Sudden drop in Uber rating
May 25, 2017, 4:36 am
#46
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Uber, Lyft, Skymiles, Thanksagain, Hertz Gold Presidents Club
Posts: 54
It was literally designed to put taxis out of business.
At any rate UberTAXI has the tip included in the fare. It kills me that people pay a higher fare AND (usually begrudgingly) tip the cab driver. Somehow in the same breath call Uber tips heresy.
May 25, 2017, 5:41 am
#47
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Uber, Lyft, Skymiles, Thanksagain, Hertz Gold Presidents Club
Posts: 54
Uber/Lyft/.... is different from a restaurant. No percentage is required it's more about literally showing gratitude (gratuity) for the situation you put your driver in.
Your in a rush and driver significantly beats ETA: small tip (like a buck or two)
You made the driver wait almost the entire 5 mins: small tip (late rider cancellation fee is $6 for UberX)
You asked the driver to wait for more than 5 mins: tip $3-5 for every 5 mins you were late
Your late for something expensive (flight/you're going to be fired/etc): tip for the extra gas driver burned getting you to you destination + gratuity for saving you
Seriously if boarding starts in 50 mins and it's a 50 min drive and the driver turns it into a 30 min driver tip well. Airport late rider change fees range from $50 to a new ticket. Tip really well
Driver loads bags/groceries: small tip ($1-2)
Driver loads 50 lbs luggage: avg tip ($5)
Driver loads 60+ lbs luggage: big tip ($10-15)
Most airlines charge and extra $50-125 for severely overweight bags
Aux cords, phone charging, anything that makes the ride more like a limo than a taxi: small tip ($1-2) per amenity used
This isn't mandatory tipping rules but drivers get put through these kinds of things daily.
The job is to be at A. at X time, safely drive to B. along the GPS suggested route within X time as per/GPS. Drive from A. to B...
Anything that goes above and beyond that the rider SHOULD show gratitude.
Your in a rush and driver significantly beats ETA: small tip (like a buck or two)
You made the driver wait almost the entire 5 mins: small tip (late rider cancellation fee is $6 for UberX)
You asked the driver to wait for more than 5 mins: tip $3-5 for every 5 mins you were late
Your late for something expensive (flight/you're going to be fired/etc): tip for the extra gas driver burned getting you to you destination + gratuity for saving you
Seriously if boarding starts in 50 mins and it's a 50 min drive and the driver turns it into a 30 min driver tip well. Airport late rider change fees range from $50 to a new ticket. Tip really well
Driver loads bags/groceries: small tip ($1-2)
Driver loads 50 lbs luggage: avg tip ($5)
Driver loads 60+ lbs luggage: big tip ($10-15)
Most airlines charge and extra $50-125 for severely overweight bags
Aux cords, phone charging, anything that makes the ride more like a limo than a taxi: small tip ($1-2) per amenity used
This isn't mandatory tipping rules but drivers get put through these kinds of things daily.
The job is to be at A. at X time, safely drive to B. along the GPS suggested route within X time as per/GPS. Drive from A. to B...
Anything that goes above and beyond that the rider SHOULD show gratitude.
May 25, 2017, 6:27 am
#48
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Uber, Lyft, Skymiles, Thanksagain, Hertz Gold Presidents Club
Posts: 54
If you either made a request of the driver outside of going from point A. to B. (the drivers job)
Or inconvenienced the driver (made driver wait, left trash, totally wasted and fell asleep)
Then gratitude (aka gratuity bka tipping) is somewhat expected.
If you call me and the app say I'm 5 mins away and it takes you 6 mins to get in the car AFTER I arrive I'm inclined to ding you a star. I'm working and time is money.
If you tip me to show gratitude for my time I will happily give you 5 stars
Regardless of the monetary status of the rider, it is not our job to participate in this "trickle down economics" scheme while corporations get rich. If these blue collar workers do not like whatever they are getting paid, then they should be complaining to the company they work for or find another job.
Sure Uber could charge passengers a more fair fee upfront but Travis K (the CEO) isn't really a good person. Also that "higher wage" would go directly into his pocket too.
Alternatively you the passengers could take these cheap prices and lay a little gratuity to show your gratitude.
May 25, 2017, 6:35 am
#49
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Uber, Lyft, Skymiles, Thanksagain, Hertz Gold Presidents Club
Posts: 54
Well ideally it's supposed to be a gratuity for great service. If a driver does the bare minimum of just driving me from A to B with no communication and no proactive trying to get through traffic they get what the system quotes. But when I get a driver that engages me and tries to provide a better service I like to tip. I like Uber for the network & the 2x Amex MR points but I like Lyft's platform for the tipping option as I don't always have tip money on me. Especially after a night out.
No driver asked for UberPOOL yet Uber added it, changed the app to trick some customers into requesting it, AND penalized drivers for ignoring requests.
From a drivers point of view you the rider KNEW it was oddly cheap, chose it, and did not tip. To a driver that equals a low rated abusive passenger.
Have you ever refused to eat at a restaurant b/c the prices seemed suspiciously low? Same difference; oddly low rates come with an oddly low quality/service trips.
May 25, 2017, 9:17 am
#50
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: IAD
Programs: UA GS, Avis CHM, Marriott & SPG & PC Plat., Hyatt & Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,547
The tip *IS* built in to the fee, just like a train ticket includes the compensation for the driver etc and airplane ticket includes the compensation for the pilot. No extra tipping needed for the driver/pilot. When I compare prices for a route in Uber and Lyft, usually the Uber comes out as more than Lyft, but when adding a tip to Lyft then the prices are about the same.
Train conductors and pilots make a very comfortable living wage. Uber drivers delivering you safely from one place to another do not.
I am an Uber driver, and while I do not give out low ratings for not tipping, if you've made me wait, or done anything else for me to consider giving you a lower rating, and you do tip, you'll still get 5* from me.
I am an Uber driver, and while I do not give out low ratings for not tipping, if you've made me wait, or done anything else for me to consider giving you a lower rating, and you do tip, you'll still get 5* from me.
Your comment of giving lower rating if you have to wait for a few minutes is interesting. We riders have to wait for you to show up. I wouldn't give you a lower rating because you run in to some extra traffic lights or into an unexpected traffic.
May 25, 2017, 9:58 am
#51
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
UberX
$2.55 base
$0.35/minute
$1.75/mile
Taxi
$3.30 base ($3.80 8PM-6AM, $4.30 4PM-8PM weekdays)
$0.50 per 1/5 mile or 60 seconds, whichever comes first
May 25, 2017, 10:10 am
#52
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYZ/SFO
Programs: AS MVPG, HH Diamond, Bonvoy Plat
Posts: 271
This is garbage. My rating with Uber used to be consistently between 4.80 and 4.88. Then I took a trip to SE Asia, where I used Uber everywhere I could. My rating now is 4.22. I didn't do anything terrible to earn that lower rating. What I did was travel to a region of the world where drivers use a 3 and a 4 as acceptable ratings far more often than in North America; where anything less than a 5 is unacceptable.
So because I travelled outside my little bubble now I have to wait longer and longer for a car? I may not even get picked up at all because drivers are snobs that consider anything less than 4.5 as not worth their time?
So because I travelled outside my little bubble now I have to wait longer and longer for a car? I may not even get picked up at all because drivers are snobs that consider anything less than 4.5 as not worth their time?
I noticed drivers in SE Asia have lower ratings too; around 4.5 seems to be the average. So maybe it's a cultural thing. Either way, there should be some sort of rating normalization by region.
Jun 7, 2017, 9:00 pm
#53
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 880
Yes but I know quite a few people tip certain amounts no matter the cost. Some til cab drivers $2 no matter the cost and I had to educate somebody the proper tipping system. Sales tax is 8.875% or something in nyc so I told him to just double the tax and you'll get your tip amount. I was at am IHOP a few days ago and order pancakes and hash Browns. I am a pretty fast eater and ate the pancakes quickly. She noticed that and brought another stack for free without me asking or even thinking it was possible. Ended up giving her a 25% tip because she was nice and went over and beyond ( usually tip 20%). She couldn't of known if I was going to give her $6 bucks or $2.
Jun 8, 2017, 2:45 pm
#54
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,895
Uber/Lyft/.... is different from a restaurant. No percentage is required it's more about literally showing gratitude (gratuity) for the situation you put your driver in.
Your in a rush and driver significantly beats ETA: small tip (like a buck or two)
You made the driver wait almost the entire 5 mins: small tip (late rider cancellation fee is $6 for UberX)
You asked the driver to wait for more than 5 mins: tip $3-5 for every 5 mins you were late
Your late for something expensive (flight/you're going to be fired/etc): tip for the extra gas driver burned getting you to you destination + gratuity for saving you
Seriously if boarding starts in 50 mins and it's a 50 min drive and the driver turns it into a 30 min driver tip well. Airport late rider change fees range from $50 to a new ticket. Tip really well
Driver loads bags/groceries: small tip ($1-2)
Driver loads 50 lbs luggage: avg tip ($5)
Driver loads 60+ lbs luggage: big tip ($10-15)
Most airlines charge and extra $50-125 for severely overweight bags
Aux cords, phone charging, anything that makes the ride more like a limo than a taxi: small tip ($1-2) per amenity used
This isn't mandatory tipping rules but drivers get put through these kinds of things daily.
The job is to be at A. at X time, safely drive to B. along the GPS suggested route within X time as per/GPS. Drive from A. to B...
Anything that goes above and beyond that the rider SHOULD show gratitude.
Your in a rush and driver significantly beats ETA: small tip (like a buck or two)
You made the driver wait almost the entire 5 mins: small tip (late rider cancellation fee is $6 for UberX)
You asked the driver to wait for more than 5 mins: tip $3-5 for every 5 mins you were late
Your late for something expensive (flight/you're going to be fired/etc): tip for the extra gas driver burned getting you to you destination + gratuity for saving you
Seriously if boarding starts in 50 mins and it's a 50 min drive and the driver turns it into a 30 min driver tip well. Airport late rider change fees range from $50 to a new ticket. Tip really well
Driver loads bags/groceries: small tip ($1-2)
Driver loads 50 lbs luggage: avg tip ($5)
Driver loads 60+ lbs luggage: big tip ($10-15)
Most airlines charge and extra $50-125 for severely overweight bags
Aux cords, phone charging, anything that makes the ride more like a limo than a taxi: small tip ($1-2) per amenity used
This isn't mandatory tipping rules but drivers get put through these kinds of things daily.
The job is to be at A. at X time, safely drive to B. along the GPS suggested route within X time as per/GPS. Drive from A. to B...
Anything that goes above and beyond that the rider SHOULD show gratitude.
Jun 9, 2017, 7:46 am
#56
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: LA
Programs: Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold, Delta Platinum Medallion, AAdvantage Platinum Pro
Posts: 600
These GPS estimates of time given by Uber/Lyft are notoriously inaccurate, so if anything, you should be messaging those companies to tell them how much their technology blows.
Jun 9, 2017, 12:24 pm
#57
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: AA, DL, Avis, Enterprise, National, IHG, HH, SPG/MR
Posts: 1,852
Why would a driver for Uber/Lyft ever be "late"? They don't make a penny until your ride has started, so it serves their purpose to get to you as quickly as possible.
These GPS estimates of time given by Uber/Lyft are notoriously inaccurate, so if anything, you should be messaging those companies to tell them how much their technology blows.
These GPS estimates of time given by Uber/Lyft are notoriously inaccurate, so if anything, you should be messaging those companies to tell them how much their technology blows.
Jun 11, 2017, 5:12 am
#58
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: LA
Programs: Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold, Delta Platinum Medallion, AAdvantage Platinum Pro
Posts: 600
Jun 11, 2017, 6:11 am
#59
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat
Posts: 756
No, you show up on time because time is money. Every minute they are sitting there waiting for you, they could be saving fuel or putting it to use on giving some else a ride. There's only so many rides someone has time to give each day, especially with bad traffic in most cities.