Uber, Lyft drivers manipulate fares at DCA causing artificial price surges

Post by cpitman » Mon, May 20, 2019, 5:39 PM UTC

nabergh wrote: post #230

llamataboot wrote: post #104

Few things interesting here - One is that the workers are getting paid more per the algorithm that these companies designed to charge customers - that is, they are getting the company to facilitate higher payments but the company itself isn't being charged more! So in that case, the drivers are simply arguing that uber/lyft are artificially undervaluing their time because clearly these passengers are willing to pay 1…

I wouldn't be so convinced that passengers are willing to pay these surge prices to go home. Sure, the first time a passenger encounters this artificial surge, they're already planning on taking uber/lyft home so they'll pay it because they probably don't have another option immediately available. But the next time a passenger arrives at DCA (could be a month or two), they might remember uber/lyft is expensive when t…

Post by dullgiulio » Mon, May 20, 2019, 5:43 PM UTC

lisper wrote: post #240

perennate wrote: post #238

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That leaving is an option is what the parent comment is saying ("refusal to work at the proposed price"). The drivers in the article are refusing to drive at the non-surge price, and when the price surges, they find the price acceptable and so take the rides. The part of parent comment that you quoted is just about how the take-it-or-leave-it nature leaves no middle ground (bidding).

But that is false. Acceptance or refusal of an offer is bidding. It's essentially an auction: Lyft/Uber asks, "Does anyone want to sell at $X? No? OK, how about $X+1?" etc. What the drivers are doing is not bidding, it is colluding to hide the true market price, i.e. what the lowest bidder would actually be willing to accept. That is illegal. Please note that my sympathies are very much with the drivers. Their situat…

Post by magduf » Mon, May 20, 2019, 5:48 PM UTC

Analemma_ wrote: post #179

umeshunni wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Really makes you long for the transparent, posted pricing of municipal taxis Did I miss a sarcasm tag?

In most cities I've been to, the local taxi service has fixed fares for trips to/from the airport.

Post by cpitman » Mon, May 20, 2019, 5:49 PM UTC

momokoko wrote: post #163

dmbaggett wrote: post #116

I've definitely experienced this at DCA, and it's worth nothing as well that it sometimes take hours to get out of the airport due to the insane traffic jams right around the terminals and in the parking garages. DCA has gone from my favorite airport to literally my least favorite over the last year or so. I've been using Dulles instead even though it's way less convenient.

DCA is also one of the easiest airports in the US to access the metro(public transit) out of the terminal. Is there a reason you just don't hop on the yellow line and get off at a less congested stop closer to your final destination?

Post by askafriend » Mon, May 20, 2019, 5:52 PM UTC

leereeves wrote: post #90

radcon wrote: post #59

This seems like it could also torpedo their Contractor vs. Employee argument. Contractors get to set rates, employees don't. So you can't say they're contractors AND accuse them of committing fraud when they try to set their own rates. Now if only someone would develop an app that does this for entire cities. The app could be their version of a union.

Under the theory that Uber/Lyft employees are contractors and allowed to set prices, wouldn't coordinating ("conspiring") to do so en masse be considered price fixing? Personally I think they should be considered employees, but a pro-management federal prosecutor could make some trouble for them.