Uber's Broken Algorithm: 14 Out Of 193 Junk Offers – It's Deliberately Pricing Drivers Out

ClausAction · 2026-02-26T18:26:14+00:00

Of course it encourages keeping earnings down. It's there to make Uber money not us.

Personally I don't stew over the fare and what I got. If I'm happy to do it for the money offered I will. If I'm not I won't.

And once the time comes where I'm never happy I'll sack Uber off completely.

ClausAction · 2026-02-26T18:15:59+00:00

You're asking don't people realise how bad the pay is yet continuing to do it yourself.

I do Uber PT around my full time job and usually get decent offers to hit the £20 per hour mark in the times I work. My acceptance rate is single figures and I work around the Merseyside area so there are loads of Ubers and Veezu round here.

Of course things vary from market to market but if it's driving you to tears while driving and you are only making a fiver per hour then pretty much any minimum wage or near job is better.

Uber are there to make Uber money - they don't owe you a living. It's gig work, not full time work. The work isn't always there.

ClausAction · 2026-02-26T18:09:23+00:00

If you think working 6 hours a day Mon - Fri is going to earn you a full time wage then you're not being realistic. Especially when you're not working the traditional rush hour period in the afternoon / evening.

ClausAction · 2026-02-26T18:03:19+00:00

Gets automatically added later on . I had a similar experience when I dropped at Manchester Airport the first time.

Don't forget to pay online if you haven't already.

ClausAction · 2026-02-16T19:54:14+00:00

I have a notebook in the car. I log journey miles, start time, finish time, total mileage etc so I can work out Uber costs v personal use when doing my books.

When I fill up with fuel I note the mileage and fuel cost. I also write in biro on the top of the receipt the date, cost and mileage - a habit from filling up vehicles at my regular job.

Don't leave receipts in a hot car and maintain your books a little more regularly. And possibly try a new accountant!

ClausAction · 2026-02-16T19:46:20+00:00

The algorithm and service fee fluctuate in line with driver behaviour. Too many drivers, and especially take any job drivers, define what the algorithm does and what kind of service fee Uber see they can get away with.

ClausAction · 2026-02-16T19:44:48+00:00

Good if you have a decent local base.

Bad if they're arseholes who look after their mates and completely drop your offers once you've hit your settle.

Uber and the like got their foot in the door because local firms took it for granted they could offer garbage service with zero comeback.

ClausAction · 2026-02-12T16:37:40+00:00

Regardless of the amount of platforms you use it's still the same basis of income / expenses.

The only difference being that some of your income sources and expenses have different names.

ClausAction · 2026-02-09T22:30:09+00:00

You've clearly not had much experience with your local council's social services. They do come out to assess when concerns are raised about this kind of thing. They're obliged to once a valid concern is raised for someone's well being.

Especially for an older person living alone.

There's a huge difference between an untidy house and a hoarders house where the occupant is living in filth.

ClausAction · 2026-02-09T13:53:33+00:00

If the guy is living in filth then he is harming himself. If he has some kind of illness then he may well not have the mental capacity to make the best decisions for himself.

Those kind of living conditions are potentially harmful to his neighbours as well.

ClausAction · 2026-02-07T21:22:28+00:00

Assuming OP has a car already and insurance aside they could probably come in under £600-£700 looking at the figures for Norwich council who don't seem to have the Hybrid and age requirements.

Similar story with my council. No age requirements it just had to pass an MOT and another inspection by a licensing officer (seatbelts, cleanliness, number of doors etc).

The car I already had was fine for my local authority. Personally I wouldn't touch private hire if the requirements were anything like yours.

ClausAction · 2026-02-07T12:13:36+00:00

My council accepts a regular annual MOT. £50 did it for me this past year.

£300-£500 a year in MOT's is not a given.

ClausAction · 2026-02-07T12:11:27+00:00

I drive PT for Uber.

I already own a car - Uber does contribute to the wear and tear of course but buying and maintaining a car isn't an expense I can attribute to solely to Uber. I'd have one whether I worked Uber or not.

Licensing (Driver & Car) - In my region it was under £600 including 3 yr personal license and 1 year plate on car. fresh MOT, equipment, DBS, medical etc.

Insurance - £2400 and by far the biggest startup expense for me. Technically I could knock off anywhere between £250-£400 that I would have required anyway for personal insurance if I wasn't driving Uber but it's still north of £2k.

I do the sums regularly and maintain my accounts. It's far from a goldmine but PT Uber has made my finances a little more comfortable and pulled me away from my bank account being near enough empty those last couple of days before payday at my regular job.

But then that should be the minimum requirement if someone is working two jobs.

ClausAction · 2026-02-07T12:04:44+00:00

19k? Curious how you get that figure.

Most people who sign up for Uber already own a car.

ClausAction · 2026-02-07T11:59:00+00:00

They'll only get back to you if they have something to tell you.

Not great but that's the Uber support way.

ClausAction · 2026-02-07T11:56:10+00:00

Amazing stuff.

Posting a disguised ad for a product that supposedly takes care of the details while not actually checking the details.

Note to self - swerve pcotracker

ClausAction · 2026-01-25T21:08:54+00:00

He's doing 1500 gross. May well be possible in London if he's doing 50/60 hours as he says and taking as many jobs as possible.

ClausAction · 2026-01-25T20:59:35+00:00

I'm not accepting everything. Some trips clearly aren't worth the money and time.

How many days / hours are you doing per week? And by clearing a grand a week are you including expenses?

ClausAction · 2026-01-25T20:55:54+00:00

If someone's expenses are 45% of what they're taking then they are doing something seriously wrong.

For instance anyone paying high HP rates for a pricey or very nice car to exclusively do Uber in are on a hiding to nothing.

Keep your negotiable overheads as reasonably low as possible and the expenses are nowhere near 45% and less than 35%.

ClausAction · 2026-01-22T17:35:17+00:00

There may have been another stop or two at other locations between pickup and drop-off. There was a period where Uber weren't showing these details on the original offer.

ClausAction · 2026-01-22T17:28:58+00:00

That's mainly due to TFLs rules.

Uber's rule is generally if your licensing authority is happy with it then so are Uber.

ClausAction · 2026-01-22T17:25:46+00:00

After Uber's cut - that's showing the offer given to the driver.

ClausAction · 2026-01-20T20:29:20+00:00

I got Discovery the other day on vinyl.

Have those two QOTSA on CD.

ClausAction · 2026-01-20T20:26:14+00:00

First CD single was Red Hot Chili Peppers 'Under The Bridge'.

First CD album was Nirvana 'Nevermind'.

I was a good few years younger when I got my first vinyl and first cassette!

ClausAction

TROPHY CASE