There are a few unwanted situations that drivers commonly face in their profession especially if they are involved with any dedicated commuting service. Now, as a driver what is the ideal situation that you should expect? It is that the passengers are already at the mentioned pick-up destination, have a little common sense and be ready to start the trip without delay. But, it is truly unfortunate that things do not always go as expected and in a commute service sector, the scenario is more than that. This article will discuss a few such unwanted scenarios that are a common occurrence. Surely you would agree to a few of them at least if you have been driving for some time now. In such situations, you will not have anyone who comes to your rescue. Instead, you have to be your savior and reduce the amount of stress that these situations can bring on you, by proper handling that will again obstruct emotional escalations.
Here you will not only relate to the posed situations but will also get an insight into the best way to address them. So, here are the five major frustrating situations that every driver at some point or the other are bound to face:
Passengers are too far-off:
In an entire day of rides somewhere in the middle a ride request come in where the pick-up location is too far away, maybe even over 15 minutes away. Now, as for drivers, even 10 minutes is a lot to bear, and here the call is at least 20 minutes away. Surely, it will drive you nuts but what do you do if you are faced with such circumstances. How do you handle it? You definitely cannot call the passengers somewhere close by, that’s insane. But as a driver covering 20 minutes just for a pickup is equally irritating.
Finally, in such request scenarios, you can have two options to choose from. You either accept the ride request in the hope that the customer cancels it or you don’t accept it at all. But, both have its challenges as Uber, and Lyft drivers have a risk of metric if they don’t accept rides, and as for Sidecar drivers, they are away from this issue as they have a facility to set the pickup radius. So, mind it, be aware of how many rides you don’t accept. If your acceptance rates are high, it is always fair to cancel a couple of such requests. To avoid getting the same request, be offline for a while and allow the passengers to get an alternative driver.
Wrong pinpoint-Time wasters:
There will be occasions on which you will reach the pinpoint location only to find that it is not where the passengers are. It is normal to feel a sudden gust of anger in such situations. After all, incorrect pinpoints are a major reason why a driver’s time is wasted. Instead of this you could have easily reached a correct pinpoint and had a satisfying ride experience on both ends.
If the passengers are only at a minutes distance from the pinpoint, it is not a big deal to pick them up. But, what if they are not? The best way to handle as a driver is to cancel and send another driver a re-request. Well, exceptions can always be made for those call before you reach the pinpoint or after and apologize. But, many don’t, so, have your way. Suggest them to cancel an order for a new ride. When they have to shell unnecessary late fees, they’ll realize and cross-check and set the exact pinpoint.
Too many passengers:
Many are of the opinion that a situation where too many passengers are trying to cram into the car, is easiest to handle. But, there will be moments when you’ll disagree. The thought of ‘what’s the big deal?’ Will be followed by another hundred of thoughts when too many people try to cram into your car. The thoughts will range from the fear of law-breaking with too many passengers boarding to who would pay the ticket if you have your car pulled over for the same reason. The moral of the story is that it is just not worth it to take such risks.
Some considerate people understand that you are not insured to take in more than four people, but some are stubborn and try to offer tips to compensate. In that case, you have to be tactful so that you showcase care for them and save your own back at the same time. Life is precious to all, so that’s where you hit. Tell them you cannot risk their lives at the cost of tips. If they threaten you with cancellation, let them. It is always better than getting a low rating as a consequence of picking up only a few of them.
Open alcohol- A big NO:
As a driver, you must have faced this situation at some point or the other. It’s quite frequent that a passenger insists on stepping into the car with an open container of alcohol. How is it that you think you should handle this most likely situation? It is quite simple actually, drinking alcohol in the car is against the law and if caught is punishable. So, it is best to maintain a strict rule when you are driving. If a passenger agrees to dump the open container, pick them up and if not, make it clear about the fact that it is against the rules. Prevent yourself from going to jail and keep your car from alcohol spillage. Drive safe and clean!
The passenger isn’t ready for a Go:
You will often face circumstances when you reach the pinpoint and the passenger delays in boarding the car and gives excuses instead. It is crucial to know how to handle non-responses and excuses. Moreover, another important thing is to set your time limit of waiting for the rider. It is suggested that you don’t go beyond 5 minutes. Thumb rule: Always keep track of time!