RIDEGURU
Leonard Girsh (LG-PA)
Ride Apprentice from Southampton, PA
810 DriverActivity
Posts by LG-PA
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How low is too low (Passenger rating)
Had a Lyft request last night for a long ride. As I was pulling up to the train station in … -
Rideshare Insurance for Drivers
In time for the Thanksgiving I want to share with all of you my Rideshare Accident Checklist.I put this … -
Lyft’s scheduled ride passenger no show cancellation fee or lacke thereof
Second time in 2 weeks I scooped up a scheduled ride, was sent the ride. I arrived 5 minutes prior … -
Do lower ratings for drivers come predominantly from Pool/Shared rides vs. regular or spread is about the same
Any drivers able to pinpoint a trend of which type of rides hit drivers with lower ratings? i suspect pool/shared … -
Is anyone experiencing and issue wuth Uber not reimbursing drivers for all tolls?
Hi, Three times in the past three weeks I had to call Uber to complain that I was not reimbursed … -
Never ending Phone Mounts
Hi, Not sure if other drivers are blowing through phone mounts as frequently as I did, so I decided to … -
Driver survival Kit
What essential items do drivers have in the cars to help make rideshare driving easier?
Featured Answers by LG-PA
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On Uber platform Drivers have to rate passenger right away when ending the trip, so no way for the driver to know if passenger tipped or will tip, thus no ral way to penalize passneger for not tipping. On Lyft passenger can be rated up to 24 hours after the trip. If passnger did not tip on a long ride I usually go in and rate them 4 stars or less if they did something crazy like brough a child and did not bother buckling them in or bit their nails and left clippings on my floor
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Also, many students from Rider University go home on Fridays, so if you hang out by campus right off 295 you will most likley be shuttling them to Hamilton Train Station and that is not a bad ride on the highway,
even if you have to run right back to the university to grab more.
After Rider runs dry up, after your last drop off at Hamilton, head over to Love's Travel Stop in Bordentown, Friday is when long distance truck drivers go there (because of new regulations where they can only drive so many hours), park their rigs and often need rides home which could be miles away, and Bordentown in General has some riders. Hope this helps for Friday planning
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on Lyft there is a Scheduled Ride section (sort of like a job board) it displays avaialble scheduled rides probably with pickup somewhere within 10 mile radius of where you are at the moment of looking at that screen. On this screen you will see pickup and drop off locations and approximate fare, so that is an instance where drivers can see destination :) and of course in Destination filter mode, while you can't see destination exactly you do have an idea of general direction since ou are the one who entered the destination filter :)
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I decided to read up on this a bit.
So it looks like The FCC is aware of such problems and even set up a "Jammer Tip Line" for people to let the bureau know about people who may be selling or using a jammers.
Found here:
https://www.fcc.gov/general/jammer-enforcement
There is an app to help identify if a jammer is being used, here
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microcadsystems.serge.jammerdetector&hl=en_US
It appears to only work on Android
A quick search on line also revealed that there are Jammer detectors out there, such as on this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmXsKCEeP4o
Nipping in the ass a few of the assholes using them and reporting to FCC will hopefully help.
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When requesting pool one has to specify number of riders, driver confirms that at pick up on the screen. This enables the system to plan as to whether driver can pick up another couple or only a single passenger.
I had the happen to me. Rider requested pool for 1, but there were two of them at pick up.
I tried changing to two (system told me to make the rider add the second passenger (their friend)
it is $0.11 more for their friend, so I see why rider stated 1 initially vs. 2. (a lot of money - understandable), eventually she changed to 2, and almost immediately got an add-on passenger for a couple, since system figured I should have 2 more seats available. But for example if the same cheap passenger #1 requested pool for 2 but showed up with 3, and I did not force her to change, my next stop for the couple would not enable me to pick them up. SO it is driver's responsibility to ensure number of riders getting in matches the number Uber was told will get in the car. the screen to change number of riders is right in front during pick up.
Occasionally I may have 2 separate passengers already in the car, pool up to my next pool pick up, to find party of 4 who requested a pool, I roll down window and tell them basically I can't fit 10 pounds of passengers into my 5 pound car. I also ask them if they selected pool? knowing already they did and tried to cheat system. I ask them how many passengers they put in during request? (knowing they put in for 2 as system wuld not even let you pool as an option if you have 4 passengers in the single party. (because it would no longe be a pool if you r party of 4 took up all seats) of course the passenger claims they put in 2. Anyway I ask them to cancel, they do not want to cancel because they do not want to get hit with $3.75.
The point for me talking to them is not only to educate them, but to also milk time, so if they do not want to cancel themselves, by time I am done talking to them 2 minutes are up and I just hit NO SHOW and cancell myself, so I can collect my fee. Last thing I need is to drive to them for 5-10 minutes and not even get the NO SHOW fee, because the cheap asses were to cheap to book regular pool.
I do not do many pool rides anymore because of this hassle and dealing too much with cheap asses who request pool, do not tip (for most part), drag my ratings down (I bet the other two passengers in my car already would leave a lower rating because it too longer) and then cheapskates try to beat the system even further by trying to save $0.11 by not declaring all people in their party, find another driver :)
Oh yes all that on top of Uber paying drivers less per mile and minute for doing a pool ride vs. regular. So more work (more hassle) = less pay - makes total sense :)
I once had a passenger from NJ doubt me if I was really their rideshare driver as they stared at my front bumper trying to find the license plate. I NJ a car has to have one on the front and the back, but in PA where I live only on the back;)
Some tag places in PA such as Langel’s in Feasterville are authorizes for on line transactions with PA DMV which means they see same screens on their computers as does DMV. For $20 they can print your regular registration right there and then. Call a few in your area and see if they are authorized by PA DMV for online transactions
For example I have my personal cell associated with Uber and Lyft but the app is running on the work phone that has unlimited data. If I was to change jobs I would just load uber and Lyft Driver apps in the new phone.
it actually works out very good havig two phones especially when you are on way to passenger and passenger starts texting you with directions or instructions, using personal phone I can respond without closing my GPS
also when my family calls or texts me while I am driving a passenger the texts and calls do not splash up on uber screen covering GPS and become visible for passengers to see
anytine I drive a passenger and personal phone rings I silence it, passengers see that I take safety serious by not talking in phone and driving ;)
this is just one reason to have a different phone associated with account than the phone running Uber app.
very first Uber ride I ever gave, I was driving a passenger on unfamiliar highway, taking exit and looking on GPS on phone to see if I have to go east or west on top of ramp. at that very second I get a text from wife to get milk which covered my GPS screen making me take my chance of going west (50/50) I thought, well I was wrong and had to apologize to passenger for having to drive additional 4 miles for U turn;)
I learned to deal with backstreet drivers who dictate the road.
While I know using Waze will usually get us there quicker, I gladly take their verbal instructions which somethimes work good or sometimes get us stuck in traffic (we get paid by the minute, not much though, but do nevertheless) so this way I was a nice guy who listened to their "better way" and if we got stuck - it is on the passenger and I got a few more cents in my wallet :). I actually heard a few passenegrs tell me that driver was rude and did not want to listen to their better way. this results in a crappy feedback, so I do not risk it. Occasiaonnly I will tell them that the reason we are taking a certain route (when they ask) and I suggest we stick with it is because there is an accident or delay on their better way and show them on the GPS and all is good then.
The ones that say but do not, I will start replaying "Thank you, and I will leave you 5 stars in return"
Having driver wait entire 5 minutes until showing up
placing pin into wrong spot
slamming doors or trunk
trying to enter car with open container of alcohol or light up cigaret
trying to fit 5 passengers into a car with 4 seatbelts
bringing minors or toddlers without car seat or booster
taking more than a few minutes in a scheduled stop such as using stop to go shopping
touching windows with fingers (leaving marks)
Eating snacks in car and leaving crumbs in seats or spilling drinks
it buckling up
it tipping on long rides 15 min plus
being extremely loud
cursing
throwing up