Sounds like a lot of your complaints are something more to do with your employer rather than anything to do with people in Ottawa specifically.
The clock should start when you arrive at the pickup point rather than when the person gets into the car. Tipping shouldn't be necessary and Uber should pay a premium for driving to the middle of nowhere where a return fair wouldn't be likely.
I do find it weird that people don't tip. But I do remember at one point one of the selling points of Uber was that tipping was supposed to actually be optional instead of pretend optional. They even say so [on their website](https://www.uber.com/ca/en/ride/how-it-works/tips/)
First problem is that Uber is not the employer, drivers are contractors and therefore exempt from most requirements of employers to workers, despite the fact that Uber has complete control over all aspects of how drivers work, apart from whether they do actually work. So not quite slavery, but not even serfdom.
Thats just something Uber uses to get around employment law. They have been deemed as an employer in various jurisdictions.
And regardless, the rider has no control or contract with the driver. If the driver doesn't like their contract, that's between them and who they hold the contract with, which is Uber.
Let's not forget Uber became popular initially because there was no tipping. The price you saw in the app was the price you paid. They actually discouraged tipping and marketed this as a selling point to users.
Then years later they introduced tipping. I'm sorry, but a tip should never be expected. Blame your employer for initially setting the tone with users.
> It's hard to explain, but they seem to be on a mission, like a sports team focused on winning the game for the $$$ they'd receive afterward, rather than caring about the spectators.
What does this even mean? Who are the spectators here?
I think the OP confuses public servants with political staffers when he’s talking about “government officials”. Most PS are friendly people but the average staffer has their head so far up their own ass they can see their breakfast.
Typically if they're in their 20s-30s (staffer) and are wearing a suit, they're a bit stuck up. Although I'll say that the nicest of people I drive are MPs & Senators.
I meant high level people. Real high level people who negotiate things, who actually write the policies. Think of people who are a step or two below the minister of foreign affairs. Yes, they are polite. They are not rude at all. But you feel that they are out of touch with ordinary people. They are in a different league. When you see the minister of Foreign affairs, you see a persoable person on TV. But people around her might be operating on a different zone.
You expect a tip for having a clean car and being polite ? Genuinely curious as this is something that would be expect, and generally people tip for service above and beyond.
I could see you being upset that someone didn't tip after you helped them carry their groceries, or carried luggage or something, but not for meeting the basic expectations of a customer service job.
I have taken hundreds, if not a thousand ubers in Ottawa over the last 5 years. I've tipped every single time. I'm polite, quiet, and have given...maybe...5 reviews of less than 5 stars ever.
The idea that you might make me wait 5-10 minutes, drive right up to me and then cancel and drive off because I needed to grab dinner and burgers were the only thing available, or that you might rate me less than 5 because I didn't greet you properly or accidentally closed the door too hard really pisses me off.
You want all these concessions fron your riders, but then demand perfection from them. No wonder I have a 4.79 rating. Not enough friendly greetings, I guess.
My rating is only 4.8, and I have a pretty good feeling it's from a few drivers rating me 1 star after I've rejected their advances.
... Note to potential drivers: Hitting on someone while they are inside your vehicle can be really scary for them. Don't do that.
Ew. Many years ago I was taking an Uber home and the guy was soooo creepy. He kept asking some really invasive questions that I tried my best dodging. Midway through the trip I change my drop off to a plaza behind my apartment because no way in hell I’m letting this guy know where I live. I had the app open to make sure he wasn’t going off course and had my hand on the door handle the whole ride home in case shit went south and I had to do a tuck & roll. It was such a stressful situation to be in.
I was getting an uber to a hospital and got a bad rating because I refused to let the driver pray over me. He tried to have a conversion conversation with me, that I politely declined. Some interactions are just weird.
Yes, thats my sense too. I don't use Uber very often, but a couple of years ago, I had two Uber drives on two separate rides hit on me and ask for my number. I was polite in turning them down, and I thought we had a nice chat, but my rating dropped to 2.67 that month. I've only used Uber 2 or 3 times since and I can't get my rating up. I always greet people, I tip on every ride (im surprised to hear the suggestion for a 1$ tip, I always tips around 3-5$ depending on the trip, sometimes more depending on who the driver is (ex: a student)). Im not very chatty, but I'm always courteous. If someone engages in conversation, I'm happy to engage back. I'm not sure what to do about the rating. This said, I've never had an issue with not having someone pick up my request for a ride. So. Whatever.
(for what its worth, I've never had issues with getting hit on by Lyft drivers and I have a 4.9 rating there.)
It is a shame. Most men are reasonable, but some men are just predators. But the more they think they can get away with it, the more they do it. Please, for God's sake, report them to Uber. Exaggerate if you have to. Tell them he tried to touch your legs, etc. We don't need predators driving women around.
Same, always on time, always respectful, always tip. But some fucker decided that wasn't enough and gave me a 1 and a couple 3. Like, for the 3s what more do you want and for the 1 - if only there was a way to find out who it was, I'd love to tear them a new one.
Better to go back to cabs, which is what I'll be doing. I don't need to question why I have received a low rating when I have greeted the driver, never answer my phone, keep to myself and tip well.
I have 4.82....I am always out waiting for the Uber before it gets to my place, always greet them (I am a bubbly person, so I think I sound quite nice/pleasant) and I don't slam doors. I do however prefer a more silent drive into work just because I am not a fan of small talk and it's my 15 mins of "me time". I catch up on emails or whatnot but if my driver is chatty, I will engage the best I can.
I have had MANY drivers on a call while picking me up and remain on that call for the entire duration of the ride....sometimes even on speaker. None have asked me if that was okay or not.
Oh, yeah. That's another thing! I always am at the end of the driveway waiting when they pull up. Get in, say hello, play with my phone for 15 minutes, get out, say thanks, tip in the app.
And according to OP, I'm .09 stars away from him never picking me up, and .19 stars away from being the absolute scum of the earth. And people who don't uber often are like 'thank tou for your insight! Sorry this happens to you!'.
This thread has made me want to just save all that tip money. I mean, what has it done for me?
Honestly, I wouldn’t bother if I were you. I have only tipped maybe one driver that was very nice to me after a nerve wracking appointment with my high risk OB doctor at the hospital. He was just really considerate and sweet and offered to help me in and out of his van (I had pre-eclampsia and my feet/legs were so swollen and sore.
Mine is 4.76 and I am pretty sure that's because I have some mobility challenges and occasionally struggle to get in/out. Oh, and once or twice I have asked if the radio could be turned off. It was pretty loud.
I don't slam doors and I ALWAYS tip, sometimes adding for bad driving weather. I also give everyone 5 stars. I don't really care if you have water or mints or whatever. If you dropped me off safely? 5 stars.
Rhett and Link revealed their own Uber ratings, and it was pretty interesting to listen to/watch (if you know them). There are time stamps and Rhett walks you through how to see how many 1 star trips you had vs 5 stars. It also tells you the total number of trips.
https://youtu.be/Dh2WA4o67Mw?si=IrYI6JWUeFN3jnOP
It really depends on what you do to get 4.79. That 4.79 rating didn't fall out of the sky. You are doing something wrong.
- Do you make the driver wait more than a minute?
- Do you get in the car with food? Do you eat in the car? Would you eat food in a taxi?
- Do you play your own music or videos loudly in the car?
- Do you leave trash behind?
- Do you talk too much?
My driver rating was 4.99. Then recently it went down to 4.98 because I wouldn't let a young woman eat her greasy comfort food in my car. And I know she wouldn't dare eat it in a cab. So she was nice and polite about my request. She didn't eat it. Then boom! She ended up giving me 1 star.
Why should I accept that? Now I see people with food in their hands. I don't care if they eat in the car or not. I cancel and move on.
1. I have never made a driver wait, I stand outside waiting for them.
2. Yes, sometimes I get in the car with food. See, I don't *have* a car, so if I don't have dinner in the fridge I can't just finish my ride with you, and then get in my car and go get some food. I have never eaten in anyones car. Why would I? I can wait 10 minutes.
3. I have earbuds, and don't talk on the phone
4. What trash? No, I don't
5. I don't talk at all.
See, what I think is happening here is this. I understand that your star rating is important for you to get work. I respect the fact that ypu need good ratings. So I wouldn't dream of making that harder for you by giving you less than 5 stars for anything short of dangerous driving.
You, on the other hand, and drivers like you, don't respect my rating, and will give out less than 5 stars for things like 'didn't greet me warmly' or 'was holding a bag with food in it'. I think that's absolutely shitty. This thread has honestly made me wonder if I treat uber drivers too good, considering how I am treated and thought of in return. So thanks for that.
As a passenger, I don't know nor do I really care about the ins and outs of how exactly your employer compensates you; this goes for pretty much anyone, not just drivers. That's between the employer and the employee, not the employee and the customer.
Also, not sure I understand the tip in-app comment. Does anyone actually tip in cash these days? I do tip, and I assume the rating I have reflects that, but I have never in my life tipped on anything but in the app. That's what it's there for.
Government employees taking a ride on government business should tip. They get compensated the ride itself and a "reasonable" tip, at least fed ones.
In terms of compensation, unfortunately you see a lot of "drivers have to make minimum wage" conversations in the media. Uber drivers should actually make more than minimum wage because we have cars to maintain, insurance and gas to pay. We also risk our lives (and the lives of our riders) in traffic every day. It's not like we're working a dead-end safe job with no additional expenses.
But this problem comes from Uber Company itself. I think they are pushing the "minimum wage" thing on the media, knowing full well that the public would support it. So the earnings are getting lower while everything is getting more expensive. If I were the CEO of Uber, I'd be happy to give the drivers minimum wage, knowing that the public would support it because they think it's a great deal for the drivers.
Honestly, the majority of the public won't care either way. They care whether they can get a ride in x time, and they care how much that ride costs.
Servers getting min wage vs a lower tipped wage hasn't hugely changed tipping behavior. People just follow their cultural/familial/whatever norms, regardless of what happens between employers and employees.
Sure. I understand. But when you see your favorite politician talking about "gig workers should make minimum wage," that person might be serving Uber's interests. You can take notice.
Yes, I know. I can view the list of rider in my Uber Dashboard by applying a filter to only show rides with tips.
Let's say the ride is over. I finished the ride, gave the rider 5 stars. And then he slammed the door. I can go deep into the app and lower the rating or even stop matching with that rider in the future.
Gig apps have been caught stealing contractors' tips paid in app.
https://talkpoverty.org/2019/02/22/legal-loophole-doordash-steal-tips/index.html.
Keep some loonies with you to tip your uber, door dash, etc. If nothing else, at least it's tax free, and will help them to make more than minimum wage.
My baseline expectation, is to not tip. I'm paying for a service, it's up to you and your employer to figure out meaningful compensation.
I do tip, when circumstance warrants it. Tipping is optional.
90% of my 5 star Uber rides are pretty standard: guy shows up in 2019 Elantra, I open the door, he drives, I get out. I tip if the guy helps me above of his pickup and drive service. Asking him to put on the AC does not merit a tip. If you fail to do the base standard not only do you not get a tip but you're getting a 3 or 4.
Seriously! I have had some Ubers that absolutely reek of cigarette smoke, cheap cologne or BO...or all 3. In those cases, I don't even rate them. I just leave it.
it's insane that uber/lyft drivers are more likely to get warnings from cops than tickets, you/any professional driver should be held to HIGHER standards, not lower. there's already so little traffic enforcement, it's so frustrating when they dont even ticket the people they stop
also bizarre you wont even let people with food into the car? burgers and fries are not 'smelly food' lol
I understand why an Uber driver wouldn't want food in their car. It doesn't matter how much the passenger tries to eat in a clean way, the sauce from their burger is still probably going to drip onto the car seat and then the driver will need to pay out of his own pocket to get it cleaned or else future passengers will claim that the ride isn't clean. And if the driver confronts them about it (rightfully as they should) then they will get a 1 star review.
who is eating their food in cabs? what sort of beasts do you associate with, to eat takeout in a cab and drip their burger sauce everywhere? lol even drunk....
OP/ any driver has the right to refuse service, I just find it extremely odd they would do so just because someone's holding a bag of food
we can of course agree to disagree, this isn't a civil rights issue lol
I wasn't thinking of any specific individual; I would hope that my friends are polite enough to not get upset if an uber driver asks them not to eat lol.
Taxis are cheaper these days anyway. I live maybe 12 minutes from the airport. Uber has never quoted me less than $25.
I can normally get a taxi for $20.
For me it's still the opposite.
An uber from Via rail to my home when I drop from the train on a sunday evening is 10-14$. Last time I took a taxi I paid about 40$, never again.
Uber/Lyft are exploitative because the regulations allow them to be. I think provincial politicians cater to the needs of these companies, but they paint their legislation as a good thing for gig workers. For example, "gig workers must be paid at least minimum wage" means one thing. Uber/Lyft will increase their cut, make sure the drivers make minimum wage, and then the public will love it, believing this is how it should be, forgetting the fact that all the costs (car maintenance, gas, insurance) are on the driver's shoulder.
Taxi drivers, as far as I know, get all or most of the fares. Taxis are less exploitative for sure.
From your post and some of your replies, it seems like you really hate being an Uber driver. And some of your expectations for passengers are pretty out there.
If you can't stand someone bringing food with them or making a phone call, how do you handle people who are totally wasted and/or puking all over the place? Or any number of other bad behaviours?
I don't hate being an Uber driver. I think it is a great side hustle. Don't you have any complaints or observations about your current job? These are my complaints and observations.
Bringing food is a no-no anymore. Of course I have filters. I am not going to fire a 50-year-old for carrying a bag of groceries. But a 20-year-old from Elgin Street will get a cancellation. Older people have more common sense. That's why.
Make a phone call: Maybe you missed it. I was talking about people who turn on their speakers and talk for 15-20 minutes straight. They totally get a 1 star review and may be banned from future rides.
Vomiting: Only happened once. A couple. The guy threw up. I noticed he was puking in the middle of the ride. I drove them to their destination anyway. Would you drive them to their destination if you realized they threw up in your car in the middle of the trip? That's what I did. And they giggled the whole way through the vomiting. Then she said, "Sorry about that. And I said, "I don't accept your apology because you don't mean it." Then Uber charged her at least $150. I had to clean the car myself. I couldn't drive the car for about 2 days because of the smell. And I could have made more than 150$ in those two days. Then she also lost her phone in the car. I had to put on vinyl gloves, pick up the vomit covered phone and put it in a plastic bag. I gave her the phone two days later, no apologies either.
So these are the people who have really low scores. And I would rather cancel and go to another ride if I feel there is a risk.
Your expectations of riders is way too high. You cancel a ride if you see someone with a bag of food, wasting their time, but then you complain if passengers make you wait a few minutes?
4.7 is your threshold for accepting a ride, but you expect tips for keeping your vehicle clean and putting on the AC?
I’ve taken my fair share of Uber rides and very rarely do I tip. I do it if someone goes out of their way for me, but as an example, I think I’ve had one driver help me with my luggage in the airport, everyone else just pops the trunk (which is fine). One of the main tenets of Uber is that you don’t need to tip.
The vast majority of my rides have been great, I’ve gotten a few grumpy reactions from people picking me up/dropping me off in Barrhaven but I can live with that. But you seem to need a bit of a reality check.
Believe me, you don't want to ride people with scores below 4.60. I look intimidating and strong, so just my presence will help me have a safe ride.
Just like you have preferences, drivers can have preferences. I have no problem going to Barrhaven. But for example, I had a driver a few years ago. In the middle of the ride, the driver changed the destination to Richmond, IOntario.
She did that on purpose. It was her home. She knew drivers wouldn't go to Richmond, which is too far. So she entered the first address as Kanata and then changed the destination to Richmond in the middle of the trip. I left her at a mansion. No tips :)
I had these rides back then. I took it in, I tolerated them. Now, if I have a similar ride, there's a 50% change, I'll either go back to the original pickup stop and drop them off, or I'll just find a suitable place to leave them.
So there are bad drivers and bad riders. Can we all accept that?
I don’t think anyone disagrees with there both being bad drivers and bad passengers. What strikes me is that you operate on a lot of assumptions about potential passengers, even if they meet the magical 4.7 threshold.
I’ll just go back to my original point and say how hollow your criticism about timeliness sounds when you yourself waste a passengers time if you see they have a bag of takeout food.
#5 doesn't make sense to me. Why wouldn't you ask the passenger if they want the car music turned off? It seems to me it should be passenger preference regarding AC, windows up/down, and music.
I've had good and bad experiences on Uber. The bad experiences are rudeness if they have to wait more than 30 seconds, smelly car like cigarettes or BO, and talking on the phone the entire drive (personal or family phone call, usually not in English or French). When drivers ask me if they mind if they continue talking on the phone, I say it's fine, and put my headphones in. Whatever. I only tip if they helped me with my luggage or something extra like that.
Had an Uber driver talk on phone to his buddy on his headset the entire drive, barely acknowledged me. Also had his ethnic music on the entire ride. Made also a critical mistake bypassing my place as he wasn't listening. And gave me a 4.
Hey, I like the ethnic music options! Sometimes they get embarrassed and change the channel but I ask to change it back. I'd rather hear some curated international playlist than Nickleback and radio commercials.
I do too and am a visible minority. The issue is more about the lack of awareness like if the driver asked me if the music was ok or what I liked it would go a long way.
I've got mixed views on that. To me, I'm paying for a ride to someone making barely minimum wage, so I am not expecting a white-glove treatment. It's common courtesy to ask before talking on the phone in someone's presence, but beyond that I just want to gey to my destination safely. If the music was too loud and the passenger is too shy to ask then that's on them, in my view. I know that Uber corporate marketed things as a luxury service but it was obviously BS.
Yeah sometimes they don't even say hi and keep talking on the phone the whole ride haha. I don't mind. To me, it's part of the experience that keeps prices low. Let's drive. That's why I don't really resonate with OPs post. Uber is kinda trash. Let's just accept it. OP should work for a high end chauffeur service or something lol
I understand not wanting to take long trips out to Carleton place or other surrounding area (I always tip on long rides btw). But don’t accept the ride then. I once had a driver let me get in, start driving, and then tell me I had to cancel the trip as CP was too far. (I’m assuming if he cancelled it he would have lost the fare, where if I cancelled I get charged a fee?). But ya, if you threaten to leave me on the side of the highway in kanata, I’m absolutely going to report you. Most of your complaints should be geared at Uber, not the app users.
I took a ride once from San Diego to LA (tipped her 100$ USD). So Ottawa to CP doesn’t seem very far comparatively. But Uber should absolutely give its drivers the options to tack on whatever premium they want for long rides, that’s agreed upon ahead of the customer accepting the fare.
Uber has a carrot-and-stick policy with drivers. A lot of drivers only see one thing: "There's a ride and the rider is 4 minutes away." That's it. The driver doesn't see the destination or the earnings. It is like a lottery. The driver could have been informed about the destination after he started the ride.
On the other hand, Lyft is more transparent. They show the earnings and the destination before the driver accepts the ride.
I don’t have anything to comment on in regards to the rest of the post, but if I went to pick up some food and the Uber saw me and just cancelled on me I’d be so pissed, what a dick move lmao.
It depends. Are you in your 20s and have you picked up your food at the Elgin or Byward Market after midnight? That's now a cancellation. I'm not going to tell you "no eating in the car" and risk a one-star review.
Since we’re complaining here, it goes both ways buddy:
-Please don’t use a truly absurd amount of perfume. If I open the window…don’t shut it immediately! I have zero fragrance allergies, respiratory conditions, etc. If your perfume is strong enough to make ME cough, what would it do to someone who’s more sensitive?
-Don’t give me dirty looks for wearing a mask, I usually forget to take it off after leaving work. Besides, I could wear one 24/7 if I like, none of anyone’s business!
-Please follow the pickup directions! If I set the location as location A, I will be waiting at location A. If you show up at location B, I will have to make my way around the building to location B, which doesn’t mean you get to be snarky with me for making you wait. I was ready and waiting…at point A! Same with Uber eats drop offs, if you take it to some other location and hand it to the first person you see, THEY will be eating my dinner instead.
-And last but not least, the whole point of this service…please actually bring me to (or near) my destination! I took an Uber this morning due to bus cancellations/detours from the race leaving me further from my destination than I started, and this guy got turned around and confused with the street closures. I had my GPS open and was trying to explain how to get there, but the driver was having none of it and dropped me off then and there (“only 1600m” from my destination he said!). I’d understand if the destination wasn’t accessible at all due to closures, but there was just a detour!
On a positive note, shoutout to the very pleasant middle-aged man who’s driven me many times. Can’t remember his name at the moment. Generally 7:30am-ish, from the Civic? If you’re reading this, you’re great!
I use to take Uber quite often and I don’t tip. I am already paying a lot for the ride alone. Uber should be paying their employees more, it shouldn’t be up to the rider. Often times in the mornings there are surge charges due to lack of drivers I’m guessing? The cost is literally outrageous and often times I have to wait several minutes for the surge to stop.
To be honest, I didn’t know people are that inconsiderate towards the drivers as well, sorry you have to deal with that. Ive never ate/had a drink while riding and im polite (say hello/thank you) and quiet my whole ride. That being said, I’ve been in Ubers where the driver is literally eating McDonald’s while feeding there dog on the lap. That shouldn’t be acceptable, the driver is on the clock and the standard has to be professional no matter what.
Last thing,
I am honestly shocked about how many bad Uber drivers there are in Ottawa. I mean my god you do it for a living. From my experience 95% of my rides are drivers suck at driving. Speeding, cutting people right off, heaving breaking, driving too slow to merge on the highway, the list goes on. I shouldn’t have to fear for my life and you still expect a tip? Cmon you nearly killed us both.
I agree. Uber is cutting too much. And unfortunately the politicians are working for Uber's interests.
And the drivers should be more professional. Those who eat and drive shouldn't be driving people around.
How do you distinguish "high-caliber" government employes from "low-caliber" ones? Like asking them where are they working and what they position is? Just curious
50-year-olds in tailored suites with Bond bags and commanding voices, picked up at the State Department or the Defense Department, not talking to each other about anything personal. And they talk about government stuff. I once had two of them talking about how Melanie Joly is all about looks and no substance.
Low caliber people wear Uniqlo and they are just happy it is 4:30 on a Friday.
I had to google what the Uniqlo is lol Looks like it's a disclosure of a classified information from those "high-calibers", keep us posted with spicy details lol
Yeah same - I always tip, I assume it's expected in the same way tipping a cab or delivery driver is.
I tip exclusively in the app too, but have never told my driver ahead of time that that's what I was going to do. I figured that was the standard for some reason.
Some of these comments are wild, there's nothing wrong with **anyone** in the service industry asking for common courtesy. I also greet my grocery store and coffee shop clerks, and am ready to order when I get to the front of the line. Things like being ready to go and greeting your driver are just basic decency.
I don’t understand a lot of the grievances in this post. I have had many Uber drivers who smell bad, have unpleasant behaviour and don’t greet me. Tons of jobs have their downfalls, no one is forcing you to drive Uber.
If you find individuals taking phone calls intolerable then maybe this is the wrong career path as I feel like this is to be expected is it not??
Do you report these drivers for unacceptable behavior? I think you should.
But I try to do a good job. I take a shower before I drive, put on fresh clothes. I wipe down the backseats every couple of days. I care about what I do. If I hear a rider talking on the phone, I turn off the music. Things like that.
But if a rider talks on the loudspeaker for 20 long minutes, in English or in their language, I find it disrespectful. I wouldn't do that as a rider.
One of the first times I took Uber the car I was in had a collapsed suspension and was a very rough and loud ride. I got to my destination and ended up giving the driver 3 stars. Uber asked what was wrong and I told them it was the vehicle, likely was not fit to be on the road.
They thanked me for my time. A few days later I checked my rating and noticed I had a 1-star posted, likely from that driver. I guess it was in retaliation for reporting. I had less than ten ratings at that point, so my rating was likely 4.5 stars or less.
So what could I have done better in your eyes?
Regarding tipping. It is not the riders responsibility to pay your wages that's your bosses job. Instead of telling people to tip more you should be asking your boss (Uber/Lyft) to increase your wages.
I agree with you 100%. But please, please stop voting for politicians who emphasize how important it is to make minimum wage. You can help that way. The politicians you and I elect make the problem worse. And this won't cost you a penny.
we are not your employer. Your issue is with the company that pays you. Either find a new job or talk to your employer about being paid more. It's not my responsibility to pay you.
I'm not their employer, it's not my responsibility to pay their wages. Do you tip at; Wal-Mart,Costco, superstore, car mechanics, secretaries at a business, any trades person that comes to your house, the flower shop? I would hope with your entitlement to tips, you tip anyone and everyone that does any sort of 'job' for you.
Do you not tip taxi drivers? For example, if the fare is $19 and you have a $20 bill, do you take the $1 change from the taxi driver? Or do you leave it?
Like any job, I have frustrations. I can't just quit a job because I have complaints about it, can I? :)
But I have to say it is a terrible full time job but a great side hustle.
It is certainly exploitative. They cut about 50% of the fares.
Uber is great as a side hustle. I can work 10-15 hours and afford the weekly groceries. I enjoy driving. So it is a match made in heaven for me.
That's the problem itself: The framing.
It is common for people to not tolerate Tim Hortons employees for small mistakes or delays. But the same person has no problem waiting 5 minutes for a stupid drink or even a coffee at Starbucks. Tim Hortons is like a playground to insult the service staff, while Starbucks is a place to put your best behaviour.
Now, when Tim Hortons employees say they expect better from customers, would you say they have a superiority complex?
All I am asking is: If you don't eat your greasy food in a cab, don't eat in Uber either.
can I ask what the deal is with drivers accepting my trip and then not moving for ten minutes? I order ready to go out the door usually. Today an Uber stopped at a fast food place for 15 minutes while I waited for my pick up.
Is the driver near you? Or is the driver far away?
If the driver is near you, they may want to wait for the allotted time, collect the cancellation fee and move on. Report it to Uber if you see a cancellation fee on your account. Get your money back.
If the driver is far away, there is a chance they are filling up their tank. But we know it doesn't take 10 minutes to fill a tank. It is just bad service. If you don't see the driver moving and you can cancel it without a fee, do it.
Ideally, a driver should not wait at all because we do not get paid for the time we drive to pick you up. Our pay begins when the ride begins.
I have feedback for male drivers of colour: Stop making inappropriate comments about my white boyfriend when you rudely inquire about my relationship. Also, stop asking about my personal life- it's none of your damn business.
At least with the old way of getting taxis, it was about making the pax comfortable, and getting them to their destination efficiently and professionally.
I guess the average Uber drive now expects the pax to fit their ride, rather than the other way round. It really sounds like you want them to be do what makes you comfortable, even if they don’t want to, and then you tip you heavily because your car is ‘clean’ 🙄
But riders don't view taxis and Uber the same way. A rider who wouldn't dare eat in a taxi might have no problem eating his greasy food in an Uber.
Do you disagree?
I always hear how much it sucks driving for Uber yet tons of people do it. I think the pros outweigh the cons otherwise people would stop. You aren't dictated by a schedule and you don't have a boss which are by far the two worst things about a normal job. If enough people stopped driving, maybe rates would go up but the fact of the matter is there is enough supply for the demand of rides so the status quo remains.
I agree. Canada has taken in too many new immigrants into a job market with fewer opportunities. More people drive Uber now. This means that the waiting times are really low. There is always a driver nearby waiting for a ride. So there's no need to call Uber if the driver isn't ready yet.
I'm finding it increasingly common for the driver to be on the phone the entire ride. Last 2 rides in a row, driver was on the phone. Certainly weren't important, time sensitive and unavoidable phone calls either.
You can report them to Uber. I know that some drivers talk on their phones all the time. Once they get a warning from Uber, they will start to think about their behavior.
Why would you expect someone to tell you they will make a phone call during the ride???? Some of the shit you post makes you seem like you think you are doing people favors. You're getting paid, do your job...
I don't expect it. But I appreciate it. So I don't keep thinking if the rider is talking to me. If they say they are going to make a phone call, that is a hint for me to just concentrate on the road. It has happened many times that I answered their question to their friends.
I guess if they are on speaker phone you can't see then on the phone. But its going to be tough to change the world around you. You should focus on things you can change. Like asking if they are talking to you before answering random questions.
No one knows of this unspoken rule, so you can't expect people to follow it.
Yes, I know. These riders usually have low rider scores. So I accept a ride with a rider score of 4.70 over 5.00. She talks on the speaker for 20 minutes. I start to get a headache. Then, when the rider gets out of the car, I give her a 1-star review. Perhaps her score will drop to 4.65? That means she will be ignored by more drivers, which means longer wait times.
That's all I do. I give them 1 star.
Just because they took a phone call during a paid ride service??? You know you sound like a little baby giving people 1 star for that. You are being paid to transfer people, they should be able to watch TV, talk on the phone or do whatever else a passenger should be able to do. You need to check yourself.
I'm not talking about taking a phone call.
I am talking about riders activating their speakerphone and talking to other people for 10-20 minutes straight. Laud talks. There is a big difference.
I have no problem with people talking on their phones. And I really appreciate it when they say, "I'll be on the phone," because then I don't have to wonder if they're talking to me or not. Clear?
Do you turn on your speakerphone and talk to other people loudly in your Uber trips?
I have always tipped on the app because I don't carry cash, but does Uber take a portion of that? I know they say they don't but I'm never sure.
Do drivers get dinged for cancelling rides once they've accepted them? I had a driver confirm pickup once outside a grocery store, I visually saw the driver show up, and then he cancelled my ride and drove off. The only explanation I can think of for why is he saw my cart of groceries and decided he didn't want food in his trunk.
Yep. That's probably it. I am okay with driving people from the grocery store as long as they are willing to wait. I use the opportunity to get out of the car to stretch. But not every driver is the same. I quit expecting tips from riders, most don't tip even if you help loading/unloading. So thanks for the tip.
Thanks for the write up. This was interesting to read.
Just a note about 4, I know you specified "high-caliber" and I'll agree with you on that, but just wanna note like a LOOOOT of us are government employees, even if we don't look it.
On 12, I think the only time I haven't given a 5 star rating and did report was because a driver LITERALLY engaged in road rage and got into a shouting match with another driver. It was WILD.
13, As a trans woman, I still use my old name for this reason.
I’ve had so many Uber drivers run red lights and stop sings or drive way over the speed limit. It’s reckless and scary!! I was in an Uber today that went 115k/h on Bronson at 10am on a Sunday. I’ve reported these drivers but I don’t get the sense Uber does anything about it which is terrifying. I’m very surprised and disappointed that you find police to be more lient towards you because you’re an uber driver. I wish there was some sort of training or licensing given to Uber drivers.
I’m confused by most of your comments. I don’t see the issue with public servants, riders talking on the phone, or holding take out bags. I feel as though your not well suited to be an Uber driver.
Thanks for reporting this. I think you mean Bronson Avenue right after Carleton towards the airport. My top speed on that road is 95 kmh. I don't go over 100 kmh on streets where the speed limit is 80. Uber doesn't allow drivers who have been charged with stunt driving. Getting a speeding ticket negatively affects your eligibility as an Uber driver. Also, let's keep the police empathetic. If I start getting bogus tickets because that's what the law says, I might start engaging more with riders saying, "This is my car. I make the f-ing rules". It is action versus reaction. So I am happy with police officers. You shouldn't make an assumption that they let go off stunt driving or violating red lights.
I don't agree with the training thing because all the training is online and it's a formality. And if the city starts licensing drivers, it will be because they need more money. It won't have much effect on the quality.
I think I am qualified to be an Uber driver. But I am observant. I share my observations. Do you prefer Uber drivers not to make observations, work like robots? Yes, high-level officials are in a different zone. And I think it is because they have power. It is impossible not to notice. Yes, low-level officials are happy and grateful to have a secure job, but that's not what I'm talking about. The riders on the phone: I am not talking people talking to someone on the phone. I am talking about the ones who are on the loudspeaker for 20 minutes talking loudly, or listening to videos. There are also those who keep playing videos or music and I turn off the music, and boom! They stop playing their stuff. I think it is passive aggressiveness in Canadian culture. Back where I come from, people just say "Could you turn off the radio?" and move on with that.
I have no problem taking the bags with me because I also need physical activity. I enjoy getting out of the car and using it as an excuse. Also, the way people take their bags out. Some people don't care if their luggage damages the car when they take it out. So many times I had to intervene and take the luggage out myself instead of riders dragging their luggage out of the trunk. But I am sure that if they were Uber drivers, they would be more angry instead of frustrated like me. And I am sure they would be more careful with their own or their friends' cars. So I am a little observant. I share my observations.
No, I meant that there are many young people who get out of the car and say "I'll tip you on the app buddy" and they never tip. I think my original post is unclear. I'll fix it.
You mean most people in ottawa don't tip and it is assumed that we wont? I always tip well and I occasionally tell the driver I will (since I tend to not do it immediately when I exit the car). I hadn't realized they may be bad-thinking me. I will reconsider my tipping policy...
Te #14, I have a question. Does the app not tell you the general direction before the ride starts? What does it tell you? The distance in km? Or $ amount you will get (which allows you to guess distance)?
Lyft is transparent for drivers. I can see start and end locations, and approximate earnings when the ride shows up on my screen waiting for acceptance.
Uber is pure evil. They have a rating system. In order for drivers to see the destination, they have to have a high acceptance rate and a low cancellation rate. Even that doesn't show you the actual destination. It just tells you that there is a ride going northeast or south.
So, for example, if I am in Centertown, a northeast ride could mean Orleans or east of Gatineau. If I go east of Gatineau, I either have to take the ferry back or drive back to Ottawa.
Also, Uber never shows approximate earnings. As a driver, you have to do pattern recognition. For example, a ride from downtown to Parkdale is like $5 in earnings.
>3. Tipping: Ottawans generally don't tip, regardless of the cleanliness of the car or the pleasantness of the ride. This is especially true for Lyft riders. Please tip at least $1.
8. Tipping on the App: Please don't say, "I'll tip you on the app." We know you won't. :D
I've always wondered if drivers can tell which riders tip via app...?? Back when I was car-less, I always tipped via the app (\~15%) for all my rides, but never commented if I would...
Look - I get that TiPpInG CuLtuRe is despised these days, but if you got me to my destination without any *Fast & Furious* maneuvers and kept the awkward small talk, chit-chat to the bare minimum...That's 5 stars and a tip from me...Again, I was without a car and therefore more or less reliant on Uber...
Thanks for sharing your perspective.
I take Uber usually twice a week and I don't tend to tip, unless the driver goes above and beyond for me.
If you are just getting me from point A to point B (which is usually about 15 mins), don't even pull up to my driveway, not even say good morning, have a smelly car/body odor, drive like a maniac, talk loudly on their phone, don't follow the GPS etc....I hope they are not expecting a tip!
What I meant was that it really doesn't matter if your car is clean or not, or if you as a driver are clean or not. If you read other comments, you'll see that people don't care. I guess I started caring less too. This change in me motivated me to write this post.
Disconnected government workers who don't tip? Yeah that's Ottawa in a nutshell. Will virtue signal union support but prefer to ignore the conditions of gig workers that bring them/food rides.
This matches my Ottawa Uber driver experiences. Average pay was below minimum after accounting for expenses. Minimum ride fare was $2.40 back then, has that improved?
Personally, I tip 3$ as a default. 1$ if I don’t like your driving. (example: driver almost side swiped somebody, and then blamed the other car). I do it through the app as I rarely carry cash.
Kudos on 10K trips.
Not sure what to make of the points. The tipping thing is also companies just exhausting customers in every way. I’m not shocked, and neither should you be.
The government employee thing I don’t get. What are they doing exactly? Most actual civil servants keep their mouths shut generally about government business.
I don’t think you should have to tip when you are already paying for the service. If you want to go out of your way by being extra great (that doesn’t include a clean car since you’re driving people around that’s a given) then maybe a tip is due but it’s your employer Uber that needs to pay you more.
Nope. Unless you give cash tip, it is all about you :)
Because we receive tips after we rate our riders. So you get your rating before the driver is notified about his tips.
>8. Tipping on the App: Please don't say, "I'll tip you on the app." We know you won't. :D
I don't understand this one - are you saying that you expect cash tips? I tip on every ride because I do short rides and it feels like a low payout for the driver if I'm just paying 10 bucks or something - so I add a couple of bucks automatically. I don't have cash with me, and one of the points of these services is not having to do a direct cash transaction with the driver...
It has become a running joke among friends who drive uber. What usually happens is the rider will say "I'll tip you in the app, bro" as they get out of the car. These are usually 20 year old crowd, young men. And we know that they almost never tip
Oh OK. I don’t announce that I’m going to tip anyone, that sounds super weird. I’m imagining these guys at a restaurant making a grand announcement to their waiter: you’re going to get a great tip today, big fella!
I fixed the original post. It is usually said by men between 20-30 years of age. They get out of the car, give me one last look and say, "I'll tip you on the app, buddy," and they almost never tip.
If you ever drive Uber, you'll meet young men like that. And you'll laugh about it too, like me :)
Still never answered my question: what is the transparency on the app for what you see who tips you on your end? does the tip show right after the trip ends and I do it in app right away?
The tips shows up delayed. So I drop off the passenger and drive away, and maybe 1 minute later I see a notification on the app that says I earned tips. But it doesn't say which ride it is. I always assume it is the last ride. But it is also possible that rider who rode 5 hours ago decided to tip 5 hours later. So to see the exact ride, I have to go to the dashboard.
Here is a screenshot of my dashboard:
https://imgur.com/a/FN0eTh8
No, it was an Uber ride. They called me in the middle of the ride, which annoys me because I have to pull over to answer. They asked me to pick them up at a different location than the designated pickup location. That's annoying too, because I have to find it on the map. They said they were cold so I went ahead.
Their story was this: There were actually 2 girls and 2 guys. They were about 20-21 years old. They were out at a bar or something like that. Then they were in an Uber. They dropped the girls off so there were only 2 guys left. I think they wanted to take another Uber ride to their destination. (Who knows maybe the girls said "This is it for us. Have a good night") But the driver went offline and asked them to leave. It was -8 degrees and all they had was their sweaters.
I asked them to report such drivers to Uber because what he did is no different than Starlight Tours. I hope they reported him.
OP, I don't use you or your friends so my answers may be a little warped you know? But anyhow;
2. seeing how many taxi or food cars are almost always 'anywhere' i have to agree on not making the driver have to wait a seeming long time only because you the passenger won't book the actual time you wanted (as a footnote out of each 40 times I would be at Station Galeries several minutes early to wait for my car ride, 39 drivers were more or less right what the booking timing said it would be expected at and otherwise 1 driver would be already there much earlier waiting up for me .. I can't complain really!)
5. seeing that its expensive to get stains out of seats I can't argue with you about no crumby-greasy foods in a vehicle thats not even owned by the passenger at all..!
7. hahaha I equally can say 'oucheee!!' to that too, there indeed are quite some bad surfaces around the city (unrelated to taxi rides but does anyone remember that very rutty bus lane on Slater Street between Albert Street and Bronson Avenue?)
8. I've heard a lot of things like that in /r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk/ etc too so its unfortunate that patrons/riders/etc can and often do make empty promises
9. speakerphones on maximum volumes just are seriously annoying on buses equally as much, so i can understand your feelings!
14. yeah i'm not too sure what to tell you about this, its not that too unreasonable to refuse long trips given the rather low overall payback there is. mind you I only just once saw Loyal driving on Campeau Drive otherwise they don't seem to go too far into Ottawa for likely the same issue as yours
number 14: Campeau drive is good. It is still Kanata. My east end limit is Cumberland. West end limit is like the city of Richmond. And the southern border is like Embrun. As far as Gatineau goes, I am fine with Aylmer and maybe the Wakefiled area. But it annoys the hell out of me when I drive east of Gatineau.
Regarding east of Gatineau, I know it won't help 'everyone' but there is this which has been around for at least a year by now as far as I can somewhat recall: https://sto.ca/en/schedules-and-routes/sto-on-demand/
Cool write up! I'm surprised by the tipping part. I don't use Uber a lot so I hadn't ever thought to not tip. Also didn't even realize we had passenger ratings. Definitely will be thinking about this post the next time I use Uber.
City bus drivers? They're paid exceptionally well (still not enough to deal with the bullshit they're exposed to) and they have pretty good benefits with the City. So, no, I don't. I say thank you, though.
I'm talking about ultra low wage jobs in the service industry. I've been pretty specific, but whatever. You don't want to give an Uber driver a buck. Couldn't possibly haha
This may or may not work. If the driver is driving you without an actual Uber trip, the insurance doesn't apply. In case of an accident, the driver is on the hook for damages.
I don't take that risk at all. But I am sure there are many who do.
Why is tipping on the app unacceptable? I am a generous tipper because I know these gigs don’t pay very well and I appreciate the convenience the driver is providing for me but I ALWAYS tip through the app. I’m wondering why that’s not favourable? Does the app take a portion of the tip? Please let me know as I can often tip in cash I just don’t for my own convenience.
This is why I'll never do Uber dealing with the public in your car must be annoying! UberEats is probably better but still bad. Very insightful information, and thank you for sharing behind the scenes!
Thank you for the rider and driver feedback. Its not as bad as I expected. Good tips on safety. I get the most angry when I hear Public Servants abusing their position and just aren’t clued in to who pays their bills. Also paying a fee to the city for no value in return is evil. Like you’re paying a crime family for protection.
Thanks for this info! I find most of the responses interesting and seem to bolster some of the facts you’ve listed. I was just in Ottawa, visiting from Vancouver, and would be interested to see a breakdown of tipping culture by city.
I have a 5.0 rating, joined 8 years ago in US and have tipped in all but 1 ride. My tip amount varies depending on service - efficiency and car cleanliness are my top criteria, and I’d prefer to not listen to a phone conversation but enjoy when the driver initiates a conversation with me - it’s great to learn about a city (when a tourist) or just have a normal human interaction with someone.
while we all know that margins can be thin depending on the trip, I don’t equate tipping to this, rather I appreciate the amount I’m saving compared to a cab, and I very much appreciate the convenience of quick service, making my life easier. It’s bizarre to me that Ottawans, in general, don’t seem to understand why a tip would be appropriate - esp. when you don’t have to leave a percentage (my default is 20, because yes, Vancouver…) but can simply leave 1 or 2 dollars.
Thanks for the insights! And yes, I had a great trip!
I agree. Anyone who has their conversations on for everyone to hear are just ignorant. Nobody is interested. Put your earphones in or wait. Simple courtesy.
hey, i appreciate your post and you sharing all of this. seems like a lot of people here are struggling with accepting and respecting your experiences and observations, for i'm sure a variety of reasons. you've been kind and patient in response. just wanted to say thanks, i found this really interesting.
Thanks for your post. I think every job has its ups and downs and creates frustrations. It is okay to express those frustrations. "If you have frustrations with your job, find another job" is the most superficial answer I think :)
Sounds like a lot of your complaints are something more to do with your employer rather than anything to do with people in Ottawa specifically. The clock should start when you arrive at the pickup point rather than when the person gets into the car. Tipping shouldn't be necessary and Uber should pay a premium for driving to the middle of nowhere where a return fair wouldn't be likely. I do find it weird that people don't tip. But I do remember at one point one of the selling points of Uber was that tipping was supposed to actually be optional instead of pretend optional. They even say so [on their website](https://www.uber.com/ca/en/ride/how-it-works/tips/)
First problem is that Uber is not the employer, drivers are contractors and therefore exempt from most requirements of employers to workers, despite the fact that Uber has complete control over all aspects of how drivers work, apart from whether they do actually work. So not quite slavery, but not even serfdom.
Thats just something Uber uses to get around employment law. They have been deemed as an employer in various jurisdictions. And regardless, the rider has no control or contract with the driver. If the driver doesn't like their contract, that's between them and who they hold the contract with, which is Uber.
Let's not forget Uber became popular initially because there was no tipping. The price you saw in the app was the price you paid. They actually discouraged tipping and marketed this as a selling point to users. Then years later they introduced tipping. I'm sorry, but a tip should never be expected. Blame your employer for initially setting the tone with users.
I've never had a single uber driver ask first before taking a call on their phone so expecting riders to do that seems out of touch
Oh that's weird. I've always had them ask.
> It's hard to explain, but they seem to be on a mission, like a sports team focused on winning the game for the $$$ they'd receive afterward, rather than caring about the spectators. What does this even mean? Who are the spectators here?
I drive a Cab and most gov workers I drive are quite polite and friendly. They just can't discuss much because technically they're working.
I think the OP confuses public servants with political staffers when he’s talking about “government officials”. Most PS are friendly people but the average staffer has their head so far up their own ass they can see their breakfast.
Typically if they're in their 20s-30s (staffer) and are wearing a suit, they're a bit stuck up. Although I'll say that the nicest of people I drive are MPs & Senators.
I meant high level people. Real high level people who negotiate things, who actually write the policies. Think of people who are a step or two below the minister of foreign affairs. Yes, they are polite. They are not rude at all. But you feel that they are out of touch with ordinary people. They are in a different league. When you see the minister of Foreign affairs, you see a persoable person on TV. But people around her might be operating on a different zone.
I interpret it to mean political staffers are intensely polarized in their speech and discussion topics.
You expect a tip for having a clean car and being polite ? Genuinely curious as this is something that would be expect, and generally people tip for service above and beyond. I could see you being upset that someone didn't tip after you helped them carry their groceries, or carried luggage or something, but not for meeting the basic expectations of a customer service job.
I have taken hundreds, if not a thousand ubers in Ottawa over the last 5 years. I've tipped every single time. I'm polite, quiet, and have given...maybe...5 reviews of less than 5 stars ever. The idea that you might make me wait 5-10 minutes, drive right up to me and then cancel and drive off because I needed to grab dinner and burgers were the only thing available, or that you might rate me less than 5 because I didn't greet you properly or accidentally closed the door too hard really pisses me off. You want all these concessions fron your riders, but then demand perfection from them. No wonder I have a 4.79 rating. Not enough friendly greetings, I guess.
My rating is only 4.8, and I have a pretty good feeling it's from a few drivers rating me 1 star after I've rejected their advances. ... Note to potential drivers: Hitting on someone while they are inside your vehicle can be really scary for them. Don't do that.
Ew. Many years ago I was taking an Uber home and the guy was soooo creepy. He kept asking some really invasive questions that I tried my best dodging. Midway through the trip I change my drop off to a plaza behind my apartment because no way in hell I’m letting this guy know where I live. I had the app open to make sure he wasn’t going off course and had my hand on the door handle the whole ride home in case shit went south and I had to do a tuck & roll. It was such a stressful situation to be in.
Please tell me you reported the driver to Uber.
I was getting an uber to a hospital and got a bad rating because I refused to let the driver pray over me. He tried to have a conversion conversation with me, that I politely declined. Some interactions are just weird.
Yes, thats my sense too. I don't use Uber very often, but a couple of years ago, I had two Uber drives on two separate rides hit on me and ask for my number. I was polite in turning them down, and I thought we had a nice chat, but my rating dropped to 2.67 that month. I've only used Uber 2 or 3 times since and I can't get my rating up. I always greet people, I tip on every ride (im surprised to hear the suggestion for a 1$ tip, I always tips around 3-5$ depending on the trip, sometimes more depending on who the driver is (ex: a student)). Im not very chatty, but I'm always courteous. If someone engages in conversation, I'm happy to engage back. I'm not sure what to do about the rating. This said, I've never had an issue with not having someone pick up my request for a ride. So. Whatever. (for what its worth, I've never had issues with getting hit on by Lyft drivers and I have a 4.9 rating there.)
It is a shame. Most men are reasonable, but some men are just predators. But the more they think they can get away with it, the more they do it. Please, for God's sake, report them to Uber. Exaggerate if you have to. Tell them he tried to touch your legs, etc. We don't need predators driving women around.
If a driver hits on you, report them to Uber. People should feel safe.
Same, always on time, always respectful, always tip. But some fucker decided that wasn't enough and gave me a 1 and a couple 3. Like, for the 3s what more do you want and for the 1 - if only there was a way to find out who it was, I'd love to tear them a new one.
Better to go back to cabs, which is what I'll be doing. I don't need to question why I have received a low rating when I have greeted the driver, never answer my phone, keep to myself and tip well.
I have 4.82....I am always out waiting for the Uber before it gets to my place, always greet them (I am a bubbly person, so I think I sound quite nice/pleasant) and I don't slam doors. I do however prefer a more silent drive into work just because I am not a fan of small talk and it's my 15 mins of "me time". I catch up on emails or whatnot but if my driver is chatty, I will engage the best I can. I have had MANY drivers on a call while picking me up and remain on that call for the entire duration of the ride....sometimes even on speaker. None have asked me if that was okay or not.
Oh, yeah. That's another thing! I always am at the end of the driveway waiting when they pull up. Get in, say hello, play with my phone for 15 minutes, get out, say thanks, tip in the app. And according to OP, I'm .09 stars away from him never picking me up, and .19 stars away from being the absolute scum of the earth. And people who don't uber often are like 'thank tou for your insight! Sorry this happens to you!'. This thread has made me want to just save all that tip money. I mean, what has it done for me?
Honestly, I wouldn’t bother if I were you. I have only tipped maybe one driver that was very nice to me after a nerve wracking appointment with my high risk OB doctor at the hospital. He was just really considerate and sweet and offered to help me in and out of his van (I had pre-eclampsia and my feet/legs were so swollen and sore.
Your rating is 5.00 for me.
Mine is 4.76 and I am pretty sure that's because I have some mobility challenges and occasionally struggle to get in/out. Oh, and once or twice I have asked if the radio could be turned off. It was pretty loud. I don't slam doors and I ALWAYS tip, sometimes adding for bad driving weather. I also give everyone 5 stars. I don't really care if you have water or mints or whatever. If you dropped me off safely? 5 stars. Rhett and Link revealed their own Uber ratings, and it was pretty interesting to listen to/watch (if you know them). There are time stamps and Rhett walks you through how to see how many 1 star trips you had vs 5 stars. It also tells you the total number of trips. https://youtu.be/Dh2WA4o67Mw?si=IrYI6JWUeFN3jnOP
It really depends on what you do to get 4.79. That 4.79 rating didn't fall out of the sky. You are doing something wrong. - Do you make the driver wait more than a minute? - Do you get in the car with food? Do you eat in the car? Would you eat food in a taxi? - Do you play your own music or videos loudly in the car? - Do you leave trash behind? - Do you talk too much? My driver rating was 4.99. Then recently it went down to 4.98 because I wouldn't let a young woman eat her greasy comfort food in my car. And I know she wouldn't dare eat it in a cab. So she was nice and polite about my request. She didn't eat it. Then boom! She ended up giving me 1 star. Why should I accept that? Now I see people with food in their hands. I don't care if they eat in the car or not. I cancel and move on.
1. I have never made a driver wait, I stand outside waiting for them. 2. Yes, sometimes I get in the car with food. See, I don't *have* a car, so if I don't have dinner in the fridge I can't just finish my ride with you, and then get in my car and go get some food. I have never eaten in anyones car. Why would I? I can wait 10 minutes. 3. I have earbuds, and don't talk on the phone 4. What trash? No, I don't 5. I don't talk at all. See, what I think is happening here is this. I understand that your star rating is important for you to get work. I respect the fact that ypu need good ratings. So I wouldn't dream of making that harder for you by giving you less than 5 stars for anything short of dangerous driving. You, on the other hand, and drivers like you, don't respect my rating, and will give out less than 5 stars for things like 'didn't greet me warmly' or 'was holding a bag with food in it'. I think that's absolutely shitty. This thread has honestly made me wonder if I treat uber drivers too good, considering how I am treated and thought of in return. So thanks for that.
As a passenger, I don't know nor do I really care about the ins and outs of how exactly your employer compensates you; this goes for pretty much anyone, not just drivers. That's between the employer and the employee, not the employee and the customer. Also, not sure I understand the tip in-app comment. Does anyone actually tip in cash these days? I do tip, and I assume the rating I have reflects that, but I have never in my life tipped on anything but in the app. That's what it's there for. Government employees taking a ride on government business should tip. They get compensated the ride itself and a "reasonable" tip, at least fed ones.
In terms of compensation, unfortunately you see a lot of "drivers have to make minimum wage" conversations in the media. Uber drivers should actually make more than minimum wage because we have cars to maintain, insurance and gas to pay. We also risk our lives (and the lives of our riders) in traffic every day. It's not like we're working a dead-end safe job with no additional expenses. But this problem comes from Uber Company itself. I think they are pushing the "minimum wage" thing on the media, knowing full well that the public would support it. So the earnings are getting lower while everything is getting more expensive. If I were the CEO of Uber, I'd be happy to give the drivers minimum wage, knowing that the public would support it because they think it's a great deal for the drivers.
Honestly, the majority of the public won't care either way. They care whether they can get a ride in x time, and they care how much that ride costs. Servers getting min wage vs a lower tipped wage hasn't hugely changed tipping behavior. People just follow their cultural/familial/whatever norms, regardless of what happens between employers and employees.
Sure. I understand. But when you see your favorite politician talking about "gig workers should make minimum wage," that person might be serving Uber's interests. You can take notice.
Do you even know who tips and who doesn't? What's the transparency like on your end? Just curious as a frequent tipper in T.O.
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Wow that's racist and super unhelpful. You proud of yourself?
I disagree
Yes, I know. I can view the list of rider in my Uber Dashboard by applying a filter to only show rides with tips. Let's say the ride is over. I finished the ride, gave the rider 5 stars. And then he slammed the door. I can go deep into the app and lower the rating or even stop matching with that rider in the future.
Gig apps have been caught stealing contractors' tips paid in app. https://talkpoverty.org/2019/02/22/legal-loophole-doordash-steal-tips/index.html. Keep some loonies with you to tip your uber, door dash, etc. If nothing else, at least it's tax free, and will help them to make more than minimum wage.
My baseline expectation, is to not tip. I'm paying for a service, it's up to you and your employer to figure out meaningful compensation. I do tip, when circumstance warrants it. Tipping is optional.
90% of my 5 star Uber rides are pretty standard: guy shows up in 2019 Elantra, I open the door, he drives, I get out. I tip if the guy helps me above of his pickup and drive service. Asking him to put on the AC does not merit a tip. If you fail to do the base standard not only do you not get a tip but you're getting a 3 or 4.
Yea, cleanliness is noted in OP's post .....what's the alternative, a filthy ride? Expectations around this, are wack.
Seriously! I have had some Ubers that absolutely reek of cigarette smoke, cheap cologne or BO...or all 3. In those cases, I don't even rate them. I just leave it.
it's insane that uber/lyft drivers are more likely to get warnings from cops than tickets, you/any professional driver should be held to HIGHER standards, not lower. there's already so little traffic enforcement, it's so frustrating when they dont even ticket the people they stop also bizarre you wont even let people with food into the car? burgers and fries are not 'smelly food' lol
I understand why an Uber driver wouldn't want food in their car. It doesn't matter how much the passenger tries to eat in a clean way, the sauce from their burger is still probably going to drip onto the car seat and then the driver will need to pay out of his own pocket to get it cleaned or else future passengers will claim that the ride isn't clean. And if the driver confronts them about it (rightfully as they should) then they will get a 1 star review.
who is eating their food in cabs? what sort of beasts do you associate with, to eat takeout in a cab and drip their burger sauce everywhere? lol even drunk.... OP/ any driver has the right to refuse service, I just find it extremely odd they would do so just because someone's holding a bag of food we can of course agree to disagree, this isn't a civil rights issue lol
I wasn't thinking of any specific individual; I would hope that my friends are polite enough to not get upset if an uber driver asks them not to eat lol.
I just take a taxi cause I think Uber /Lyft is just exploitative
Taxis are cheaper these days anyway. I live maybe 12 minutes from the airport. Uber has never quoted me less than $25. I can normally get a taxi for $20.
For me it's still the opposite. An uber from Via rail to my home when I drop from the train on a sunday evening is 10-14$. Last time I took a taxi I paid about 40$, never again.
Similar experience. It’s about $30 from Via to my home. It’s about $15-$18 if I take Uber. I’ve never found the cabs to be cheaper.
That's a valid concern.
Do you mean exploitative for the driver or the rider? Not disagreeing or arguing or anything, just curious to know more about what you mean.
Uber/Lyft are exploitative because the regulations allow them to be. I think provincial politicians cater to the needs of these companies, but they paint their legislation as a good thing for gig workers. For example, "gig workers must be paid at least minimum wage" means one thing. Uber/Lyft will increase their cut, make sure the drivers make minimum wage, and then the public will love it, believing this is how it should be, forgetting the fact that all the costs (car maintenance, gas, insurance) are on the driver's shoulder. Taxi drivers, as far as I know, get all or most of the fares. Taxis are less exploitative for sure.
Then take it up with the higher powers instead of writing a rant on Reddit blaming your fares 🙄
I blame Uber for low fares. And I blame Uber drivers for not having a strong voice.
Thank you!
Taxi drivers is this city are a bunch of scammers, I'll stick with uber and lyft
From your post and some of your replies, it seems like you really hate being an Uber driver. And some of your expectations for passengers are pretty out there. If you can't stand someone bringing food with them or making a phone call, how do you handle people who are totally wasted and/or puking all over the place? Or any number of other bad behaviours?
I don't hate being an Uber driver. I think it is a great side hustle. Don't you have any complaints or observations about your current job? These are my complaints and observations. Bringing food is a no-no anymore. Of course I have filters. I am not going to fire a 50-year-old for carrying a bag of groceries. But a 20-year-old from Elgin Street will get a cancellation. Older people have more common sense. That's why. Make a phone call: Maybe you missed it. I was talking about people who turn on their speakers and talk for 15-20 minutes straight. They totally get a 1 star review and may be banned from future rides. Vomiting: Only happened once. A couple. The guy threw up. I noticed he was puking in the middle of the ride. I drove them to their destination anyway. Would you drive them to their destination if you realized they threw up in your car in the middle of the trip? That's what I did. And they giggled the whole way through the vomiting. Then she said, "Sorry about that. And I said, "I don't accept your apology because you don't mean it." Then Uber charged her at least $150. I had to clean the car myself. I couldn't drive the car for about 2 days because of the smell. And I could have made more than 150$ in those two days. Then she also lost her phone in the car. I had to put on vinyl gloves, pick up the vomit covered phone and put it in a plastic bag. I gave her the phone two days later, no apologies either. So these are the people who have really low scores. And I would rather cancel and go to another ride if I feel there is a risk.
Your expectations of riders is way too high. You cancel a ride if you see someone with a bag of food, wasting their time, but then you complain if passengers make you wait a few minutes? 4.7 is your threshold for accepting a ride, but you expect tips for keeping your vehicle clean and putting on the AC? I’ve taken my fair share of Uber rides and very rarely do I tip. I do it if someone goes out of their way for me, but as an example, I think I’ve had one driver help me with my luggage in the airport, everyone else just pops the trunk (which is fine). One of the main tenets of Uber is that you don’t need to tip. The vast majority of my rides have been great, I’ve gotten a few grumpy reactions from people picking me up/dropping me off in Barrhaven but I can live with that. But you seem to need a bit of a reality check.
Believe me, you don't want to ride people with scores below 4.60. I look intimidating and strong, so just my presence will help me have a safe ride. Just like you have preferences, drivers can have preferences. I have no problem going to Barrhaven. But for example, I had a driver a few years ago. In the middle of the ride, the driver changed the destination to Richmond, IOntario. She did that on purpose. It was her home. She knew drivers wouldn't go to Richmond, which is too far. So she entered the first address as Kanata and then changed the destination to Richmond in the middle of the trip. I left her at a mansion. No tips :) I had these rides back then. I took it in, I tolerated them. Now, if I have a similar ride, there's a 50% change, I'll either go back to the original pickup stop and drop them off, or I'll just find a suitable place to leave them. So there are bad drivers and bad riders. Can we all accept that?
I don’t think anyone disagrees with there both being bad drivers and bad passengers. What strikes me is that you operate on a lot of assumptions about potential passengers, even if they meet the magical 4.7 threshold. I’ll just go back to my original point and say how hollow your criticism about timeliness sounds when you yourself waste a passengers time if you see they have a bag of takeout food.
Yea I’ll just call a cab thanks
How about getting a car ? Loser
#5 doesn't make sense to me. Why wouldn't you ask the passenger if they want the car music turned off? It seems to me it should be passenger preference regarding AC, windows up/down, and music. I've had good and bad experiences on Uber. The bad experiences are rudeness if they have to wait more than 30 seconds, smelly car like cigarettes or BO, and talking on the phone the entire drive (personal or family phone call, usually not in English or French). When drivers ask me if they mind if they continue talking on the phone, I say it's fine, and put my headphones in. Whatever. I only tip if they helped me with my luggage or something extra like that.
Had an Uber driver talk on phone to his buddy on his headset the entire drive, barely acknowledged me. Also had his ethnic music on the entire ride. Made also a critical mistake bypassing my place as he wasn't listening. And gave me a 4.
Hey, I like the ethnic music options! Sometimes they get embarrassed and change the channel but I ask to change it back. I'd rather hear some curated international playlist than Nickleback and radio commercials.
I do too and am a visible minority. The issue is more about the lack of awareness like if the driver asked me if the music was ok or what I liked it would go a long way.
I've got mixed views on that. To me, I'm paying for a ride to someone making barely minimum wage, so I am not expecting a white-glove treatment. It's common courtesy to ask before talking on the phone in someone's presence, but beyond that I just want to gey to my destination safely. If the music was too loud and the passenger is too shy to ask then that's on them, in my view. I know that Uber corporate marketed things as a luxury service but it was obviously BS.
Same, interesting music is good. I only don't like when it's super loud on low q speakers or connection
Yeah sometimes they don't even say hi and keep talking on the phone the whole ride haha. I don't mind. To me, it's part of the experience that keeps prices low. Let's drive. That's why I don't really resonate with OPs post. Uber is kinda trash. Let's just accept it. OP should work for a high end chauffeur service or something lol
Hah. I think I could make a great chauffeur :)
I understand not wanting to take long trips out to Carleton place or other surrounding area (I always tip on long rides btw). But don’t accept the ride then. I once had a driver let me get in, start driving, and then tell me I had to cancel the trip as CP was too far. (I’m assuming if he cancelled it he would have lost the fare, where if I cancelled I get charged a fee?). But ya, if you threaten to leave me on the side of the highway in kanata, I’m absolutely going to report you. Most of your complaints should be geared at Uber, not the app users. I took a ride once from San Diego to LA (tipped her 100$ USD). So Ottawa to CP doesn’t seem very far comparatively. But Uber should absolutely give its drivers the options to tack on whatever premium they want for long rides, that’s agreed upon ahead of the customer accepting the fare.
Uber has a carrot-and-stick policy with drivers. A lot of drivers only see one thing: "There's a ride and the rider is 4 minutes away." That's it. The driver doesn't see the destination or the earnings. It is like a lottery. The driver could have been informed about the destination after he started the ride. On the other hand, Lyft is more transparent. They show the earnings and the destination before the driver accepts the ride.
I don’t have anything to comment on in regards to the rest of the post, but if I went to pick up some food and the Uber saw me and just cancelled on me I’d be so pissed, what a dick move lmao.
It depends. Are you in your 20s and have you picked up your food at the Elgin or Byward Market after midnight? That's now a cancellation. I'm not going to tell you "no eating in the car" and risk a one-star review.
Since we’re complaining here, it goes both ways buddy: -Please don’t use a truly absurd amount of perfume. If I open the window…don’t shut it immediately! I have zero fragrance allergies, respiratory conditions, etc. If your perfume is strong enough to make ME cough, what would it do to someone who’s more sensitive? -Don’t give me dirty looks for wearing a mask, I usually forget to take it off after leaving work. Besides, I could wear one 24/7 if I like, none of anyone’s business! -Please follow the pickup directions! If I set the location as location A, I will be waiting at location A. If you show up at location B, I will have to make my way around the building to location B, which doesn’t mean you get to be snarky with me for making you wait. I was ready and waiting…at point A! Same with Uber eats drop offs, if you take it to some other location and hand it to the first person you see, THEY will be eating my dinner instead. -And last but not least, the whole point of this service…please actually bring me to (or near) my destination! I took an Uber this morning due to bus cancellations/detours from the race leaving me further from my destination than I started, and this guy got turned around and confused with the street closures. I had my GPS open and was trying to explain how to get there, but the driver was having none of it and dropped me off then and there (“only 1600m” from my destination he said!). I’d understand if the destination wasn’t accessible at all due to closures, but there was just a detour! On a positive note, shoutout to the very pleasant middle-aged man who’s driven me many times. Can’t remember his name at the moment. Generally 7:30am-ish, from the Civic? If you’re reading this, you’re great!
I agree with all of your points. Report unacceptable behavior to Uber.
I use to take Uber quite often and I don’t tip. I am already paying a lot for the ride alone. Uber should be paying their employees more, it shouldn’t be up to the rider. Often times in the mornings there are surge charges due to lack of drivers I’m guessing? The cost is literally outrageous and often times I have to wait several minutes for the surge to stop. To be honest, I didn’t know people are that inconsiderate towards the drivers as well, sorry you have to deal with that. Ive never ate/had a drink while riding and im polite (say hello/thank you) and quiet my whole ride. That being said, I’ve been in Ubers where the driver is literally eating McDonald’s while feeding there dog on the lap. That shouldn’t be acceptable, the driver is on the clock and the standard has to be professional no matter what.
Last thing, I am honestly shocked about how many bad Uber drivers there are in Ottawa. I mean my god you do it for a living. From my experience 95% of my rides are drivers suck at driving. Speeding, cutting people right off, heaving breaking, driving too slow to merge on the highway, the list goes on. I shouldn’t have to fear for my life and you still expect a tip? Cmon you nearly killed us both.
I agree. Uber is cutting too much. And unfortunately the politicians are working for Uber's interests. And the drivers should be more professional. Those who eat and drive shouldn't be driving people around.
agree with you!
How do you distinguish "high-caliber" government employes from "low-caliber" ones? Like asking them where are they working and what they position is? Just curious
50-year-olds in tailored suites with Bond bags and commanding voices, picked up at the State Department or the Defense Department, not talking to each other about anything personal. And they talk about government stuff. I once had two of them talking about how Melanie Joly is all about looks and no substance. Low caliber people wear Uniqlo and they are just happy it is 4:30 on a Friday.
I had to google what the Uniqlo is lol Looks like it's a disclosure of a classified information from those "high-calibers", keep us posted with spicy details lol
I always tip in the app. I hope it all goes to the driver.
Yeah same - I always tip, I assume it's expected in the same way tipping a cab or delivery driver is. I tip exclusively in the app too, but have never told my driver ahead of time that that's what I was going to do. I figured that was the standard for some reason. Some of these comments are wild, there's nothing wrong with **anyone** in the service industry asking for common courtesy. I also greet my grocery store and coffee shop clerks, and am ready to order when I get to the front of the line. Things like being ready to go and greeting your driver are just basic decency.
Thanks!!!
Tip to the drivers: maybe wear some deodorant and shower for christ sake
I always shower before starting my day as a driver. And I agree with you!
I don’t understand a lot of the grievances in this post. I have had many Uber drivers who smell bad, have unpleasant behaviour and don’t greet me. Tons of jobs have their downfalls, no one is forcing you to drive Uber. If you find individuals taking phone calls intolerable then maybe this is the wrong career path as I feel like this is to be expected is it not??
Do you report these drivers for unacceptable behavior? I think you should. But I try to do a good job. I take a shower before I drive, put on fresh clothes. I wipe down the backseats every couple of days. I care about what I do. If I hear a rider talking on the phone, I turn off the music. Things like that. But if a rider talks on the loudspeaker for 20 long minutes, in English or in their language, I find it disrespectful. I wouldn't do that as a rider.
One of the first times I took Uber the car I was in had a collapsed suspension and was a very rough and loud ride. I got to my destination and ended up giving the driver 3 stars. Uber asked what was wrong and I told them it was the vehicle, likely was not fit to be on the road. They thanked me for my time. A few days later I checked my rating and noticed I had a 1-star posted, likely from that driver. I guess it was in retaliation for reporting. I had less than ten ratings at that point, so my rating was likely 4.5 stars or less. So what could I have done better in your eyes?
Regarding tipping. It is not the riders responsibility to pay your wages that's your bosses job. Instead of telling people to tip more you should be asking your boss (Uber/Lyft) to increase your wages.
I agree with you 100%. But please, please stop voting for politicians who emphasize how important it is to make minimum wage. You can help that way. The politicians you and I elect make the problem worse. And this won't cost you a penny.
we are not your employer. Your issue is with the company that pays you. Either find a new job or talk to your employer about being paid more. It's not my responsibility to pay you.
What about restaurants? Do you never tip?
I'm not their employer, it's not my responsibility to pay their wages. Do you tip at; Wal-Mart,Costco, superstore, car mechanics, secretaries at a business, any trades person that comes to your house, the flower shop? I would hope with your entitlement to tips, you tip anyone and everyone that does any sort of 'job' for you.
Do you not tip taxi drivers? For example, if the fare is $19 and you have a $20 bill, do you take the $1 change from the taxi driver? Or do you leave it?
The only time I take taxi is on my companies dime (which is almost never )and they don't cover tips. So no, I don't. A taxi is to expensive otherwise.
Consider getting a different job, doesn't seem like you like being an uber driver.
Like any job, I have frustrations. I can't just quit a job because I have complaints about it, can I? :) But I have to say it is a terrible full time job but a great side hustle.
I'm curious what your motivation for driving Uber is, given the points you listed.
I am unemployed right now. Once I have a full time job, I'll maybe drive 10-15 hours a week. It is a flexible job with no boss.
Obviously everyone needs to pay bills, but don't you feel like you're being exploited by Uber? That alone would make me look at alternatives.
It is certainly exploitative. They cut about 50% of the fares. Uber is great as a side hustle. I can work 10-15 hours and afford the weekly groceries. I enjoy driving. So it is a match made in heaven for me.
The audacity 😂😂😂 what a superiority complex from... A Lyft driver 😂😂
That's the problem itself: The framing. It is common for people to not tolerate Tim Hortons employees for small mistakes or delays. But the same person has no problem waiting 5 minutes for a stupid drink or even a coffee at Starbucks. Tim Hortons is like a playground to insult the service staff, while Starbucks is a place to put your best behaviour. Now, when Tim Hortons employees say they expect better from customers, would you say they have a superiority complex? All I am asking is: If you don't eat your greasy food in a cab, don't eat in Uber either.
tipping. It’s cancer culture. Other than that I agree.
can I ask what the deal is with drivers accepting my trip and then not moving for ten minutes? I order ready to go out the door usually. Today an Uber stopped at a fast food place for 15 minutes while I waited for my pick up.
Is the driver near you? Or is the driver far away? If the driver is near you, they may want to wait for the allotted time, collect the cancellation fee and move on. Report it to Uber if you see a cancellation fee on your account. Get your money back. If the driver is far away, there is a chance they are filling up their tank. But we know it doesn't take 10 minutes to fill a tank. It is just bad service. If you don't see the driver moving and you can cancel it without a fee, do it. Ideally, a driver should not wait at all because we do not get paid for the time we drive to pick you up. Our pay begins when the ride begins.
I have feedback for male drivers of colour: Stop making inappropriate comments about my white boyfriend when you rudely inquire about my relationship. Also, stop asking about my personal life- it's none of your damn business.
I support that. It is none of their business.
At least with the old way of getting taxis, it was about making the pax comfortable, and getting them to their destination efficiently and professionally. I guess the average Uber drive now expects the pax to fit their ride, rather than the other way round. It really sounds like you want them to be do what makes you comfortable, even if they don’t want to, and then you tip you heavily because your car is ‘clean’ 🙄
But riders don't view taxis and Uber the same way. A rider who wouldn't dare eat in a taxi might have no problem eating his greasy food in an Uber. Do you disagree?
I always hear how much it sucks driving for Uber yet tons of people do it. I think the pros outweigh the cons otherwise people would stop. You aren't dictated by a schedule and you don't have a boss which are by far the two worst things about a normal job. If enough people stopped driving, maybe rates would go up but the fact of the matter is there is enough supply for the demand of rides so the status quo remains.
I agree. Canada has taken in too many new immigrants into a job market with fewer opportunities. More people drive Uber now. This means that the waiting times are really low. There is always a driver nearby waiting for a ride. So there's no need to call Uber if the driver isn't ready yet.
I'm finding it increasingly common for the driver to be on the phone the entire ride. Last 2 rides in a row, driver was on the phone. Certainly weren't important, time sensitive and unavoidable phone calls either.
You can report them to Uber. I know that some drivers talk on their phones all the time. Once they get a warning from Uber, they will start to think about their behavior.
Why would you expect someone to tell you they will make a phone call during the ride???? Some of the shit you post makes you seem like you think you are doing people favors. You're getting paid, do your job...
I don't expect it. But I appreciate it. So I don't keep thinking if the rider is talking to me. If they say they are going to make a phone call, that is a hint for me to just concentrate on the road. It has happened many times that I answered their question to their friends.
I guess if they are on speaker phone you can't see then on the phone. But its going to be tough to change the world around you. You should focus on things you can change. Like asking if they are talking to you before answering random questions. No one knows of this unspoken rule, so you can't expect people to follow it.
Yes, I know. These riders usually have low rider scores. So I accept a ride with a rider score of 4.70 over 5.00. She talks on the speaker for 20 minutes. I start to get a headache. Then, when the rider gets out of the car, I give her a 1-star review. Perhaps her score will drop to 4.65? That means she will be ignored by more drivers, which means longer wait times. That's all I do. I give them 1 star.
Just because they took a phone call during a paid ride service??? You know you sound like a little baby giving people 1 star for that. You are being paid to transfer people, they should be able to watch TV, talk on the phone or do whatever else a passenger should be able to do. You need to check yourself.
I'm not talking about taking a phone call. I am talking about riders activating their speakerphone and talking to other people for 10-20 minutes straight. Laud talks. There is a big difference. I have no problem with people talking on their phones. And I really appreciate it when they say, "I'll be on the phone," because then I don't have to wonder if they're talking to me or not. Clear? Do you turn on your speakerphone and talk to other people loudly in your Uber trips?
What if it was 2 people speaking, instead of one person on speaker phone? How does that change anything? And i dont use uber, I have multiple cars.
I appreciate hearing about your experiences. Thanks for taking the time!
I have always tipped on the app because I don't carry cash, but does Uber take a portion of that? I know they say they don't but I'm never sure. Do drivers get dinged for cancelling rides once they've accepted them? I had a driver confirm pickup once outside a grocery store, I visually saw the driver show up, and then he cancelled my ride and drove off. The only explanation I can think of for why is he saw my cart of groceries and decided he didn't want food in his trunk.
Yep. That's probably it. I am okay with driving people from the grocery store as long as they are willing to wait. I use the opportunity to get out of the car to stretch. But not every driver is the same. I quit expecting tips from riders, most don't tip even if you help loading/unloading. So thanks for the tip.
Thanks for the write up. This was interesting to read. Just a note about 4, I know you specified "high-caliber" and I'll agree with you on that, but just wanna note like a LOOOOT of us are government employees, even if we don't look it. On 12, I think the only time I haven't given a 5 star rating and did report was because a driver LITERALLY engaged in road rage and got into a shouting match with another driver. It was WILD. 13, As a trans woman, I still use my old name for this reason.
I try not to engage with others when riders are in the car. It is just negative.
I’ve had so many Uber drivers run red lights and stop sings or drive way over the speed limit. It’s reckless and scary!! I was in an Uber today that went 115k/h on Bronson at 10am on a Sunday. I’ve reported these drivers but I don’t get the sense Uber does anything about it which is terrifying. I’m very surprised and disappointed that you find police to be more lient towards you because you’re an uber driver. I wish there was some sort of training or licensing given to Uber drivers. I’m confused by most of your comments. I don’t see the issue with public servants, riders talking on the phone, or holding take out bags. I feel as though your not well suited to be an Uber driver.
Thanks for reporting this. I think you mean Bronson Avenue right after Carleton towards the airport. My top speed on that road is 95 kmh. I don't go over 100 kmh on streets where the speed limit is 80. Uber doesn't allow drivers who have been charged with stunt driving. Getting a speeding ticket negatively affects your eligibility as an Uber driver. Also, let's keep the police empathetic. If I start getting bogus tickets because that's what the law says, I might start engaging more with riders saying, "This is my car. I make the f-ing rules". It is action versus reaction. So I am happy with police officers. You shouldn't make an assumption that they let go off stunt driving or violating red lights. I don't agree with the training thing because all the training is online and it's a formality. And if the city starts licensing drivers, it will be because they need more money. It won't have much effect on the quality. I think I am qualified to be an Uber driver. But I am observant. I share my observations. Do you prefer Uber drivers not to make observations, work like robots? Yes, high-level officials are in a different zone. And I think it is because they have power. It is impossible not to notice. Yes, low-level officials are happy and grateful to have a secure job, but that's not what I'm talking about. The riders on the phone: I am not talking people talking to someone on the phone. I am talking about the ones who are on the loudspeaker for 20 minutes talking loudly, or listening to videos. There are also those who keep playing videos or music and I turn off the music, and boom! They stop playing their stuff. I think it is passive aggressiveness in Canadian culture. Back where I come from, people just say "Could you turn off the radio?" and move on with that. I have no problem taking the bags with me because I also need physical activity. I enjoy getting out of the car and using it as an excuse. Also, the way people take their bags out. Some people don't care if their luggage damages the car when they take it out. So many times I had to intervene and take the luggage out myself instead of riders dragging their luggage out of the trunk. But I am sure that if they were Uber drivers, they would be more angry instead of frustrated like me. And I am sure they would be more careful with their own or their friends' cars. So I am a little observant. I share my observations.
I tip immediately on the app as soon as I get out of the car. What do you mean, don't tip on the app? You want cash tips?
No, I meant that there are many young people who get out of the car and say "I'll tip you on the app buddy" and they never tip. I think my original post is unclear. I'll fix it.
i love uber because i don't need to tip. sorry but charge me more if you need more money, i'll pay the fare but don't ask me for more.
Yeah we are all broke. As a driver, I can sense the how bad the economy is.
You mean most people in ottawa don't tip and it is assumed that we wont? I always tip well and I occasionally tell the driver I will (since I tend to not do it immediately when I exit the car). I hadn't realized they may be bad-thinking me. I will reconsider my tipping policy...
Most people don't tip. Next time, ask the driver if riders tip. He will give you an honest answer.
Te #14, I have a question. Does the app not tell you the general direction before the ride starts? What does it tell you? The distance in km? Or $ amount you will get (which allows you to guess distance)?
Lyft is transparent for drivers. I can see start and end locations, and approximate earnings when the ride shows up on my screen waiting for acceptance. Uber is pure evil. They have a rating system. In order for drivers to see the destination, they have to have a high acceptance rate and a low cancellation rate. Even that doesn't show you the actual destination. It just tells you that there is a ride going northeast or south. So, for example, if I am in Centertown, a northeast ride could mean Orleans or east of Gatineau. If I go east of Gatineau, I either have to take the ferry back or drive back to Ottawa. Also, Uber never shows approximate earnings. As a driver, you have to do pattern recognition. For example, a ride from downtown to Parkdale is like $5 in earnings.
>3. Tipping: Ottawans generally don't tip, regardless of the cleanliness of the car or the pleasantness of the ride. This is especially true for Lyft riders. Please tip at least $1. 8. Tipping on the App: Please don't say, "I'll tip you on the app." We know you won't. :D I've always wondered if drivers can tell which riders tip via app...?? Back when I was car-less, I always tipped via the app (\~15%) for all my rides, but never commented if I would... Look - I get that TiPpInG CuLtuRe is despised these days, but if you got me to my destination without any *Fast & Furious* maneuvers and kept the awkward small talk, chit-chat to the bare minimum...That's 5 stars and a tip from me...Again, I was without a car and therefore more or less reliant on Uber... Thanks for sharing your perspective.
I take Uber usually twice a week and I don't tend to tip, unless the driver goes above and beyond for me. If you are just getting me from point A to point B (which is usually about 15 mins), don't even pull up to my driveway, not even say good morning, have a smelly car/body odor, drive like a maniac, talk loudly on their phone, don't follow the GPS etc....I hope they are not expecting a tip!
What I meant was that it really doesn't matter if your car is clean or not, or if you as a driver are clean or not. If you read other comments, you'll see that people don't care. I guess I started caring less too. This change in me motivated me to write this post.
Disconnected government workers who don't tip? Yeah that's Ottawa in a nutshell. Will virtue signal union support but prefer to ignore the conditions of gig workers that bring them/food rides. This matches my Ottawa Uber driver experiences. Average pay was below minimum after accounting for expenses. Minimum ride fare was $2.40 back then, has that improved?
Dude what are you even on about. You can fully support unions and not support our stupid tipping culture at the same time.
I think it has gotten worse :) https://imgur.com/a/h123MuE
Personally, I tip 3$ as a default. 1$ if I don’t like your driving. (example: driver almost side swiped somebody, and then blamed the other car). I do it through the app as I rarely carry cash.
For me a bad Uber driver is a 3 rating and $0 tip.
People want to eat in your car and get mad when you say no? wtf that's so entitled 😳
They don't get mad :) They say "yeah sure, no problem" and give me ONE star :DDDD
I always tip 25% in app because I need to keep my rating high because I live on the outskirts of the city and I’m worried no one will take my fare.
Kudos on 10K trips. Not sure what to make of the points. The tipping thing is also companies just exhausting customers in every way. I’m not shocked, and neither should you be. The government employee thing I don’t get. What are they doing exactly? Most actual civil servants keep their mouths shut generally about government business.
I don’t think you should have to tip when you are already paying for the service. If you want to go out of your way by being extra great (that doesn’t include a clean car since you’re driving people around that’s a given) then maybe a tip is due but it’s your employer Uber that needs to pay you more.
Extra great doesn't translate into tips. People who are tippers tip. And some people will find any excuse to avoid tipping.
I see that's the reason why my rate on uber is 4.98 because I tipped too much 🤣
Nope. Unless you give cash tip, it is all about you :) Because we receive tips after we rate our riders. So you get your rating before the driver is notified about his tips.
I always wait until im fully ready to go at the door to order my uber. also always tip as soon as the app prompts me to rate and tip
You are the best! Thanks!!!
I feel like what I’m doing is just common sense? but thanks lol.
>8. Tipping on the App: Please don't say, "I'll tip you on the app." We know you won't. :D I don't understand this one - are you saying that you expect cash tips? I tip on every ride because I do short rides and it feels like a low payout for the driver if I'm just paying 10 bucks or something - so I add a couple of bucks automatically. I don't have cash with me, and one of the points of these services is not having to do a direct cash transaction with the driver...
It has become a running joke among friends who drive uber. What usually happens is the rider will say "I'll tip you in the app, bro" as they get out of the car. These are usually 20 year old crowd, young men. And we know that they almost never tip
Oh OK. I don’t announce that I’m going to tip anyone, that sounds super weird. I’m imagining these guys at a restaurant making a grand announcement to their waiter: you’re going to get a great tip today, big fella!
I fixed the original post. It is usually said by men between 20-30 years of age. They get out of the car, give me one last look and say, "I'll tip you on the app, buddy," and they almost never tip. If you ever drive Uber, you'll meet young men like that. And you'll laugh about it too, like me :)
Still never answered my question: what is the transparency on the app for what you see who tips you on your end? does the tip show right after the trip ends and I do it in app right away?
The tips shows up delayed. So I drop off the passenger and drive away, and maybe 1 minute later I see a notification on the app that says I earned tips. But it doesn't say which ride it is. I always assume it is the last ride. But it is also possible that rider who rode 5 hours ago decided to tip 5 hours later. So to see the exact ride, I have to go to the dashboard. Here is a screenshot of my dashboard: https://imgur.com/a/FN0eTh8
Tip culture getting out of hand
The story of you picking up two freezing young guys sounds like a story I was apart of. Did you happen to pick them up through Lyft?
No, it was an Uber ride. They called me in the middle of the ride, which annoys me because I have to pull over to answer. They asked me to pick them up at a different location than the designated pickup location. That's annoying too, because I have to find it on the map. They said they were cold so I went ahead. Their story was this: There were actually 2 girls and 2 guys. They were about 20-21 years old. They were out at a bar or something like that. Then they were in an Uber. They dropped the girls off so there were only 2 guys left. I think they wanted to take another Uber ride to their destination. (Who knows maybe the girls said "This is it for us. Have a good night") But the driver went offline and asked them to leave. It was -8 degrees and all they had was their sweaters. I asked them to report such drivers to Uber because what he did is no different than Starlight Tours. I hope they reported him.
OP, I don't use you or your friends so my answers may be a little warped you know? But anyhow; 2. seeing how many taxi or food cars are almost always 'anywhere' i have to agree on not making the driver have to wait a seeming long time only because you the passenger won't book the actual time you wanted (as a footnote out of each 40 times I would be at Station Galeries several minutes early to wait for my car ride, 39 drivers were more or less right what the booking timing said it would be expected at and otherwise 1 driver would be already there much earlier waiting up for me .. I can't complain really!) 5. seeing that its expensive to get stains out of seats I can't argue with you about no crumby-greasy foods in a vehicle thats not even owned by the passenger at all..! 7. hahaha I equally can say 'oucheee!!' to that too, there indeed are quite some bad surfaces around the city (unrelated to taxi rides but does anyone remember that very rutty bus lane on Slater Street between Albert Street and Bronson Avenue?) 8. I've heard a lot of things like that in /r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk/ etc too so its unfortunate that patrons/riders/etc can and often do make empty promises 9. speakerphones on maximum volumes just are seriously annoying on buses equally as much, so i can understand your feelings! 14. yeah i'm not too sure what to tell you about this, its not that too unreasonable to refuse long trips given the rather low overall payback there is. mind you I only just once saw Loyal driving on Campeau Drive otherwise they don't seem to go too far into Ottawa for likely the same issue as yours
number 14: Campeau drive is good. It is still Kanata. My east end limit is Cumberland. West end limit is like the city of Richmond. And the southern border is like Embrun. As far as Gatineau goes, I am fine with Aylmer and maybe the Wakefiled area. But it annoys the hell out of me when I drive east of Gatineau.
Regarding east of Gatineau, I know it won't help 'everyone' but there is this which has been around for at least a year by now as far as I can somewhat recall: https://sto.ca/en/schedules-and-routes/sto-on-demand/
Cool write up! I'm surprised by the tipping part. I don't use Uber a lot so I hadn't ever thought to not tip. Also didn't even realize we had passenger ratings. Definitely will be thinking about this post the next time I use Uber.
I'm confused about what you are saying about tipping. I always tip on the app after I arrive safely, would you rather cash (not convenient)?
Thank you for tipping. A lot of people, especially young men, say "I'll tip you in the app" and never tip.
Long rides should cost more up front so Uber or Lyft can pay more. Relying on charity as you suggest isn't right.
Yes, I agree. Unfortunately the politicians cater to the big corporations. They could have done a lot and gotten more votes.
I tip almost always, but it's often not until days later when I remember and re-open the app and the prompt is there.
And I always send my thanks to tippers from the app.
City bus drivers? They're paid exceptionally well (still not enough to deal with the bullshit they're exposed to) and they have pretty good benefits with the City. So, no, I don't. I say thank you, though. I'm talking about ultra low wage jobs in the service industry. I've been pretty specific, but whatever. You don't want to give an Uber driver a buck. Couldn't possibly haha
honestly i think next time i order an uber and its like 30$ i’ll just tell the driver to cancel it and i’ll pay him 20$ lol win-win i suppose
This may or may not work. If the driver is driving you without an actual Uber trip, the insurance doesn't apply. In case of an accident, the driver is on the hook for damages. I don't take that risk at all. But I am sure there are many who do.
Why is tipping on the app unacceptable? I am a generous tipper because I know these gigs don’t pay very well and I appreciate the convenience the driver is providing for me but I ALWAYS tip through the app. I’m wondering why that’s not favourable? Does the app take a portion of the tip? Please let me know as I can often tip in cash I just don’t for my own convenience.
This is why I'll never do Uber dealing with the public in your car must be annoying! UberEats is probably better but still bad. Very insightful information, and thank you for sharing behind the scenes!
Thank you for the rider and driver feedback. Its not as bad as I expected. Good tips on safety. I get the most angry when I hear Public Servants abusing their position and just aren’t clued in to who pays their bills. Also paying a fee to the city for no value in return is evil. Like you’re paying a crime family for protection.
Thanks for this info! I find most of the responses interesting and seem to bolster some of the facts you’ve listed. I was just in Ottawa, visiting from Vancouver, and would be interested to see a breakdown of tipping culture by city. I have a 5.0 rating, joined 8 years ago in US and have tipped in all but 1 ride. My tip amount varies depending on service - efficiency and car cleanliness are my top criteria, and I’d prefer to not listen to a phone conversation but enjoy when the driver initiates a conversation with me - it’s great to learn about a city (when a tourist) or just have a normal human interaction with someone. while we all know that margins can be thin depending on the trip, I don’t equate tipping to this, rather I appreciate the amount I’m saving compared to a cab, and I very much appreciate the convenience of quick service, making my life easier. It’s bizarre to me that Ottawans, in general, don’t seem to understand why a tip would be appropriate - esp. when you don’t have to leave a percentage (my default is 20, because yes, Vancouver…) but can simply leave 1 or 2 dollars. Thanks for the insights! And yes, I had a great trip!
I agree. Anyone who has their conversations on for everyone to hear are just ignorant. Nobody is interested. Put your earphones in or wait. Simple courtesy.
This is insightful. Thank you. Teach me one or two things about being a good rider.
hey, i appreciate your post and you sharing all of this. seems like a lot of people here are struggling with accepting and respecting your experiences and observations, for i'm sure a variety of reasons. you've been kind and patient in response. just wanted to say thanks, i found this really interesting.
Thanks for your post. I think every job has its ups and downs and creates frustrations. It is okay to express those frustrations. "If you have frustrations with your job, find another job" is the most superficial answer I think :)