What's your Uber experience?

[Sprucegoose]

I was uber Diamond pre covid, but wfh for 10 months dropped me back to no status. Im back to platinum now, but my 6 month window just reset this week so depends on work whether i get back to Diamond by Nov qualification cut off.

I dont pay extra for comfort but do get free upgrades a lot and mostly top drivers.

Do you find it more convenient and economical than running a car(s) yourself?

For me it's time saved from parking.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Have stopped using Uber if I can book a proper car, sick of the crazy drivers.

Fangio is not dead!

He's alive and well driving for Uber!

 

[Lynda2475]

From CNS I usually just do a shuttle transfer but that is because I stay in Port Douglas and its a long drive! Uber works for me in Metro areas of the capital cities, but in some regional areas often have to go back to Taxis as there aren't sufficient ride share drivers.

I've had maybe 2 bad drivers whole time I've used Uber and been cancelled on twice, and pre-Covid I was averaging 10-12 trips a week (sometimes more) across two Uber accounts - personal and Uber for Business - but personal account gets the all status credits even if on a work trip.

Do you find it more convenient and economical than running a car(s) yourself?

Definitely. I dont own a car, as i live within 8kms of the CBD with easy access to regular PT. Uber fills gap when im in a hurry or late night, and i rarely wait more than 3 mins for a pick up. Caveat is I dont have any need to go to outer burbs and dont have kids who need child seats.

A taxi or uber to office costs less than parking in cbd during business hours and i can do emails en route. An uber to or between client sites is paid for by employer. The wait for a ride share at domestic airport is generally quicker than standing in taxi line which at peak times (or when there have been flight delays) can feel longer than the flight from Melbourne plus you usually end up giving directions.

I rent out my car space to a neighbour so Im well ahead financially as cost of buying, running, parking and insuring a car (and forgoing car space rental income) is much more than i personally spend on uber each year.

 

[RooFlyer]

Cairns airport. I had a vague idea where the pick up area was - lucky, as I saw zero signs and had to ask someone ( as did the guy in front of me). Car into town . 22 mins away!!! WTF?

When he arrived, the car and driver were excellent. Dunno why a closer ride didn’t come through, but no problems with the outcome.

i got chatting with one of the CNS volunteers while I was waiting. Apparently the airport is moving the Uber pick up area and it’s been pushed back a few times, so maybe they took down the signs too soon? Also, she said that due to the bunching of flight arrivals, Uber puts on surge pricing at those times, so some people delay their ride, having a coffee for 20 mins before ordering their Uber.

 

[benjy]

Very rarely do I get a bad driver, though, back on New Year's Day, had a driver that drove through a red light, which was red as he approached the lights, on Princess Highway (Dandenong Road) in Malvern. Thankfully there were no cars coming the other way. Driver noticed half way through the intersection and was very apologetic for the rest of the trip. Provided feedback to Uber and received a massive $5 in Uber cash for the trouble.

 

[Tiki]

After coming back from Fiji, last night I tried to get an
Uber home from BNE. This usually costs $25ish. So I get to the ride sharing area and order an Uber. One by one 7 drivers accepted the booking and then cancelled. They all seem to be parked 2 km/5 minutes away so it was like they were all sitting around a cafe playing games with customers. I finally gave up and went to the taxi rank and get one right away but it was $35 with all the fees so I wasn't happy. What is up with Uber? Why do they accept bookings and cancel? If they don't want the booking just ignore the job, let someone else take it.

 

[Denali]

Had a uber Tues night in Darwin and I had to tell him to stop texting (looking for next job?) or pull over to complete his texting.

 

[Quickstatus]

stop texting (looking for next job?)

Did you give him a 1star rating?. That's is the best way to weed them out.
IIRC their star rating is the average the last 500 ratings.

Drivers don't want to get less than a 4.8 rating because then they become non preferred below 4.8 and don't get as much jobs.

Lets say in last 500 rides there is
400 rides = 5 star
100 rides = 4 star
Avg = ((400×5)+(100×4))÷500= 4.8

Now lets say you give him 1 star. So the last 500 rides become (with the oldest ride dropping off - say it was a 5 star):
399 rides = 5 star
100 rides = 4 star
1 ride = 1 star
Avg = ((399×5)+(100×4))÷500= 4.79


A few points to make in the scenario above
1)The oldest of the 500 rides drop off first and so the the most recent 1 star ride stays for 500 rides before it drops off.

2) If a 5 star drops off and is replaced with another 5 star, the rating average will remain at 4.79.

3)The only way to get back above 4.8 is to drop off a 4 star and replace with a 5 star. When that happens will depend on when a 4 star actually drops off and is replaced with a 5 star.

4)And he needs 4 rides of 5 star to replace 4 rides of 4 star to get up to 4.8. But that may take a while depending where the 4 stars are in the list of 500


The other point to make is:
If a driver with an average rating of 4.0 is likely to be deactivated. If people give 4 stars for a "normal" ride, drivers will be hovering around a 4 average. So the normal cannot be a 4 star. A Normal rating should be a 5 star.

 

[jastel]

NORMAL should be a 3

GOOD a 4

EXCELLENT a 5

BAD a 2

TERRIBLE a 1

Then a rating would be meaningful.
You dont get 100% just for turning up....
I never passed as class at school by attending, you had to earn a good mark.

Short of an assault Uber would not want to throw away customers...ie profits. This applies equally to drivers and passengers as both are ubers customers.

 

[Ade]

I have had my fair share of Uber rides canceled on me. This happens mostly when going to or leaving from an airport. In most cases, as someone observed above, the drivers are very close to the pickup location.

My theory is, say, I book an Uber from CBR airport to my house in the city. The fare for this trip will be in the $20 ballpark. The driver accepts my trip when he sees the drop off is in the city.

Now, he might accept this trip because he thinks he’ll get more rides once he is in the city. But if the trip is during peak traffic, then he chooses to cancel it because of the traffic.

Or, he chooses to cancel the trip because he gets another trip, which is far away and he can make more $.

Now, I’m not sure if the driver can still see upcoming trips when the currently accepted trip has not begun yet. But this is my theory.

Re : ratings - some drivers won’t accept your trip if the customers rating is less than 4.8. I used to book trips for a lot of my mates and some of my those trips may have ended badly for the driver and my mates. So the drivers of those trips have given me a bad rating, because the booking was made from my Uber account. I think, some drivers don’t accept my trips regardless of the distance because of my rating.

I had Uber gold status for over an year, during which not many drivers cancelled my trips. I’ve always got “comfort” rides and drivers with ratings over 4.9 or so. Can’t remember correctly though.

 

[VPS]

My uber driver that took me to emergency at the hospital at 11pm the other night wouldn't even get my bag out of the boot. You'd reckon if they are dropping you off at emergency things aren't going well and maybe they could get your bag out of the boot. He didn't get a very high rating

 

[Quickstatus]

NORMAL should be a 3

If a driver got 500 rides at 3 star because they were normal rides, the driver will be kicked off Uber.

customers rating is less than 4.8

It goes both ways

 

[Quickstatus]

some drivers won’t accept your trip

There is a catch
Apparently Uber recommends 80% acceptance rate (8 in 10 rides accepted - or 2 in 10 not accepted or cancelled). Im not sure what happens if drives fall below that.
Ive heard from Uber drivers who speculate that there is a Uber driver queue at the airport. No one is certain how the queue is generated. Possibly time waiting, type of vehicle, rating. Cancelling a ride possibly changes the drivers position in that queue

 

[Sprucegoose]

My uber driver that took me to emergency at the hospital at 11pm the other night wouldn't even get my bag out of the boot. You'd reckon if they are dropping you off at emergency things aren't going well and maybe they could get your bag out of the boot. He didn't get a very high rating

Still quicker than an ambulance at the moment sadly......

 

[VPS]

Still quicker than an ambulance at the moment sadly......

slightly OT but honestly there is no privacy when you're discussing your issues and some of the people who were coming in shouldn't have been there. One guy came in because his IBS was playing up

 

[Lynda2475]

Ive heard from Uber drivers who speculate that there is a Uber driver queue at the airport.

Well at MEL there is now a dedicated Uber pick-up area (separate from other ride shares) which works exactly like a taxi queue, you book an uber and join the queue (wasnt ever more than a handful of people whenever ive used it, certainly always lesss tahn the number of cars waiting), simply walk up to the first car (or first XL if you have a ton of luggage), show the driver the booking code, he/she punches it in to their phone and off you go. It has removed what used to often be a 15 min wait for the cars to get into the common ride share pick-up.

At other airports without uber queue, where there are multiple cars available near a rider, the one with the highest rating wil be offered the job first.

Im currenly a platinum (was diamond) so I know I also get prioririty over a lower status rider who books at the same time. Presumeably if 2 platinums book at the same time the one with the highest rating gets priority.

 

[Quickstatus]

which works exactly like a taxi queue

There is MEL but in other places Uber cars apparently wait at an offsite geofenced area. Once you are in the geofenced area you go into the queue. You are apparently not told where you are in the queue but you do know how many UberX XL are in the geofenced waiting area at any time.

 

[jastel]

If a driver got 500 rides at 3 star because they were normal rides, the driver will be kicked off Uber.


It goes both ways

Not if uber didnt insist 5 stars is NORMAL instead of 3 like the rest of the world thinks.

Say you get a good driver...you cant rate him higher than NORMAL??

To put it in hotel terms you dont book a 5 star hotel and get a Best Western type room.
If you book 5 star you want the best...not NORMAL

The whole rating thing is a scam to make drivers and customers think they have some power over the other side...the only one with power is uber.

 

[dajop]

NORMAL should be a 3

GOOD a 4

EXCELLENT a 5

BAD a 2

TERRIBLE a 1

Then a rating would be meaningful.
You dont get 100% just for turning up....
I never passed as class at school by attending, you had to earn a good mark.

Short of an assault Uber would not want to throw away customers...ie profits. This applies equally to drivers and passengers as both are ubers customers.

Unfortunately the Uber rating scheme seems to have spilled over into expectations in other areas. I had an employee who like 80% of the company received a 3 in the annual performance review and absolutely exploded. Only 15% get a 4 or 5. They way it should be. Not this 5 for turning up business

 

[N860CR]

Not if uber didnt insist 5 stars is NORMAL instead of 3 like the rest of the world thinks.

Say you get a good driver...you cant rate him higher than NORMAL??

To put it in hotel terms you dont book a 5 star hotel and get a Best Western type room.
If you book 5 star you want the best...not NORMAL

The whole rating thing is a scam to make drivers and customers think they have some power over the other side...the only one with power is uber.

This is the way of the world now. Checkout trip advisor and see how many 2 star hotels have 5 circles (or whatever they are). The dumbing down of our society