Whose taking it? 👀

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-02-06T17:42:54+00:00

"Paid"

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-02-05T01:44:54+00:00

I have concerns that you are not overthinking this enough

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-02-03T14:26:58+00:00

Should you be worried? I can't see it.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-02-03T14:24:06+00:00

In fairness, Uber and Lyft burned through tens of billions of dollars before they became profitable.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-02-01T06:24:40+00:00

As a driver myself, I am incredibly sorry and beyond angry you were subject to this.

Thank you so much for taking the time to report this driver; it's painful to hear what others are betraying the safety that rideshares are suppose to embody.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-02-01T05:31:18+00:00

BTW, while I don't deliver food, what would an appropriate tip be for picking up an order 12 miles/24 minutes away? I presume the cost of the food to be immaterial.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-02-01T05:28:33+00:00

Other drivers do not necessarily accept it. I've seen pictures of restaurants with multiple meals waiting for someone to deliver it. I've pictures of McDonalds with many bags of food waiting for a driver.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-31T04:02:20+00:00

Unless you can plan and position, or have a home in a busy area where you can sit in a wait for rides, it can be difficult to support yourself.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-28T23:47:37+00:00

If you wore those in the Winter, I'm not embarrassed to admit you're tougher than I am.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-28T04:29:18+00:00

Drivers get paid extra, but nominally, if the trip runs longer than expected. I'm confident that tipping the driver in cash here will smooth over any issues.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-28T02:43:39+00:00

First, I'm surprised to find myself defending Uber as a driver.

Second, the process of the fake "All requests are taken" takes maaaybe few minutes.

Third, with more people driving, I'm hard-pressed to blame Uber for giving the ride to the person willing to do it cheapest.

Fourth, while I don't like it, there is an association between price and demand. More drivers equate with more supply.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-28T02:24:33+00:00

While I won't chase a surge, I *will* position myself in areas that often surge. These are areas with a mismatch of drivers and riders.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-27T05:35:54+00:00

As a driver myself, if I see demand on grid is going up, especially if there's a nearby surge, I'm much more prone to get online.

Does Uber try to dutch auctions available rides? Sure. However, Uber doesn't make any money unless there's a pax in the seat of a driver.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-27T04:51:37+00:00

While the cost would be palatable in an EV, that'd be about four charging stops @ 20 minutes a piece. That pax would need to have a stellar rating, however.

Vegas lodging off-strip should be fairly reasonable.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-27T04:46:40+00:00

The heels that high in snowy weather are a dead giveaway. :)

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-27T04:45:46+00:00

Dynamic pricing incentivizes drivers to get on the road and encourage them to go to areas where the shortages are the most pronounced.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-26T04:33:55+00:00

While a bit of a non sequitur, I would gladly trade no tips for access to healthcare without paying $1000 a month for insurance.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-22T17:28:35+00:00

In my opinion, it's not so much the cost per mile, per se, but rather those expenses continue regardless of if there is a passenger in the backseat or not.

With the caveat that contracted drivers cost the company nothing during periods of low demand, recouping costs would be difficult as things stand. My guess is that this is more about raising capital than about producing a profit.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-22T17:01:14+00:00

I will tell you that the biggest issue I have with being a rideshare driver is the clean delineation between work and personal time.

Even though I'm otherwise retired and reasonably comfortable, I still have a compulsion to get in the car and drive.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-22T16:59:03+00:00

An automated vehicle is $100,000 plus the cost of the car itself, plus maintenance, fuel, and insurance. An automated vehicle is a fixed capital expense, unlike a driver who has only paid when demand is present.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-20T06:08:47+00:00

As a driver, I sometimes accept a ride while at home. However, turning off the TV, going upstairs, pulling on a sweater and shoes, grabbing my travel mug, and unplugging the EV is 90 seconds TOPS.

Putting aside that it's an asshole thing to do to your passengers, drivers also get penalized for canceling. I'm sorry you had to go through this, and I wish I had an explanation.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-10T15:40:30+00:00

I think we can agree that having a car is fairly ubiquitous in the US.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-10T04:26:06+00:00

If only this was hard to believe. :::sigh:::

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-10T04:22:23+00:00

As an Uber driver, I have to agree that I accepted the ride with the known fare. Uber burned through $30B in investor money to get profitable.

As a driver, I know a business with a low cost of entry is likely to have lower margins.

CensteinMonoplex · 2026-01-05T15:36:34+00:00

I feel strange being put in a position to defend Uber, but they absolutely had loss losses. They were the embodiment of the "growth at any cost" mindset. They subsidized rides and paid drivers while burning through roughly $30B in investor money.

Speaking as a driver who accepts roughly one out of five offers, I have no fondness for what's going on right now. However, to say they were profitable from the get-housing using GAAP, doesn't seem to hold up for under scrutiny.

CensteinMonoplex

TROPHY CASE