What's your Uber experience?

Just returned from the US and used UBER in LA. Very impressed, great service and price. I offered a tip on the first trip and the driver seemed a bit shocked so from then on, no tip and no problem.
 
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Although bad publicity there is no 100% sure way of removing this risk when it is one to one transport. Be it a taxi, uber X, uber black, chauffeured limousines, VHA hire cars. It doesn't matter how many background checks you do.
 
ozmouse said:
just returned from istanbul where we had the occasion to use uber 3 times...
From all reports taxi services in istanbul as shocking. when we wanted to return from mosque we went to same drop off point and taxi were quoting us 50tlr and no one would use meter. initial uber fare was 22, dropped to 16. another incident near taksim sq, taxi quote 50tlr no meter. we took train, and walked 15 min total. 2 adults 5tlr
.
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I only used 2 taxis in Istanbul and both used the meter, didn't try to cheat me and went straight to my destination. Airport to Conrad Istanbul (Bosporus) and VV. 70TL I really hated istanbul though...
 
Excellent experiences over the last few days in bkk, pick ups from tourist areas where taxis refusing meters not a problem. Pick ups from foreign mobile numbers no problem (drivers just turned up usually to be flagged down), very good value for money and good condition of cars. Fixed rates to airports also.
 
travelislife said:
Although bad publicity there is no 100% sure way of removing this risk when it is one to one transport. Be it a taxi, uber X, uber black, chauffeured limousines, VHA hire cars. It doesn't matter how many background checks you do.
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Absolutely correct. Although, at least there's a reasonable degree of traceability with uber to identify culprits ( arguably better than the traceability of taxi drivers, although recognise both can be subject to dishonesty and deliberate deception), that may act as a disincentive to potential perpetrators.
 
There's one group who have had a disastrous Uber experience - and I'm not just referring to the taxi industry.

It is regulators in most Australian states (and I assume the two mainland territories.) The community may not sometimes understand that through taxi licensing, governments have a financial stake in the taxi industry, so what I gather has been a big (and long overdue) drop in the value of taxi licences has hit State governments' back pockets.

The heavy handed court action that is underway in Victoria (and numerous fines incurred by Uber drivers) do nothing to ensure that the taxi industry is reformed so that it can compete on quality rather than its historic tricks of 'capturing' regulators so that high entry prices and licence plate values were maintained.

Professor Fels did a great job with his report (delivered to the previous Vic govt) but the regulators around Australia don't seem to understand that the community votes with its feet. For government, money talks.

Neither do taxi licence plate investors, many of whom are crying poor.

The taxi industry mounted this fear campaign about how you and I would be unsafe in an 'unregulated' Uber taxi - but said nothing about the numerous assulats and more serious criminal acts engaged in by a minority of taxi drivers in recent years. Look up 'The Herald Sun' in Melbourne or in Sydney the 'Tele' for some details. travelislife and dajop are 100 per cent correct in their above comments.

Good on all the AFFers who are supporting Uber and UberX (subject to this entity continuing to provide quality service that is value for money of course.)
 
Melburnian1 said:
It is regulators in most Australian states (and I assume the two mainland territories.) The community may not sometimes understand that through taxi licensing, governments have a financial stake in the taxi industry, so what I gather has been a big (and long overdue) drop in the value of taxi licences has hit State governments' back pockets.
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It's probably the regulators and state licencing that need to be trimmed. The cost of cars is similar, the cost of fuel is similar, the return that a driver epxects is similar for their time. That leaves booking efficiency and licensing to take the cut.

Contrary to what Uber say about "cutting out the middle man" Uber are just creating themselves as the new middleman. True?

Alby
 
albatross710 said:
Contrary to what Uber say about "cutting out the middle man" Uber are just creating themselves as the new middleman. True?
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Yes they are a middleman but the disrupters generally gain market share because they do the job at (considerably) less cost. They are both more effective and more efficient in my view than the service provided by the taxis.
 
I UberX'ed four times in inner west Sydney last weekend. All short trips and good value for money. Got advised of surge pricing and accepted it on one of the 4.

My 3rd trip was the first time I felt like I was in a cab, drove at unnecessary speed, didn't listen to instructions, no conversation, windows open in winter (sound familiar). My GF was not impressed as she is very new to Uber. 45 trips to date and only one not so good one.
 
I'm attending a Customer centric IT conference this wk in Melbourne, solutions and services for the 'New Customer'.
My son manages one application within our portfolio, he made a comment yesterday got everyones attention...taxi's are for chumps, Uber or walk/bus/train. Seeing how most of the IT professionals here are 40+, same demographics of the punters, the viewpoint of a 22yo uni grad shows them how the other half lives and thinks. They latch on to disruption quickly and want to actively participate in the changing of the old world guard.

Cheers
BF
 
=> penegal / Tommy / cove - 'Bless me father for I have sinned!' - am currently stumped up in the burbs of Houston where taxis are an absolute luxury - so to enable mobility I have been forced to cross over to the dark side and ride Uber!

So my niece activated an Uber account which apparently I have had for years but never used - first Uber booking is to collect us at her house in downtown Houston and deliver us to closest Costco store - we pile in back seat and first thing driver offers is bottles of water strategically placed in drink holders in rear doors:

image.jpeg

Then I noticed the 'Tip Jar' again strategically placed in seat back pocket:

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A closer look revealed a $1 note stuck in place with sticky tape to replicate a 'previous tip':

image.jpeg

Dude driving I kid you not looked 80+ - interesting experience to say the least!
 
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UberPool may be trialling in Sydney soon which is a brilliant idea, being only 5kms from the CBD I would probably be tempted to use it every day over PT to the office
 
Hi CE
So after all that
1. Was the car clean and free of odour?
2. Was the driver courteous and drove in a safe manner?
3. Did he know where to go and drove you there in a direct and timely manner?
If yes, yes, yes....... it was a successful "cross to the dark side" :)
 
Cruiser Elite said:
=> penegal / Tommy / cove - 'Bless me father for I have sinned!' - am currently stumped up in the burbs of Houston where taxis are an absolute luxury - so to enable mobility I have been forced to cross over to the dark side and ride Uber!
Click to expand...

I applaud your sense of adventure and willingness to try the unknown.

However I think the canvassing for tips from an uber driver (even in the USA, where I think people should tip) is very poor. I would have reported it.
 

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