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Advice Please - Text to PAX

1086 Views 16 Replies 12 Participants Last post by  ReviTULize
I was winding down on Tuesday evening and got hit with a 60-mile ride request. Worked it out but would have preferred to have just avoided it.

There are times when I dont want long rides. Would I get in trouble with Uber if I sent text to Pax as soon as I receive request that says something like "Hi, this is Mike, your Uber driver. If your trip is LONGER than 15 miles, please cancel and request another Uber. Thank you!".

Its my understanding that I can cancel once I meet passenger and learn destination is not to my liking (too far in this case). Seems better for everyone to resolve quickly rather than wait til Face to Face.

If email is bad idea, what about calling pax?

Just looking for suggestions on managing the Uber process. At these low rates, drivers have to be able to operate within some driver-defined parameters.
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Call them, it's faster.
And after you cancel, and the pax asks the next driver, "How do I file a complaint about the previous driver who canceled on me?"

A 1* rating is nothing. An actual email to Uberlyft about driver misconduct is another matter altogether.

#devilsadvocate
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So then its OK to show up and cancel after learning destination but unacceptable to try to effectively manage the situation? Why am I not surprised...

There are all kinds of legitimate reasons why someone might not be able to do a 60 mile drive when caught off guard by the request. Granted, I learned a lesson and will be better prepared next time. That's why I asked question about sending text or calling PAX.
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I was winding down on Tuesday evening and got hit with a 60-mile ride request. Worked it out but would have preferred to have just avoided it.

There are times when I dont want long rides. Would I get in trouble with Uber if I sent text to Pax as soon as I receive request that says something like "Hi, this is Mike, your Uber driver. If your trip is LONGER than 15 miles, please cancel and request another Uber. Thank you!".

Its my understanding that I can cancel once I meet passenger and learn destination is not to my liking (too far in this case). Seems better for everyone to resolve quickly rather than wait til Face to Face.

If email is bad idea, what about calling pax?

Just looking for suggestions on managing the Uber process. At these low rates, drivers have to be able to operate within some driver-defined parameters.
Right, like Uber Kraus said call - would save everyone a heartache, pax wouldn't have to wait until you drove all the way there and you wouldn't waste your time and miles only to cancel. I do it when I have a reason to be done, not all the time and don't feel a thing, but there are a lot of fools right here who will try to chastise you. Do what YOU want to do. It's your life and if the pax complain then they will complain about anything. And there is another driver on the next block. I am with you on this.
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Was the pickup/destination outside the coverage map? I thought you didn't have to serve if not within the map and not be dinged with it.
I was winding down on Tuesday evening and got hit with a 60-mile ride request. Worked it out but would have preferred to have just avoided it.

There are times when I dont want long rides. Would I get in trouble with Uber if I sent text to Pax as soon as I receive request that says something like "Hi, this is Mike, your Uber driver. If your trip is LONGER than 15 miles, please cancel and request another Uber. Thank you!".

Its my understanding that I can cancel once I meet passenger and learn destination is not to my liking (too far in this case). Seems better for everyone to resolve quickly rather than wait til Face to Face.

If email is bad idea, what about calling pax?

Just looking for suggestions on managing the Uber process. At these low rates, drivers have to be able to operate within some driver-defined parameters.
Call as text has proof you do it. I call all the time if I need to hear a response quickly. I mainly do Uber during the week when I need someone going towards my work. If they are not, I ask them to cancel and request a new driver after 15 seconds so I can turn off app.
I live in a smaller market, so if I am online, I accept rides. Otherwise, I go offline
With that said...if I did receive a ping and the destination was over 20 min away, I will only do it on surge or at XL rates.
Call the pax - tell them the system is funky and you need to verify info. Confirm pickup location - then ask for destination. Hang up the phone. If it's not to your liking- cancel!
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There is nothing wrong with being honest. Call! "You are my last ride of the day, I just wanted to double check that your trip is local...where are you headed?"

They don't want us cherry picking long trips, and there's a way to do it without looking like that is what you are doing, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with making sure it's not something you would have to decline at the end of your shift.
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If it takes you 5min to pick up PAX, then youll make about $60 ($30/h) for two hours of work. All highway miles, easy work and easy money.
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And after you cancel, and the pax asks the next driver, "How do I file a complaint about the previous driver who canceled on me?"

A 1* rating is nothing. An actual email to Uberlyft about driver misconduct is another matter altogether.

#devilsadvocate
Are you saying that taking a 1* would be better than cancelling after asking the passenger, by text or call, for the destination ? The way that you would be getting a 1* seems to be because you would get to the pickup point, Start trip, see the destination on your phone and then decide you are not doing the long ride. But at that point the driver can't "cancel" the trip anymore. He has to "End trip". Which, yes, would probably land him a 1*. Is that the way you suggest to handle the type of situation that the OP is referring to ?
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I live in a smaller market, so if I am online, I accept rides. Otherwise, I go offline
With that said...if I did receive a ping and the destination was over 20 min away, I will only do it on surge or at XL rates.
Yeah and so how would you determine that?
Yeah and so how would you determine that?
If I saw the destination was that far, I would just tell them. We're a small city, 25 min to the furthest suberb corner
If I saw the destination was that far, I would just tell them. We're a small city, 25 min to the furthest suberb corner
So how would you see the destination? Are you saying you would pick them up - start the ride and then drop the bomb?
call. Yesterday I told the pax I’m stuck in traffic so it’s better if you cancel.
So how would you see the destination? Are you saying you would pick them up - start the ride and then drop the bomb?
I would ask them before starting the ride, so they can't rate me. But typically only if I know its my last one. We don't get requests for really long runs here in Tulsa, though
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