|
Uber ratings?
I’ve never used Uber for a number of reasons that would probably spark an OMNI conversation.
But I was considering it, and reading up on this bizarre concept where you and driver rate each other. I read here: Leaked charts show how Uber's driver rating system works - Business Insider that drivers with an average score of 4.6/5 or less are at danger of being “deactivated”. How on Earth does this work???? Are people just automatically rating everyone 5/5 every time so long as they don’t rob them???? I can’t imagine that I would ever rate many taxi drivers higher or lower than 3/5. 3/5 is surely bang average, straight down the middle, turned up on time, knew where they were going, were polite and not smelly, i.e. exactly what you would expect. A particularly friendly or, if I had luggage, helpful, driver might get 4/5. A driver who had to use sat nav between two well-known points might get 2/5. But how on Earth does a taxi driver ever exceed expectations by enough to get 5/5? How bad do they have to be to get 1/5? |
Think of it as grade inflation. 3 is the new 5. Because the rating is so important to the driver, if he/she gets you where you need to go, gets you there safely and is friendly give him/her a 5.
|
Moving this to the Ride Services forum for further discussion. /JY1024, TravelBuzz co-moderator
|
Mostly I give out 5s. Some 4s if they aren't proactive with traffic but mostly I use tipping to acknowledge their efforts. I've had drivers, while they're not professional livery drivers, take real pride in their Uber service. Mostly I just want someone who is polite, doesn't really want to chat and is proactive to get me to my destination in a safe yet timely manner.
I haven't been able to crack 4.9 as my own rating. I seem to hover somewhere around 4.84 and 4.87 and had a dip from travel in some foreign locations where I guess I didn't hold to the local custom. |
From Uber's perspective, 5 is the norm. If you rate the driver lower than 5 then there must have been a "problem" of some sort.
Also, from the passenger perspective, if your rating dips below 4.x (whatever x is), you may have trouble obtaining rides as drivers will refuse to accept your request (because you are a potential "problem" customer.) |
Thanks all. Is this expectation that 5=satisfactory and anything beneath that=bad made clear on Uber?
It (clearly!) wouldn’t occur to me! In the absence of anything to the contrary I would have assumed something like: 5=excellent 4=very good 3=satisfactory 2=poor 1=very poor And, as I said earlier, the vast majority of taxi journeys will only ever be satisfactory in that you get precisely what you pay for, nothing more or less. I can’t believe I’m the only one to think this, but either way it highlights the risk of using something so variable. |
Originally Posted by Scots_Al
(Post 29481911)
Thanks all. Is this expectation that 5=satisfactory and anything beneath that=bad made clear on Uber?
It (clearly!) wouldn’t occur to me! In the absence of anything to the contrary I would have assumed something like: 5=excellent 4=very good 3=satisfactory 2=poor 1=very poor And, as I said earlier, the vast majority of taxi journeys will only ever be satisfactory in that you get precisely what you pay for, nothing more or less. I can’t believe I’m the only one to think this, but either way it highlights the risk of using something so variable. |
Originally Posted by Scots_Al
(Post 29481911)
Thanks all. Is this expectation that 5=satisfactory and anything beneath that=bad made clear on Uber?
It (clearly!) wouldn’t occur to me! In the absence of anything to the contrary I would have assumed something like: 5=excellent 4=very good 3=satisfactory 2=poor 1=very poor And, as I said earlier, the vast majority of taxi journeys will only ever be satisfactory in that you get precisely what you pay for, nothing more or less. I can’t believe I’m the only one to think this, but either way it highlights the risk of using something so variable. But that's not how it works. Essentially a 5 = "I had no issues". If you had an issue then you down rate to indicate the severity of the issue. As a relatively new update, (I think for both drivers and passengers), if you rate below a 5, they now ask for a generic reason. So at least at that point, you get a clue that the rating "system" is a bit different than you'd think. |
Originally Posted by steve64
(Post 29489275)
As a relatively new update, (I think for both drivers and passengers), if you rate below a 5, they now ask for a generic reason. So at least at that point, you get a clue that the rating "system" is a bit different than you'd think.
|
Originally Posted by Scots_Al
(Post 29481911)
Thanks all. Is this expectation that 5=satisfactory and anything beneath that=bad made clear on Uber?
It (clearly!) wouldn’t occur to me! In the absence of anything to the contrary I would have assumed something like: 5=excellent 4=very good 3=satisfactory 2=poor 1=very poor And, as I said earlier, the vast majority of taxi journeys will only ever be satisfactory in that you get precisely what you pay for, nothing more or less. I can’t believe I’m the only one to think this, but either way it highlights the risk of using something so variable. |
I almost see this as the effect of net promoter scores; where middle is eliminated from the equation because you are neither a detractor or promoter, you just exist with them. Uber wants promoters, and they see anything below a 5 as either middle or a detractor.
|
Yes, Uber expects 5 to be the norm. Most regular passengers understand that by now and rate all drivers 5 if they get them there.
Since I stopped driving, Uber has made some changes that I'm not that familiar with. For one thing, Uberpool ratings were inherently lower, because a passenger could have an issue with a co-passenger or the route, and downrate the ride for reasons beyond the driver's control, so I think they ask the reason for the rating and don't count it if it's a non-driver issue. Admittedly I have a driver perspective, but I say feel pity on the driver and give them a 5 rating almost regardless. A recent study showed that Uber drivers net $3.37 an hour after expenses. I don't doubt that for a second. |
I don't like Uber. So the idea of merging uber and grab in the Philippines is great!
|
I would like to see drivers given a daily aggregate tip number, so they can't tell who tipped what. I'm really discouraged with this revenge revisionist rating by some drivers.
|
Originally Posted by Scots_Al
(Post 29478886)
...A driver who had to use sat nav between two well-known points might get 2/5...
|
| All times are GMT -6. The time now is 2:54 pm. |
This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.