Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Uber CEO Stunned When He Heard Cost of 3-Mile Uber Ride

futurism.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 93 posts

Re: Uber CEO Stunned When He Heard Cost of 3-Mile Uber Ride

#21

Post by jzl »

bruce511 wrote: post #20

I get that people don't like it when the price of things go up. But surely people can see that the Uber pricing was unsustainable? The VC money was subsidising our transport (yay) but clearly that couldn't last. So, as prictable to everyone , prices go up, drivers get less, and Uber are hoping riders will have grown so used to the convenience so as not to care. Expect a flood of stories along these lines in the comin…

Yeah, that’s exactly what the reporter was trying to get him to admit. He says so basically, but Dara refuses to admit it.

Re: Uber CEO Stunned When He Heard Cost of 3-Mile Uber Ride

#22

Post by WillPostForFood »

jonathankoren wrote: post #12
DonsDiscountGas wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't (at least part of) the point of surge pricing to bring more drivers out onto the road? Or was that just a lie.

It’s a complete lie. On a $116 surge price trip, drivers get an extra $5.[0] THIS is how Uber finally turned a profit. None of that Kalanick bullshit about how only self driving cars can make Uber profitable.[1][2] It’s jacking up prices and pocketing the difference. Never trust a tech bro. They’re all grifters and liars. [0] https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8LCks4j/ [1] https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/08/19/…

It’s a complete lie. On a $116 surge price trip, drivers get an extra $5

It would be helpful to have a better source than hearsay on TikTok from some rando whose gig seems to be ranting about tech bros. Even a an Uber driver on TikTok would be good.

Re: Uber CEO Stunned When He Heard Cost of 3-Mile Uber Ride

#23

Post by marcus_holmes »

But this was always the plan, wasn't it?

Uber has been losing money since it started, subsiding our travel with VC money, I thought clearly always with the plan of "once we get market dominance we can jack up the prices and make all that money back". I don't think they were ever shy about this plan.

So now we're at that point. Either we put up with the new prices, or move on to another app, or find another transport solution. I don't think whining at Uber about how expensive they are now is a workable response.

Re: Uber CEO Stunned When He Heard Cost of 3-Mile Uber Ride

#24

Post by SV_BubbleTime »

ecshafer wrote: post #14
npace12 wrote: post #2

Last year, I traveled from DC to NY overnight, and it was 2.5x surge pricing. When i got to my destination, I stuck around in the car to see what the driver app was saying. I paid close to $900, driver took ~$250, the entire surge pricing difference went to Uber. I was thinking, that's an crazy markup over their AWS bill but really it's just a robbery.

Greyhound nyc to dc is like $20 and has a dozen buses a day. Plus you have Amtrak. Why take an Uber?

Is that really the cost or figurative? Because I would take the bus from NYC into PA and it was like $70 twenty years ago.

Re: Uber CEO Stunned When He Heard Cost of 3-Mile Uber Ride

#25

Post by bawolff »

jonny_eh wrote: post #15
npace12 wrote: post #2

Last year, I traveled from DC to NY overnight, and it was 2.5x surge pricing. When i got to my destination, I stuck around in the car to see what the driver app was saying. I paid close to $900, driver took ~$250, the entire surge pricing difference went to Uber. I was thinking, that's an crazy markup over their AWS bill but really it's just a robbery.

No amount of the surge pricing should go to Uber. They're already earning more due to the increased number of rides. It's almost akin to taking the tips.

I don't understand why people think this. Uber isn't a charity. Of course they are going to try to take advantage of demand shortages.

If drivers want to take in the profit from things like this, they should form a co-op, not be contractors.

Re: Uber CEO Stunned When He Heard Cost of 3-Mile Uber Ride

#26

Post by SV_BubbleTime »

marcus_holmes wrote: post #23

But this was always the plan, wasn't it? Uber has been losing money since it started, subsiding our travel with VC money, I thought clearly always with the plan of "once we get market dominance we can jack up the prices and make all that money back". I don't think they were ever shy about this plan. So now we're at that point. Either we put up with the new prices, or move on to another app, or find another transport…

ZIRP man… I’m looking forward to more articles like this about companies with models that just might not make sense.

Re: Uber CEO Stunned When He Heard Cost of 3-Mile Uber Ride

#27

Post by midoridensha »

ecshafer wrote: post #14
npace12 wrote: post #2

Last year, I traveled from DC to NY overnight, and it was 2.5x surge pricing. When i got to my destination, I stuck around in the car to see what the driver app was saying. I paid close to $900, driver took ~$250, the entire surge pricing difference went to Uber. I was thinking, that's an crazy markup over their AWS bill but really it's just a robbery.

Greyhound nyc to dc is like $20 and has a dozen buses a day. Plus you have Amtrak. Why take an Uber?

Because with those other services, you have to be around other people. Americans hate that.

Re: Uber CEO Stunned When He Heard Cost of 3-Mile Uber Ride

#29

Post by bawolff »

jonathankoren wrote: post #12
DonsDiscountGas wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't (at least part of) the point of surge pricing to bring more drivers out onto the road? Or was that just a lie.

It’s a complete lie. On a $116 surge price trip, drivers get an extra $5.[0] THIS is how Uber finally turned a profit. None of that Kalanick bullshit about how only self driving cars can make Uber profitable.[1][2] It’s jacking up prices and pocketing the difference. Never trust a tech bro. They’re all grifters and liars. [0] https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8LCks4j/ [1] https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/08/19/…

> It’s jacking up prices and pocketing the difference.

Obviously the way to make profit is to charge more than you spend.

Literally the definition.

Re: Uber CEO Stunned When He Heard Cost of 3-Mile Uber Ride

#30

Post by mixmastamyk »

bruce511 wrote: post #20

I get that people don't like it when the price of things go up. But surely people can see that the Uber pricing was unsustainable? The VC money was subsidising our transport (yay) but clearly that couldn't last. So, as prictable to everyone , prices go up, drivers get less, and Uber are hoping riders will have grown so used to the convenience so as not to care. Expect a flood of stories along these lines in the comin…

Prices go up; drivers should get more.
Post reply on HN