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.
It's all about the money folks. We're private contractors. Think about it. When's the last time you hired a contractor and then decided to "give them" anything beyond their expected contractural compensation?
The real issue in my mind is that Uber/Lyft continue to increase their share of the fare's, and as long as drivers continue to allow this to happen, it will only worsen. Greed and the need to show a profit to boost their initial IPO offering which is planned for 2019 is the primary focus of Uber at this point.
We don't receive compensation, per se, rather we "contract" with Uber to drive for a set rate - a rate that unfortunately we have absolutely NO control over. For us, it s a choice of "yes I will, or no I won't"... we don't have the option to build a proposal and present/sell a contract to them, rather we take it or leave it. And worse yet, they can change the contract rules ANY TIME THEY WANT and we can do nothing about it except walk away, or accept it and continue to work. That's our only option. And yes they do make changes frequently.
Three years ago when I started, rates were much higher - nearly double, and I received exactly 80% of the fare. Today the relationship of my pay versus the actual fare is no longer part of the formula. Now we get a fixed rate/minute and they can (and do) charge as much as they feel they can get away with without alienating the customer.
Do I blame Uber/Lyft for wanting to make more money? Of course not. That's capitalism at work, but what is so unfair is that they're doing it on the backs of an endless supply of drivers who work for a few months, figure out this gig really doesn't pay after expenses, and then are replaced by a new set of drivers willing to give it a shot. This cycle WILL continue for a very long time folks. There's a LOT of people out there with a car and a few hours to spare. Uber runs a few flashy ads on TV and it inspires another set of applicants who think for a fleeting moment they're about to "live the dream"....
But I'm hoping that the government (never thought I would EVER say this) steps in and says "stop... we see what is happneing on hundreds of thousands of Uber Driver tax filings - we SEE that you really are taking advantgae of people - that once you deduct your mileage your earnings GO TO ZERO. (which also means even the govenerment is getting hosed - as they receive very little tax revenue from Uber trips after the mileage deduction). At some point, Uber just might get forced to "at least" pay drivers at a level so that we earn minimum wage AFTER deducting mileage (or expenses)... or we can hope that something happens that eventually fixes the forumula in such as way that this GIG actually pays at a minimal level.
In the last three years, I've paid taxes on Uber income ONE year, and that, after deductions, was less than $100 in taxes on that portion of my tax bill. Yet my Uber gross earnings were over $10K every year. I've talked and read of countless other drivers who comment that "after mileage" they pay no taxes. So folks, if we're paying NO taxes on this income then that translates to this reality... "we aren't making any money"!!!! We're allowing Uber/Lyft to USE our cars and talents and THEY are who really benefits. This Gig is not about US, it's about THEM. It's Uber/Lyft who have a valuation in the billions!!! Not us, THEM. We're providing THEM with a generous revenue stream when their only role is to hook up passenger A with the closest driver. THE COMPUTER DOES THE WORK.... once it's programmed, it churns out match ups endlessly and their role is primarily to maintain the operating system.
I truly hope this is "fixed" at some point in time with the working class in mind. BUT Uber will fight, understandibly, and they eventually WILL become polictical and spend millions to keep their plan in place. Sit back and watch!
For the matter of driverless cars... NOT TO WORRY. Have you any idea what those cars cost? If you ever want to see rates increase, just wait until Uber/Lyft have to maintain an expensive fleet of driverless cars. Then my friends, you will FINALLY see the rates increase!!!! And THEN, the new rideshare service which features REAL HUMAN DRIVERS will spring up at a rate that is even better than Uber's scary driverless cars and VOILA..... or at least, I can hope!!!
As long as there are indivivduals willing to drive at the presiding rate, there will continue to be an oversaturation of drivers who are working for compensation levels that continue to decline, and Uber/Lyft will continue to increase their percentage of the collected fare.
And as we view the history of other business models that pay minimum wage for a job that is physcially demanding, and recognize that while staff turnover is always high, they are able to continue to operate becuase there are always people willing to apply and give it a try.
At one point in my three years of occasional driving for Uber/Lyft I thought perhaps we would eventually weed out the drivers and things would improve. Wow was I wrong! Today in my market area there are more drivers than ever - I'd say 4-5X the number of drivers present a year ago, and while demand has also increased, it certainly hasn't increased to match the level of available cars.
The good news is that the saturation will ebb and flow. Give it a few months and your personal market willl likely improve and there will be others complaining about suration in their market. I've witnessed this cycle since the begining and it demonstrates the reality that most drivers last six months or less.
Will we ever run out of applicants? Probably not, but eventually the overall opinion of "driving for Uber" will decline if the current rates and mode of operation continues adn then, and only then, Uberl/Lyft might actually look toward making it a decent gig once again (like it was in the beginning).
Prior to Uber adding the tipping option to the app, tipping boxes and signage seemed to be growing in popularity. However since tipping is now an option on the app, it has "taught" the millenials (which tend to be the worlds worst tippers) that it is now an option that perhaps should be considered during every trip, and personally I feel adding a tip box or signage is, at this point in time, too much. It's overkill IMO.
I truly love driving and have logged over 2 million miles in my life as a sales rep and the last 3 years added Uber/Lyft to the mix. However with that said, I truly do NOT enjoy driving in the city (Cleveland)... the terrible traffic jams, the impatient police at the intersections directing traffic in such a way that I often feel totally confused about exactly what they want the traffic to do, the rude and inexperienced drivers. However in spite of that, I still look at it as a challenge and there's still something about it I enjoy.
Highway driving I thoroughly enjoy and when I retire in a couple of years plan to have driving as my part/full time retirement experience.
For some people, like me, it's generally an enjoyable experience. For others, like the original poster, you somehow "hit the wall" a few years ago and no longer find your happy place when behind the wheel. It could happen to me as well, but thus far, I'm still revving my engine and ready for the trip.
I think it's a temporary system fluke. Removing the pick up times would deal a devastating blow to their platform.
If Lyft would simply start paying for long pick ups their overall service level would be as good as Uber's.... I know that would motivate me to drive a LOT more for them.
There are a few xl vehicles that can seat 7 passengers. Remember the vehicle capacity is legally limited based on the number of available seatbelts. You could order an XL, check the vehicle type or even better call the driver to see how many he can legally seat.
Alternately you and one of your riders could both order an UBERX and split cars. Keep in mind that two UberX's are only incrementally more expensive than a single XL.
And FYI,, Uber does not offer large capacity vans on their system. I read somewhere that the limitations of their insurance coverage stops at 7 passengers.
One of the tipping options is a percentage of the total fare. I discovered that when I used Uber for personal transportation during a recent trip. So they can use preset and amounts, or they can tip a percentage, which is how you end up with the unusual amounts.
Yes, if the passenger doesn't tip immediately, there can be a delay of several days - that's out of our and Uber's control as we can't force them to tip immediately.
It always bothers me when a tip shows up days later as we have no way of knowing which trip it was etc... not that it really matters, but I wish they would at least refer to the trip so we can link it together.
The car has to be registered (and approved) on YOUR driver Uber account. I believe there may be a way that a bonafide company that hires drivers can operate with the same vehicle for multiple users, but that takes it beyond the personal driver accounts that we're all using. You would have to contact Uber to see how to do that if it's even possible these days.
And with the rates as they are these days, I can't fathom anyone hiring drivers any longer as the driver pay hardly covers driver costs without allowing any profit for the auto owner IMO, but at one time it was possible when the rates were much higher.
For a personal driver account, the car has to meet qualifications, be registered AND insured in YOUR name (or your name and someone else's such as your significant other) to be approved.
The good news is that your ratings will increase as you take more rides and presumably receive five stars. It is also a know fact that in some markets ratings tend to run lower than in others. Different attitudes, different cultures etc... So we can't assume that a 4.50 in EVERY market isn/t terrible - but in MY market (Ohio) 4.50 is consididered low, and all drivers would have already been booted with that kind of rating.
Good to see that Uber refunded the fare and suspended the driver. What a profoundily stupid thing for a driver to do.
The driver would have to be a complete idiot to do something like this. I'm betting there's more to the story than we know!!!
Thanks so very much for that clarification Smitten. Really good to know.
While I refuse to do UberEats, I would do MJ delivery in a heartbeat. With food you have to park (problem), go in, wait, pick up, drive, park, deliver, steps, doors, security and all the associated frustrations with finding/locating etc....
But with MJ you would pick up a non-spillable completely sealed container, most likely wrapped and concealed so as to not be obvious, take it to a waiting customer who will be REALLY glad to see you, and IMO, much more likely to tip. No smell, no spillage, no "wrong order" no cold food none of that business.
For those worried about security, it's a non issue in my mind. Nobody would know who you are or what you're delivering, although I'd certainly watch the rear view mirror when I departed the facility just to be sure I wasn't being followed etc... but beyond that, it's much easier than delivering for UberEats IMO
First, as many have stated, the original Uber had great rates for the drivers and tipping really wasn't necessary. They advertised that and folks loved it.
But beyond that is the reality that millenials HATE tipping. I've had SO MANY 20/30 somethings tell me "I just wish they would raise the rates, because I hate tipping".... and that speaks volumes about the swing of attitude in our society as a whole.
It's also really "easy" to not tip. We've all experienced the "I'll tip you on the App" comment when in reality less than half of those that say it really do follow through. Why waste your breath!!! LOL. But it demonstrates several things, not the least of which is Uber's failure to make the tipping function abundantly clear and difficult to avoid. Let's be honest, we can't "not rate" a passenger - the app won't allow it. But it DOES allow the passengers to not rate us ... just close the app and it will time out eventually and work fine the next time you turn it on.
It is shocking how many folks go to family style restaurants and leave little or no tips. Just speak to a few waiters and you'll find out how crazy bad people can be. And there's a LOT of folks that only care about themselves. They expect 5 star service for a 1 star tip and quite frankliy don't "care" about how well you are or are not doing... just get them to their destination and see ya later!!!
I would check with State Farm. I can tell you that with regular Ridehshare coverage, your State Farm deductible would be your responsbility, NOT the James River deductible, but not all insurance companies handle it in this manner.
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.
Just an fyi, this app is not widely available as yet - Uber is probably limited by bandwidth as to how much they can handle at once. i'm an IOS customer, and it seems that most Apple folks have not yet received the update, inlcuding myself.
There's always an uproar when anything changes - I think it's human nature. Chances are that everything we need and want to view is actually there, we just haven't learned the new app well enough to know where to touch to find the results.
From what I'm hearing, the new app has some decent additional features which given time will probably prove to be very helpful.
There's also a new surge program rolling out in some markets which IMO will be much more controversial - in that surge rates for the drivers will disappear and become dollar amounts. On short rides that will be awesome, on longer rides not so much, BUT, the good news is that if you're in a surge area and receive a ping outside the area, you will STILL RECEIVE the surge token amount. That to me will be a huge benefit for we've all encountered the frustration of sitting in the middle of a huge surge only to receive requests outside the surge area. Finally this annoying problem is being addressed, BUT, I suspect that on longer rides the new surge system will definitely not benefit the drivers. That's yet to be seen...
That would be news to me if that is true. I was taught that it is the "prevailing rate" at the time of the actual ride request. Can someone clarify? That would be a HUGE benefit to riders to compell them to use the app in advance for special events where surging is likely, but it would also be a deterrent to the drivers to accept those scheduled rides if they're aware of what the market conditions will most likely be at the time of the request, such as after ballgames and concerts etc...
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.
Neither have I, but I do know several individuals that do. However they work 12 hour days (actually mostly nights) and they focus in the busiest areas, sporting events etc..
I'm just not willing to fight the crowds and traffic but tend to stay in the outlying areas and stay plenty busy, but I do miss out on the surges than happen.
Cleveland/Akron, OH market here.