SRF: I know I am asking the obvious, but why the heck do we as drivers absorb the SRF?
Was there ever a time that Uber paid for it?
It seems absurd to me that WE must take that hit.
Here is a 14 moths old email
Safe Rides and Commissions Update
Dear......,
As we enter spring, we'd like to update you on the state of the uberX ecosystem and tell you about a few changes we're making to ensure we keep the product strong:
- We reduced prices and Uber's fee for early 2014 and boosted demand more than we expected -- earnings are higher than the typical December peaks and drivers are busier than ever
- We are bringing back Uber's standard 20% fee starting 4/23/14 for uberX
- To ease the transition to standard commission rates, we are introducing a $1/trip incentive from today through the end of the summer. This will be paid as a miscellaneous payment at the end of every week
- We are adding a $1 Safe Rides Fee, paid for by riders. For ridesharing partners, Uber will collect the full $1 fee. Livery partners who already subsidize safety and compliance measures by being licensed will receive an additional 80 cents/trip. This has no effect on your earnings
Earnings Higher Than Ever
2014 has already been quite an exciting year for Uber and our partners. In January, to combat the usual winter slump and dip in earnings, we lowered prices and drastically reduced Uber's fee from 20% to only 5%. With lower prices, Uber saw a major boost in demand while our partners experienced a huge increase in the number of trips per hour. These new prices made the usually slow winter months super busy, and very profitable for partners, well above even the December holiday season peak!
Unfortunately, the winter fee reduction meant that Uber was losing money on every trip - credit card charges alone are 3%. So as we head into the busier spring, it is time that Uber's fee goes back to our standard 20% rate.
The good news is that partners have been doing so many trips per hour at the new prices that even after this change, partners will be making more earnings than even during the December peak. This level of earnings on uberX will continue to be the highest in the industry.
That being said, we recognize the fee increase is sizable. In order to ease this transition, Uber will be adding a $1 per trip to your payment statement through August 31st. For example, a driver who does 50 trips per week will make an additional $50 in trip incentive for that week. The effective minimum fare during this period will be $4
Introducing a Safe Rides Fee on uberX
Starting today, we'll showcase our continued commitment to safety with a dedicated $1 Safe Rides Fee, paid for by riders. For complete pricing transparency, riders will see this as a separate line item on every receipt.
This Safe Ride Fee supports our continued efforts to ensure the safest possible platform for Uber riders and drivers, including:
●Background Checks: The strictest process in the industry, including county, federal, and multi-state criminal checks
●Ongoing Safety Monitoring: Regular motor vehicle record checks.
●Education: Driver safety education for all Uber partner drivers.
●Insurance: Commercial insurance for ridesharing
●Safety Features: Constant development of new safety features for the Uber app.
For now, the Safe Ride Fee will be included in the fare displayed at the end of a trip, but will not appear on the weekly payment statement. A sample trip fare calculation as of April 23rd is below.
Thank You
We want to thank you for your continued partnership. We will be working every day to grow demand, increase your earnings, and ensure uberX remains the best and safest driving platform. We're always open to feedback from our partners; please let us know if you have any questions.
Uber On
