What's your Uber experience?

[Deleted member 29185]

Neither does Google Maps on which the Uber nav is based

No but google maps is not yet driving the car!

 

[Strategic Aviation]

Do You Plan On Tipping Through Uber's App - One Mile at a Time

Fortunately Uber has published a handy page about this for their drivers, which gives us some good insight into what we can expect.

Here are the key points I notice:

* Drivers will have to opt-in to accepting tips
* Riders will be given the option to tip a driver after they rate them, up to 30 days after a ride
* Riders can choose to add a $1, $2, or $5 tip, or add a custom tip amount with an extra click
* Tips aren’t anonymous; drivers can see exactly which tip was left with which ride, though they won’t be able to see the rider’s name or photo after the fact
* The driver gets the entire tip, as Uber doesn’t take a cut on it
* As far as expectations go, the FAQs state that passengers aren’t required to provide a tip, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise

I have three main takeaways here.

The first is that tipping will be pretty strongly encouraged, given that it’s a one-step process. It’s not that you have to click to another page to decide how much to tip, but rather the page will automatically pop up.

Second of all, I find it a bit odd that they’re suggesting $1, $2, or $5 as the tip amount, rather than basing it on a percentage of the fare. That’s interesting in terms of creating expectations, since you’d think they’d make it 10%, 15%, or 20%, for example, rather than a flat amount that doesn’t take into account the fare.

Lastly, this should hopefully bring an end to drivers leaving bad ratings for passengers who don’t tip. You have 30 days to leave a tip, though the driver has to rate you right away, before they can accept another ride. So a driver won’t really know whether or not you’ll tip them right away, which is good for those who have been penalized.

The last point is a good development.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Another data point for me today. Uber quoting $23-$30 DT-CNS to airport. I took a taxi instead and the fare was exactly $20.

 

[travelislife]

Ouch. Offer not taken up but asked outside Mel airport how much to go to Swan Street Richmond. $85! Nope.

Who did you 'ask'? Uber is all on the app. If you spoke to someone that would have just been a hire car tout.

 

[Deleted member]

Beginning of the end. Tips are an insidious way to pay your workers less and to milk the customers a little more.

This sucks.

I do my best to reject all tips. I don't need the extra money, and if tips become expected, then sure as shoot, the rates for drivers will go down as well. Doubtless Uber will show calculations that tipping is better - after all, if it goes through the app they will have all the numbers - but it ain't.

The last thing we want is for Australia to follow the Yanks down the widening gap between rich and poor.

My understanding is that it's something the Uber drivers have been clamoring for

 

[liamsal]

Gold Coast: Caught an uber last night and the driver stopped and picked up a friend (uberPOOL doesn't exist here) - as the driver's friend was getting in he asked if I minded. Driver then went to take his friend to their destination before me - I intervened and said take me to mine thanks. Driver dropped me off and continued the trip on my account with his friend still in the car.

Rated 1 star and contacted uber, still waiting for a reply.

 

[yohy?!]

Tipping starting to sound ok - particularly that uber takes $0 cut. I'll probably use it as I get a lot of really good drivers based round my area that I'd like to support

 

[Strategic Aviation]

The way they've introduced tipping is far better than I expected, but I predict it will be enhanced by the time it reaches us.

 

[QF WP]

Gold Coast: Caught an uber last night and the driver stopped and picked up a friend (uberPOOL doesn't exist here) - as the driver's friend was getting in he asked if I minded. Driver then went to take his friend to their destination before me - I intervened and said take me to mine thanks. Driver dropped me off and continued the trip on my account with his friend still in the car.

Rated 1 star and contacted uber, still waiting for a reply.

"Well yes, I mind, it would have been nice to have been asked first by the driver". Karma :evil:

 

[Skyring]

My understanding is that it's something the Uber drivers have been clamoring for

Of course drivers want more money. But the whole theory is flawed. Tips shouldn't be expected; it's up to the employer to provide a reasonable reward for the work performed. All tipping does is reduce costs for business and increase them for the consumer.

 

[kpc]

Caught an Uber from EWR to downtown Manhattan last night at 1045pm after a 15.5 hour flight from HKG....cost USD $51 for the 4 of us, and the driver loaded and unloaded one very heavy suitcase into the trunk for us! Tipped him $7 as was happy with the service...he seemed a little surprised by the tip ....train was going to cost $12+ each

 

[Skyring]

Gold Coast: Caught an uber last night and the driver stopped and picked up a friend (uberPOOL doesn't exist here) - as the driver's friend was getting in he asked if I minded. Driver then went to take his friend to their destination before me - I intervened and said take me to mine thanks. Driver dropped me off and continued the trip on my account with his friend still in the car.

Rated 1 star and contacted uber, still waiting for a reply.

That's appalling! If I had been driving and there had been some emergency that required me to pick up a friend - taking them to hospital perhaps - I would have cancelled the trip at no charge to the passenger. 1 star rating richly deserved. Hope Uber gives you a full refund.

 

[liamsal]

That's appalling! If I had been driving and there had been some emergency that required me to pick up a friend - taking them to hospital perhaps - I would have cancelled the trip at no charge to the passenger. 1 star rating richly deserved. Hope Uber gives you a full refund.

Surprisingly I was only refunded $2.30 after they calculated the fare difference. No mention of the driver's behaviour either.

 

[Quickstatus]

Gold Coast: Caught an uber last night and the driver stopped and picked up a friend (uberPOOL doesn't exist here) - as the driver's friend was getting in he asked if I minded. Driver then went to take his friend to their destination before me - I intervened and said take me to mine thanks. Driver dropped me off and continued the trip on my account with his friend still in the car.

Rated 1 star and contacted uber, still waiting for a reply.

Does not take long for the whole ride sharing concept to be abused. Escaping errant taxi drivers by going to Uber does not always work.

Though isn't that what "ridesharing is all about" or is Uber a taxi service

 

[OzEire]

I agree with others that Uber is sliding further and further down to the cesspool that taxis have refused to lift themselves out of to try to compete with (original) Uber on service.

Dear god, please send us Lyft or another player to avoid a cosy taxi/Uber duopoly without any real competition... ie. race to the bottom. Now, where have I seen that dynamic before?

Thankfully there are exceptions, I'm still getting some really good Uber trips among the bad ones.

 

[Daver6]

Dear god, please send us Lyft or another player to avoid a cosy taxi/Uber duopoly without any real competition... ie. race to the bottom. Now, where have I seen that dynamic before?

Agree. Bit surprised Lyft hasn't set up shop here yet. Perfect time too. Uber has done all the leg work establishing the ride sharing concept and getting it legalised. Now with the bad PR Uber has, Lyft should do well.

 

[dajop]

Surprisingly I was only refunded $2.30 after they calculated the fare difference. No mention of the driver's behaviour either.

Customer service would not see an issue with the behaviour. It usually takes about 3 goes to get any understanding of issues. Just following a manual. There are plenty of other customers to take your place. (roll eyes smiley)

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Surprisingly I was only refunded $2.30 after they calculated the fare difference. No mention of the driver's behaviour either.

Maybe they believe the drivers behaviour is your job to monitor and rate accordingly, which you did with a 1 star. The driver was apparently also docked that $2.30 so perhaps between both of those "punishments" Uber reckons that will do the trick ... either modify the drivers behaviour or eventually exclude the driver from driving.

 

[Cynicor]

I'd complain again for full refund.

 

[Pushka]

Gold Coast: Caught an uber last night and the driver stopped and picked up a friend (uberPOOL doesn't exist here) - as the driver's friend was getting in he asked if I minded. Driver then went to take his friend to their destination before me - I intervened and said take me to mine thanks. Driver dropped me off and continued the trip on my account with his friend still in the car.

Rated 1 star and contacted uber, still waiting for a reply.

Wow. That is so bad on so many levels. Thinking of things like safety as a solo passenger and a 'random' gets in. Then to use your account illegally. I'd be contacting the bank for a charge back.

Who did you 'ask'? Uber is all on the app. If you spoke to someone that would have just been a hire car tout.

The guy had Uber on his small iPad so the screen was black and UBER filled the screen in white but maybe you are right. He was showing that as people walked past. He was using that illegally perhaps but a tout.