Miseries Of An Uber Driver

I don't know, compare this person's experience with what a regular taxi driver makes, Uber still seems like the better deal.

Uber has lots of hidden charges and fees. Bottom line: After subtracting all their charges and fees — plus Uber’s 20 percent — driving for Uber during surge pricing, with a constant flow of riders, pays less than $10 per hour. Then you must deduct insurance, fuel, maintenance and taxes. At least for me, driving for Uber is not worth it. And that’s a shame. Because I know the area, speak English and communicate professionally with riders.

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Just waiting for the first Uber or Lyft driver to get murdered so the true cab driver experience is completed.

Considering that a lease on a cab and medallion package (which includes taxes and insurance) are something in the neighborhood of $600-1000/month...

If an average cab fare is a yuppie-single ($20), that's 30-50 fares a month without even breaking even (fuel).

The cost to BUY a medallion in Chicago? MINIMUM $360K.

Basically the entire cab industry is imploding. And Uber really isn't doing anyone a favor with their shoddy driver software. But they have no real incentive to improve it right now. Because they automatically rake in the cash regardless of how they screw their drivers. Basically they're just a shitty dispatch service. Emphasis on shitty.

I wonder what constitutes as 'professional communication' of taxi drivers. Rude remarks and international hand signals?

B00nie said:

I wonder what constitutes as 'professional communication' of taxi drivers. Rude remarks and international hand signals?

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I once had a Chicago taxi driver tell us to hold on a minute. He then pulled off the highway, onto the shoulder, and proceed to get out and pee on the side of the road. He then resumed our drive to the airport.

WTF did she expect? She was driving for UberX, part-time, near a college town! UberX by design is a low-cost alternative to cabs. Honestly, at $0.26 per min + $1.30 per mile, WTF was she expecting?

In and around Berkley/Oakland she would have been stuck with min-fare rides of about $5.00, so there is no way she would get $15 an hour after expenses.

Uber's own marketing is based on UberX drivers working 36-40 hours a week in high demand areas.

I think she forgot the old saying "you get out what you put in" as opposed to her childish "But I also demand closer to $15 per hour." If she wanted a higher commission / hourly wage she should have joined a cab company as a driver, worked more hours, or picked another line of part-time work.

The article was more of the typical little entitled baby crying "the MAN is out to screw us" nonsense.

On a side-note, like cabs, for the most part UberX blows! I would gladly spend a few more dollars and take Uber Black/SUV than ride in your Prius and listen to craptastic stories about your kids.

gunbust3r said:

I once had a Chicago taxi driver tell us to hold on a minute. He then pulled off the highway, onto the shoulder, and proceed to get out and pee on the side of the road. He then resumed our drive to the airport.

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Never had that, but I did have a cab driver that was almost going to get me late to Bush intercontinental, then he finally shows up and I'm relieved, only to ask if he can use my bathroom... and honestly I had no intention of letting him in my house, but obliged with escort and then made sure he didn't take anything out of the guest bath. I suppose that is a lot more professional than sticking his butt out the window and relieving himself at 65mph.

lol it blows my mind that anyone would ever consider Uber a job. They charge less than a taxi & hire anyone no experience necessary. How the hell do you think you could make much more than $5/hour doing this? I mean yeah I'm sure there are a few extreme scenarios of someone driving 14 hour shifts in downtown manhattan, like ex taxi drivers who know every nook and cranny of the city. But cmon college kids driving mom's camry for money?

Ducman69 said:

Never had that, but I did have a cab driver that was almost going to get me late to Bush intercontinental, then he finally shows up and I'm relieved, only to ask if he can use my bathroom... and honestly I had no intention of letting him in my house, but obliged with escort and then made sure he didn't take anything out of the guest bath. I suppose that is a lot more professional than sticking his butt out the window and relieving himself at 65mph.

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I took a cab in Cedar Rapids once. Got a foreigner who drove me to the wrong hotel across town and then played the "oh .. I didn't know you meant THAT one". I was 19yo traveling on my own, so I didn't argue it at the time. He then drove me to the correct hotel and charged me for the entire trip about $25.

The return trip, I got a local guy who took me the proper way and cost $4. He said that he got those stories all the time. I hadn't realizes the hotel was literally 2ish miles from the airport.

A good cab driver can't make a living because of the dispatch service fees coupled with other stuff. Going out on their own is impossible.

gunbust3r said:

Just waiting for the first Uber or Lyft driver to get murdered so the true cab driver experience is completed.

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I think you've got that backwards. I'm actually shocked that Uber has gone this long without some story about a girl getting raped or killed by an Uber driver. Its going to happen sooner or later and get completely overblown and have a chilling effect.

I never really read into Uber until now. How the fuck does this exist?

What's next, a housekeeping service where you invite complete strangers to clean your house?

Megalith said:

I never really read into Uber until now. How the fuck does this exist?

What's next, a housekeeping service where you invite complete strangers to clean your house?

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eeer... excuse me gotta go write an app...

DPI said:

I think you've got that backwards. I'm actually shocked that Uber has gone this long without some story about a girl getting raped or killed by an Uber driver. Its going to happen sooner or later and get completely overblown and have a chilling effect.

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Ummmmm.....you're being sarcastic right?

Because that did just happen like 2 weeks ago.....and it was all over the news.....amd there's multiple stories.

natos said:

Ummmmm.....you're being sarcastic right?

Because that did just happen like 2 weeks ago.....and it was all over the news.....amd there's multiple stories.

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You mean the part that wasn't in the news where the Uber driver was cleared of charges because the woman lied?

"There is no known connection between the sexual assault, and Uber in this active and ongoing investigation," said SPD spokesperson Drew Fowler.

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I live in SF and have had nothing but great experiences with Uber/Lyft. Most drivers I've talked to that do UberX do like it. A lot of them already have a full time job and are just doing it for fun or just that little bit extra of cash.

And it sure beats having no job.

Megalith said:

I never really read into Uber until now. How the fuck does this exist?

What's next, a housekeeping service where you invite complete strangers to clean your house?

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This is how taxis used to work. But Uber, actually seems like it's better, since the transaction and movements are recorded. If something were to happen, like say Rape or Murder, they'd at least have information. But without the BS that taxi badge or whatever.

It's not perfectly safe, but if you want that, there's a bubble you can buy, I hear.

Ducman69 said:

Never had that, but I did have a cab driver that was almost going to get me late to Bush intercontinental, then he finally shows up and I'm relieved, only to ask if he can use my bathroom... and honestly I had no intention of letting him in my house, but obliged with escort and then made sure he didn't take anything out of the guest bath. I suppose that is a lot more professional than sticking his butt out the window and relieving himself at 65mph.

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Jesus that's a rough position to be in -- on one hand you don't want to let some dirty cab driver into your house to mess up your bathroom... but on the other hand if you don't odds are he's going to make you late for your flight by "accident"

I'm sure too if you asked for a discount on your fare because you let him use the can... he'd be appalled.