[S_hicago]

UBER'S EMAIL WILL BE BELOW MY COMMENTS.

What do you guys think about this? My kneejerk reaction is that it is something that only works in theory. It sounds good, but...

"Please confirm your rider's destination is final" my ass. How many times does the rider think their destination is final, but the group decides to go somewhere else?

Even if you are able to make sure the destination is final... how the hell does the app know that you have 3 other stops to make dropping people off first?

What happens then? Does your acceptance go down if you ignore "second pings"? Does the tech have the ability to cancel if the rider changes their destination?

Are pax going to get upset when it takes a min for your current carload to get out? Is this going to affect your ratings or acceptance?

Does Uber realize how long it takes to get places in Chicago? Any "second ping" giving the pax less than a 10 min time estimate is just a plain lie. It will take 5 min to drop off the pax, even if there is only 2 min left on the trip. Then 5 min to get around the block to the next pax... because we all know Chicago traffic.

I imagine that (at least in Chicago), the flood of divers will prevent this from happening often. This will probably be good, for all the reasons above.

UBER'S EMAIL:

LESS DOWNTIME

An exciting update to trip requests is coming, designed to help you complete more trips and increase earnings. Starting today, you can accept your next trip request even when you're already on a trip.

How It Works

Now you'll get requests for trips that start nearby your current rider's dropoff location before the trip is over. Skip the wait and accept upcoming trips so you can go straight to your next ride.

How It Looks
While on a trip, you'll get a notification to accept your next request. After accepting, the screen will go back to the current trip to help avoid confusion. See below:

FAQs

Why the change?
This update to trip requests is expected to drastically lower ETAs for riders and partners alike. Riders will enjoy quicker pickups, increasing ratings, and partners won't have to drive as long to their pick-ups.
How do I start getting requests before my trip is over?
As long as you or the rider has entered the destination into the Uber app, we will automatically look for requests near your rider's dropoff location.
What if my current rider wants to make multiple stops?
If the rider has already entered their destination upon request, kindly confirm with them if it is their final destination. If not, you may change the destination in the Uber app to the final destination so you are less likely to receive your next request too early.
Is this uberPOOL?
No. The two riders will never be in your vehicle at the same time.
Will the next rider know that I'm on my way to them?
Yes. The next rider will see a popup in the rider app stating that the closest vehicle for them is completing another trip nearby, and we will also show the first drop-off point on the map for clarification.
Can I opt-out of receiving requests like this?
At this time we are unable to opt-out partners individually from this change.
Why can't I see the next rider's information before accepting my next trip?
You will be able to see this information after the next Uber Partner app update in the coming weeks.

As always, please let us know if you have any more questions!

Thank you for your partnership,
Uber Operations

 

[DocT]

That new feature totally sucks!

I would think non-acceptance of the 2nd ride would affect your acceptance rate. Better go invest in a pee bottle soon!

 

[JimS]

Poetic how they use a fictional location in Alaska where they were legislated out of existence. And they're running Uber with an near-empty batter? How untechnological. BTW, is this only in Chi? Any word on other cities to pick this up?

 

[sk MM]

I didn't receive any email. Is it sent to only specific drivers?

 

[S_hicago]

I hope not. I've went to great lengths to not be identified on here. I'm almost regretting posting it

Seriously considering removing the links and picture. I'd hate to be thought of as wearing a tin-foil hat... but...

 

[Edddelos]

That new feature totally sucks!

I would think non-acceptance of the 2nd ride would affect your acceptance rate. Better go invest in a pee bottle soon!

Sniff...Sniff...Sniff, hey man why your car smell like pee?

 

[JimS]

Apparently, this has been going on in San Diego for over two months. Anyone know how wells it's been working there?

 

[Edddelos]

UBER'S EMAIL:

LESS DOWNTIME

An exciting update to trip requests is coming, designed to help you complete more trips and increase earnings. Starting today, you can accept your next trip request even when you're already on a trip.

How It Works

Now you'll get requests for trips that start nearby your current rider's dropoff location before the trip is over. Skip the wait and accept upcoming trips so you can go straight to your next ride.

How It Looks
While on a trip, you'll get a notification to accept your next request. After accepting, the screen will go back to the current trip to help avoid confusion. See below:

FAQs

Why the change?
This update to trip requests is expected to drastically lower ETAs for riders and partners alike. Riders will enjoy quicker pickups, increasing ratings, and partners won't have to drive as long to their pick-ups.
How do I start getting requests before my trip is over?
As long as you or the rider has entered the destination into the Uber app, we will automatically look for requests near your rider's dropoff location.
What if my current rider wants to make multiple stops?
If the rider has already entered their destination upon request, kindly confirm with them if it is their final destination. If not, you may change the destination in the Uber app to the final destination so you are less likely to receive your next request too early.
Is this uberPOOL?
No. The two riders will never be in your vehicle at the same time.
Will the next rider know that I'm on my way to them?
Yes. The next rider will see a popup in the rider app stating that the closest vehicle for them is completing another trip nearby, and we will also show the first drop-off point on the map for clarification.
Can I opt-out of receiving requests like this?
At this time we are unable to opt-out partners individually from this change.
Why can't I see the next rider's information before accepting my next trip?
You will be able to see this information after the next Uber Partner app update in the coming weeks.

As always, please let us know if you have any more questions!

Thank you for your partnership,
Uber Operations

That's actually smart, and I'll tell you why.
Feel free to disagree.

I can't tell you how many times I recieved an offer 10 city blocks away just because I was the nearest driver (no pax), when there was most likely other drivers that were dropping a passenger 2 blocks away or perhaps down the street. This can also reduce your empty miles, but of course it all depends on your own market.

 

[S_hicago]

Oh, if it works well to lessen dead miles I'll be singing its praises.

It also has problems. There are areas where I try not to pick up. They are very popular areas, but either far too much traffic, or far too dangerous to pull over, or usually both. It's safe enough to drop off, since that takes only seconds, but not to pick up. There's no shoulder, there's no parking, it's illegal to stop (though you'd never get a ticket since it would disrupt too much traffic). There's just no way to wait 5 minutes without having your left quarter-panel removed by an angry driver, or being towed away while you are sitting in the drivers seat. Pings come every 30 seconds, but for me it's a race to the "go offline" button, since I do not feel safe picking up there.

How many pings will I have to ignore before I get the last two block to the pax's destination? One out of every 5 pax are getting dropped off there. I could be deactivated the first day next weekend.

Then again, in most of the city it would be great if I had a ping waiting for me.

Even though I'm a pessimist, and these posts have been quite pessimistic, I'll still adopt a "wait and see" attitude I guess. Like you said, there's also lots of situations where it would be great.

 

[Michael - Cleveland]

That new feature totally sucks!

I would think non-acceptance of the 2nd ride would affect your acceptance rate. Better go invest in a pee bottle soon!

Did you know that you can log-out of the app (or turn you phone off) while on a trip... (Android)
and then log back in (or turn your phone back on) when you arrive at the destination?

(If you have to turn your phone off, you will be logged out and you can turn your phone back on immediately so you can still navigate...
but you will not automatically go online again until you open the Uber Partner App)

 

[Another Uber Driver]

That's actually smart, and I'll tell you why.

This is the digital/satellite/computer/GPS method of doing en route bidding. Back in the days of real dispatch (commonly called "voice dispatch") cab drivers en route to a section that the dispatcher was calling could bid on the jobs. There were several ways of doing this, but the idea was that you could snag your next job while on your way with the one that you had. Companies generally restricted it to within five minutes of discharge, but at some companies, the dispatcher did have an option to call in the driver.

The other thing for which this was useful on real dispatching was if you wanted to stack locals on a driver, or, give a driver a local then another trip. Every satellite/digital/computer/GPS call assignment system that I have ever seen lacked this feature, or anything similar, SAVE ONE. This small company in Falls Gulch, Virginia figured out how to allow a dispatcher to stack calls on drivers. It also allowed a dispatcher to assign a driver his next call while he was en route. To be sure, the computer did not do it automatically, the dispatcher had to do it, and, let the driver know that there was another one waiting for him. This meant that the users of this system had to retain their real dispatchers. If they wanted to make use of this feature, and do so properly, they could not do it while a telephone operator was on the microphone.

This is actually a good idea. Uber should tell its programmers to put in a "decline" option, for the benefit of those of us who are on our last job and want to go home when we drop.

 

[Michael - Cleveland]

Uber should tell its programmers to put in a "decline" option, for the benefit of those of us who are on our last job and want to go home when we drop.

A 'decline' butoon would be nice,
but isn't 'ignoring' the request (letting it expire) the same thing as declining it?

 

[Another Uber Driver]

Isn't 'ignoring' the request (letting it expire) the same thing as declining it?

In fact, it is the same. Perhaps I did not explain myself well. The point that I was trying to make is that there should be an option to decline an en route request so that it does not affect your acceptance rate. Something that might allow you to block en-route requests, perhaps. Further, there is the possibility that Uber could program it so that if the driver lets an en route request expire, it does not go on his acceptance rate.

What I, and, I suspect several other driver here are trying to avoid is the Uber Acceptance Rate Nastygram.

 

[Horsebm]

That new feature totally sucks!

I would think non-acceptance of the 2nd ride would affect your acceptance rate. Better go invest in a pee bottle soon!

I already use a pee bottle and have for awhile.

 

[Michael - Cleveland]

What I, and, I suspect several other driver here are trying to avoid is the Uber Acceptance Rate Nastygram.

Ah, yes... I understand.
Acceptance rate is just not something I worry about... as I've discovered that as long as I am rated reasonably well overall, use the decline/ignore option judiciously and continue to generate decent revenue for Uber, their bluster (as well as my 'acceptance rate') are just bluster.

 

[HoldenDriver]

Know it's an old thread... but...

I emailed Uber about this, and they told me explicitly that pings en route do not affect Acceptance Rate. You are free to ignore them without losing an incentive period.

I followed up with an email asking to confirm that pings en route count as separate trips... because I won't take them if they don't impact my Trips Per Hour rating.

 

[HoldenDriver]

Ugh, I hate it when Uber changes information on me. I had an email from 6+ months ago where they assured me en route pings did not affect Acceptance Rate.

Literally 10 minutes after I post, they email me to my TPH question, and say that now, yes en route pings affect your Acceptance Rate.

Customer service may credit you if it was unsafe to take an en route ping while driving (for an incentive period). They just coughed up $45 for one day, but I am still bracing for $300 next week that I'll have to fight to get.

Bottom line (as of today), en route pings will hurt your acceptance rate if ignored, but will increase your TPH.

 

[Ziggy]

Literally 10 minutes after I post, they email me to my TPH question, and say that now, yes en route pings affect your Acceptance Rate.

Customer service may credit you if it was unsafe to take an en route ping while driving (for an incentive period). They just coughed up $45 for one day, but I am still bracing for $300 next week that I'll have to fight to get.

Bottom line (as of today), en route pings will hurt your acceptance rate if ignored, but will increase your TPH.

The only pings enroute that I will accept are surge or Lux ... only gotten 1 of each ever

 

[Michael - Cleveland]

The only pings enroute that I will accept are surge or Lux ... only gotten 1 of each ever

I accept them all just to get them out of my was as fast as possible. They are usually very, very close, so even if they are not 'surge' or SELECT, they are almost (if not more than) as profitable because there are NO DEAD MILES. Every mile you drive w/o a paying rider in the car, cuts your paid mile profit in half!

When I end the first trip, if the second one is too far, or not someplace I want to pick up, then I cancel it. No loss on my part.

 

[Ziggy]

I accept them all just to get them out of my was as fast as possible. They are usually very, very close, so even if they are not 'surge' or SELECT, they are almost (if not more than) as profitable because there are NO DEAD MILES. Every mile you drive w/o a paying rider in the car, cuts your paid mile profit in half! When I end the first trip, if the second one is too far, or not someplace I want to pick up, then I cancel it. No loss on my part.

Accept yes ... take no. I should have said take ... I accept them all to get them off of my screen. But I don't always take the 2nd pax trip ... generally, they pop on my screen for an area that I'm not going to p/u during daytime, let alone at night. And while I'd rather not have dead miles, I'll take dead miles to get to a lux clientele rather than p/u on greek row or other undesirable area.