Drivers encouraging private cash transactions.
Aug 8, 2019, 10:27 pm
#1
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels, TravelBuzz! and Italy
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 26,540
Drivers encouraging private cash transactions.
Due to recent back problems, I have been unable to drive. Thus, am dependent on Uber/Lyft. I have noticed that more and more, drivers are encouraging me to contact them directly for rides. What is not explicit, but understood, is that this will be a cash transaction. Is this common?
Aug 9, 2019, 6:40 am
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Yes, it is common. No different than traditional car services where drivers cut out the middleman.
It may violate the services' T&C for the drivers, but from the customer perspective it may be preferable (or not). Entirely up to you. Note that it does likely mean paying cash at a negotiated rate and that you won't have any of the insurance or other protections afforded by the services' umbrella policies. In a major city where a 3-4 minute wait for a car seems average, it seems odd. Perhaps more useful in a rural area.
It may violate the services' T&C for the drivers, but from the customer perspective it may be preferable (or not). Entirely up to you. Note that it does likely mean paying cash at a negotiated rate and that you won't have any of the insurance or other protections afforded by the services' umbrella policies. In a major city where a 3-4 minute wait for a car seems average, it seems odd. Perhaps more useful in a rural area.
Aug 9, 2019, 9:15 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: Delta - Silver; UA - Silver; HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Spire Ambassador; Marriott Bonvoy - Titanium
Posts: 14,185
I've never encountered this yet. I did encounter a driver telling me that he had passengers who wanted to book him specifically in future, but he explained to them that the system didn't allow for that (you get who you get).
Aug 9, 2019, 11:34 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Manchester, United Kingdom
Programs: Hilton Gold, Priority Club Blue, SPG Gold, Sofitel Gold, FB Ivory, BA Blue
Posts: 8,477
Doesn’t happen (well hasn’t happened to me) here in the U.K. But here Uber is far more of a formalised, properly licensed and regulated taxi service (albeit with an end to end user experience that is killing rivals). Come to think of it, never happened in Paris or Kampala either.
Aug 9, 2019, 5:20 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,374
Common in rural/suburban areas, unheard of in big cities.
Well - actually, once in NYC, a Lyft driver pitched me on Juno and gave me his referral code. But Juno is above board. I wouldn't do private cash transactions, but I know others are comfortable with it, save money, and have a reliably good driver each time.
Well - actually, once in NYC, a Lyft driver pitched me on Juno and gave me his referral code. But Juno is above board. I wouldn't do private cash transactions, but I know others are comfortable with it, save money, and have a reliably good driver each time.
Aug 9, 2019, 5:56 pm
#8
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
Join Date: Jun 2000
Programs: Honors Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, National Exec Elite
Posts: 36,018
Over the last few years, I've ended up with a couple of Lyft drivers who were really good, and who were local to me. We then arranged going forward to simply call/text when I needed a ride and if they were available they would do it. With the latest, we settled on a home-to airport rate of about 2/3 of what Lyft typically charges, which still gives him more than he would retain if it were a Lyft ride.
Aug 9, 2019, 6:37 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Makes sense. Grubhub and delivery companies are stealing business from stores (buying their website, putting out phone numbers that go through them and aren't actually the stores so they can charge them a cut), I guess drivers think they better get in on the action too.
Anything illegal about it?
Anything illegal about it?
Aug 10, 2019, 12:48 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 13,811
(Note - in many times, legality is not a factor of decision-making...)
Aug 10, 2019, 1:11 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,466
Common in rural/suburban areas, unheard of in big cities.
Well - actually, once in NYC, a Lyft driver pitched me on Juno and gave me his referral code. But Juno is above board. I wouldn't do private cash transactions, but I know others are comfortable with it, save money, and have a reliably good driver each time.
Well - actually, once in NYC, a Lyft driver pitched me on Juno and gave me his referral code. But Juno is above board. I wouldn't do private cash transactions, but I know others are comfortable with it, save money, and have a reliably good driver each time.
Juno is not cash transactions, however; just another ride sharing service.
Aug 10, 2019, 2:18 pm
#14
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
What you mean is that the drivers won't have enough insurance to cover something major, while Uber does have deep pockets, and sometimes pays out. But that's the same for everything. We all know Uber doesn't make you safer, and there are many reports of Uber drivers killing/raping people.
My question is why you want to support an organization that is obviously a "bad actor"?
Aug 10, 2019, 2:33 pm
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 17,410
Well in the situation cited here, you're essentially just paying a friend for a ride. But outside of Penn Station, you hopping in any old gypsy cab to save a few bucks?
Last edited by rickg523; Aug 10, 2019 at 3:00 pm