Chris Uber recently added a tipping feature in their passenger app. The ride-hailing and delivery company seeks to have tipping in all US and Canadian cities by the end of July 2017. Uber makes tipping simple and unobtrusive: After the ride ends, rate the driver. [This is not new, of course.] A tip screen follows. [This … Read more
#deleteuber trends once again–sparked by a blogpost written by a former Uber software engineer, alleging not only wanton sexual harassment, but also numerous human resources failures. In a personal blog post, “Reflecting On One Very, Very Strange Year At Uber,” Susan J. Fowler alleges receiving inappropriate e-mails from her new boss on her first day … Read more
Uber CEO Travis Kalanick resigned from President Trump’s advisory board, made up of the leaders of numerous top American brands. He was the first of those leaders to step down, pressured by a social media storm #deleteUber that arose after he was seen to support Trump. Joining Trump’s Strategic and Policy Forum drew more attention for … Read more
Travis Kalanick, Uber co-founder and CEO, did well to resign from President Trump’s Strategic and Policy Forum. The association between the two brash leaders–Kalanick and Trump–blew up in the United States after the President signed the Muslim ban. The resulting hashtags–#banUber and #boycottUber–threaten to spread globally as Trump alienates people worldwide. Presidential tensions threaten Uber’s … Read more
Monday’s episode of Desus & Mero on cable channel VICELAND, opens with a funny recap of this weekend’s #deleteuber activity, when Uber appeared to undercut taxi drivers who were protesting the Muslim ban. Uber’s terrible weekend has legs. Comedian Desus Nice holds no punches, opening the show by saying, “This weekend many of us had to … Read more
Uber’s social media missteps fueled the recent #boycottUber movement. I find it surprising that a firm a firm itself as a technology company could have such awkward social media strategy. Context key for #boycottUber Over the weekend #boycottUber, a hashtag that’s been around for years, blossomed on Twitter after @uber_nyc, the official Twitter account for … Read more
Outside of New York City, Uber drivers make $12-$15/hour. If you get more, you’re doing great. If you happen to get a tip, even better, but Uber discourages tips. And that’s gross before expenses, such as gas and car washes. Uber’s lengthy history of deception regarding driver earnings I’m sure you heard that Uber drivers … Read more
Gov. Cuomo endorses Uber/Lyft expansion throughout state In the Buffalo version of his State of the State address, Governor Andrew Cuomo placed the expansion of “ridesharing” to Upstate New York at the center of his jobs plan. Cuomo discussed “ridesharing” as part of his Middle Class Recovery Act. It represented jobs in the Jobs and … Read more
Across the globe, Uber faces many legal challenges to its business model that brings drivers onto its network as independent contractors, rather than employees. In October, a British labor commission ruled that Uber drivers were employees. And in Late November 2016, a European Union court heard similar arguments. One of the original large labor cases … Read more
The new Pennsylvania law regulating transportation network companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft contains many fees for the new industry. Similar to Uber’s agreement with Montreal, ride-hailing companies have shown an ability to accept new fees and taxes, just don’t require them to fingerprint their drivers (unless you’re New York City). Pricing regulations for ‘rideshare’ … Read more
In November 2016, Pennsylvania recently passed a bill to regulate ride-hailing companies. The ‘rideshare’ law sets insurance standards, fee and licensing requirements for the companies, and inspection standards for the drivers. The law includes new taxes for airport pickups and for rides originating in Philadelphia. More importantly, the law doesn’t require fingerprints to be part … Read more
For months the Uber driver app has slowed down the flow of trip information to the driver. At the end of a trip, the app used to immediately display the driver’s share of the fare (or, in the beginning, the total fare). Recently, as I attempted to log off, Uber sent me a message that … Read more
In Pennsylvania, Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailing drivers must tell their insurance companies that they engage in commercial activity, according to a bill expected to be signed into law soon. With Uber, it’s personal Of course, all drivers should have auto insurance, whether or not it’s required by law. It’s the financially responsible thing to … Read more
One of the writers for Black Mirror, a Netflix Original, used to drive for Uber; I just can’t figure out who. “Nosedive,” the 1st episode of Season 3 effectively skewers social media culture, taking one-to-five star rating systems to crazy extremes. The full third season of Black Mirror, a Twilight Zone for the Digital Age, dropped … Read more
Uber and Lyft drivers, especially those in small- to mid-sized markets, need to download the FlightAware app in order to plan the best time meet incoming travelers. I live in Burlington, Vermont. Beautiful, and small. Unlike Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, which has flights arriving constantly, Burlington International Airport has periods of the day with little commercial … Read more
Why do Lyft and Uber drivers call passengers before coming to pick them up? When your Uber or Lyft driver calls you after accepting your ride, but before leaving to get you, they’re probably making sure that your trip is worth their time. Drivers don’t see the destination you input when you request a ride. … Read more
Montreal taxi drivers protested Uber today throughout the city. They converged in front of the Sun Life Building, surrounded Dorchester Square and congregated in the park. Other drivers circulated throughout the city honking their horns and slowing traffic. Quebec’s recent agreement authorizing a year-long pilot program for Uber goes into effect next week.
When should I tip my Uber driver? Always, unless you are extremely unhappy with the service. Uber Technologies, Inc, famously discourages riders from tipping its driver “partners.” The company that claims to be purely a technology company refuses to program a tipping feature into its app. But here are nine reasons to carry a little … Read more
In down-to-the-wire negotiations, Uber and Québec’s Transport Minister agreed to sweeping regulations that could provide other governments a blueprint for how to tax and regulate ride-hailing firms. You can tax Uber; you can regulate Uber; just don’t try to fingerprint their drivers. Under the province’s Bill 100, passed June 10, Uber and the Minister had … Read more
As a ‘reward’ to its drivers, Uber recently began offering a discount on retirement programs offered through Betterment, a new online retirement savings management company. Like most offerings from Uber, drivers need to beware. Betterment works best for high earners, and fees for small accounts will cripple a typical driver’s savings growth. Betterment offers account … Read more
Can I pay Uber with Cash? Uber accepts cash payments in a limited number of markets, including Brazil, South Africa, Singapore and India, but generally not in the United States, Canada and Australia. Cashless Rides Are a Feature Uber’s goal at the beginning was to be a cashless system. Remember, they were aiming to disrupt … Read more
While Uber drivers have to carefully monitor their ratings, Uber passenger ratings? Pshaw. Relax. Uber passenger ratings don’t matter much. In what is now industry standard, at the end of each ride, both the rider and driver rate each other on a scale of one-to-five stars. While Uber tracks the driver’s ratings closely, I’ve never … Read more
Uber-Competitor InstaRyde doesn’t work in Toronto, as of late July 2016. While in Toronto, I thought I’d try out InstaRyde, the homegrown Uber competitor. No luck. On the InstaRyde app, you’re as likely to find a car in the middle of Lake Ontario as you are from Queen Street West. The current absence will make another comeback in the Queen … Read more
This post will show you how to change your name displayed in the Uber ‘Partner’ app. I’ve wanted to change the name Uber shows to my passengers ever since I started driving. My given name, Christopher, appears on my driver’s license, insurance card and my car title. Not surprisingly, Uber used it when I signed on as a … Read more
UberPOOL (like Lyft’s Lyft Line) approximates carpooling. In theory, several riders share a car traveling along a shared route. (In true carpooling, the driver and the passengers share the destination.) Uber’s version uses its large network of riders, finding some that could travel the same path for at least part of their trip. 1) With … Read more
Montréal, Québec, has a relatively new entrant into the taxi industry. Téo Taxi combines an environmental focus with the ease of app-based dispatch and billing to create a powerful hybrid company. While visiting Montréal in June, I decided to give it a try. The service has three key features: every car in the fleet is electric; … Read more