[X & Select]

Hello all,

I've completed about 2,400 trips at this point but start the meter once the pax is in the car. Am I able to start the meter once I arrive to his/her destination? What if I start the meter and the pax does not show up? Do I cancel at that point? Thank for the feedback.

 

[LEAFdriver]

The answer to your question: "Am I ABLE to start the meter" is YES.

The next question: "What if pax does not show up?" CANCEL (Since you have not moved....it will still give you this option)

 

[X & Select]

The answer to your question: "Am I ABLE to start the meter" is YES.

The next question: "What if pax does not show up?" CANCEL (Since you have not moved....it will still give you this option)

I have done this a few times but then get a message saying "trip is too short to complete" ? What reason would you choose then?

 

[Go4]

If we start the trip when we arrive and the pax takes 5 mins to get in we've made $1.20 for the 5 mins (5*.24=1.2). So for $1.20 we would be giving the pax the ability to rate us when we cancel (because they are a minor, too drunk, too many, wants to smoke in car etc.)

Plus if they don't show up, how could we justified cancelling as "pax no show" getting the cancellation fee, when you've already said you started the trip?

I would much rather pay $1.20 to keep pax from giving me a low rating because they messed up and possibly collect the no show cancellation fee.

To answer your question, Yes, you can start trip on arrival. The real question, would that be smart, No.

 

[steveK2016]

After 2,400, you should be fully away of the risk you are taking by starting the trip before you're able to assess the pax and determine whether or not you want to take them.

 

[PTUber]

A nice feature on Lyft is the clock starts as soon as you confirm you have arrived. SO either way you get paid for the wait time. Rumor has it Uber is working on a similar set up where the clock will start 2 minutes after you have arrived.

 

[rickasmith98]

If we start the trip when we arrive and the pax takes 5 mins to get in we've made $1.20 for the 5 mins (5*.24=1.2). So for $1.20 we would be giving the pax the ability to rate us when we cancel (because they are a minor, too drunk, too many, wants to smoke in car etc.)

Plus if they don't show up, how could we justified cancelling as "pax no show" getting the cancellation fee, when you've already said you started the trip?

I would much rather pay $1.20 to keep pax from giving me a low rating because they messed up and possibly collect the no show cancellation fee.

To answer your question, Yes, you can start trip on arrival. The real question, would that be smart, No.

Yes, I am scared to start the trip before the passenger gets to the car, nor do I want to since that is the rules, IF the pax is new. There are a number of regular pax I have who think I should wait 10 or more minutes in their driveway. Since they are regulars however and I get a good amount of business from them, and one particular family I am thinking usually takes some pretty decent trips, so it's worth it for me to wait on them. Don't think just because you didn't start the trip you are going to avoid a bad rating. You could be deferring a bad rating. If it's a frequent Uber user, you could very well get matched with them again and trust me, if you have canceled and left them in the lurch, they will rip you a new rating should they ever get you again. If it were as simple as canceling and being pinged immediately and being right there at your next trip, then it might be worth canceling. But you've already invested the time to drive to them and another 5 minutes of waiting so if you cancel, you have to start the whole process over again. It's sort of a crap shoot. Wish Uber would charge more for waiting. In my area, it's .20 a minute.

 

[Coachman]

Just start the trip when pax gets in the car.

 

[MissLucy]

The coachman has wrung again!!!

 

[Maven]

... start the meter once the pax is in the car. Am I able to start the meter once I arrive to his/her destination? What if I start the meter and the pax does not show up? Do I cancel at that point? Thank for the feedback.

I think you are doing it correctly now and how Uber recommends. Remember how little Uber pays for waiting, varies by location, between 6 and 15 cents per minute. The few extra pennies you may make by starting upon arrival are not worth the potential hassles.

 

[steveK2016]

A nice feature on Lyft is the clock starts as soon as you confirm you have arrived. SO either way you get paid for the wait time. Rumor has it Uber is working on a similar set up where the clock will start 2 minutes after you have arrived.

Its not a rumor, that happens in select market. You know what else happens in that market? No more cancel fees. No thanks. Ill take a cancel fee over $0.12 a minute for 3 minutes.... Or $1.20 GROSS for waiting 10 minutes, or $0 if you cancel?

 

[Ms Stein Fanboy]

The answer to your question: "Am I ABLE to start the meter" is YES.

The next question: "What if pax does not show up?" CANCEL (Since you have not moved....it will still give you this option)

But don't choose cancel cuz that doesn't work lately. If you ahven't moved, just slide "end trip" and cancel options appear. Choose "no show".

Yes, I am scared to start the trip before the passenger gets to the car, nor do I want to since that is the rules, IF the pax is new. There are a number of regular pax I have who think I should wait 10 or more minutes in their driveway. Since they are regulars however and I get a good amount of business from them, and one particular family I am thinking usually takes some pretty decent trips, so it's worth it for me to wait on them. Don't think just because you didn't start the trip you are going to avoid a bad rating. You could be deferring a bad rating. If it's a frequent Uber user, you could very well get matched with them again and trust me, if you have canceled and left them in the lurch, they will rip you a new rating should they ever get you again. If it were as simple as canceling and being pinged immediately and being right there at your next trip, then it might be worth canceling. But you've already invested the time to drive to them and another 5 minutes of waiting so if you cancel, you have to start the whole process over again. It's sort of a crap shoot. Wish Uber would charge more for waiting. In my area, it's .20 a minute.

Why do they even care if you start the trip early? It's bizarre what epople will care about. #ihatemyspecies

 

[iUBERdc]

Beware: I made the mistake of starting trip the moment one drunk bro got in. The next was an a hole with an open container. I cancelled trip after he gave me lip. The next minute, didn't make a penny off that trip but got a nice 1* and professionalism report. Cancelled trips after you start are able to be rated! Beware!

 

[SailingWithThe Breeze]

As a new guy, thank you for posting this. Your advice makes sense: assess your passengers, confirm their address, and let them settle in for a few seconds and then start the trip right before you roll out.

This serves two benefits:

1) Gives you the opportunity to cancel if they are a problem child that you don't want to handle.

2) If they are a normal pax, subconsciously it is a positive boost because they feel like you are taking care of them by not starting the meter early.

Semis like a win-win scenario and it only costs you 10-20 seconds. Makes sense to me. Thanks for the great advice!