RIDEGURU
Wes Kretzer (Wes)
Ride Apprentice from Aurora, OH
Weekend Uber Warrior
1602 Rider DriverWeekend Uber Warrior, experience with lighting and lighting fixtures/applications, Southern Gospel Music.
Activity
Posts by Wes
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Corona Precautions
Just wondering, if you're a driver that's willing to take the chance during these difficult times and continuing to driver, … -
Are you taking any safety precautions during this Pandemic while driving?
Personaly i haven't driven since the Pandemic started as Uber/Lyfting is a sideline occupation for me. And from looking at … -
With the impending changes, will YOU continue to driver for Uber/Lyft?
Yes, you can be SURE rates will increase to the customer, but you can also be equally assured that the … -
Did you continue to drive in spite of the protests in your city?
Several major cities experienced work stoppage this week in protest to low wages and working conditions with Uber. And yet, … -
Why do YOU think Uber is dropping the destination filter in some cities and changing the pay rates on destination rides in other cities?
Uber has announced it is withdrawing the destination filter in some areas (New York for example) and in other areas … -
Uber Sues New York - yet again!
So what do you think Drivers - Uber goes at it again in New York. Uber is suing New York … -
New Surge System Revolt Cleveland, OH
Did you catch the national news story out of Cleveland, OH? The new surge system just rolled into town and … -
Upcoming Rate Increase
Hey Drivers: We all KNOW that Uber/Lyft have been sneaking in a much larger share of the fares as compared … -
The Perfect Prius?
I've been considering picking up a used Prius to use exclusively for Uber/Lyft. But it seems that almost every used … -
New York Rates
If I'm not mistaking, Feb 1 was "D" day for New York when the new rates were going to be … -
Electric vehicles
I regular consider driving an all electric vehicle, but with severe range anxiety as well as the need to occasionally … -
Auto Off feature in newer cars when stopped.
Many of not most newer cars feature an engine cut off feature when stopped at a red light etc... where … -
Should we drive during the government shutdown?
I've seen numerous posts about how dead it is out there - which based on 3 plus years experience is … -
The "new" surge
So for those of you that now have the "new surge" system - where you are guaranteed a surge rate … -
As a Driver, will you buy Uber or Lyft stock when it becomes available?
It appears both Lyft (which has already initiated the paperwork to go Public) and now Uber is rushing to follow, … -
As a Driver, what were some of your moments when you had to say "I'm just the driver"...
If you've driven your share of rides, I'm sure that you, like myself, have had at least a few occasions … -
Cargo and other snack services for Rideshare
Are any of you selling snacks in your cars to passengers whether individually or as part of Cargo or one … -
Lyft Subscription Service
Today Lyft announces that their "trial" subscription service it going mainstream and for $299.00 a month you can receive up … -
The revised Uber Surge System
Just wondering, now that Uber has rolled out the "new way of surging" in many major markets, I'd like to … -
The "NEW" Uber Surge Format
Have any of your markets changed to the new method of surge? Where you no longer get "surge" rates for …
Featured Answers by Wes
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You need to call your agent to see if you can add "rideshare" coverage to your policy. In most states this is now available. I'm with State Farm in Ohio and it cost me less than $10 a month to cover two cars. You NEED this coverage as Uber/Lyft ONLY cover you when you're on your way to pick up and when you have a passenger. You do NOT have coverage when you're waiting for a ping, and if you got in an accident you would technically NOT be covered. Furthermore when adding Rideshare, particularly to State Farm, they then offer you full coverage and THEY deal with the insurance companies used by Uber/Lyft.
If your insurance company does not offer Ridehshare, I would STRONGLY encourage you to change to a company that does. It simply isn't worth the risk. Insurance companies don't want to pay claims!!! Don't give them a reason to deny you, becuase THEY WILL. I don't care how long you've been with them or who you know, the job of the insurance company is to MAKE A PROFIT, and the best possible way to do that is to avoid paying claims!!! Think about it and choose wisely!!!
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Why not use this very site where you are posting the question (www.rideguru.com) and let it calculate the fare for you???
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At least in our market that option no longer seems to be available with Uber. It is available with Lyft, but please understand, all it really does is send out a request in advance of your pick up time to the nearest driver. With Lyft, a driver can accept it well in advance, but if they're on a ride or not near the location, it will still default to the closest driver. It also does not protect you against surge pricing fyi.
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4.5 is not good at all. Keep in mind that, as a driver, we would already be kicked off the system for a rating that low. Honestly I've done a few thousand trips, I've never given a passenger a 1-2 rating, and I've only given a 3 or 4 on rare occasion when they truly deserved much less. There are drivers that are much less lenient, and I would offer a few suggestions to bring your ratings up.
1. Give a cash tip. This will almost ALWAYS result in a 5 star rating, even if you were a little late or generally obnoxious. Once your rating returns to more acceptable levels you could resume tipping on the APP, but a cash tip will be known BEFORE we rate you. Otherwise it can be a couple of days before we would even know that you tipped as they are not always instantaneous on our end.
2. NEVER make the driver wait more than 2 minutes, and most definitely not beyond 5 minutes. (Most drivers will leave at the 5 minute mark anyhow)
3. NEVER turn the sound system up to max!!! Drivers' need to hear things like sirens and horns etc... Consider your driver and also consider that it is their personal car, so they DO care about their sound system in general.
4. If you ask to make a stop, please be quick. Remember we make almost nothing when we're sitting still. We're doing it as a favor, NOT as an obligation. We don't HAVE to wait, so if your driver is gracious enough to do so, hustle yourself in and out of the store!
5. Don't put your feet in our seats. Don't get crumbs all over our seats. Don't get into our car wet or soiled without offering a seat covering (plastic bag would suffice).
6. Please tell us if you're sick. We'll gladly assist you, most of us have barf bags, and we will gladly pull over when it's safe to do so. PLEASE don't puke in our cars!!!
7. Please NEVER yell out the windows at friends or foes, and NEVER discard anything out the window.
8. Please don't bring opened alcohol into the car. It's against the law. We are NOT a limo, so it is NOT allowed. I don't care how special your occassion is, don't break the law!!!
9. Please bring car seats for the kids and babies. We don't have them, and you, as a parent, are responsbile to provide them.
10. Please make sure the address that the app found as your location is correct. YOU, not Uber, not me, but YOU are responsible for entering a correct pick up location. Consider walking outside to request the ride so the GPS in YOUR phone can correctly identify your location. Remember, it's YOUR phone that pinpoints your location and communicates that information to the Uber system, so don't blame Uber when it's not correct!
11. I know nobody wants to "wait"... that's the nature of American culture. But please, wait until you're really READY to depart before requesting a driver and have your shoes on and be ready to go when we arrive. Remember, WE MAKE NOTHING waiting for you, or driving to pick you up. NOTHING!!! So please be considerate!!!
12. Lastly, please don't eat Taco's and messy foods in the car. I know you think you're starving and that drive through Taco Bell stop smells SO good. But please - it is totally wrong to expect us to stop and clean our car in preparation for the next passenger (who is probably already waiting for us to arrive) to clean up YOUR mess. That will ALWAYS result in a lower rating.
13. Lastly, be considerate. Leave the car in better shape than when you arrived. We are NOT responsbile for your trash, your chewing gum wrappers, your candy papers, and I can ASSURE you the next passenger doesn't want to see them.
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Actually they aren't that prevalent in our area and unless it's a Tesla charging station, they aren't free (nor are they free any longer for the more recent Tesla customers)...
But I do feel the day will come when they'll be everywhere - in fact I suspect gas stations will soon add areas for charging (if they have room) and use superchargers that can do the job rather quickly) at 30 mins or less.
But for now - it's still an issue for sure.
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The threshold varies by market. It is a well established fact that certain geographies rate more liberally or more conservatively and thus there is no single number for the entire US. However the long standing number for reference and concern is 4.65 and we can assume once you see any version of 4.xx you should be mildly concerned.
AS a driver i certainly wouldn't rate someone less than 5 stars because the're wealthy. However I will say in my experience wealthy folks tend to be really lousy tippers regardless of how much you go out of your way to cater to them.
The best tippers tend to be people who work in similar industries such as waiters and service industry folks. They "get it"... they understand how vitally important it really is.
The taxi companies have a serious "voice" and are fighting it tooth and nail. Obviously Uber hasn't found the right official to buy off and make this problem go away. Knowing their style and marketing, they will rally enough support from the public to get this resolved in time is my bet.
This fight will continue in the courts for a very long time while Uber and Lyft spend millions trying to protect their core business and profits. Eventually the drivers will have to "agree" to a new TOS that states we are choosing to drive as a contractor and understand that we may not earn minimum wage as a result of our work (especially after deductions where we ALL know that based on our tax records, few of us are actually making more than minimum wage per hour invested once you take the mileage deduction - which by the way, if VERY revealing about the reality of the entire driving gig). My guess is that after the smoke clears and the courts get weary from ongoing litigation, Uber/Lyft WILL win and the vast majority of drivers will have received enough propaganda from said companies to actually be supporting them and saying Amen.
I will still use them provided they still cost less than a cab, however I am in high hopes that at some point, and perhaps not on the initial phase, but they really MUST do something to help out the drivers too!
But they increased the per minute rate considerably as I understand it and ARE paying you from the time you accept the ping. So now you DO get paid to go pick the passenger up, correct?
But why? There are hundreds of code writing folks at Uber. The app requires continual maintenance! What would be the purpose? Starting your own service??? Hope you have a few million laying around to invest in marketing! We can't possible drive for less than we do now, so what exactly would be your "catch"... why would people change to a different service?
If you went back 2-3 years, I would definitely have said Lyft was the nicer company. They seemed to lend a caring ear to their drivers. At one time, you always met with a mentor (whom Lyft paid) and also have a driving test and car inspection when you signed up. That's how it was when I signed up even though I'd already been with Uber for a year. But now that has changed (at least in our market)
But today, honestly, they're both fighting for survival and profits and other than the reality that Lyft is generally less costly to the passenger (at least I've found that to be true in my market area), otherwise they're pretty much identical IMO.
I do believe you make a few more bucks driving for Uber, and you definitely have a much greater surge opportunity with Uber in my experience, although lately that seems to be much less. perhaps too many drivers, perhaps a change in the algorythm.
I'm not a stock expert by ANY stretch of the imagination, but according to my findings, Uber's high is 47 and low is 36 and currently at 43.78. Lyft on the other hand high is 88, low at 47 and currently at 63.34. Perhaps I'm not evaluating this fairly since I don't understand all the ramifications, but it appears to me that Lyft is doing much better than Uber???
Totally agree and it's surprising (and yet now) that Uber stock is doing rather poorly while Lyft is valued much higher. I can't figure that out - in fact I can't quite figure why anyone chose to invest in either given the steady bleed of red ink.
While drivers desperately need increased rates, it would be nearly impossible to offer higher rates (thus higher prices to the customer) without also offering a premium level of service, and honestly the majority of folks won't take that route. Cheap is king, especially among the weekend party crowds which is a huge percentage of rides.
The only viable solution long term will be when Uber is willing to increase rates and thus Lyft will follow immediately like they always do. I just can't imagine any other solution that will work.
Of course I would. But ONLY if that company is doing some serious marketing to increase public awareness of their presence.
My plan is pretty simple. Change EVERYTHING back to the plan we were on 3 years ago! Published rates for passengers instead of this mystery guaranteed price program which clearly takes advantage of everyone, and for the life of me I don't know how they get away with not having published mile/minute rates for the customers. Then change the drivers back to their original 80/20 split. Change the rates back to what they were 3 years ago which is about double where they are today. Change the surge back to a multiplier that everyone, including the passenger can see. But also change the surge multiplier to NO MORE than a 3X with 2X being the typical surge rate and 3X being reserved for only the major surges. Anything beyond a 3X is seriously gouging the customer!
Additionally we should have yearly auto inspections both for safety as well as appearance! Have mystery riders (Uber employee's or people they hire to make random inspections) that take rides and evaluate your driving as well as the overall condition of the vehicle.
Change the rating system to a simple "yes or no" and if responding with a "no" insist on commentary from the passenger as to the specifics and SHARE THOSE with the drivers. Allow the drivers to respond and quit siding with the passengers and giving away the house! Passengers have figured out how to get free rides and they DON'T CARE who it hurts!!!
Lastly, improve your communication with the driver community. Have more visibility. Get rid of the foreign based support lines and the canned computer generated responses. Give us a REAL English speaking person located in the US that we can speak with when we encounter an issue that requires a phone call. (In my few thousand trips, never once have i needed to call. I've emailed a couple of times and it was handled promptly)
Lastly, increase your vetting of drivers. Perhaps even charge an application fee to cover the costs so that the drivers have a vested interest in becoming a driver! Let's genuinely consider a persons background and personal situation before we hire them to transport human lives! Let the public know car seats are required, else develop Uber car seats (cars available with child seating) for an increased fee to cover the driver cost and inconvenience. Let the public know that anyone under 18 requires an accompanying adult, and/or change the rules.
We will have to see how it rolls into each of our individual markets. I'm confident it will be different in every city. They tested it once in my market area (Cleveland, OH) and offered it to me - but i generally only use Uber/Lyft when I'm traveling with my day job which isn't that often so I wasn't interested. But at that time it was discounted rides and there was a cap, although the end result was that you were still saving money over and above the monthly fee.
For a person that went out every weekend or traveled daily for work, it was a no-brainer.
Yes i definitely would. It's still way less than a nasty cab and chances are pretty good the driver can speak English or at least understand me! Yes even though i'm a driver, I'm also a user of the service particularly when I'm out of town with my day job.
As a driver from the onset, i well remember when rates were double and Uber was PLENTY busy at that time and everybody LOVED driving for Uber.
Now the rates are so cheap nobody makes a buck, the folks that should be using public transit are scraping pennies so they can afford a more comfortable Uber (and those folks NEVER tip because they honestly can't afford to, or choose not) and it's a big fat LOSE for everybody.
I say raise the driver pay, tighten the requirements a little, insist on annual car inspections, truly vet your drivers (even if the applying driver has to pay a fee) and let's get PROFESSIONAL in our services and what we bring to the party. Let those that can't afford the higher rates take public transit - which sorely needs their business as well!!!
Did you REALLY have the correct address in your Uber app for the pick up location? Because unless a driver arrives at your location, it is NOT possible to collect a cancellation fee and he must SIT STILL AND WAIT five minutes. Also, if you arrive, sit for a minute and then start driving, the APP will generally start the trip with the assumption that you forgot to start it!!! So, driving around to avoid picking you up WILL NOT WORK. (at least not with the current version of the app)
I would try it with a friend just to say I've done it, but my preference, at least at this point (not having done it) would definitely be with a live driver that I can talk to etc...
I feel the same way about express check out self scanning lanes - unless i really only have a couple of items and the lines are long for a live cashier, I'll almost always wait it out for a live cashier. I do NOT support the concept because we're eliminating a job for someone!!!
That's a perfect analogy. I was trying to think of an example when I wrote my initial response and was thinking streaming services would be an example, but the gym membership is perfect because so many of us (myself included) have done exactly that!!! LOL
$10 an hour is the worst. $20 an hour is typical for a non-surge evening. $25 plus per hour is above average and only possible during busy times.. These numbers obviously raw data before expenses etc...
They KNOW based on market research that this locks you into using Uber so you don't waste money - which keeps you from using other Rideshare services (Lyft)... it creates a revenue stream which makes investors happy, especially considering that Lyft stock is doing MUCH better than Uber's. They also know that a large percentage of people that sign up for the service will use it heavily at first, but eventually tend to use it less and that becomes a positive and profitable revenue stream.
It is particularly NOT wise to advance book an Uber at an airport. SO MANY things can get off schedule when flying and I seriously do not recommend it. If you aren't there, you'll end up with a no show fee and a driver who got out of line to pick you up only for a "no show". PLUS even though you may be able to book in advance in your area, it's NO different than requesting the ride when you're ready. The system does NOT actually book you - it only sets up the computer system to request a ride for you at the time you designate. It does not insure you of a ride. However with that said, I've never heard of anyone not being able to get an Uber at a airport 24/7 so there's no real reason to schedule in advance.
In many markets it is no longer possible to book in advance as it's really NOT necessary.
Because 7 out of 10 people figure out within six months that this gig really doesn't pay well, can be highly stressful at times, and especially if you're driving a newer car you literally break even. You'll find that to be true when you do your taxes and your mileage alone negates all the income you "thought" you earned!
Let's be honest, a LOW initial investment into a good used car that gets great mileage is the ONLY way you can actually make a few bucks doing Uber!