Post: #76

Also keep in mind the insurance implications. Should upgrade to commercial coverage. In cities like NYC you can get weekend yellow taxi leases and make bank. Also not putting wear and tear on personal vehicle.

Post: #77

Recently took a short UberX ride for $7.00 but only Uber SUV available for the ride back was $24.00 that was approx 3.5 times cost same ride... Got me thinking if UBER SUV makes more sense - mostly groups of 3 or 4 for long airport runs.

Longer runs, longer times at 3.5 times UBER-X ... something to consider... UBER costs in our area Metro Boston are a combo of time(in traffic) and mileage... peak times traffic brutal so a nice SUV could be a sanity/life saver in traffic.

UBER Founders worth Billions now and I am a big UBER user in the city if Charlie card not convenient - so really do not have too much problem with UBER class actions forcing UBER to share more of the wealth with the drivers who create the cash flows.

Post: #78

I think the bubble will burst on uber soon as more localities regulate it. Depending on where you are it is oversaturated with drivers. Too many risks driving for the service as well as riding as a passenger.

Post: #79

(12-27-2015 01:47 AM)Deepdiver Wrote:  Longer runs, longer times at 3.5 times UBER-X ... something to consider... UBER costs in our area Metro Boston are a combo of time(in traffic) and mileage... peak times traffic brutal so a nice SUV could be a sanity/life saver in traffic.

I'm thinking about driving for Uber in the Boston area. Avoid the traffic and do weekend/late night bar shuttling. Any particular areas and times you would recommend for the best ROI?

I also would like to have a prepaid smartphone that I would use just for that work, no phone calls or texts to people other than clients. Does anyone have any recommendations for an inexpensive prepaid phone that can run the Uber/Lyft apps and have "data only" cards/plans?

Many prepaid Android phones are junk and can't run the apps properly.

Post: #80

/thread-54767...pid1432330

We were having a discussion in the above thread about Uber that we moved here.

@rockhard $28/hr is extremely good. I probably average around $21/hr. I have to drive during surge times to get that. It seems your driving in suburbs though, so I probably put less miles on the car.

Anyways, saw MikeCF tweet about declining Uber service.

https://twitter.com/Cernovich/status/793905545535070208

Anyways, let me address this.

1. Uber doesn't give out anyone's phone number. A random Uber number is generated and the call is transferred to the driver. I dont have any of the passenger numbers. Once the ride is over, you won't be able to contact anyone but Uber.

2. Uber is known to deactivate drivers for even small cancellation rates and low acceptance rates. I've managed to survive on the system around a 15% cancellation though my acceptance rate is very high. So drivers often accept trips that they don't want to make, then they just wait for the customer to cancel so it doesn't affect their rating. A lot of this has to do with Uberpool which driver's hate.

3. Speaking of Uberpool, it is usually bad for the driver depending on the situation. Uber is pushing it hard though and is subsidizing lots of rides to get people to adopt it. This is a completely separate topic but just to sum it up. A driver can make far more money on mileage then on time. Uberpool passengers also give drivers lower ratings.

4. Google maps has recently been complete crap recently and there have been a lot of navigation problems.

5. Uber's internal support system for driver's is pretty much useless. I believe it is all people from India.

Despite that, I almost laughed when you said you're going start taking cabs. Uber is still about 1/2 the cost of a cab in most major cities and the service is still better since the "turn-on" "turn-off" perk is still very attractive to people who want to make extra cash.

Tip your Uber drivers folks.

Post: #81

^^ Is there a way to tip them through the app or are you talking about outside of uber?

Post: #82

When Uber first started, they had a statement in the app that "tipping was included" this was not true and is no longer the case. But they created a precedent that you don't have to tip.

There is no way to tip inside the app. I dont actually care either way whether people tip. However, it seems like people still have no problem tipping cab drivers all the time. So I just hope people are being consistent, since its the same thing.

Post: #83

(11-03-2016 07:01 PM)godzilla Wrote:  When Uber first started, they had a statement in the app that "tipping was included" this was not true and is no longer the case. But they created a precedent that you don't have to tip.

There is no way to tip inside the app. I dont actually care either way whether people tip. However, it seems like people still have no problem tipping cab drivers all the time. So I just hope people are being consistent, since its the same thing.

As a rider, I always tip. Just a buck unless it's a really long ride but since I drive I have sympathy.

Post: #84

One thing on uber / lyft differences: I've been getting a lot more dickish behavior from Lyft riders. I get way more cancellations, and get lower rankings. Seems like Lyft riders are more nit-picky. I don't know why, I'm not paying attention to which I'm driving. Maybe it's just coincidence that I drive lyft on days when I'm more tired or less talkative?

Also, I drive a plus qualified vehicle and for whatever reason, I get a lot more mistaken plus orders, which sometimes pisses off the passenger when their fare is double what it should be. There's nothing I can do about it. Now I make a point of paying attention to whether someone ordered the wrong ride and at least point it out so they can cancel if they want.

Lately Uber offers better incentives too. I was able to get an extra $50 last weekend from meeting a ride quota, that came out to an extra $3/hour.

Post: #85

Bump.

I haven't driven since I'd posted the info previously in the thread (over 2 years). I was on the front end of uber getting to my city, and I think supply exceeded demand, so it simply wasn't worth putting any time or energy into this.

Fast forward to now.

I talked to a guy who owns a successful business during the warmer summer months and drives for Uber to get out of his house (terrible marriage) and make some scratch in the off season. Anyway, this hard working dad salt of the earth business owner told me surge prices are frequent during busy times (early morning to and from airport, happy hour, weekends, events).

So I went on a little bit Friday evening before heading out, then most of the day and night on Saturday since there was a lot going on around town.

Brought in $470, which after gas and tax I figure about $235 in my pocket. Plus I didn't spend $40-80 at the bar.

I could have been smarter and worked less for more money (when there are surge rates nearby of 4x, don't accept a ride outside that area for 1.6x). My plan is to simply watch the rates, and if they spike, jump on it. Even this plan will greatly lower my bar spending and drunkenness.