CMK10

I used it in New York last week, it's nice having as an option for good drivers and I'm glad you don't tip until later so there's no begging or hard feelings if you don't tip. It is odd that it shows up as a separate charge on your CC though.

pinniped

Does your ride receipt show the tip in a way that makes it easy to print/screenshot and show the ride total as a single line?

Lyft does it that way. Makes it easy for expense reports. Separate line-items would look a little weird...

BlueEngineer

I would be curious about the Uber invoice experience if anyone has insight. I primarily use Lyft when traveling for work because of how easy it is to expense. Lyft seems to have problems with limited numbers of drivers though.

Doc Savage

I just got an email announcing that in-app tipping is available everywhere now, and that Uber will "match" all tips tomorrow.

TBD

I took uber for the first time in a few weeks yesterday. Tipping option added. But ... fares had gone from what I remember on equal trips a few months back.

My lifetime total tips for uber drivers remains $0.

kb9522

^^^

Miami305

I'm not sure why either of you are boasting about not tipping your Uber driver.

Do it or don't, you're both adults. But to be proud of the fact that you don't tip members of the service industry is just tacky.

(insert generic response about how Uber drivers agreed to drive at the current rates, tips were part of Uber's platform etc.)

TBD

Well ... this is an entire thread about tipping .... and you're part of it .... so teapot/kettle/etc.

Doc Savage

I spent some time perusing an Uber drivers forum, and found out a few things.

Only about 10% of riders tipped prior to this new in-app tipping.

Drivers have to rate riders before they can end a trip, so don't see in-app tips till later. However, drivers can go back later and change their rating of a rider, though it is a bit of a PITA, so not many do it.

Only a relatively small percentage of riders rate the drivers. The driver rating is, however, very important to the drivers, since if they fall below 4.6 out of 5 stars, they are fired ("deactivated"), so even getting consistently half four star and half five star ratings means they're gone, and that doesn't even factor in the occasional DYKWIA who gives them one star for whatever random reason. And we know from reading FT it's the ones complaining about tiny problems who can often be the loudest, most vindictive jerks.

So, even if you don't want to tip, if you had a good ride, try to give the driver a five star rating so he can continue to work.

Miami305

I said boasting. Not posting a message. There is a difference.

TBD

Being pushy about views in a way that may be viewed as tacky? Seems like the same in this particular case, but thanks for contributing!

pinniped

I don't detect *pride* in those posts. It is telling, however, that you find it tacky that they haven't tipped even in an environment where that was not an option.

I won't insert a generic response, but I will say this: Uber drivers, until this week, have chosen to drive on a platform that didn't include tipping.

Now tipping is there (yay for you, right?), and riders can decide how to use it or whether some subset of them want to begin comparison-shopping with Lyft.

pinniped

I thought the app forced you to rate your last ride before booking your next one. Is there a way around that?

I failed to rate (and failed to tip) one Lyft ride...only reason it happened was because I was flying out from the airport and didn't open the app again until days later. I felt bad, wrote Lyft a quick note saying the guy was a 5-star and if there's a way I'd happily tip him, but never heard back. I hope a "no rating" doesn't hurt the driver...

But other than a few of these "last ride in a city" exceptions, it seems like most riders would rate their driver, right?

Doc Savage

It's possible that this was a misperception by the drivers, or maybe they don't realize it if the rider rates them a few days later, but if so it is a common misperception.

What seems unfair to me is that Uber gives the broad 5 star rating scale without informing riders that a 4 star rating is essentially telling the company the driver is bad enough he shouldn't be retained. A 4.6 overall rating gets them fired.

pinniped

Agreed. In the Lyft app, it even says a 5-star ride is an "Awesome Lyft!" To many people, a basic ride from the airport to their hotel usually isn't awesome, and that's totally okay. They'd give it a 3 meaning no harm whatsoever to their driver.

I know to give everything a 5 (assuming nothing was wrong with the ride) only because I've read a few threads about it here and elsewhere.