Originally Posted by
UberDriver
When Uber was $1.50 per mile (national average) tipping was not as important - it has fallen to $1.00 a mile now.
I only drive a couple of nights a week, so it is truly extra cash with a flexible schedule. But, for many Uber drivers they quit jobs and/or purchased cars to drive for Uber when it was $1.50 a mile.
I live in Los Angeles, possibly one of the most difficult cities to navigate without a car, and maybe one of the worst for Taxi costs/service. I love what Rideshare is doing for my city. I truly hope Uber & Lyft will flourish and passengers will have great experiences here and around the globe with Uber/Lyft.
That said, something has to give, driving for minimum wage will, over time, diminish the workforce and types of cars that passengers are picked up by.
I hate carrying cash and completely get that is one of the major conveniences of taking Uber/Lyft because it is cashless. And, I do not think drivers and passengers having to do the Square thing is any better. And I abhor the idea of Tip Signs in Ubers.
In short, I believe that Lyft having a Tip Function in their App will increasingly pull the better drivers to them. And, unless Uber raises their prices back to a profitable point, or puts a Tip Function in their App, their service will continue to diminish in quality.
I find a lot to agree with here. In an effort to win market share and defeat all competitors (competing rideshare companies, taxi companies, etc), Uber has repeatedly lowered fares. It has raised a lot of private capital that allows it to sustain losses for a long period of time. This has squeezed drivers. I remember that all drivers (including uber x) used to offer water, gum, etc. Now, basically none of them do. The solution is for Uber to reduce the commission it charges on a fare (and make up that revenue by cutting some of its own internal costs), slightly increase prices, or add a tip feature in the app in a way that allows for users to tip anonymously.