I’m skeptical of this whole practice and the evidence seems to be anecdotal. Its built on some assumptions on how Uber manages Surge that I don’t know are true or not. But, it gives drivers some comfort that they have some control of the situation. I know you’re not online to accept a trip, but the app is open and Uber has you geo located. They know the driver is there.
I see it as independent contractors bidding on rides that are profitable to them, and stepping out of the bidding war when they know others will undercut them.
It’s nothing like a hurricane, even on a smaller scale, because it’s not an emergency situation. That’s price gouging, and that’s illegal.
It’s really quite simple: I choose not to drive for X but only if the rate is Y or better. It’s not the same as your generator example, during a natural disaster that’s defined as price gouging by most state AG’s.
I do actually agree with this sentiment. Indeed, too many people around here willingly drive for low rates that they complain about. However, when you say “do something else,” that’s exactly what the drivers you are talking about are doing. They are waiting for rates to go up so that they don’t have to drive for rates they aren’t happy with.
If you want to drive for peanuts, be my guest. If I’m going to drive drunks home at 2 am, you bet your ass I’m sitting with my app open waiting for the surge to peak before I go online. It’s all about maximizing my profits. Driving at base rates is a fools errand.
I do this anytime I see it is surging or sense that it is about to surge. After all, I am an independent contractor, and no Uber customer (the passengers are not my customer) is owed a ride in my car. I decide when the rates are high enough to tolerate their presence in my car. When the rates are high enough, I turn on the app and only accept the rides with a sufficient multiplier.
So consider this scenario… After hurricane passes you as a contractor go to bid on repair work. Because the damage is wide spread there is more work than there are contractors. Is it ok to mark your bid up 2x or should you still bid with the normal price parameters?
You bid what you want. The owner of the project chooses from the bidders. It’s not like the contractor caused the hurricane. And it’s also not the contractor’s fault if the owner decides not to take any bids and just sits on a pile of rubble until prices come down again.
Not being an attorney and knowing that the price gouging laws are somewhat vague I think you are able to go a little higher due to increased costs but state AG’s handle this more as a PR stunt. 2X would probably get you in front of the firing line, whether it’s constitutional or not, I wouldn’t want to be the test case for that.
There is nothing wrong with the fact I and other drivers won’t drive for less than surge. It is OUR choice as to when we accept rides, I simply will not waste MY time and gas for .75 a mile. How is that unlawful lol. I also choose if I take a job for less than $$$ a year. Is it unlawful for that?
uber doens’t have a monopoly in the transportation industry. in places like the bay area, atlanta, new york, chicago as well as the suburbs of places like these where there’s demand, there’s other options like trains, buses, light rail, taxis and then lyft. it’s not like we’re forcing them into a corner with no choice.
I’ll tell you what is unethical, Travis Kalanick business practice & ventures. I advice you do the math especially driving for UberX. Individually,we are allowed to drive when we want!
Herein lies the problem. Uber/Lyft base rates are not an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work most days. It’s really the sneakiest part of the scheme, really, as surge is a phantom carrot we occasionally catch.
Unethical ,would be like trying to put Publicly Subsidised Public transportation and infrastructure out of operation using the assets of poor people lured in by Bait and switch methods in order to establish a monopoly which is NOT in the best interest of the greedy public.
We are outside contractors for uber. Low Pay, No Benefits. We have to do what it takes to pay our bills, short of manipulating of prices by synchronizing our offline times. So please whom ever is using the hurricane and plywood scenario it is not applicable here.
I haven’t picked a ride with no surge or boost in more than two years
I’m a private contractor and I m the decider (only time I ever quoted terrorist g bush) of when I go to work and how much I’m wiling to make
You are absolutely right , I will never do uber without extra pay, it simply is not worth it, Don’t hate the player hate the game
No one cares about you seeing drivers pop up when prices increase and you have no clue how it is to be a driver. Your question should focus on feeling bad for drivers spending their gas money and dead miles without any fairs and lets not forget about that thing called time.