Rider: How do you like driving for Uber?
Driver: It's alright. Not something that I will continue for too much longer.
Rider: You must be doing pretty good being an Uber driver.
You would think that he is doing well driving a new Nissan Altima, but the driver obviously got the car through other means before Uber as they have only been in operation in Orlando since the beginning of June 2014.
Driver: The fares are discounted too much to be profitable for a driver in Orlando.
Rider: Maybe Uber is not for you.
Driver: Uber takes 20% of the fares that are already discounted 50 to 80 percent from what the local cabs charge. Nobody in Orlando is making $60k a year driving for Uber with the fares charged. They continue to allow more drivers to the point where there are more drivers than the demand. Whatever they are doing to market Uber, it is not enough.
Rider: Is driving home drunks the most annoying part of being an Uber driver?
Driver: No. It is the riders that you drive further to pick them up than the actual ride that you are taking them on. Those rides are typically under $7 when it took me about 15 minutes just to come to them. Then they say how much they love Uber. They will go on and on about how much they love Uber, but they don't tip.
Driver: Truthfully, I don't care how much they love Uber. That doesn't help my wallet when I spent my gas to drive 10 miles to pick you up to take you a mile and a half. Then they assume that I am making big money. I don't think they understand how many $5 rides like theirs I have to take to be able to make $1000 in a week. Not to say that all rides are only $5, but there are not enough to make it worthwhile especially when I have to take care of my car and clean the inside a couple of times a week.
Rider: Do you have regular riders that you like?
Driver: Yes, there are a couple of different people that whenever I take them somewhere, they will tip me not matter how long or short the ride is. Their fares are typically more than $15 also. I wish all riders where just like them.
Rider: Do they tip you in cash?
Driver: Yes. Uber refuses to make it possible for a rider to pay a tip through their app even though they wish to make it a cashless transaction.
The fact is Uber is drawn up to be a technology company. The company has no phone number for riders or drivers to call as everything is handled through email. The driver explained to me that many of their email blasts have parts that just don't make sense to the point they sound like they are written by a little tech nerd that has no formal writing experience.
Rider: What is the most annoying part about dealing with Uber?
Driver: Their communication is horrible. If you send them an email, unless it is about toll reimbursement, it doesn't get a response. I have been short changed a number of different ways with regards to guarantees and getting paid for referring new riders.
Rider: How does that work?
Driver: When someone downloads the app, they can enter a promo code immediately. If they enter mine, they get a $20 credit and Uber is to pay me $5. The problem is they don't pay the $5. I have had a 2nd rider in my car download the app for the first time, enter my code and I immediately gave a ride to them after I dropped off the 1st rider.
Rider: So they are not paying you the $5?
Driver: No. I have to send them an email with the ride ID number and then they issue the $5. I don't think that is right that I have to send them an email for every rider that I know used my code. I will tell them that in the email and they will tell me that they won't issue the $5 referral fee until the rider has their first ride. I respond back to tell them that I gave them their first ride within minutes of them downloading the app.
This further illustrates how Uber is failing to recognize how they make money. The drivers are more important than anything else because without the drivers, there is no Uber. The software and business is devalued greatly if it is not used to it's potential.
Forbes Now: Uber Now Taking Its Biggest UberX Commission Ever -- 25 Percent. http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIw7cu20ho
Uber appears to be increasing their cut along with charging their drivers $10 a week to use a company iPhone that functions for Uber. Uber drivers are already organizing and protesting in Seattle and New York. Pretty soon there will be a huge class action lawsuit and Uber may not survive especially since the cab companies are paying attention and trying to adapt the way they handle business to be more technologically advanced than ever.
Uber makes Lyft look pretty good despite the ugly pink mustache.
Driver: It's alright. Not something that I will continue for too much longer.
Rider: You must be doing pretty good being an Uber driver.
You would think that he is doing well driving a new Nissan Altima, but the driver obviously got the car through other means before Uber as they have only been in operation in Orlando since the beginning of June 2014.
Driver: The fares are discounted too much to be profitable for a driver in Orlando.
Rider: Maybe Uber is not for you.
Driver: Uber takes 20% of the fares that are already discounted 50 to 80 percent from what the local cabs charge. Nobody in Orlando is making $60k a year driving for Uber with the fares charged. They continue to allow more drivers to the point where there are more drivers than the demand. Whatever they are doing to market Uber, it is not enough.
Rider: Is driving home drunks the most annoying part of being an Uber driver?
Driver: No. It is the riders that you drive further to pick them up than the actual ride that you are taking them on. Those rides are typically under $7 when it took me about 15 minutes just to come to them. Then they say how much they love Uber. They will go on and on about how much they love Uber, but they don't tip.
Driver: Truthfully, I don't care how much they love Uber. That doesn't help my wallet when I spent my gas to drive 10 miles to pick you up to take you a mile and a half. Then they assume that I am making big money. I don't think they understand how many $5 rides like theirs I have to take to be able to make $1000 in a week. Not to say that all rides are only $5, but there are not enough to make it worthwhile especially when I have to take care of my car and clean the inside a couple of times a week.
Rider: Do you have regular riders that you like?
Driver: Yes, there are a couple of different people that whenever I take them somewhere, they will tip me not matter how long or short the ride is. Their fares are typically more than $15 also. I wish all riders where just like them.
Rider: Do they tip you in cash?
Driver: Yes. Uber refuses to make it possible for a rider to pay a tip through their app even though they wish to make it a cashless transaction.
The fact is Uber is drawn up to be a technology company. The company has no phone number for riders or drivers to call as everything is handled through email. The driver explained to me that many of their email blasts have parts that just don't make sense to the point they sound like they are written by a little tech nerd that has no formal writing experience.
Rider: What is the most annoying part about dealing with Uber?
Driver: Their communication is horrible. If you send them an email, unless it is about toll reimbursement, it doesn't get a response. I have been short changed a number of different ways with regards to guarantees and getting paid for referring new riders.
Rider: How does that work?
Driver: When someone downloads the app, they can enter a promo code immediately. If they enter mine, they get a $20 credit and Uber is to pay me $5. The problem is they don't pay the $5. I have had a 2nd rider in my car download the app for the first time, enter my code and I immediately gave a ride to them after I dropped off the 1st rider.
Rider: So they are not paying you the $5?
Driver: No. I have to send them an email with the ride ID number and then they issue the $5. I don't think that is right that I have to send them an email for every rider that I know used my code. I will tell them that in the email and they will tell me that they won't issue the $5 referral fee until the rider has their first ride. I respond back to tell them that I gave them their first ride within minutes of them downloading the app.
This further illustrates how Uber is failing to recognize how they make money. The drivers are more important than anything else because without the drivers, there is no Uber. The software and business is devalued greatly if it is not used to it's potential.
Forbes Now: Uber Now Taking Its Biggest UberX Commission Ever -- 25 Percent. http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIw7cu20ho
Uber appears to be increasing their cut along with charging their drivers $10 a week to use a company iPhone that functions for Uber. Uber drivers are already organizing and protesting in Seattle and New York. Pretty soon there will be a huge class action lawsuit and Uber may not survive especially since the cab companies are paying attention and trying to adapt the way they handle business to be more technologically advanced than ever.
Uber makes Lyft look pretty good despite the ugly pink mustache.
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