So Uber drivers are on strike in BNE and MEL today - kinda ironic isn't it? First Uber are screwing the taxi industry into oblivion now their own drivers are on strike cause they too are being screwed into oblivion!
But seriously who thinks anybody can shuffle the first 20% of their revenue off to a governing body and still make any profit? Just a fabulous business model aint it? Fabulous for Uber that is!
The way the Uber star rating works, she'd likely have preferred a punch in the face over a four star rating. Drop down to 4.6 stars, you're off the platform.Currently in Washington DC. We took our first Ubers ever to go to the Air and Space Museum at Dulles. Our driver Debbie outbound had a Corolla that looked like she had just picked the kids up from a party - untidy, rear floor in desperate need of vacuum. Slow, steady, safe, if hesitant driver: silent trip: seemed nervous, so we guessed a Uber noob.
Coming back we had Mahmoud, an Ethiopian with a brother in Melbourne (!): spotless Kia, much faster return along toll road (didn't ask for us to pay toll) but $7 cheaper than outbound. Wait times for pickup were 6 and 3 minutes respectively. Neither driver had, or offered water.
We gave 4* and 5* respectively.
This must be why my rating is 4.94. As an ex-Silver Service driver, I give my Uber passengers pretty much the same service. A smaller car (but every bit as nice as the Statesman), and I rarely open the door and tuck my passengers in.For me like I said before with Uber it's amateurs going for a drive and trying to make a few bucks.
I had a lady wearing pajamas pick me up in Canbera once. As with most things cheaper price but you have to sacrifice something. Quality or service or professionalism or knowledge. Can't have it all.
Now finally Uber commence in Cairns 1st March,
AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements
Next ride, booked an Uber from BNE dom to Gold Coast. Car accepted but after about 5min he still wasn't moving. I rang him and he supposedly couldn't speak English. I text him but the response was about 5 return messages (form messages) stating they didn't know who I was trying to contact :shock: How odd, I text the mobile number given by Uber as the drivers contact. I tried to cancel but the app seemed to be locked or playing up. I switched the phone off and on and the booking was gone so I made another one.
5 min later a car (different) turns up and despite the car smelling (cross between smelly old socks and body odour), all went well and the trip was uneventful and OK. When I looked at the "my trips" screen, it shows the original booking being cancelled by the driver, so I'm guessing he accepted the trip without first looking at the destination. It effectively meant a delay of about 15 minutes.
Cost $109
Put in a complaint to Uber. They don't want/like drivers like that.
I'm not sure I want to. If Cynicor is correct, I can't really blame the driver for not wanting to take me. He may have only been filling in a half hour or so. On the other hand, a client does want a ride to actually pick them up, so who's at fault? Me, for wanting to go so far, the driver for not wanting to go so far, or Uber for not being up front about the length of the trip?
No I mean the stuffing around and pretending no speka da Inglis etc. I've not problem in him refusing the fare but that's not the way to treat customers.
Drivers do not receive pax destination until pick-up.
Re. Text messages to "the driver" i don't think the number you see actually belongs to your driver; it is an Uber virtual number used to route calls between drivers and pax. For me it is often a landline.
I'm not sure I want to. If Cynicor is correct, I can't really blame the driver for not wanting to take me. He may have only been filling in a half hour or so. On the other hand, a client does want a ride to actually pick them up, so who's at fault? Me, for wanting to go so far, the driver for not wanting to go so far, or Uber for not being up front about the length of the trip?