to earn money and not lose money on a ride.

I totally agree that someone surely took her where she wanted to go...that's not even debatable with the number of drivers out there.

I'm glad OP tried to make it worth it. You win some, you lose some.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

Roadmasta said:


> they will find a sucker to take the passenger. they still find drivers to these trips.


Those are called "ants".



hawaiizeke said:


> I never got the notification that it was a 45+ trip


This happens in my market, as well. In addition, someone re-programmed F*ub*a*r*'s destination filter in my market, so it has become useless.



Julescase2 said:


> I totally agree that someone surely took her where she wanted to go...that's not even debatable with the number of driver*ant*s out there.


FIFY


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Oscar Levant said:


> I don't think you can legally ask for "something extra" (unless you have a charter vehicle license ). Therefore, I woudln't, I would have just turned the ride down ( if I didn't want to go the distance, but for me, it depends on the time of day ).


I think the way I worded it was legal/compliant I didn't ask for "cash money". OTH, it might be considered "destination discrimination."



Julescase2 said:


> I totally agree that someone surely took her where she wanted to go...that's not even debatable with the number of drivers out there.


I confess, I know this to be true. How do I know? When I was a new ant, I accepted a 3.5 hour trip to Harrisonburg, VA from Baltimore. The base rate was .60. I think the trip paid $128. And of course, no trip back.

I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't have a frame of reference to know that it was a really bad trip. I learned my lesson from that.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

OldBay said:


> it might be considered "destination discrimination."


As the destination was out of your "service area" or the market in which you operate, that usually would not stand up in any proceeding.

Most jurisdictions have regulations for cabs regarding "refusal to transport orderly passengers". These regulations make it a violation to refuse to transport an orderly passenger. Most of them contain exceptions for passengers who want to go outside the jurisdiction or its immediate area.

As an example, in the District of Columbia, the cab driver must transport any orderly passenger anywhere in the Washington Metropolitan Area. This is defined as: The District of Columbia; the Counties of Arlington and Fairfax in Virginia; The Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax and Falls Church in Virginia; the Town of Vienna in Virginia; the counties of Prince George's and Montgomery in Maryland. The cab driver is not obliged to transport any passenger whose destination is outside of the aforementioned jurisdictions. Further, he is not obliged to charge the prescribed fares if he does decide to do the transport. He can charge anything that he wants to charge.

Before 1989, the cab driver was required only to transport within the District of Columbia. He could decline to transport anyone whose destination was not in the District of Columbia. The then-Taxicab Commission changed the Rule to include the Washington Metropolitan Area, as there were markedly increased complaints about refusal to transport to Prince George's County, Maryland once there had been a noticeable change in the demographics, there.

In front of the right judge with the right lawyer, I doubt that this change would stand. The jurisdiction of D.C. regulators extends only to the District Line, not beyond it. They can compel me to transport to the District Line, but, once I cross into Maryland, what I do there is no longer the District's business.


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## ZenUber (Feb 11, 2019)

I’ve done 3 trips from Philly to New York. It was never worth it. Never got tipped in spite of offering amenities and having great conversations. People spending that much money don’t want to tip on top of it. I’ve never been able to get enough DF rides home to make it profitable. New Jersey has too many backwater towns where Uber hasn’t taken a foothold.


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## Merc7186 (Jul 8, 2017)

DoYouEvenLyft? said:


> I would, if not somebody else would. I dont leave money on the table. Most long trips I have done included a tip that would pay for my gas on the way back. $120 for 5 hours? Your math is off. How many miles was the trip to her destination?


$120 for 8 hours...youre not taking into consideration your dead miles and time back.

@OldBay chose wisely.


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## TPAMB (Feb 13, 2019)

No, unless it towards your home or you can work that city and make sufficient money to justify the trip.


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## DriverMark (Jan 22, 2018)

Don't forget tolls...... isn't south bound I-95 across the Susquehanna a decent sized toll? And through Baltimore depending how you come back.


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## lyft_rat (Jul 1, 2019)

yep, we all are ants and without an army of them there would be no rideshare. Classic supply and demand. The large supply of drivers keeps the demand for high prices in check. The isolated cases of extremely profitable trips keeps the interest in driving alive.


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## Christinebitg (Jun 29, 2018)

I'd probably have taken it, but I can't fault you for turning it down.

The reason I'd have taken it is because I used to live in both places, and it would have given me a chance to visit some of the spots I liked.

But yeah, I get it would probably mean an empty return trip. (Ugh!)


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

The Gift of Fish said:


> There is no statute in California that I am aware of that prohibits drivers from requesting money over and above Uber's fare.
> 
> There are statutes concerning prohibition of street hails, street pickups, the need for insurance etc but nothing on asking for money for the return trip. This is the way it is in California; other states may be different.


You need a TCP license in the State of CA or you need a taxi permit in cities or unincorporated areas, to solicit compensation , the uber portion is irrelevant. But, I'm no lawyer, just an ex cabbie/limo driver of 15 years. That is my understanding. The "cash above" argument, really, what you are saying is part of the ride is uber's, another part is yours, well, that part that is yours requires a license, either TCP ( in CA ) or taxi permit.


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## flyntflossy10 (Jun 2, 2017)

Uber_Paul83 said:


> Damn you guys are getting screwed in the US. I did a nearly 6 hour trip and got paid $550. Got no return trip because of the way Uber works in Australia. But damn


is nobody for real gonna ask for a screenshot for this?


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## DoYouEvenLyft? (Apr 11, 2019)

flyntflossy10 said:


> is nobody for real gonna ask for a screenshot for this?


Honestly who cares at this point, he/she could be lying like hell ???


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## ZenUber (Feb 11, 2019)

Another Uber Driver said:


> Those are called "ants".
> 
> This happens in my market, as well. In addition, someone re-programmed F*ub*a*r*'s destination filter in my market, so it has become useless.
> 
> FIFY


Try running DF with, and without the timer feature. I think it only works one way or the other. In my market, I have to run it without the timer. I've heard others say it is the opposite in their market.


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## Dustinmc406 (Apr 1, 2019)

Hell to the no I wouldn’t take that


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

Oscar Levant said:


> You need a TCP license in the State of CA or you need a taxi permit in cities or unincorporated areas, to solicit compensation


That certainly was true in CA until 2015. Uber had operated illegally but then the legislature caved and they created a brand new category of for-hire called TNC (transportation network companies), which is completely independent and separate from the TCP class. That's the reason why we rideshare drivers don't need to display TCP numbers on our vehicles.


> The "cash above" argument, really, what you are saying is part of the ride is uber's, another part is yours...


Yes, that is precisely how rideshare works - Uber keeps a part of the fare and the other part is mine. We're not (yet!) at the stage where Uber keeps all of the fare for itself.


> ... well, that part that is yours requires a license, either TCP ( in CA ) or taxi permit.


No, as explained above, part of the fare belongs to Uber and the other part to the driver under the TNC regulations. TCP has nothing to do with rideshare rides; that's a different class of transportation.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

ZenUber said:


> Try running DF with, and without the timer feature. I think it only works one way or the other. In my market, I have to run it without the timer. I've heard others say it is the opposite in their market.


Thank you for the tip. I have been using it without the timer. Until recently, it worked acceptably. I will try it with the timer and see what happens.

What is worth noting is that until recently, Gr*yft*'s was useless. Gr*yft*'s has been much better, of late. The one thing where you must take care is not to accept Lines. Lyft will turn it into an Endless Line that takes you far beyond the entered stop point. After you decline a certain number of jobs, Lyft will turn off the filter, but, at least it gives you six, so you can turn on another one.


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## nutzareus (Oct 28, 2014)

DriverMark said:


> Don't forget tolls...... isn't south bound I-95 across the Susquehanna a decent sized toll? And through Baltimore depending how you come back.


It's $8.00 northbound, $6.00 with Maryland EZPass. It's free southbound, no tolls.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

nutzareus said:


> $6.00 with Maryland EZPass


Do you pay the full toll with an E-Z Pass other than one that Maryland issued?

Massachusetts has licence plate billing. If you use an E-Z Pass from Massachusetts, you get the lowest rate. If you use an E-Z Pass from another state, you pay more than with one from Massachusetts, but less than the bill-by-mail rate. Conversely, on the Henry Hudson Parkway, the toll for the bridge over Spuyten Duyvil Creek is the same for out of state E-Z Pass as it is for bill-by-mail. only New York E-Z Pass gets a rate cut.

I was going to get an E-Z Pass from Massachusetts, as you do not have to put up any front money, but, Massachusetts does not have the HOV E-Z Pass. You need that to use the Lexus Lanes here. I bought mine in Virginia because it has the HOV feature. You do have to put up front money in Virginia, but, every penny that you put up is credited to your toll account once you register it.


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## nutzareus (Oct 28, 2014)

Yes it’s $6.00 with Maryland one or $8.00 from all out-of-state ones or cash. Same with Fort McHenry Tunnel, $3.00 for Maryland and $4.00 all others.


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## ZenUber (Feb 11, 2019)

Another Uber Driver said:


> Thank you for the tip. I have been using it without the timer. Until recently, it worked acceptably. I will try it with the timer and see what happens.
> 
> What is worth noting is that until recently, Gr*yft*'s was useless. Gr*yft*'s has been much better, of late. The one thing where you must take care is not to accept Lines. Lyft will turn it into an Endless Line that takes you far beyond the entered stop point. After you decline a certain number of jobs, Lyft will turn off the filter, but, at least it gives you six, so you can turn on another one.


That's strange because Lyft has never worked for me. I almost always never get a ride, and the filter times out. A couple times I got short rides, but they were way off to the side of my route home, and it wasn't worth going out there. I think these things work different in every market. For the past couple months, Uber DF has been working pretty well for me.


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## ANTlifebaby (Oct 28, 2018)

Zero percent chance I'd take it. I declined a trip to Milwaulkee not during rush hour from the Chicago burbs--no surge, no deal. Probably a 1.5 hour trip there, but there is no chance of getting a fare back until you hit the north burbs again, and that's not an exactly ideal place to be. Deadheading is a real killer in this job, even at 50mpg.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

ZenUber said:


> That's strange because Lyft has never worked for me.


Many people here also complain about Lyft, but, of late, it has worked better for me than Uber.



ZenUber said:


> they were way off to the side of my route home,


These digital/computer/satellite/GPS based call assignment programs consider a local "within parameters". What is funny is that voice dispatch did the same. You used to get a driver who told you "I am on the way home" or "I have to be in ______________ at ______". Locals were fine with those drivers. Sometimes, you simply hit the driver with the job. There were times when you did spot it and give the driver a choice. One thing about being a dispatcher was that you had to know your drivers. You knew who would do what and who would not.


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## ZenUber (Feb 11, 2019)

Another Uber Driver said:


> Many people here also complain about Lyft, but, of late, it has worked better for me than Uber.
> 
> These digital/computer/satellite/GPS based call assignment programs consider a local "within parameters". What is funny is that voice dispatch did the same. You used to get a driver who told you "I am on the way home" or "I have to be in ______________ at ______". Locals were fine with those drivers. Sometimes, you simply hit the driver with the job. There were times when you did spot it and give the driver a choice. One thing about being a dispatcher was that you had to know your drivers. You knew who would do what and who would not.


I've known a few dispatchers in my day. Now there's a relationship I don't care to repeat. I named my phone Louie.


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## phoneguy (Apr 15, 2015)

OK - pulled up google maps, Ann to Phil, leaving at 4:30, it would keep you off I95 (2.5 to 3.5 hours) and have you go the bay on Route 50 and then up 301, should take 2.3 to 2.75 hours a total of 124 miles.

Lyft Rates:
Base - $1.10
Mileage - $0.93
Time - $0.30

Passenger pays $157.82 to 165.92, you take home 114.32 to 124.44. So if you dead head it back for 2 hours, 20 minutes. You still make - 24.65 to 25.73 per hour and most likely a good tip since you can talk to them an they hear how on the trip back, you not getting paid. 

Most likely, you won't be dead heading it back since you can take the i-95, get into Baltimore and get a few rides there heading back toward home, so YES, I would take a guaranteed good pay over a chance of a bad night.

Also look at the fact that it is not stop-n-go traffic, you are on good roads the whole time, so you gas mileage is going to be great. So there is more money in your pocket.


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## BoromirStark (May 23, 2019)

Gtown Driver said:


> This makes sense. If she was going to like somewhere way in the sticks like Harrisburg or Scranton...ok. You can get a bus to Philly for like nothing and Amtrak even better and faster. Not sure why these people want rideshare hails to places they can get to easier with public transit.


As I have alluded elsewhere, if offering to transport her to BoltBus Baltimore (the "Doggy" station in Bodymore Murderland is in a sketchy part of town) were not enough, I would even offer to _pay for_ her bus fare myself, especially since this wasn't the dead of the overnight hours, and continue working in Balt City.


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## VictorD (Apr 30, 2017)

Another Uber Driver said:


> *Do you pay the full toll with an E-Z Pass other than one that Maryland issued?*
> 
> Massachusetts has licence plate billing. If you use an E-Z Pass from Massachusetts, you get the lowest rate. If you use an E-Z Pass from another state, you pay more than with one from Massachusetts, but less than the bill-by-mail rate. Conversely, on the Henry Hudson Parkway, the toll for the bridge over Spuyten Duyvil Creek is the same for out of state E-Z Pass as it is for bill-by-mail. only New York E-Z Pass gets a rate cut.
> 
> I was going to get an E-Z Pass from Massachusetts, as you do not have to put up any front money, but, Massachusetts does not have the HOV E-Z Pass. You need that to use the Lexus Lanes here. I bought mine in Virginia because it has the HOV feature. You do have to put up front money in Virginia, but, every penny that you put up is credited to your toll account once you register it.


Yes


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

phoneguy said:


> OK - pulled up google maps, Ann to Phil, leaving at 4:30, it would keep you off I95 (2.5 to 3.5 hours) and have you go the bay on Route 50 and then up 301, should take 2.3 to 2.75 hours a total of 124 miles.
> 
> Lyft Rates:
> Base - $1.10
> ...


Where the hell did you get those Lyft rates??? No ****ing way do they pay that in greater MD.

Also, you are neglecting the fact that at 3:30pm, you need to add 30-60 minutes to get over the bay bridge (or Baltimore), and once in Philly around 5:30-6:30 you will get hit by rush hour there too (unknown what burb she was in). Its a 4-5hr trip, at .80/mi, .15/min. Even if you're making a good hourly rate, its a $.5/mi trip which kills depreciation.

Also, coming back it will be late, almost zero chance of getting any DF trips.

Its a bad trip any way you look at it, unless you live in PA.


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## AtticusFinch (Jul 8, 2019)

OldBay said:


> I'm secretly hoping no one was that stupid.


There is no shortage of stupid people


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## greenteam (Jul 8, 2019)

Never ever


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## DriverMark (Jan 22, 2018)

AtticusFinch said:


> There is no shortage of stupid people


Or drunks needing rides!


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## Taxi2Uber (Jul 21, 2017)

OldBay said:


> I'm secretly hoping no one was that stupid.


Most are quick to condemn the "ant" who took the ride as being "stupid".

Even at $10/*hr*, after all was said and done, it's a super sweet gig for the immigrant driver who was lucky to make $10/*day* in war-torn wherever.

He'll work extra hard for those 5 stars, so not to lose the opportunity to make more money than he ever dreamed.


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Taxi2Uber said:


> Most are quick to condemn the "ant" who took the ride as being "stupid".
> 
> Even at $10/*hr*, after all was said and done, it's a super sweet gig for the immigrant driver who was lucky to make $10/*day* in war-torn wherever.
> 
> He'll work extra hard for those 5 stars, so not to lose the opportunity to make more money than he ever dreamed.


That is some pretty blatant virtue signaling there!

Not saying I disagree, but... I'm pretty sure the immigrants will figure out what a bad trip is.

Because of throttling, taking bad trips makes it take longer to get to your quota, but you won't earn any more money.


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## Taxi2Uber (Jul 21, 2017)

OldBay said:


> That is some pretty blatant virtue signaling there!
> 
> Not saying I disagree, but... I'm pretty sure the immigrants will figure out what a bad trip is.
> 
> Because of throttling, taking bad trips makes it take longer to get to your quota, but you won't earn any more money.


And yours is a pretty blatant straw man argument there!


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Taxi2Uber said:


> And yours is a pretty blatant straw man argument there!


Totally agree.. because Rome wasn't built in a day!


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## rkozy (Apr 5, 2019)

OldBay said:


> A trip to Philadelphia is normally 3 hours under best circumstances, this is right in the frikken middle of rush hour. I'm thinking a nightmarish 5 hours up, 3 hours back. For $120ish. Zero chance of return trip. Getting home at midnight.
> 
> Or are people so desperate to take that? BTW, it was a Lyft trip.


Lyft is an absolute joke for any ride, but even worse for long trips. I can't believe anyone with fourth-grade math skills would accept a ride like the one you were offered.

I can't tell you how many dirty looks I've gotten from passengers when I tell them I can't make sufficient money on these trips. They are all exasperated, "But, Lyft is charging me $80! How can you not make money on that!"

If I can't do the trip in under 30 minutes, it gets cancelled. I'm not putting 100+ empty miles on my car because you were too lazy to inquire at the local Greyhound terminal.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

OldBay said:


> Rome wasn't built in a day!


.....it took a week, or so...............


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## MiamiUberGuy5 (Feb 20, 2019)

What you haven't calculated is the stress of driving in rush hour traffic.


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Another Uber Driver said:


> .....it took a week, or so...............


That's why there's chocolate and vanilla.


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## lowcountry dan (Jun 15, 2017)

No way. I never take long Uber trips. Too many dead miles coming back. 

Rider should take a bus if they want to go that far, or rent a car.


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## Unleaded (Feb 16, 2018)

OldBay said:


> Got a short pickup in Annapolis at front end of rush hour. Woman says she's going to Philadelphia (!!), asks if thats alright.
> 
> I thought about it for five seconds and said "I can't make that work, not without something extra."
> 
> ...


If this was an Uber ride, you, as the driver, could have done local Uber Eats deliveries and you could have made enough money to happily deadhead back to your home location. You always need to think outside the box.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

The Gift of Fish said:


> That certainly was true in CA until 2015. Uber had operated illegally but then the legislature caved and they created a brand new category of for-hire called TNC (transportation network companies), which is completely independent and separate from the TCP class. That's the reason why we rideshare drivers don't need to display TCP numbers on our vehicles.
> Yes, that is precisely how rideshare works - Uber keeps a part of the fare and the other part is mine. We're not (yet!) at the stage where Uber keeps all of the fare for itself.
> No, as explained above, part of the fare belongs to Uber and the other part to the driver under the TNC regulations. TCP has nothing to do with rideshare rides; that's a different class of transportation.


Ridershare status does not give you TCP priviledges ( soliticing for clients or negotating cash )


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## Rog’O Datto (Jul 30, 2019)

OldBay said:


> Her immediate refusal to negotiate told me she doesn't understand the value of a driver's car and time. Wouldn't be completely surprised if she filed a complaint.
> 
> Regarding the pax... she was a mid/late 40s, middle class, short, bottle blondish, once cute, now frumpy, hit the wall ten years ago but hasn't realized it yet. Feminist. Thinks there's an "app for everything." Clothes were casual and had gone through many wash cycles. No bags, she wasn't in town on business. Probably thinks her father would be proud of her for "holding the line" and refusing to be "taken advantage of". Still trying to figure out what "leaning in" means. Will probably embellish the story when she retells it to her friends that driver was leering at her.


Excuse my ignorance, could you tell me what "leaning in" means? ?


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

Oscar Levant said:


> Ridershare status does not give you TCP priviledges ( soliticing for clients or negotating cash )


Again, you are fixated on TCP. As already stated several times, TCP has nothing to do with rideshare


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## Cdub2k (Nov 22, 2017)

I would've told her to take her cheap ass to greyhound to purchase a one way ticket to Philly. 

Nah I wouldn't have said that but that's what I would have been thinking in my head while telling her nah I can't do it.


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## Christinebitg (Jun 29, 2018)

nutzareus said:


> Yes it's $6.00 with Maryland one or $8.00 from all out-of-state ones or cash. Same with Fort McHenry Tunnel, $3.00 for Maryland and $4.00 all others.


I remember when I used to use toll tickets for the Harbor Tunnel. You had to buy the ticket book, and then the toll taker was *required* to detach the ticket from your book at the toll booth.

For a while, I commuted in from Columbia to a plant just south of the Harbor Tunnel. I'd go through the toll booth and then exit before the tunnel, to go to the chemical plant I worked in. It was cheaper to pay the toll than to take the longer route up I-95 and drive down from near Fort McHenry.


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## Uber_Yota_916 (May 1, 2017)

Every market is seems has a lot of drivers that are fresh off the boat. Driving a used Prius. They will take anything .


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## charmer37 (Nov 18, 2016)

Gtown Driver said:


> With the current rates her only paying gas on the way back isnt worth the miles you putting on your car round trip.
> 
> If the lady couldnt even handle a little extra it was obvious she was looking for a no tip ride. Not worth it with these rates


If the rider wasn't paying extra for a long distance trip I wouldn't take it. The rates is very discouraging for any long distance trip without working out a deal upfront with the pax, That's a lot of miles and wear and tear and don't forget Lyft's cut of the pie..


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## scooter1307 (Aug 20, 2017)

OldBay said:


> Got a short pickup in Annapolis at front end of rush hour. Woman says she's going to Philadelphia (!!), asks if thats alright.
> 
> I thought about it for five seconds and said "I can't make that work, not without something extra."
> 
> ...


I don't like doing Lyft long trip their booking fee increases with mileage. And also here in Tampa they only pay half of the toll fees. When you look at Lyft fee breakdown it is really confusing, no rate per mile or rate for time.


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## Don'tchasethesurge (Dec 27, 2016)

I only do long trip if the pax offer to covers some part of my return... just decline one because the pax said “i always tip” and plus his ride was only 58 minutes and only 35 miles due to all back road driving... no way... I had guy tip upfront $30 which help alot. It was easy drive and no traffic. Mostly highway.


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## Jlynn (Jul 24, 2019)

Gtown Driver said:


> This makes sense. If she was going to like somewhere way in the sticks like Harrisburg or Scranton...ok. You can get a bus to Philly for like nothing and Amtrak even better and faster. Not sure why these people want rideshare hails to places they can get to easier with public transit.


Harrisburg isn't exactly in the sticks. It's literally a straight shot up 83 from Baltimore.



ZenUber said:


> I've done 3 trips from Philly to New York. It was never worth it. Never got tipped in spite of offering amenities and having great conversations. People spending that much money don't want to tip on top of it. I've never been able to get enough DF rides home to make it profitable. New Jersey has too many backwater towns where Uber hasn't taken a foothold.


What does DF mean?



DriverMark said:


> Don't forget tolls...... isn't south bound I-95 across the Susquehanna a decent sized toll? And through Baltimore depending how you come back.


Southbound 95 going through the tunnel is $4.00. I just did this leg on Saturday. Uber also reimbursed me for it by charging the pax.


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## mrpjfresh (Aug 16, 2016)

The only good thing for riders about Uber and Lyft having such a high driver churn is there are always greenies available to take the awful money losers like this or driving 30 minutes to take Bob half a mile down the road to buy smokes. I don't doubt for one second that some greenbean took this ride.

Another reason I avoid long trips I didn't see mentioned is that most of the people I drive around are not the kind I'd enjoy being trapped in a car with for *hours*. The average trip time in my market is somewhat from 10-15 minutes and that's more than fine for me. In my market, I can remain in town, minimize dead miles and earn the same or a little less per hour, why take these long ones? Especially when you look at the Uber/Lyft receives line...



Another Uber Driver said:


> Thank you for the tip. I have been using it without the timer. Until recently, it worked acceptably. I will try it with the timer and see what happens.


I noticed this last weekend as well. My DF had suddenly become useless for Uber. When I inspected it, the default destination arrival time was 7am. The only thing... it was currently 2am! The DF would expire long before 7am rendering it useless. Probably just a bug they introduced but who knows. Setting the time as Zen mentioned restored normal normal functionality in my case.


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## Jlynn (Jul 24, 2019)

mrpjfresh said:


> The only good thing for riders about Uber and Lyft having such a high driver churn is there are always greenies available to take the awful money losers like this or driving 30 minutes to take Bob half a mile down the road to buy smokes. I don't doubt for one second that some greenbean took this ride.
> 
> Another reason I avoid long trips I didn't see mentioned is that most of the people I drive around are not the kind I'd enjoy being trapped in a car with for *hours*. The average trip time in my market is somewhat from 10-15 minutes and that's more than fine for me. In my market, I can remain in town, minimize dead miles and earn the same or a little less per hour, why take these long ones? Especially when you look at the Uber/Lyft receives line...
> 
> I noticed this last weekend as well. My DF had suddenly become useless for Uber. When I inspected it, the default destination arrival time was 7am. The only thing... it was currently 2am! The DF would expire long before 7am rendering it useless. Probably just a bug they introduced but who knows. Setting the time as Zen mentioned restored normal normal functionality in my case.


What is a DF?

Someone seasoned or a moderator should make a post explaining what all the acronyms are here.


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## Wolfgang Faust (Aug 2, 2018)

Jlynn said:


> What is a DF?
> 
> Someone seasoned or a moderator should make a post explaining what all the acronyms are here.


Destination filter


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