What's your Uber experience?

[Sprucegoose]

Very much not switched on if they choose to drive for Uber

It's either the 60-90 hour full time warriors
Someone in their first few months and yet to experience GST or tax time
Retired people with no life and nothing better to do

Either one of those options is a bad life choice

The only dignification I could offer at this point would be to quote the great logician Bertrand Russell.

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are coughsure and the intelligent full of doubt."

 

[lovestotravel]

For the 3rd time in recent weeks, early morning flight booked a 5a pickup on the app. At 4:45a no one allocated.
It is becoming a pain. Its a $70 fare too.
Cancelled the booking and picked a new booking. Car that is 20 mins away.
I don't think it is worth pre-booking ATM

Early mornings for drivers, no surge = no ride

Uber is not a reliable service and I haven't used it for years and have zero intention of doing so.

Just use a proper prebooked transfer service and be relaxed knowing they will turn up

 

[cove]

Was charged $10 for a No Show in Adelaide that said 9 minutes and i had to cancel at 36 minutes. The taxi I took arrived in 2 minutes.

 

[Tiki]

After a nightmare trip from BNE to my home around 11pm where 6-7 ubers cancelled on me and I was forced to take a taxi for about $10 more I was avoiding uber. But on the recent trip to/from the Brisbane cruise ship terminal ubers were not a problem. Normal fares, no cancellations and they showed up on time. Both drivers even helped with the 2 heavy suitcases so I tipped $3 and I usually don't do that because I travel light when I fly.

 

[Lynda2475]

Depends on where you live, the distance of your trip etc. Also if you are waiting somewhere difficult to pull up (main road, no stopping zone) instead of somewhere there is a driveway or side street drivers will cancel lest risk a fine/demerits. Also if you have cough rating more likley to be cancelled on.

As i do a minimum of 7 trips a week (pre covid was 11+), i know the usual fare (uber and taxi) for home to work/airport/city and can tell immediately if therre is asurge in play and decide if its worth it or not. Now that we are in xmas party season, night fares from city will surge until after xmas. But there will also be difficulty snagging a taxi in cbd.

During a rare surge the other week (it was bucketing with rain) i booked a taxi using 13cabs app, after 20 mins the cab hadnt arrived (and that app is usless doesnt show you how far away the car is), i went back i to uber, surge was over and i was in a car within 2 mins.

 

[VPS]

Asking for a friend. Should I get a discount because I had to listen to an American religious radio station for 40 minutes in an Uber today

 

[SYD]

During a rare surge the other week (it was bucketing with rain) i booked a taxi using 13cabs app, after 20 mins the cab hadnt arrived (and that app is usless doesnt show you how far away the car is), i went back i to uber, surge was over and i was in a car within 2 mins.

I see the cab location on 13CABS once the booking is confirmed.

 

[Lynda2475]

I see the cab location on 13CABS once the booking is confirmed.

Ive only used that 13cabs app about 5 times and it never once accurately showed me where the car was (inlcuding one time where it saif 10 mins away but was actually outside my front door). Apparently lots of the taxi drivers refuse to turn their GPS on (whereas in the ride share apps they have to have it on).

Only advanatge of 13 cabs app is free cancelltion even if they have already arrived, but it takes about 2 days for the $ to get back in your account. Some bad uber drivers will call to see where you are going (if this happens report them) but if you cancel because they are still ages away and you have waited the estimated period then no penalty applies.

Each to their own but I generally only use a cab in Australia in areas where there isnt reliable ride share. In NY i will use a cab from airport if too much lugagge for the subway but only because its a fixed rate (and cheaper than uber) or the odd black cab in London if very late our of theatre because mini cabs are dodgey as and some tube status dont stay open (im lookign at you covent garden).

 

[jastel]

GPS is not optional in Taxis...it is hard wired into the cars...you cant just switch it on/off.
You will never get a job if the dispatch computer (taxi or uber) doesn't know where the car is.

You can log out of the system...same as Ubers turning phone off.

 

[Lynda2475]

Drivers may not be able to turn off GPS in the taxi computer but it seems the 13 Cab app uses the gps in their mobile to show you the position. So whilst app tells you taxi that has been allocated the job it wont show you accurate position in the vehicle unless gps also on in the drivers phone. It is a woeful app.

Anyway back on topic which is Uber. Wonderful ride tonight in a Tesla which had a full glass roof, very fancy.

And the uber pass /uber one discount bug has been fixed in latest update.

 

[jastel]

Never used the app but to get an uber you turn your location on, why wouldnt you do it for a taxi app? I get the whole privacy thing but if you want anonymity you should go to a taxi rank and pay cash.
GPS is not foolproof anyway...you can turn on uber app and see cars on the app that are not on the street in front of you.

 

[Lynda2475]

You are misunderstanding , its the taxi drivers phone with GPS off. I always have location services on if using an app that requires it. Taxi app is unreliable, whereas ive never had any issues seeing where driver is on uber.

I almost never use cash and have no desire to walk 35 mins to nearest taxi stand, when in less time i can get an uber to pick me up a few meters from my front door and drive me to office entrance.

 

[lovestotravel]

Anyway back on topic which is Uber. Wonderful ride tonight in a Tesla which had a full glass roof, very fancy.

Driving a $60,000 car on Uber X rates is hilarious.

Poor driver either new or doing it as he has nothing better to do

Not making money from those trips

 

[Sprucegoose]

Driving a $60,000 car on Uber X rates is hilarious.

Poor driver either new or doing it as he has nothing better to do

Not making money from those trips

The last time I was in SYD, I got a Tesla on Premium rates so it may work, especially in a stop-start environment; on the open road, you can't beat a three-pointed emblem diesel!

 

[lovestotravel]

The last time I was in SYD, I got a Tesla on Premium rates so it may work, especially in a stop-start environment; on the open road, you can't beat a three-pointed swastika diesel!

On premium rates it's better yes but any real smart operator has ditched Uber and has their own transport business.

The rates in Melbourne for Uber drivers are beyond a joke

CBD to airport is about $50 to the client

Take out the 27.5%, GST and tolls and petrol it's about $30 and from start to finish it's about 40 mins, and then the driver will drive back to the CBD empty so another 30 mins and has driven 40km plus and will wait a bit for the next trip.

So 1 1/4 hours for $25 at best.... and no super, sick leave, annual leave etc.

A proper private airport transfer is $110 to the client and if you work for yourself you keep all of that...

Anyways each to their own but Uber is such a sad state of affairs which is a shame as I used to heavily use them, and my recent attempt in Noosa for a short dinner trip resulted in 5 drivers cancelling and 1 driving in the opposite direction, and 20 mins wasted, so we walked and the app was uninstalled for good.

 

[Lynda2475]

then the driver will drive back to the CBD empty

Given there is a dedicated uber queue (same as a taxi rank) at MEL, more like they would head there and pick up a return trip within a minute or two.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I was in an Uber today, and the driver was an international Boxing Referee, and we had a great talk about the sport..............he loved his Uber job as it gave him the flexibility to fill in the gaps of his global commitments.

He was the happiest person I met today.

 

[lovestotravel]

Given there is a dedicated uber queue (same as a taxi rank) at MEL, more like they would head there and pick up a return trip within a minute or two.

No the uber drivers have to wait in a massive holding pen near the taxis, about 5 mins away from the airport. After wating/sleeping there for 2 hours they get a request and come to the uber queue. Same as what taxi's do and it's why taxis will refuse a short trip from the airport as they have waited 2 hours plus for it

As for uber, it's 2 hours as well at most times for a return trip

Which is why lots of smart drivers refuse airport trips unless it's surging

 

[Pvcmenace]

So I'm back to my usual uber usage pattern, what I have found is that because Uber Pass was replaced by Uber One, it isn't automatically applying my 10% uber pass discount per ride even though my pass is valid until January.

However, this must be really common issue (they did offer the free 6 month subscription to all Diamonds), as when you select the review your fare option in the app there is a dedicated link for Uber pass and the refund of the 10% comes through within 4 hours of reporting the issue.

It is a bit of a pain to have to actively claim the 10% back - so I just do the whole previous weeks worth on the first uber ride each week. Claim is always accepted no drama. and I'm advised that if i replace with Uber One in January i shouldn't have this issue.

If my usage pattern stays the same, Uber One will pay for itself before the first week of each month is over, based on rides only I dont use Uber eats.

Was diamond and only offered free for one month. I just cashed in my 7300 accumulated points. Uber one is pointless.

 

[JessicaTam]

Driving a $60,000 car on Uber X rates is hilarious.

Poor driver either new or doing it as he has nothing better to do

Not making money from those trips

I know of some Uber-x drivers who also list on the regular Uber side of things. If Uber-x is quiet they at least get regular fares.