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Ex taxi driver's assessment of Uber

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uber abuse
2K views 23 replies 14 participants last post by  Peanut hello 
#1 ·
I drove cab for 3 years in CC, I enjoyed it and first, but quickly grew tired of it. The constant traffic, tickets, PPA issues, rude customers, drunk customers, all wore on me. Not a day would go by without me questioning myself and my poor decisions in life, that let up to me becoming a cab driver. I recently decided to go back to school to finish my degree. As you probably know, with a taxi lease you pay that amount weekly regardless of whether you take days off or not. Because medallion owners can always find someone who will. This forced me to leave taxi has i require 2-3 off for school, and i wasn't upset about it. I figure i would focus on my studies and drive for uber. Heres what i learned.

So far i have driven for a week, mornings in cnj and evenings in philly. And have concluded that uber is nothing more than exploitation. Every time i dropped off someone i would check my earnings and everytime i would feel like a used prostitute. The normal rates are horrible, they are well under 50% less than what taxi rates are. With taxi, cc to ap is a flat $29 plus tip. With taxi i would say 95% customers tip, it seems the exact opposite with uber. I dropped a guy to the airport, a big shot executive type, for a mesley 12 bucks, no tip. I drove friday and saturday night in philly and got maybe one surge for 1.5x. I left before 2. I drove someone today 22 miles for $20! what a joke.
 
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#2 ·
I drove cab for 3 years in CC, I enjoyed it and first, but quickly grew tired of it. The constant traffic, tickets, PPA issues, rude customers, drunk customers, all wore on me. Not a day would go by without me questioning myself and my poor decisions in life, that let up to me becoming a cab driver. I recently decided to go back to school to finish my degree. As you probably know, with a taxi lease you pay that amount weekly regardless of whether you take days off or not. Because medallion owners can always find someone who will. This forced me to leave taxi has i require 2-3 off for school, and i wasn't upset about it. I figure i would focus on my studies and drive for uber. Heres what i learned.

So far i have driven for a week, mornings in cnj and evenings in philly. And have concluded that uber is nothing more than exploitation. Every time i dropped off someone i would check my earnings and everytime i would feel like a used prostitute. The normal rates are horrible, they are well under 50% less than what taxi rates are. With taxi, cc to ap is a flat $29 plus tip. With taxi i would say 95% customers tip, it seems the exact opposite with uber. I dropped a guy to the airport, a big shot executive type, for a mesley 12 bucks, no tip. I drove friday and saturday night in philly and got maybe one surge for 1.5x. I left before 2. I drove someone today 22 miles for $20! what a joke.
You feel like a used prostitute.... dont insult the prostitutes they have much higher standards and Rates.
 
#5 ·
So in other words, you didn't do any research or fact finding to find out exactly what you were getting into. Not to berate you, but I spent at least 2 weeks doing as much research as possible, between Ubers web site, the video's and then getting the real story from forums like this about what its like in the real world. I am sorry to say that much of what I read here is correct as you are learning. But I am a little more fortunate as I dont drive full time and just drive for extra income, so I am not as dependent. But the key thing was I knew exactly what I was getting into before I jumped in. And it has worked out for me so far (fingers crossed). I just hope you can get it to work for yo as well.
 
#7 ·
Anyone who drives for these pathetic non surge rates obviously can't do basic math to figure out it's costing you money to drive. I guess they're doing it for fun. Stay offline and wait for it to surge. You can see surges without being online now. While you wait, go on the passenger app to help create the surge. It's really not rocket science. Places all over that have uber do it but for some reason Philly drivers can't figure it out. As long as there are morons are doing rides for shitty rates, uber will not raise them. They'll keep lowering the rates as long as drivers keep accepting the ping. On ubers end, as a business, it's smart. They're like any other business, in it t make as much money as possible. The drivers are allowing them to do it so thank the driver that will drive 2 miles in center city for 30 minutes and be okay with the $5.25 fare. The same drivers that are picking up uberPools. Uber is simply exploiting the morons that can't do the math
 
#12 ·
They would rather have $9/hr then wait 20 minutes for 15 dollars. Ping some Ubers, look at the drivers, tell me if those people can get other jobs.

A 2x surge isn't just twice as profitable, it's actually probably around 2.3x as profitable, because you have to take into consideration getting to another passenger. Oh well, got mine in the rain today.
 
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