Points Scrounger

Had a Lyft driver fail to appear at designated DCA pickup spot, then cancel claiming I was at fault; Lyft sent me a note that the $5 penalty was waived as it was a "first offense" (I contested that, and they took the trip off my record completely).

Yesterday, I watched the Uber driver miss the left turn onto the one way street where I was waiting. He appeared to pause around the corner briefly NOT at a pick up spot; I assumed he would go around the block and try again. Instead, he canceled the trip and I was hit with a $5 charge (he never phoned and I had no idea that meant he was waiting there instead). I chose "Canceled by Driver" on the app, and was given a $5 Uber credit to make it the difference. Ironically, that evening I was given (another) 50% off on 8 rides this week "because you're always there."

My question is: when the companies agree to one's refutation, does the driver still get his dough? (boo! hiss!)

steve64

From the perspective of an Uber driver, my experience is that Uber doesn't "eat" anything. The driver will see their earnings for the day drop. And I mean literally drop as opposed to seeing a physical adjustment posted. Even going through the day's trips one-by-one and "expanding" them to see the earnings calc in detail, doesn't give a clue as to why (or even on which trip) the earnings were adjusted downwards.

It doesn't happen often, but the driver not having any knowledge or say in the matter can be frustrating.

There was one time when I knew which trip adjusted downwards. In challenging it, Uber basically told me I was lying.
IT was getting late and a drop-off had me relatively close to home, so I decided to quit for the day. Plus an NFL home game was about to let out and Uber had already started the "head towards the stadium, you will make $$$" pings. I avoid major events like the plague (talk about problems in hooking up the driver with the customer !!!! ).
But as I entered my neighborhood (way out in the suburbs), I noticed it was running at 1.8 surge (supply vs demand ... the rider's fare, thus the driver's payout .... is at 1.8 times the normal rate).
I don't really believe in surge pricing and most certainly don't drive out to surging areas specifically trying for the higher rate. But in my own neighborhood and I'm already there, why not. So back on-line I go and I get a ping right away.
The pickup was 15 minutes away, but was marked as "over 45 minute ride" (driver's don't know where a ride is going until after the pick-up). From my area, "over 45" usually means an airport run and that's what this ride was.
The customer complained about the fare being higher than normal. I explained that it was probably the NFL game and (shooting myself in the foot while being honest) said Uber entices drivers to head towards the stadium, thus leaving other ares under-covered.
So I drop him off and note my earnings for the one trip was $50.xx. From my area to the airport I typically earn $28-30.
By the time I get home and log the day into my spreadsheet, my total earnings had dropped. Suspecting that last ride, I checked and it was now showing $28.50

I can see the customer's view. The surge price was NOT created by customer demand. It was a short supply of drivers caused by Uber's manipulation of trying to get drivers out to the stadium.
But from my view, I was ready to stop for the night. It was UBER showing surge pricing that lead me to keep working and pick up this passenger (he also complained about having a 15 minute pick-up time .. without me it would've been longer).
I assume the passenger called Uber while waiting for his flight and complained about the fare. If UBER decides to adjust to a 'normal' fare in the name of 'customer service' then THEY should eat the difference, not the driver.

Multiple emails back-n-forth with me challenging the adjustment had Uber claiming that the area was never in surge, this specific fare was never calculated as surge and it was never adjusted and finally it's obvious that I don't understand how to use the Uber Driver App.
Going forward from my complaint, I can no longer can my earnings for a specific trip withing a few minutes of drop-off. I only get "we're still calculating the fare" for about an hour or 2. Coincidence ??

diburning

Uber is a shady operation. There are no winners here. Everyone gets shafted equally.

arollins

There are so many variables to this problem, but most of them boil down to GPS reliability. As a driver, I go to the designated pick up area, turn on my blinkers and wait, within one minute I send a text to notify rider that I'm there and blinkers are on. After 2 minutes if no response from rider, I cancel the pick up as a no show and proceed to the next one. This will be charged to the rider. There have been numerous occasions where my pick up spot is in the middle of nowhere, or there is no true area to wait. I will call, confirm and proceed accordingly. Another thing to consider is that not all drivers are familiar with the area and do not want to do a U-turn or risk getting a ticket. Personally, I do not cancel rides unnecessarily, and if I do, it is after I make an attempt to contact the rider and they still do not respond or show up. If I find myself in a situation when the GPS location goes bonkers on me I will cancel as a DO NOT CHARGE RIDER. I UBER in Chicago, and I avoid Wacker Dr, as for me it not always easy to determine if my pick up is in the upper or lower level Wacker Drive. A 2 minute pick up can easily become a 15 minute nightmare if I go on the wrong level. I prefer to avoid it. I recently had a pick where the ping was right in front of a bus stop during rush hour traffic, I went pass the bus stop and turn on my blinkers and notify rider as well via text. Cars had to go around me as I was right on the street, a few buses where heading towards me as well as a police car that signaled me to move on, the time was up and I canceled the trip as a RIDER DID NOT SHOW, as I proceeded to move here comes the rider towards me, I told her sorry, but I had to move, ride has been canceled you need to select another one.
There are some bad apples out there, I wont deny that, but before complaining, try to be on the other shoe and see what we also have to go through as well.

Often1

It's not worth worrying about. Both Uber & Lyft issue a credit for the penalty if you say that the driver did not show up. I have no idea what happens if you do this constantly, but that's unlikely to occur except with a crank. I also don't know and don't care whether they ding the driver if it happens (or if it happens often).

I do find it useful at volume places such as DCA where circling back in not in the cards (give the driver the door number and stand on the pickup island at the extension of the door location, or if you are at a known tough location, to initiate a call yourself.

arollins

UBER keeps tack of driver initiated cancellations, as well as ride request not accepted by driver. Once your % goes up, your ride request are diminished until you lower the #. So yes, it is not to the drivers advantage, as well as a rider, to cancel trips.