In LA, Uber recently reduced the per minute rate from 80 cents to 60 cents. This was after increasing the rates in Sept 18. Their annoucment of the rate decline was preceded by hours until it was effective.
Prior to this week, Uber had a consecutive ride bonus for 3-rides in a row that would add $7 to 11. But the app would malfunction often or not alert you, and break the streak. Almost everyday I complained but Uber never conceded and never gave me the small bonus.
This week, the consecutive ride bonuses are gone. Replaced by a flat $185 bonus for 70 rides in 7-days to $305 for 120 rides. Previously the biggest ride bonuses would require you to drive 11 hours a day consecutively to hit. And if you did 25% or 50% you’d get 10-15% of the bonus.
My current rate is $23/hour minus roughly $5-6 for gas, depreciation, car and insurance. My rent in LA is $3000/month.
Perhaps $17-18 an hour is fair but Uber’s tactics seem incredibly malicious and ever-changing. I feel like they are exploiting drivers unnecessarily although it is nice to have income whenever I need it.
There’s also tons of bad drivers, they encourage you to use the Uber map system which is seriously flawed, doesn’t calculate traffic and is semi-dangerous. They don’t advise drivers how to do basic tips to navigate traffic.
It could be so much better but it’s weird corporate strategies mixed with bad execution. The negatively Uber generates is a serious problem for their brand and I can’t imagine they’ll exist in 10-years based on how they decide things.