What's your Uber experience?

[leadman]

This is the ad at LAX i referred to in a previous post. I'm just in transit now and went for a quick walk. Its just near where all the taxis park and the Uber drivers are down the road.

 

[Ausbt]

Who has the biggest collection of Forex cancellation credits on their account? I can't claim much, but this is me:

GBP 5.00
IDR 10,000

 

[Bolthead]

Without sounding rude or ignorant what does this have to do with Uber?

Who has the biggest collection of Forex cancellation credits on their account? I can't claim much, but this is me:

GBP 5.00
IDR 10,000

 

[Deleted member]

If you move, you need to change the location on your app so that the driver knows where you are. or you can txt him / her and let them know

Recently back from London and used Uber a few times (although for airport shuttles booked Addison Lee as needed their 'cycle cab' for my bike, good service). One thing I noticed was that if I started the Uber app while sitting in a pub and then walked a block to the main road to initiate the booking, they Uber would turn up at the pub. This happened a number of times and had me wondering if the geolocater simply tags where you were when opening the app. Copped the 'stop short and cancel' routine as well. Rode far more buses than Ubers and as usual, excellent service from the big red Routemasters.

 

[Ausbt]

Without sounding rude or ignorant what does this have to do with Uber?

If I open my Uber app and choose 'Payment' I see the aforementioned foreign currency credits sitting in my account. I can use the GBP in a country were GBP is accepted. I can use the IDR in a country where IDR is accepted. Both will credit automatically if a job is booked. Cannot be used in my domicile country, Australia. Yeah, it seems to have quite a bit to do with Uber actually.

 

[Bolthead]

If I open my Uber app and choose 'Payment' I see the aforementioned foreign currency credits sitting in my account. I can use the GBP in a country were GBP is accepted. I can use the IDR in a country where IDR is accepted. Both will credit automatically if a job is booked. Cannot be used in my domicile country, Australia. Yeah, it seems to have quite a bit to do with Uber actually.

Absolutely, now that you have explained...... luckily never had a credit from Uber overseas to worry about it. Must be a bit of a pain especially if you never go back to those countries.

 

[ChrisDPom]

On Uber in Indonesia, as an ex-pat living in Bali please don't use you International account which is linked to a cc.

We have had a couple of hacks on Uber Indonesia and had cc data stolen.

Download the local Uber app instead and pay cash.

And Ausbt, I wouldn't worry about 95 cents Oz for the Indo money at the current exchange rates

 

[blackcat20]

Really unimpressed with our experience on Friday. Requested a ride from the city to the airport which was accepted by someone who was supposedly 5 minutes away. However their location never showed in the app (message said it was updating) and it 20 or so minutes for the car to turn up. Why a driver accepts a request when they are stuck in traffic is beyond me. The driver also called to ask me to come around the corner to where they were sitting in traffic; I refused as I was not going to pay to sit in traffic. We waited exactly where we said we'd be, were polte and friendly (and far more patient than we should have been), and yet my rating dropped by a full 0.1 after the ride. I've learned to rate my drivers after they rate me and this one got a very low score.

 

[moa999]

The driver also called to ask me to come around the corner to where they were sitting in traffic

So obviously there was traffic around, hence the delay in picking you up.

 

[moa999]

had a couple of hacks on Uber Indonesia and had cc data stolen.

How can you be certain it was Uber. With everything processed centrally of view Uber as very low risk

 

[blackcat20]

So obviously there was traffic around, hence the delay in picking you up.

Obviously, but its rather stupid to accept a ride request when youre stuck in grid lock. All that does is inconvenience the passenger (particularly one like myself who is trying to get to the airport). And why should I go and sit in their car in traffic and pay for the privledge?

 

[OzEire]

rather stupid to accept a ride request when youre stuck in grid lock.

I didn't think drivers could see much about a job before they accept it, and that Uber penalises drivers for ignoring requests near them or too often.

That said, the quality of Uber service has dropped substantially since it launched. Rider ratings seem to have clouded some drivers perspective and they forget they are being paid for a service.

 

[blackcat20]

I didn't think drivers could see much about a job before they accept it, and that Uber penalises drivers for ignoring requests near them or too often.

That said, the quality of Uber service has dropped substantially since it launched. Rider ratings seem to have clouded some drivers perspective and they forget they are being paid for a service.

Regardless, to accept one while stuck in that sort of traffic (Collins street in the city) is not on. It just inconveniences the rider.

Agree on the quality dropping, I've not been impressed with most of my recent rides. The poor ratings from drivers for no reason is ridiculous as well. My rating went up quite nicely in the US and Friday nights ride bumped me back down well below where I was before for no apparent reason.

 

[dajop]

Just an update from a small red dot (aka Singapore). It seems that uber is slowly being left behind by more customer focused, SE Asian owned competition here in the form of Grab. Last few times I have tried to take uber or Grab from airport, uber has been 13+ mins, Grab has been 5 mins. Even now I can see 10 Grab cars within about 500m of my office. Uber has about 8 cars - within 2-3 km of the office. Grab has also been very aggressive in their marketing, most weeks you have a $4 -$5 off promo, Uber only occassionally matches with $3 off.

A few of the initiatives that I like:
- Grab have introduced "Just Grab" - which allocates a taxi or regular car like UberX. I've noticed outside peak hours, when taxis are sitting around doing not much, I will often be allocated a taxi (fare is usually similar to, perhaps slightly less than, hailing a taxi from street, although cheaper than booking - as you avoid the taxi booking fee).
- Grab have their own rewards system (better value than the uber's spg linkage) which equates to 2% of fare (if you pay with credit card or cash) or 4% (if you pay with "GrabPay" - you load on using credit card or Singapore's equivalent of BPAY). Rewards increase as you move from up the tiers (PS, NB, WP )
- They have introduced "Grab Now" for paying for regular taxis you hail from the street - using the app (via linked credit card/GrabPay) by pairing driver/passengers apps - which credits the fare to the drivers bank account within 10 minutes, drivers like this.
- Various innovations with size of vehicles, car seats etc.

I suspect uber will slowly die a death here. They just seem to be too far removed from both customer and driver base. I guess they're biding time for driverless vehicles.

 

[Lemon_Party]

I've definitely noticed a drop in size/age of vehicles. Mitsubishi colt came to pick 4 of us up at the weekend.

 

[Bolthead]

Really unimpressed with our experience on Friday. Requested a ride from the city to the airport which was accepted by someone who was supposedly 5 minutes away. However their location never showed in the app (message said it was updating) and it 20 or so minutes for the car to turn up. Why a driver accepts a request when they are stuck in traffic is beyond me. The driver also called to ask me to come around the corner to where they were sitting in traffic; I refused as I was not going to pay to sit in traffic. We waited exactly where we said we'd be, were polte and friendly (and far more patient than we should have been), and yet my rating dropped by a full 0.1 after the ride. I've learned to rate my drivers after they rate me and this one got a very low score.

I am not about to defend the driver however, the system is such that if the driver does not accept jobs he/she will be kicked off the platform for a time penalty. (normally 2 minutes) Most drivers will accept the job first because firstly they have no idea where you are or where you are going. An experienced driver will either call you and explain his situation if caught in traffic or just cancel the job so he doesn't inconvenience you. In times of really heavy traffic I would turn off the app so I don't get jobs however I only learnt this because as a new driver you are not taught this. Some may see this as common sense but I see this as poor training on Ubers part. My rating went as low as 4.82 until such a time that I learnt from my mistakes and now (16 months latter) it sits at 4.94. As for you not going to the driver at his request, you are not clear, however, were you sitting in an area where it was legal for him to pull over and pick you up. Perhaps he thought you where in a difficult spot to pickup from. (speculation on my part) In many cities this is the biggest reason many drivers will (including myself) turn off the app in the city. (after I drop somebody off) MOST pax don't have any consideration for where they are being picked up from.

So obviously there was traffic around, hence the delay in picking you up.

My interpretation of this is anybody including taxis would have been delayed. A simple phone call by the driver would have sorted this I believe. Too many drivers don't call and too many pax don't answer because they think it is a spam call.

Obviously, but its rather stupid to accept a ride request when youre stuck in grid lock. All that does is inconvenience the passenger (particularly one like myself who is trying to get to the airport). And why should I go and sit in their car in traffic and pay for the privledge?

As previously mentioned the driver doesn't know he is going to the airport. I think (although not 100%) he may have been a new driver.

I didn't think drivers could see much about a job before they accept it, and that Uber penalises drivers for ignoring requests near them or too often.

That said, the quality of Uber service has dropped substantially since it launched. Rider ratings seem to have clouded some drivers perspective and they forget they are being paid for a service.

You are correct about the destination, drivers only find out once the pax is in the car and they start the job. (indeed the drivers only know how many minutes you are away - not even where you are until they accept the job) Yes they are being paid for a service however just remember they are not getting paid very well. That is not an excuse but with many more drivers on the road now getting persistent work is getting harder and harder. Don't get me wrong you can still earn reasonable money but it usually comes at a price. I am not sure why ratings would cloud drivers perspectives because unless you mean they only have to maintain a certain level to remain on the platform to keep them on the job. To me ratings motivate me to do better. At the end of the day the only person I am competing with is me....

 

[OzEire]

Thanks for the informative post Bolthead, it is genuinely appreciated.

I am not sure why ratings would cloud drivers perspectives

I meant pax rating. Purely based on my experiences, which includes hundreds of trips.

It seems to me that some drivers are hypercritical, marking pax down for not being super nice to the driver - sorry if I have to take/make a phone call or check-in enroute to the airport and therefore don't make small talk the entire time.

The other morning before another trip to the airport, an 8 minute away Uber arrived in 3. Despite being 5am he pulled into the driveway, flashed headlamps at the house and honked his horn, waking my young son, then rang me 10 seconds later as I went to put my child back to sleep (which I politely explained over the phone). I received a poor rating, presumably because I kept the driver waiting for under a minute.

The trip was already started when I got into the car, and as I live on a short cul-de-sac (he could see the end 20m away) the driver made no attampt to turn the vehicle to be ready for departure - ie. to make use of the 'spare' time that I was now paying for since the job had started. So the next minute was a demonstration of the worst ways to slowly and awkwardly turn a vehicle around... yep, i paid for that too.

Enroute to the airport I did check-in on my phone while my driver (who was dressed like he just rolled out of bed in a crumpled tee shirt and footy shorts) sped much of the way there. I mentioned it when he was doing 80 in a 50 zone.

I'm not precious so i only rated down for speeding, also giving feedback to Uber about the speeding. I didn't bother with the rest because Uber couldn't care, i would get a template response.

 

[blackcat20]

I am not about to defend the driver however, the system is such that if the driver does not accept jobs he/she will be kicked off the platform for a time penalty. (normally 2 minutes) Most drivers will accept the job first because firstly they have no idea where you are or where you are going. An experienced driver will either call you and explain his situation if caught in traffic or just cancel the job so he doesn't inconvenience you. In times of really heavy traffic I would turn off the app so I don't get jobs however I only learnt this because as a new driver you are not taught this. Some may see this as common sense but I see this as poor training on Ubers part. My rating went as low as 4.82 until such a time that I learnt from my mistakes and now (16 months latter) it sits at 4.94. As for you not going to the driver at his request, you are not clear, however, were you sitting in an area where it was legal for him to pull over and pick you up. Perhaps he thought you where in a difficult spot to pickup from. (speculation on my part) In many cities this is the biggest reason many drivers will (including myself) turn off the app in the city. (after I drop somebody off) MOST pax don't have any consideration for where they are being picked up from.

My interpretation of this is anybody including taxis would have been delayed. A simple phone call by the driver would have sorted this I believe. Too many drivers don't call and too many pax don't answer because they think it is a spam call.

As previously mentioned the driver doesn't know he is going to the airport. I think (although not 100%) he may have been a new driver.

Yes I know they dont know where I am or where I want to go. But dont accept a ride when you're stuck in traffic that hasnt moved for 20 minutes. Or if you realise youre not moving for ages, cancel. I called the driver to see where he was as it was taking way too long and there was no suggestion from him that he should cancel so we could get on our way faster. I also didnt want to be penalised for cancelling even though it was a massive inconvenience for me to keep waiting in the freezing cold.
In terms of pick up location, I'd suggest its pretty illegal to collect a passenger on Collins street next to the tram tracks when the car is sititng in traffic. We were waiting around the corner where it was clear and easy to be collected.

The driver had a 4.5 rating and it would have taken quite a hit once I'd rated him.

Thanks for the informative post Bolthead, it is genuinely appreciated.



I meant pax rating. Purely based on my experiences, which includes hundreds of trips.

It seems to me that some drivers are hypercritical, marking pax down for not being super nice to the driver - sorry if I have to take/make a phone call or check-in enroute to the airport and therefore don't make small talk the entire time.

The other morning before another trip to the airport, an 8 minute away Uber arrived in 3. Despite being 5am he pulled into the driveway, flashed headlamps at the house and honked his horn, waking my young son, then rang me 10 seconds later as I went to put my child back to sleep (which I politely explained over the phone). I received a poor rating, presumably because I kept the driver waiting for under a minute.

The trip was already started when I got into the car, and as I live on a short cul-de-sac (he could see the end 20m away) the driver made no attampt to turn the vehicle to be ready for departure - ie. to make use of the 'spare' time that I was now paying for since the job had started. So the next minute was a demonstration of the worst ways to slowly and awkwardly turn a vehicle around... yep, i paid for that too.

Enroute to the airport I did check-in on my phone while my driver (who was dressed like he just rolled out of bed in a crumpled tee shirt and footy shorts) sped much of the way there. I mentioned it when he was doing 80 in a 50 zone.

I'm not precious so i only rated down for speeding, also giving feedback to Uber about the speeding. I didn't bother with the rest because Uber couldn't care, i would get a template response.

I'm tired of being rated down because I dont chat to the driver. I'm always friendly and polite, I say hello, I ask how their day is. I always say thank you at the end. I'm always waiting where I say I'll be. And I've had experiences where the driver parks up the road then calls because I haven't met them, even though Im exactly where I've pinned myself. And my rating goes down.

 

[Bolthead]

I don't understand some drivers, it is so easy to go the extra yards when picking up a customer. I won't normally pull into a persons driveway because unless they are standing there with their bags the address is often wrong. (I believe in most cases this is an app issue) If somebody has suitcases I will always get out of the car except where it is dangerous for me to do so. The other week I was in Adelaide visiting my MIL and I called an Uber to the airport. He was prompt however by surprise he pulled right into the driveway. He didn't get out to help with the bags. Nice enough chap so I still gave him a 5 star rating. A good Uber driver can read customers and know when to instigate a discussion or just let them bury their heads in their phones. (which is common) Unfortunately I tend to speak too much so I try and get the pax to start the discussion and go from there.

A few months back my wife and I went to the airport via her work to pick her up on the way. The driver was local to where we live and during the conversation he let me know that he was a full time courier driver during the day. Half way to picking up the wife he took a call from his boss at the courier business (hands free). For about 20 minutes including picking up my wife we heard the whole saga of some item he dropped off apparently at the wrong address. I found this very unprofessional and in my 1600 odd rides I have never taken a phone call while a customer is in the car. His car was also dirty despite the fact it was a late model Commodore so I rated him down.

I am sure you know this however their is a lag between what the apps says where the driver is vs. where he is actually. I have many pax who thought I was still km's away.

I agree Uber doesn't really care. They will make all the right noises about women drivers, minority groups and the LGBT rights but ignore the balance of their drivers. (sorry rant)

It is rare for me to give less than 5 stars. You have to be a major tosser to even loose 1 star with me.

As for speeding I can't afford to speed. I already have 8 points on my license. LOL

Thanks for the informative post Bolthead, it is genuinely appreciated.



I meant pax rating. Purely based on my experiences, which includes hundreds of trips.

It seems to me that some drivers are hypercritical, marking pax down for not being super nice to the driver - sorry if I have to take/make a phone call or check-in enroute to the airport and therefore don't make small talk the entire time.

The other morning before another trip to the airport, an 8 minute away Uber arrived in 3. Despite being 5am he pulled into the driveway, flashed headlamps at the house and honked his horn, waking my young son, then rang me 10 seconds later as I went to put my child back to sleep (which I politely explained over the phone). I received a poor rating, presumably because I kept the driver waiting for under a minute.

The trip was already started when I got into the car, and as I live on a short cul-de-sac (he could see the end 20m away) the driver made no attampt to turn the vehicle to be ready for departure - ie. to make use of the 'spare' time that I was now paying for since the job had started. So the next minute was a demonstration of the worst ways to slowly and awkwardly turn a vehicle around... yep, i paid for that too.

Enroute to the airport I did check-in on my phone while my driver (who was dressed like he just rolled out of bed in a crumpled tee shirt and footy shorts) sped much of the way there. I mentioned it when he was doing 80 in a 50 zone.

I'm not precious so i only rated down for speeding, also giving feedback to Uber about the speeding. I didn't bother with the rest because Uber couldn't care, i would get a template response.

 

[Bolthead]

I agree and emphasise with you. He should have called you. At least you both can make a decision on whether you wait or move on to an alternative form of transport.

4.5 rating is very low and he is close to being kicked off the platform. That explains the level of service (or lack thereof)

As for parking away from you, the app is not perfect and the driver can only go where it tells him to go. This happens to me often. Last night the address I had was #20... but he walked out of #18. Not a big deal. On Saturday the address I had was #8.... , she was 200 metres up the road and across the road from where it was pinned. Last night in a dark industrial area. the address was #12.... Apparently I drove right past him, he then rang me and abruptly said I drove right past him. He was at #48... Last night again #14... however the girl was in the shopping arcade that was know where near the address and pin. Only because I was a local I figured she must have been in the shops but if there was a driver that was not local he would have been waiting at the wrong spot. As a side note I still gave all a 5 star. The system is still flawed and given time I am sure it will improve.

By the way I have found it is best to ignore the pin and go the the actual address.

Yes I know they dont know where I am or where I want to go. But dont accept a ride when you're stuck in traffic that hasnt moved for 20 minutes. Or if you realise youre not moving for ages, cancel. I called the driver to see where he was as it was taking way too long and there was no suggestion from him that he should cancel so we could get on our way faster. I also didnt want to be penalised for cancelling even though it was a massive inconvenience for me to keep waiting in the freezing cold.
In terms of pick up location, I'd suggest its pretty illegal to collect a passenger on Collins street next to the tram tracks when the car is sititng in traffic. We were waiting around the corner where it was clear and easy to be collected.

The driver had a 4.5 rating and it would have taken quite a hit once I'd rated him.



I'm tired of being rated down because I dont chat to the driver. I'm always friendly and polite, I say hello, I ask how their day is. I always say thank you at the end. I'm always waiting where I say I'll be. And I've had experiences where the driver parks up the road then calls because I haven't met them, even though Im exactly where I've pinned myself. And my rating goes down.