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
-
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
-
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!!!
-
Why not use this very site where you are posting the question (www.rideguru.com) and let it calculate the fare for you???
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
You can go to Uber.com on your desktop computer and establish an account and schedule a ride.
The system will only stack one additional ride at a time, and yes, at bar closing on Thanksgiving eve, it can be CRAZY GOOD!!!
Yes, that is rolling out as well and for the top tier will even include FREE college courses (on line) that are accredited. Increases in pay rate depending on your rating and acceptance etc... Let's not look a gift horse in the mouth as I know plenty will complain, and just as I would like to see the rates increased (especially in our market) it's still a bonus. Unfortunately for those of us (like myself) that only drive occasionally since there's now SO MANY drivers and the rates are low, it won't help me much, but I'll take all I can!
You certainly should feel welcome to pose your questions here if there related to the APP or general questions. You can also call the Uber help line. Here's how to find the number for your area:
Open your driver app, tap your profile picture in upper right corner then tap the question mark icon on the upper right corner, scroll to the support section of the help center and tap "call support".
I have found that Fabuloso purple smells "clean" - a couple of people have made comments about the "cleanest car" they've ever been in. YES, you SOAK the rag in Fabuloso and then place it in a baggie and you will almost seal the baggie or it will be too strong. Then after a day or so, you can open the baggie more and eventually it will be totally open after 4-5 days. I use zip baggies gallon size so it's easy to adjust.
OMG it's completely true!!! LOL
These days, everything that goes wrong HAS to be someone else at fault - surely I can't be to blame!!!
So the passenger bumps the map or doesn't pay attention to the address their phone uses as their location (and no, for the record, it's actually NEVER Uber's mistake in reality, nor the driver, nor anyone else's fault except the requesting rider)... because the GPS in the passengers phone determines their location - but of course, when it's wrong, it's NEVER the passengers fault!!! LOL
Can you explain what you mean by "sitting on the fence"???? And perhaps quote your source for this information would be great.
There are no "rules" about how many times you can stop, where you can go, or how long you can wait. The driver will be paid for where he goes, the distance traveled and the time used. Period. However the APP will only allow you to add two additional stops. But that are the limitations of the app itself, and does NOT effect how you are paid.
As the driver, YOU can decide what you're able/willing to do. On a slow night, I'm typically willing to make stops and wait for people to go in stores etc... however during a busy period, I might be more likely to encourage them to let me end the ride when they stop to shop and recommend that they request an Uber once they've completed their shopping.
Remember that as a driver, you are NOT limited by the APP. You can go anywhere you want and you WILL be paid for your time and travel. The destination in the app is for the purpose of mapping your route and once you vary from that route, the guaranteed rate (to the passenger) is null and void and they're charged for actual time and travel, and you are paid likewise.
I'm going to let you guys and gals in on my little secret. I constantly receive compliments on how awesome my car smells.
Go get yourself a bottle of Fabuloso cleaner, the PURPLE version. Get a cloth and poor some of the cleaner onto the cloth. Place the cloth in a large gallon size baggie and zip it mostly closed.
Place the baggie (with the cloth soaked in cleaner) UNDER your passenger seat. The car will gently smell AWESOME for days.
One word to the wise. Once it starts to loose it's scent, remove the cloth and replace with a new cloth and cleaner. Adding additional fabuloso will NOT have the same result. I can't explain why, i just know that from experience.
It's cheap, it smells like the cleanest car you've ever ridden in, and your passengers will LOVE it.
I've done 2K rides with a 4.93 rating.
good luck!
Why not give us more info - like the name of the company for example and how to get additional information. Such a teaser!
AT one time in the not too distant past, either Uber or Lyft was testing a screen color change for the passenger so they could hold up their phone displaying a bright screen that is all one color (for example all red or pink) and you would see the same color on your phone and make it easier to find them.
However I've never actually seen that in operation - does anyone know if there are some cities that have this feature?
I usually look first for people with their phone in their hand which is a pretty good indicator, although I'll admit it seems everyone has their phone in their hand these days. But I've found that to be a strong indicator of rider waiter for his driver to arrive and it usually works really well for me.
Lyft rates are generally established based on Uber which clearly sets the standard. If Uber were to increase their rates, Lyft would have no choice but to follow because ALL THE DRIVERS would immediately switch to Uber and Lyft would have no coverage.
So when Mr Uber says he doesn't know how to increase rates because of competition, it is complete BS!!!
The vast majority of drivers do so for both Uber and Lyft as well as any others that are available.
You can do that with the APP on your phone. You simply download the app and then schedule the trip or wait until you're ready and then request the ride. I would recommend getting a Uber XL if that is available so there will be plenty of room for the wheelchair. You can also call the driver once they accept the trip and make sure they're comfortable transporting the individual, although I'm confident they will be. I've picked up several people that were in a chair, helped them into the car, and then stored their chair in the back until arriving.
Admittedly there are two sides to every story - NO DOUBT - but with that said, there is absolutely NO WAY I would ever put anyone out of my car unless they threatened me physically in some way such as brandishing a weapon etc...
This was inhumane, rude, and a horrific example of what we should portray as Uber/Lyft drivers, and IMO opinion, probably should never be allowed to transport customers again.
One of the VERY unfortunate consequences of Uber making it "easy" for passengers to not rate their driver is that the only people that DO want to rate will be those that aren't happy, or worst yet, those that are looking for a free ride and level false charges against the driver.
IMO, the obvious solution would be that all rides that don't get rated should default to a rating of 5 stars, thus allowing us to keep a reasonably legit average.
But of course, what are the chances????
Since Ford will be moving away from cars altogether in the near future, it will be interesting to see what their next car of choice will be. I'm pretty confident it won't be the "volvo's" like we've seen them testing in Pittsburgh. No way you can use a car that expensive at the current rates whether with or without a driver.
My guess is that once Lyft is faced with the reality of automobile ownership, rates will FINALLY increase! And hopefully everyone, including their existing driver base, will benefit.
IMO, there will be, for MANY years, a need for drivers and perhaps autonomous vehicles will be able to operate within cities and well mapped areas. Of courese, only time will tell, but that's my bet.
It all becomes a matter of what YOU would consider "livable wage".... and IMO, absolutely NOT. Yes I drive, but I do it to supplement my excellent day job. I enjoy meeting people and generally find it to be a fun job (until it isn't)... and when I retire in a few years, I plan to do it a lot more, BUT, keep in mind I"ll still have retirement income rolling in, so it will supplement my cash flow. God help those that are doing it full time as their primary source, but I do know several that do and they work LONG hours and honestly have no real personal time, hobbies, or other interests. That simply isn't a plan that would choose to follow, but it works for some.
Generally once you learn your market and are willing to work the inconvenient hours necessary to maximizing your riders needs, one can fairly average $20.00 an hour in our market before considering expenses. Yes there will be times when everything falls into place and you'll make 30-40 an hour, but very few are able to maintain those earnings in an average market. (Perhaps NY or CA, but the cost of living is also double there).
The KEY to tax deduction is mileage. I've driven since the beginning and 2 out of 3 years my mileage alone offset ALL the earnings from Uber/Lyft. If you deduct mileage, you cannot deduct any other car related expenses whatsoever, but IT WORKS!!! As a result, I don't track anything else because it doesn't benefit you once your Uber/Lyft earnings are taken to zero.
Keep in mind from the time you turn the app on and begin your work until you return home, ALL miles are deductible. I use a program called "MileIQ" which works totally in the background and tracks every mile I drive all the time. I then seperate (easily on a spreasheet) the day job from the Uber/Lyft and it takes seconds at the end of the year to have a report which WILL SATISFY the IRS in the event of an audit.
As a passenger, now you know how we driver's feel so often when customers make fake claims against us.... i guess this is the flip side of the coin where they're not believing the passengers either.... sad this state of affairs isn't it!!!
My suggestion would be to go back to your credit card company and dispute the charge. Let them fight it out in for you. They will ultimately win every time!