RIDEGURU
Willing to negotiate rides outside of Uber?
Posted 6 years, 4 months ago
Posted In
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Posted By
jamesmcgofun
58
Ride Apprentice
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Comments
Negotiation used to happen a lot back in the days when Uber and Lyft enforced a maximum distance/duration limit and the passenger needed a longer ride. I believe regular drivers just asked to re-request but I assume some were simply negotiated.
Long trips do happen. Like LA-Las Vegas or NYC and the Hamptons. People call UberBlack and simply come up with a separate arrangement.
I don't think there is anything illegal or shady about it either... well, maybe a little.
I remember taking Uber Black before X was a thing. Driver always would hand out his biz card. I always thought Uber would be sunk because of this. Boy was I wrong.
Problem is, why would a pax do this? It's so much easier to just push a button in the uber app. And hardly any pax are willing to pay cash, so there is no under the table tax benefit. If you charge significantly less than Uber then maybe they'd be into it, but we take 70% of the fee anyways so there is only so low you can go before it is not worth it.
So no. I don't.
Exactly, you are basically competing with uber then. Good luck with that.
Without Uber’s insurance coverage while driving, or your own additional coverage, seems there is litigation risk. Is it worth it?
Arguable. In most states liability insurance is required to be attached to your car insurance. This personal policy should apply if you are simply driving another human being.
When you are not working with Uber, you are no longer driving a rideshare, and you are not running a business. You are theoretically just driving another person as is your right. You should be covered IMO.
but if you acccept cash, aren't you running a business?
arguable. If I drove my flatmate to the airport and he hands me $10 for gas money, i am not running a business.
Yes, this! If you are giving rides for money outside of Uber you are not covered! Why risk that when you probably won't make anymore money than if you were doing it through Uber anyways.
Nope. Not worth it. If I give someone my number and tell them to call me when they need a ride, then I am stuck with them when they call. I just go through uber app, that way I can turn it off when I want.
This happens often. UberBlack drivers who are pretty much all limo/back car drivers regularly practice this.
Remember with these hired-cars, the drivers rely on having regular customers while providing superior service (and nice cars). They can't be hailed, so they get phone calls from their clients. They hand out business cards, and hope people will call for personalized service.
This just happened with me on my business trip last month. I took an UberSUV from the airport to a meeting location. The guy gave me a business card and asked me if I'd call him for the trip back. and I did. The guy showed up promptly, and everyone was happy. I paid cash, but I assume he had means of taking a credit card.