Does anyone here drive for Uber or Lyft?

[disneysteve]

We used Uber for the first time today. The experience couldn't have been better. We spoke a bit with the driver and I was surprised to learn that the driver does not know the destination until after they accept the fare at which point they can't back out. Our driver told us one time the person was going to NYC (about 90 miles away). Another time someone was going somewhere about 55 miles away.

How can the company expect drivers to do that? You could accept a fare and end up on a multi-hour road trip. Is there a limit? How far could a driver be stuck going?

[PeggyHefferon]

Curious to learn the answers to these questions. I can certainly understand having some form of policy where drivers can't refuse the fare, but I agree it is a bit much to expect a driver to take a fare that could keep him/her occupied for a couple hours. What if there are childcare issues?

I am wondering if when they log in to the app if they specify how long they plan to be available. If it is 2PM and they are only available until 3PM, then perhaps the app dispatches long distance fares to someone that is available until 6PM?

Totally guessing on this. I thought the draw of being a driver was working the hours you want to. The way your driver explained it sure seems like it could be a hardship to anyone that needs control of how long they work.

[97guns]

There is a limit how far they will send you, I have a friend that works uber after his regular 40 hour job, farthest he has gone is 1:20 minutes, luckily he got another rider to come partially back towards his home base but you could pick up another rider and get taken farther away

We took it to the airport a couple months ago, a 1 hour ride and the driver said it was his lucky day because he was going to have to go to that city to pick up his dog anyways

[97guns]

I use uber often when I go to SF, the parking is horrible so I park where it's free and easy and ride uber to Chinatown, Fishermans Warf or wherever we want to go, just used it in LA and Vegas on our recent trip too.

[disneysteve]

There is a limit how far they will send you

I wonder what that limit is.

This driver was rather shocked to find out she had to drive from Atlantic City, NJ to Manhattan. That's a 2.5-3 hour trip each way depending on exactly where in the city and what time of day. She could easily have been gone for 5-6 hours or more.

[saver17]

We used Uber for the first time today. The experience couldn't have been better. We spoke a bit with the driver and I was surprised to learn that the driver does not know the destination until after they accept the fare at which point they can't back out. Our driver told us one time the person was going to NYC (about 90 miles away). Another time someone was going somewhere about 55 miles away.

How can the company expect drivers to do that? You could accept a fare and end up on a multi-hour road trip. Is there a limit? How far could a driver be stuck going?

I prefer Lyft, it's cheaper and offers discounts

[disneysteve]

I prefer Lyft, it's cheaper and offers discounts

Once again, I'd recommend you actually READ posts before responding to them.

I wasn't asking which to use. I was asking a specific question about their service.

[saver17]

Once again, I'd recommend you actually READ posts before responding to them.

I wasn't asking which to use. I was asking a specific question about their service.

I responded to a portion of your original post

[TexasHusker]

Once again, I'd recommend you actually READ posts before responding to them.

I wasn't asking which to use. I was asking a specific question about their service.

Whoa !

Shots fired !

[Drake3287]

I also recently started using Uber. My first trips were in Las Vegas last month and it couldn't have worked out better. Certainly saved me a ton of money from shuttle vans and taxi rides. I also used it this weekend in San Diego.

One of my drivers told me the same thing, they don't know your destination until they except the ride. If they didn't do this all the drivers would be cherry picking the ride requests. He said race (of course) also plays into it. If given the chance he said many driver's would never drive into poor inter-city crime area's. With this Uber policy everyone's treated equal.

He also mentioned about the limit of rides. He told us about a ride request he had from Las Vegas to Oakland because some guy had missed the last flight of the night and had to be in Oakland in the morning. Uber refused to allow though because of the distance.

I also recently read that taxi business in Las Vegas was down 25% last year because of Ride Share Companies.

[disneysteve]

He also mentioned about the limit of rides. He told us about a ride request he had from Las Vegas to Oakland because some guy had missed the last flight of the night and had to be in Oakland in the morning. Uber refused to allow though because of the distance.

So there is a limit. I'm just wondering what it is.

I wonder how he knew about it if Uber hadn't allowed it. It shouldn't have gotten as far as a driver in that case.

I completely understand blinding the requests to avoid discrimination. What I don't understand is blinding the distances of the requests. There's a big difference between accepting a 15-minute trip and accepting a 5-hour trip.

[phantom]

What I don't understand is blinding the distances of the requests. There's a big difference between accepting a 15-minute trip and accepting a 5-hour trip.

I've never driven for Uber, so I'm just guessing. But, drivers get to see how much a trip will pay, right? If so, I would think they could judge the length of the trip by the amount of the fare. I'm sure the variable pricing makes it an inexact science, but I'm guessing drivers know a relatively high fare when they see it and can judge the length of the trip from that.

[disneysteve]

I've never driven for Uber, so I'm just guessing. But, drivers get to see how much a trip will pay, right? If so, I would think they could judge the length of the trip by the amount of the fare. I'm sure the variable pricing makes it an inexact science, but I'm guessing drivers know a relatively high fare when they see it and can judge the length of the trip from that.

I'm not sure. That would make sense, but if that is true, the driver should have known that she was accepting a long distance ride. I wouldn't be surprised if they blind the fee also. Drivers might cherry pick the higher paying fares and not want to be bothered with the quick trips that don't pay much but cause them to miss out on better jobs.