# Ever since I put up my tip sign...



## htboston (Feb 22, 2016)

I only give out 1 star or 5 star now. Rarely anything in between.


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## Geno71 (Dec 23, 2016)

So are your passengers, and your point?


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## htboston (Feb 22, 2016)

Geno71 said:


> So are your passengers, and your point?


Nah, my rating is at 4.89 and I'm still driving.


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## Geno71 (Dec 23, 2016)

And they're still riding.


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## htboston (Feb 22, 2016)

Geno71 said:


> And they're still riding.


and you're still wasting my time.


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## Geno71 (Dec 23, 2016)

Just like you're wasting everyone's too. We could go on all night. but OK, let's get to the bottom of this. Your strategy has been around for ever and it just hasn't worked for anyone. Riders won't care and in most cases won't even know what and why you rated them. Other drivers will never know why a rider might have a slightly lower rating and will still accept their request. Rating people low because of tips is not going to change anything and the only thing it may do, it lower your own rating (as it's been reported many times before by others), so there is really no good reason to go there.


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## htboston (Feb 22, 2016)

Geno71 said:


> Just like you're wasting everyone's too. We could go on all night. but OK, let's get to the bottom of this. Your strategy has been around for ever and it just hasn't worked for anyone. Riders won't care and in most cases won't even know what and why you rated them. Other drivers will never know why a rider might have a slightly lower rating and will still accept their request. Rating people low because of tips is not going to change anything and the only thing it may do, it lower your own rating (as it's been reported many times before by others), so there is really no good reason to go there.


I never said I disagree with what you just said. I actually agree. I ain't wasting anyone's time. I'm just telling ya my thing, you are the one that clicked on my thread and responded with an assumption and a rhetorical question, so you're wasting my time and still are.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

htboston said:


> I only give out 1 star or 5 star now. Rarely anything in between.


Who cares about rider ratings. Did your tip frequency increase since you put up a tip sign?


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## htboston (Feb 22, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> Who cares about rider ratings. Did your tip frequency increase since you put up a tip sign?


Much more. Get about $20-$60 of extra cash per week depending on the hours I wanna drive that week. From last Sunday to now, I made an extra $44. I didn't even drive that much too, I just was nice and provided good conversation if they wanna talk. Make them laugh, they are more likely to tip when you are funny. Works for me.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

htboston said:


> Much more. Get about $20-$60 of extra cash per week depending on the hours I wanna drive that week. From last Sunday to now, I made an extra $44. I didn't even drive that much too, I just was nice and provided good conversation if they wanna talk. Make them laugh, they are more likely to tip when you are funny. Works for me.


That's almost like free gas. Nice!


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## htboston (Feb 22, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> Who cares about rider ratings. Did your tip frequency increase since you put up a tip sign?


I also put a helpful advice on the tip sign by asking not to slam the door with a smiley emoji. I rarely get door slams now.


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

Great job on the tip sign. Its the way to go for sure, at the very least it covers gas and meal/drinks. Since inproving my own signage, my minimum weekly tips are at about $100. 

Now tips went from covering gas to covering the car note and insurance. Worth it!


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## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

htboston said:


> I only give out 1 star or 5 star now. Rarely anything in between.


The tip sign is helping your tips not the 1 stars


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## htboston (Feb 22, 2016)

Shangsta said:


> The tip sign is helping your tips not the 1 stars


I meant to say I give one star to no tippers


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

htboston said:


> I meant to say I give one star to no tippers


He understood that, but that one star still isn't giving you tips. Retaliatory 1 starring for tips is worse. It's bad enough when people give 4 stars for not tipping but a 1 star?

That's beyond reasonable. If pax took the same approach as you with their ratings to you, you'd already been fired. If a driver doesn't go above and beyond with Mints, Water and Champagne, 1 star for them! Does that sound fair to you?

A tip is a gratuity, money given as extra above the costs of services rendered. By punishing those that do not tip, you are implying that it is mandatory. That no longer becomes a tip, it's a service fee. At least in restaurants when they have mandatory gratuity for parties over 6, they tell you that.

Only way your method would increase your tips is if you announce at the end of the trip that you are 1 starring them for not tipping. Anything short of that, they won't have a clue why they were down rated.


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## htboston (Feb 22, 2016)

steveK2016 said:


> He understood that, but that one star still isn't giving you tips. Retaliatory 1 starring for tips is worse. It's bad enough when people give 4 stars for not tipping but a 1 star?
> 
> That's beyond reasonable. If pax took the same approach as you with their ratings to you, you'd already been fired. If a driver doesn't go above and beyond with Mints, Water and Champagne, 1 star for them! Does that sound fair to you?
> 
> ...


You do know at least 95% of drivers out there are not on this website so they just give 5-stars all the time so my 1-star ratings don't really even matter. I do provide mints actually in a box for them. I buy those Lifesavers and put them in a box on the center console for them to take. I always help with bags and luggage if they need it. I also chat with them socially and if they need info about anything.

If Uber didn't cut our fares so much over the years, we wouldn't be having a battle over more money with their riders. It's a war between drivers, Uber, and riders; and I am planning to fight for myself as long as Uber and riders don't really give a real crap about the drivers. Yeah, riders are nice, but this ain't a Disney movie, I need money to live.


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

htboston said:


> You do know at least 95% of drivers out there are not on this website so they just give 5-stars all the time so my 1-star ratings don't really even matter. I do provide mints actually in a box for them. I buy those Lifesavers and put them in a box on the center console for them to take. I always help with bags and luggage if they need it. I also chat with them socially and if they need info about anything.
> 
> If Uber didn't cut our fares so much over the years, we wouldn't be having a battle over more money with their riders. It's a war between drivers, Uber, and riders; and I am planning to fight for myself as long as Uber and riders don't really give a real crap about the drivers. Yeah, riders are nice, but this ain't a Disney movie, I need money to live.


So you just proved that your method is even more useless than my inital assessment, yet you insist that this is somehow fighting for yourself?

Yes, and i want you to make more money. Why do i insist on other drivers educating pax, even outside my market? Because Atlanta is a big business traveler city. Theres a chance your pax with travel to Atlanta for one reason or another. Id rather they already be up to speed on tipping.

Screwing up the rating system in the hopes of it helping tips is an act of futility.


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## htboston (Feb 22, 2016)

steveK2016 said:


> So you just proved that your method is even more useless than my inital assessment, yet you insist that this is somehow fighting for yourself?
> 
> Yes, and i want you to make more money. Why do i insist on other drivers educating pax, even outside my market? Because Atlanta is a big business traveler city. Theres a chance your pax with travel to Atlanta for one reason or another. Id rather they already be up to speed on tipping.
> 
> Screwing up the rating system in the hopes of it helping tips is an act of futility.


When the riders ask about the topic I do educate them on this matter in a professional and well-toned manner. I never bring up the topic or do any gesture to make them tip. Of course my screw-you method to the system has little effectiveness, but it's the only way I can metaphorically stick the middle finger to Uber. I am well-rounded in statistics to know my probability of winning a battle.

Everything you and the other users typed on this thread I already knew and you know that I already know it, but insisting on still telling me is an act of redundancy.

We all have more negative feelings about rideshare companies than positive ones, but, at the end, most of the drivers are out for themselves and I don't blame them because there's no official group to unite us. At the end, we still drive for them and they are still making money off us, so they win.

I never said I was trying to screw up the system to increase my tips. It's more of a Gandhi-style peaceful protest.


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## 80sDude (Jul 20, 2015)

I tend to agree Boston. Everybody just plays stupid.. I try to educate as many pax as possible.. I put up a tip sign.. I at least get something now. I think I got 36 extra last week.


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## Haines (Jan 27, 2017)

htboston said:


> Much more. Get about $20-$60 of extra cash per week depending on the hours I wanna drive that week. From last Sunday to now, I made an extra $44. I didn't even drive that much too, I just was nice and provided good conversation if they wanna talk. Make them laugh, they are more likely to tip when you are funny. Works for me.


What does your tip sign look like?


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## ray cash (Oct 22, 2015)

Look most people don't Tip ,so why would a Tip option make people Tip... Uber is a cheap way to go and people are Cheap Asses I had a girl that took a ride with me that cost her less than $5.00 and she did not Tip... I give people 1 star for no Tip......


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## ray cash (Oct 22, 2015)

I never thought that driving with Uber would get me more than $200.00 to $300.00 a week and i have been driving for almost 2 years in St. Lucie County in Florida .. Its a small market and now there are to many drivers out there... ( Uber just keeps signing up drivers so its hard to make good money Driving........


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## wiley21 (Feb 5, 2017)

I've personally gotten many more tips since adding sign.


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## Fubernuber (Jan 15, 2017)

I wish i could add tip sign. In nyc left leaning riders take offense to everything. We have to maintain 4.8 or above in order to get black and suv dispatch. I dont use the tip sign because it would reduce my rating in nyc where 99 out of 100 uber riders will not tip for any reason


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## htboston (Feb 22, 2016)

Fubernuber said:


> I wish i could add tip sign. In nyc left leaning riders take offense to everything. We have to maintain 4.8 or above in order to get black and suv dispatch. I dont use the tip sign because it would reduce my rating in nyc where 99 out of 100 uber riders will not tip for any reason


You drive for the black service? What kinda car do you have? Is the pay any better?


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## Fubernuber (Jan 15, 2017)

htboston said:


> You drive for the black service? What kinda car do you have? Is the pay any better?


Uber black and suv. 3.75 per mile and 4.50 per mile. The pay is much better but out of 50 hours online from my house i only got 14 fares last week. Behind the wheel for 14 hours. Net payout was 860s and 60$ in tips. It typically averages out to be 1 hour per fare home to home. I try to keep the gross at 100$ per fare but last week was a bit short. It may sound like great hourly but those 50 hours online are not exactly a vacation. I am tethered to the phone. Only in certain NY suburbs its possible to work like this and its getting worse with new drivers. I use to do really well with xl until uber demoted most black cars near me to x and xl. Now you got new people joining black with no prerequisite


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## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

htboston said:


> You drive for the black service? What kinda car do you have? Is the pay any better?


You have to have a commercial insurance policy to drive black.


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## Fubernuber (Jan 15, 2017)

Shangsta said:


> You have to have a commercial insurance policy to drive black.


In nyc its the same policy if you drive pool. The only barrier to entry now is an expensive car and the inability to eject riders. 4.8 stars is minimum for black. Prior to 2017 the only requirement was being activated before 2015. Today there is no grandfather law for uber black


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## Tamera (Dec 28, 2016)

Geno71 said:


> Just like you're wasting everyone's too. We could go on all night. but OK, let's get to the bottom of this. Your strategy has been around for ever and it just hasn't worked for anyone. Riders won't care and in most cases won't even know what and why you rated them. Other drivers will never know why a rider might have a slightly lower rating and will still accept their request. Rating people low because of tips is not going to change anything and the only thing it may do, it lower your own rating (as it's been reported many times before by others), so there is really no good reason to go there.


 Actually it LOWERS the amount of RIDES you will get...that seems more important..most RIDERS do NOT tip...so your burning your PAX. Not ALL know that drivers are getting burned on the tips. I have asked and talked to many of my PAX seriously they don't ..when I started out, I didn't know either....I had a driver say..no to a tip...so I thought Oh Uber already puts a bit more in...I didn't know. Anyway I would NEVER rate a pax one star just because they didn't tip. Sounds like you need a 1 Star


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## htboston (Feb 22, 2016)

Tamera said:


> Actually it LOWERS the amount of RIDES you will get...that seems more important..most RIDERS do NOT tip...so your burning your PAX. Not ALL know that drivers are getting burned on the tips. I have asked and talked to many of my PAX seriously they don't ..when I started out, I didn't know either....I had a driver say..no to a tip...so I thought Oh Uber already puts a bit more in...I didn't know. Anyway I would NEVER rate a pax one star just because they didn't tip. Sounds like you need a 1 Star


You're crazy because you don't make sense. Me and other drivers here are getting the same amount of riders as we did before the tip sign. We just make around $100 more cash in our pockets each week than drivers without the signs.


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## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

Tamera said:


> Actually it LOWERS the amount of RIDES you will get...


Based on??? Lmao


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## mikes424 (May 22, 2016)

Besides some pax believing Uber that tips aren't necessary, many are just CHEAP, including businessmen. 

When businessmen are on an expense account, they get reimbursed for tips IF they have a receipt. Meals at a restaurant, for example, when paid on a credit card have a line for tips, thus the businessman gets reimbursed. I assume with Lyft's tipping option it shows up on the receipt. With Uber, no tip option therefore no receipt for a tip, ergo, no reimbursement. That is one reason we need that option added.


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## htboston (Feb 22, 2016)

mikes424 said:


> Besides some pax believing Uber that tips aren't necessary, many are just CHEAP, including businessmen.
> 
> When businessmen are on an expense account, they get reimbursed for tips IF they have a receipt. Meals at a restaurant, for example, when paid on a credit card have a line for tips, thus the businessman gets reimbursed. I assume with Lyft's tipping option it shows up on the receipt. With Uber, no tip option therefore no receipt for a tip, ergo, no reimbursement. That is one reason we need that option added.


Can't believe they need a receipt for a one-dollar tip, lol.


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## mikes424 (May 22, 2016)

htboston said:


> Can't believe they need a receipt for a one-dollar tip, lol.


I need to correct my comment. I should have said REALLY CHEAP.

Fyi, when I traveled occasionally for business, before Uber, I once tipped a cabbie $3 for a $12 ride. I got chewed out by my boss because he told me $2 was enough. Like I said REALLY CHEAP.


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## htboston (Feb 22, 2016)

mikes424 said:


> I need to correct my comment. I should have said REALLY CHEAP.
> 
> Fyi, when I traveled occasionally for business, before Uber, I once tipped a cabbie $3 for a $12 ride. I got chewed out by my boss because he told me $2 was enough. Like I said REALLY CHEAP.


Sounds like your boss sucks at being a businessman if he's 'chewing you out' for spending 3 bucks. It also sounds like you didn't have to mention the $3 but you did for some random reason.

I hope your boss' business can recover after losing 3 whole dollars. Your boss might have to file for bankruptcy because that'll knock any business out-of-business. If your boss wants, there's a homeless guy I know who beg for change, maybe he can lend your boss some of that $3 back to get his business going again. My deepest sympathy to you and your boss for your terrible financial lost.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

htboston said:


> I only give out 1 star or 5 star now. Rarely anything in between.


ANd tip jar had ?
3 boogers,a bottle cap, a hair ball,a mint with hairs,gum wrapper,and something weird . . .


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## entrep1776 (Nov 3, 2016)

htboston said:


> Sounds like your boss sucks at being a businessman if he's 'chewing you out' for spending 3 bucks. It also sounds like you didn't have to mention the $3 but you did for some random reason.
> 
> I hope your boss' business can recover after losing 3 whole dollars. Your boss might have to file for bankruptcy because that'll knock any business out-of-business. If your boss wants, there's a homeless guy I know who beg for change, maybe he can lend your boss some of that $3 back to get his business going again. My deepest sympathy to you and your boss for your terrible financial lost.


And I'm sure if Uber messes up a fare by $3 or cancelation you just ignore it?


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## joebo1963 (Dec 21, 2016)

Tamera said:


> Actually it LOWERS the amount of RIDES you will get...that seems more important..most RIDERS do NOT tip...so your burning your PAX. Not ALL know that drivers are getting burned on the tips. I have asked and talked to many of my PAX seriously they don't ..when I started out, I didn't know either....I had a driver say..no to a tip...so I thought Oh Uber already puts a bit more in...I didn't know. Anyway I would NEVER rate a pax one star just because they didn't tip. Sounds like you need a 1 Star


sorry but I disagree, if I take 2 people to the airport or cruise port and they have 3 or 4 pieces of luggage and all they talk about are their cars, vacations, and toys, and then they get out and thank me and wait for me to unload their luggage and no tip....then yes they get 1 star....EVERYTIME


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## LuisEnrikee (Mar 31, 2016)

I wipe my car down daily from door panels to seats , everything with all purpose cleaner .
What's your opinion on a sign that says 

"This car is sanitized daily for your convenience 
*tips are not mandatory but they are appreciated *


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## htboston (Feb 22, 2016)

LuisEnrikee said:


> I wipe my car down daily from door panels to seats , everything with all purpose cleaner .
> What's your opinion on a sign that says
> 
> "This car is sanitized daily for your convenience
> *tips are not mandatory but they are appreciated *


You don't have to mention the sanitized part. They can care less. As long as it doesn't smell or look messy, you should be good. Provide some laughs and convo when needed and buy some lifesavers mint (individually wrapped) for them and watch the tips come in lol

Go to home depot and make yourself a tip box out of plastic and strap it down to your center console. two compartments, one for the tips and the other for the mints. cut a slit in it also so people can put your tip money inside


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## JDoey (Mar 6, 2017)

htboston said:


> I only give out 1 star or 5 star now. Rarely anything in between.


I got one last week, it's paid for itself. 16$ tip, 3$ tip, 10$ tip, etc, even got some snacks from a woman who said she didn't have money but wanted to give something.

Ppl who haven't tipped must be giving 5 stars instead like the tip sign asks for.

Cause I've noticed a lot more frequent positive feedback since installing it.


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## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

LuisEnrikee said:


> tips are not mandatory but they are appreciated *


I learned this from Steve but why say tips are not mandatory or required? It gives them an out.

A simple tips are appreciated works great.


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## htboston (Feb 22, 2016)

Shangsta said:


> A simple tips are appreciated works great.


Have you tried both and found this method better and more effective?


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## Doowop (Jul 10, 2016)

steveK2016 said:


> He understood that, but that one star still isn't giving you tips. Retaliatory 1 starring for tips is worse. It's bad enough when people give 4 stars for not tipping but a 1 star?
> 
> That's beyond reasonable. If pax took the same approach as you with their ratings to you, you'd already been fired. If a driver doesn't go above and beyond with Mints, Water and Champagne, 1 star for them! Does that sound fair to you?
> 
> ...





steveK2016 said:


> He understood that, but that one star still isn't giving you tips. Retaliatory 1 starring for tips is worse. It's bad enough when people give 4 stars for not tipping but a 1 star?
> 
> That's beyond reasonable. If pax took the same approach as you with their ratings to you, you'd already been fired. If a driver doesn't go above and beyond with Mints, Water and Champagne, 1 star for them! Does that sound fair to you?
> 
> ...


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

htboston said:


> Have you tried both and found this method better and more effective?


Absolutely. My first sign had the out, tips didnt improve much. I removed it, simplifying the message. Tips increased.

My reasoning is that by saying tips are appreciated, you are already implying that tips are not mandatory. No need to spell it out. Keep the message simple.

Less is more, as they say.


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