What's your Uber experience?

[Daver6]

I wonder why Lyft hasn't entered the Australian market yet?

 

[TheRealTMA]

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!

Unfortunately that's the way "digital disruption" companies work. Screw everyone, pay no tax, then hike prices. Consider that Booking.com, Expedia, Rentalcars and all the "digital disruption" agencies are based on creaming 20-35% off the top from the customer. Just like Compare The Market and iSelect who have actually forced car insurance and health insurance companies to overall increase their prices to to pay for them.

Oh and the other great thing about companies like Uber is that there's no organisation, no contracts and they can fire you at their whim and destroy your livelihood.

But I still use them especially since the Taxi council in QLD is raising a levy to fund One Nation at next election.

 

[coriander]

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.

 

[Justinf]

I had an Uber driver in Seattle who had her dog with her on her lap. It was a poodle type dog and it was seriously unsafe.

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

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.

 

[Skyring]

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.

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.

Suggest for someone like her, a few comments on improvement, and don't rate her at all.

 

[Skyring]

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.

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.

I get about the same pay per hour, but I very much prefer driving for Uber.

Then again, I'm retired and enjoy the work. For someone trying to pay a mortgage and raise a family, their margins would be razor-thin and maybe they should consider another line of work.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Firstly I must apologise for misleading this thread yesterday when I posted that Uber drivers have to stump up 20% of their gross to Uber - indeed the Uber driver I had on way into the Royce last night tells me it is 25%. Goddam - Uber don't even say 'Stick 'em up!' So is it 25% across all drivers or do those who jumped in earlier pay 20%

Oh and my female driver last night had a 'Disabled' sticker on her car - that was a first. Her name was Joyce - Joyce took me to the Royce - her driving was noice. (Apologies for that but I was sitting next to Hvr last night)

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Now finally Uber commence in Cairns 1st March,

Just did my first Uber in CNS. Doubletree to CNS dom. Fare ... $10.85!
A taxi is about $20.

The driver was a young bloke who drove impeccably and was excellent company and his car was a very late model Honda Civic which was immaculately clean. The CNS, taxi fleet on the other hand, is mostly described as beat up and poor. Loved stepping out at the airport and walking away without the CC saga so often the case with cabs.

Only downside was the 10min expected wait turned out to be 20min but some of that was the Uber app showing me on the esplanade rather than at the porte cochere. New service that.'ll halve my transfer costs in CNS, so I guess some latitude can be given.

I'm becoming more and more an Uber fan!

 

[wazzwallaby]

Have used Uber extensively around inner-east, -west n Sydney cbd. once or twice found the fare about even with taxis, but mostly cheaper. What I hadn't thought about initially, but have begun to reflect on over more trips, is that comfort of ride can with vehicle. I noticed that with mid-size Mitsubishi SUVs you seem to sit right over the rear axle, and to me it felt like i was registering every bump in an amplified manner. Same with a Peugeot 308 wagon...rough ride!! I replicated one of the trips in a leather upholstered Camry taxi, smooth as! Something to think about, particularly as Sydney roads not really in a good state of repair around the inner 'burbs.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

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

 

[Cynicor]

I'm not sure Uber drivers get the destination originally. Something like the GC from BNE might actually be a bit far for many of them. Skyring will know.

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

 

[TheRealTMA]

Put in a complaint to Uber. They don't want/like drivers like that.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

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?

 

[TheRealTMA]

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. After all they are not driving taxis now are they.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

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.

Oh yes, thAt did frustrate me for 30 seconds or so, but my option was the train and associated track work delays so it wasn't a big issue, but not one I wanted. All the guy had to say was "sorry too far for me".

 

[OzEire]

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.

 

[moa999]

Correct Uber users virtual numbers.

I don't know why they don't build messaging into the app though - would be much better when travelling

 

[TheRealTMA]

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.

No? I've phoned the number provided when the uber app has stuffed up the location and spoken to the driver.

 

[Deleted member]

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?

If he doesn't want to take a long fare, he has the option of setting a "filter" to only pick up jobs on his way home. It ain't rocket science !!