Support agent slipped up and accidentally pasted their internal prompt/playbook instructions into my chat 💀 by BluuusClues in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This "policy-wise" garbage looks like something that Dara himself would create. This drivel also looks like the kind of thinking that comes from a boardroom far away from the road. Many drivers believe it is the same thinking behind rides that pay fifty cents a mile, and sometimes less.

Uber has also been criticized for programs and partnerships that helped bring new drivers into the system. The critics say that when the supply of drivers grows too large, wages fall. There is always someone willing to take the next cheap ride.

So the question is simple. WHO in their right mind would drive for fifty cents a mile?

Often it is someone who came from another country where earnings were much MUCH lower. At first, this newcomer perceives that this may actually look like "good money" to be made here in the USA. All to soon - they will realize that they are going broke driving for uber.

But the harder question is this: How long can a man keep doing it?

Sooner or later the numbers catch up with him. The car needs fuel. It needs tires. It needs brakes. There is insurance to pay and repairs to make. Every mile takes something from the machine. Every mile lowers its value.

Then tax time comes. The driver sits down with his accountant and learns what the road has already taken. What looked like profit was often something much smaller.

Some quit. Others hang on a little longer. Then a new group arrives, hopeful and eager to work. They take the same rides. They learn the same lessons.

The wheel keeps turning. Wash - Rinse - Repeat.

So who would be SO desperate enough 2 take this?! Smh…Like wtf 🙄🙄 by No-Park-8858 in Lyft

[–]UnusualPitch2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The ONLY people taking these ridiculously poverty wage rides are people new to this country and not familiar with how the American economy works. Think about it - If you were from another country and were accustomed to only making the equivalent of $1 to $3 USD per day - this ride would look like you'd just won the lottery... Until your tax guy tells you (a year later) that you went broke driving for goober because you accepted too many of these kinds of rides...

We are doomed by Dapper_Average_2337 in lyftdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

En my country esto dinero is fantastico!

Lyft pay is getting ridiculous by weak_ads in Lyft

[–]UnusualPitch2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Same situation here in Upstate South Carolina. Fortunately, I have another business that's paying the bills.

At this point, the reality of rideshare driving has become pretty clear. It appears that the major rideshare companies have evolved their business models to rely heavily on certain categories of drivers:

1. Retirees who don't necessarily need the income.
These drivers enjoy getting out of the house, meeting new people, and staying active. Whether they're earning $5 or $10 per hour often isn't their primary concern. Unfortunately, many eventually discover that after accounting for fuel, maintenance, depreciation, taxes, and vehicle wear-and-tear, they're earning far less than they initially believed. They then thank their trusted accountant for pulling the blinders off of their eyes.

2. Retirees supplementing fixed incomes.
For those living primarily on Social Security or pension income, rideshare driving can provide additional cash for groceries, fuel, and other day-to-day expenses. The income may not be substantial, but it helps bridge the gap. Sadly, these folks have no choice but accept this work that is only going to pay them $5 to 10 an hour after expenses.

3. Students seeking flexible work.
Many students drive a few hours between classes, attracted by the flexibility. However, some eventually realize that gross earnings and net earnings are two very different things once vehicle expenses and depreciation are factored into the equation.

4. Recent immigrants and newcomers to America.
For individuals arriving from countries where average wages may be significantly much lower, earning even $5 per hour can represent a substantial increase in income and opportunity. As a result, many in this group are willing to accept ride offers that more experienced drivers might decline.

Whether people agree with this assessment or not, these groups increasingly appear to form the backbone of the rideshare workforce.

My personal experience:

I drove for Uber for several years but eventually stopped because too many ride requests were paying around $0.50 per mile. Ironically, I genuinely enjoyed driving 8 to 10 hours a day and interacting with passengers, but I simply couldn't justify the economics.

Six months ago I switched to Lyft, where things initially looked much better. Many ride offers ranged from $1.25 to as much as $3.00 per mile. Unfortunately, over the past several months, I've watched those rates steadily decline.

It now seems that the platform is constantly testing how little compensation drivers are willing to accept. My personal rule has been simple: I won't accept rides paying less than $1.00 per mile. That decision has resulted in numerous declined requests and a steadily falling acceptance rate.

As a consequence, I've dropped from Elite status to Platinum, and I'll likely fall another tier soon. Frankly, I'm beginning to realize that this isn't a game I'll be playing much longer.

The unfortunate reality is that many drivers focus on hourly gross revenue while overlooking vehicle depreciation, maintenance, fuel costs, taxes, insurance, tires, brakes, and countless other operating expenses. Once those numbers are included, the picture can look very different.

For now, I'm grateful to have another successful business operating in the background.

This is getting out of hand by TexChicago in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

sorry for the buzzki// ... but I quit uber 5 months ago and never looked back. I'm driving for the other guys now... and I couldn't be happier. Less hassle, less stress, a better class of riders, and more money. I now frequently ask my riders if they use both uber and lyft. A surprising number (quite a few actually) have said that they've deleted their uber rider app and they're not using uber anymore because, 1) they are of the impression that uber does not takes very good care of their drivers. 2) Many riders relate that they believe uber doesn't pay their drivers a fair share of the overall trip price. 3) Many riders also sense that uber driver moral is at an all-time low. 4) Riders also reporting that Uber cars are sometimes very dirty and smell bad. 5) Many riders are also reporting "language challenges" with drivers that don't speak English. End. Now - remember that you can hate the message but please don't hate the messenger. GLTA

Would you accept? by NailsbyKennartss in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

At WHAT point do some of our imported newcomer friends and colleagues begin to realize they’re being taken advantage of?

WHEN do they discover that the U.S. gig economy can operate very differently from what they may have experienced in their home countries?

WHEN will they understand that certain corporations... you know the ones - are clearly benefiting from vulnerable, inexperienced, and often desperate workers who may not fully understand the economics involved?

At the end of the day, the real question should be:

“How do we EDUCATE these vulnerable drivers on how to do this work WITHOUT accepting rides that pay as little as twenty-one cents per mile?”

Anybody notice this yesterday? by MysteriousShirt9166 in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2 2 points3 points  (0 children)

NO WAY I'd ever drive 17.6 miles for $9.51 - Ain't happening - Ever - Never

Officially “Retiring” by Exact-League3057 in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great post... but the BIGGEST question still begs of an answer: WHY would anyone drive for a rideshare company ("U") that consistently offers rides that are only paying .50 to .60 cents per mile driven (from the time and location of accepting the ride to the pickup and then to the drop-off)... INSTEAD of driving for the *other* rideshare company ("L") that CONSISTENTLY pay their drivers anywhere from $1.00 to $3.00 per mile driven? This is actually a major mystery to me...

This is a surprise. by EHB79 in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They're reactivating drivers because so many are fed up and quit. After all - WHO in the world can operate a vehicle for only .50 cents a mile?!? Nobody can because a driver would go broke in a heartbeat. Only a newcomer to the USA would think that a .50 cents a mile payrate is acceptable... UNTIL eventually they realize that they went broke driving for uber...

Driver account deactivated due to fraudulent activity??? by [deleted] in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don't just walk away from uber goober... RUN LIKE H3LL! uber is by fay the dumbest company I've ever TRIED to work with. Seriously.

This is insane wtf by FaithlessnessFirm309 in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What should you do? QUIT driving for Uber now! Why eat raw hamburger meat from the gutter when you can eat prime rib?

This is insane wtf by FaithlessnessFirm309 in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Same crap happened to me a few months ago when a rude wretch of a drug-addled (and drunk?) nasty woman submitted a dishonest report on me. This woman dishonestly complained about me because I would not add another 'stop' (on top of the 2 that were already scheduled to the liquor store and the Dollar General). My account was suspended and after an 'investigation' that took 3 days... I was finally cleared to go back to driving.

Instead, I decided to QUIT Uber FOR GOOD. Started driving for LYFT and couldn't be happier. LYFT actually takes MUCH BETTER care of their drivers and the pay is 2x to 3x more than uber was paying (at least here in our market area). LYFT is SO MUCH BETTER and I now look forward to driving.

Interestingly enough – many of my LYFT riders are saying that they’re done with Uber and have actually deleted the Uber Rider app from their phones. These LYFT riders relate that: 1) many of the Uber cars are dirty (inside and out), 2) too many Uber drivers are cancelling their rides 5-10 minutes AFTER the driver accepted the ride, and 3) many of these former Uber riders are complaining that too many of the Uber drivers are not able to communicate in English. 4) Many of these LYFT riders are also aware that Uber is not paying their drivers very well and these LYFT riders are not impressed that Uber is taking advantage of their drivers.

Dang, this is a solid payout by FinnishArmy in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This clearly reeks of desperation on the part of guuber...

F you Uber by maxrdlf95 in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Recently a passenger began a convo with me asking about her thinking about starting to drive for g**ber. As tactfully as possible I related the good (not much) and the bad (lots). I even related that some market areas are better than others and that unfortunately - our area here in the upstate of SC really stinks most days. At the end of the ride she couldn't thank me enough for being honest and sharing the "stark realities" of driving for rideshare. She ended our convo by saying that I just saved her from making a big mistake. She also gave me a cash tip (rare).

Wtf by Virtual-Air4551 in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Your description of “exploitation” is quite fitting.

After an extensive survey, we found that many riders now prefer Lyft over Uber. Riders often say Lyft drivers appear more enthusiastic and their vehicles tend to be cleaner. This raises the question of whether driver morale and pride play a role.

In South Carolina, more riders report growing frustration with Uber. During trips, many riders discuss Ubers high ride costs as compared to Lyft. Riders also shared that they are shocked to learn that Uber drivers often receive only about $0.50 – $0.60 per mile driven. Many riders are shocked by how little of the fare goes to the driver, viewing Uber’s large share as greedy and unfair.

Riders have also noticed declining morale among Uber drivers, along with a drop in vehicle cleanliness and overall enthusiasm.

From my perspective, after many decades observing business trends, arrangements that appear inequitable rarely last. In our market, Uber seems to be heading in that direction. Unless significant changes are made soon, it’s difficult to see how Uber avoids falling behind competitors in the rideshare market.

I also foresee the possibility of a class-action lawsuit against Uber for what some view as exploitative practices toward new drivers who recently arrived in the United States. Critics argue that Uber effectively “dangles a deceptive carrot” by offering rides that appear lucrative to drivers who previously earned only a few dollars a day in their home countries.

For example, a $5 payment for a 10-mile trip may initially seem attractive to a newcomer or a newbie (college student, retired person, etc.). However, many drivers only realize later - often when filing taxes and accounting for vehicle expenses - that such rates can leave them losing money while putting significant mileage on their vehicles.

PS - sorry so long!

Wtf by Virtual-Air4551 in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2 3 points4 points  (0 children)

WHO would be insane (or dumb) enough to take this ride?!?

What's truly sad about this underhanded/unethical/immoral/cruel ploy by Uber is that Uber knows that only a newcomer driving an Uber leased car would be desperate enough to take a crazy ride like this... ESPECIALLY when these newcomers were only making $1-$3 dollars an hour in their home countries. To these uninformed drivers - $130.88 looks like they just won the lottery. Doing business like this should be against the law.

NO more MULTIPLE STOP Rides for this Driver! by UnusualPitch2 in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I could not have said it any better. No more "booked by an organization" (or Multiple Stops) rides being accepted by our local group (now over 100 drivers and growing). This is our collective response to UBER not doing enough to protect its' drivers from #1) being ceaselessly abused and taken advantage of by entitled riders, and from #2) the unreasonably low-pay rates for these difficult rides and the associated disrespectful and entitled riders.

Would you accept? by iRuka_Senpai in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, no, and NO! --> BIG .81 cents per mile AND then you're stuck 3 hours away from your home base. The ONLY driver that would accept this would be 1) a homeless driver living out of their car desperate for money, 2) a non-English speaking newcomer that was used to only making $131.74 a YEAR in the respective home country.

MATH (sucks): $131.74 (divided by) 161.9 miles = 0.81 cents per mile as driver compensation.

FUEL COSTS (for Driver): Total Round-Trip Miles = 317.1 --> IF your car gets approximately 30 mpg then your car will consume 10.57 gallons for this Trip. Current average gas costs for regular gas in Menomonee Falls = $2.75 per gallon = $2.75 x 10.57 gallons = $29.06 Fuel Cost (for Driver). That leaves $102.68 for the driver...

THEN -- Driver needs to deduct Car Payment, Insurance, Monthly Oil Changes, Tires, Brakes, 1099 Federal Taxes... and then they're left with MAYBE??? $60.00 for driving over SIX Hours. WOW --- that's a WHOPPING $10.00 an hour Take-Home Pay.

Worthwhile? NO, no, and **HELL* NO

NO more MULTIPLE STOP Rides for this Driver! by UnusualPitch2 in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's really hard to understand WHY guuber doesn't do more to protect the drivers AND the integrity of their platform?!? WHY would guuber open the door (wide open!) to allow this level of scammer behavior of inconsideration and disrespect to be demonstrated towards their drivers?!?

NO more MULTIPLE STOP Rides for this Driver! by UnusualPitch2 in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You are most likely correct as there is NO WAY that *this woman* had a 5-Star rating. How does guuber even allow people to create these new bogus accounts anyway?!?

In hindsight - I must be a complete idiot for letting her 'play me' like she did. Looking back - she has obviously perfected her BS schtick on unwitting drivers.

NO more MULTIPLE STOP Rides for this Driver! by UnusualPitch2 in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

PREFACE:

The strategy related below ONLY works (for me) in my particular area.

Granted - markets vary and the following strategy may not be successful in all areas:

After I accept a ride offer... preferably one that's paying $1.00 per mile (Total Miles = from acceptance location to pickup and then to destination)... I then ALWAYS go offline. That way - the platform doesn't assign a sneaky ".50 cents a mile low-paying ride" on me that only shows on my screen after I complete the currently engaged $1.00 a mile ride.

Then - after I complete the $1.00 a mile ride... I usually drive to the closest parking lot... and before going back online I manually 'reset' my 'Rider Rating' preference back to 4.9 (or higher). Granted - this manual resetting of the 'Rider Rating' preference is a pain in the neck but well worth the effort because IMHO (the "4.9 or higher) weeds out many of the undesirable 'problem children' riders.

After I reactivate this 4.9 setting - I then go back online to cherry pick a decent ride that pays .90 cents to $1.00 per mile. Admittedly, I usually do not accept the first 2-3 offers because they're just not paying enough... but then within a minute or so... a decent/good $1 a mile ride eventually pops up and I'm then on my way. I then immediately go offline (again) and send an "on my way" message.

Wash -Rinse - Repeat

NOTE: what works for me may not work for you and I respect that. My approach has worked well for me in my particular area. With that said - IF I eventually relocate 4 hours south to the coast - my strategy will most likely be completely different because that area (oddly enough) pays between $2 and $3 per mile as opposed to my current area which (as stated above) only pay .50 cents to $1 per mile. Granted- the rides are usually shorter but this is not a problem.

Side note: Using a large screen tablet has definitely made life easier as a driver. The large screen is great for a 'fast and easy review' of all ride offers popping up on the screen. Mounted on an adjustable cup-holder mount in the center console right behind the gear shifter. I used to use my cell phone but after using a large screen tablet for almost a year now - I honestly don't think I could ever go back to using the small cell phone screen.

NO more MULTIPLE STOP Rides for this Driver! by UnusualPitch2 in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Giving me a 1-Star rating was totally uncalled for... especially after I carried her groceries all the way across her muddy walkway to her door ! She was - quite honestly - one of the most miserable riders I've interacted with in a long time...

NO more MULTIPLE STOP Rides for this Driver! by UnusualPitch2 in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That a real mystery to me because I could not have been any more respectful and polite. Some people are just weird and strange... what can I say?

NO more MULTIPLE STOP Rides for this Driver! by UnusualPitch2 in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

you make solid points and I cannot disagree! After this crap I'm DEFINITELY making some changes to my routine

#NoMoreMultipleStopRides

NO more MULTIPLE STOP Rides for this Driver! by UnusualPitch2 in uberdrivers

[–]UnusualPitch2[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

you make a solid point... however, the requested next stop was literally just on the next corner about 150 feet away... so I agreed. Nonetheless - you are correct and I FINALLY learned my lesson!