I live in downtown/urban setting. Whenever I am online and not actually on a call, I am usually at home waiting for a request, but also getting some things done around the house. For me, this is one of the best things about UBER-that it allows me to go about my day until I get a request. I always keep my shoes on and my keys in my pocket. If I get a request, I just take off right away. This approach has not seemed to have impacted my perfect 5.0 rating after 400 rides.
I often come home for an hour or so and stay on line. If I get a ping I put on my shoes and grab the phone…I can be out the door in a minute or two. From the customers perspective I could be sitting at a light somewhere.
No, never. It would add at least 5 minutes, and the customer is going to cancel. They want to see you moving right away. If you’re in a remote area and customers are used to waiting 15 minutes, then maybe, but not in the urban area I live in. I never have to wait that long for a ping. That’s crazy.
If a customer can’t wait a minute or two for me to get out the door (or from their viewpoint…for the light to change) …then they are welcome to cancel. I don’t think I want to drive them anyway.
In slow markets, you would be crazy to just stay in your car if there is a better place to wait. A minute or two won’t lead to that many cancellations. And if the weather is hot/cold, occasional idling only eats into your margins
What about moving around vs. staying still? I would assume that you use the rider app to see where the drivers are in your area and stay on the outskirts vs. dive right in…
I hate sitting alone in my car in a public parking lot area waiting for pings. It makes you appear to be one of those guys that masturbate in public or something.
Usually im at home ready (uber phone, wallet, personal phone next to me) but watching tv, so i can get in my car in 1 minute… i live in a remote place, so usually the riders are 10 min away… not bad tho… Well… on labor day i been online even when i was sleeping, so i had my clothes ready so get dress in a couple minutes, usually were rides to the airport (early morning) but i didnt have any problem… actually that week i been online 94 hours… was my best week so far in fares
Wish I could wait at home for a ping. I live in a high rise building. It will take me 5+ minutes to get the wheels moving. Plus I risk loosing a signal in an elevator and underground parking garage.
There’s a large mall where I drive. Everyday I take out my phone, go for a walk, grab a coffee, maybe do some shopping, etc. I will invariably get pinged. Sometimes immediately.
Sometimes it will take 20 min or more. I call, make pickup arrangements. Walk to vehicle. Not an issue. Never had a cancel. Rides are usually decent distances which is why I make a stop or two there plus I need java!
It takes me about two minutes from the ping to get to the first stop sign when sitting at home. It gives me time to put the address in the GPS and text the client to make sure the address is correct.
I actually have 2 “home points” which are great. First is less than a mile from a large university, get MANY pings from there. Then, my grandparents own a house near “downtown”, so I will hang out there as needed and waiting.
I take shits at this hotel I used to work at in downtown, after I first got out of college. I will also hang in their parking lot. Beneficially, my apartment is right on the border of the Denver surge zone so I can also hang out there before starting a shift.
Keep my phone with me, exactly not a big issue. Only if I start to eat I may go offline. One going is I park in the shade always to avoid a hot interior.
I typically turn it on the app while I am getting ready to head out. I usually get a ping within 5 mins from my home. I live in an area with very few cabs and a lot of hipsters so demand is good. It usually only takes me a minute to go from home to moving in the my car though.