Top reasons for getting deactivated from Uber and what can Uber drivers do to reactivate their accounts

All about Uber deactivation and reactivation

One of the hardest feelings in any company is when an employee or contractor is fired. Sometimes it is justified and is not a surprise other times the fired person has no idea why. Many times drivers will get no forewarning and wake up one day with a deactivation notice in their app. This article will review the various reasons for deactivation and what a driver can to be reactivated in cases where the deactivation was either mandatory due to policy or for a wrong reason.

There is a full deactivation policy detailed in the Uber-site that offers a comprehensive list of reasons for deactivation as well as the methods for reactivation.

The deactivation method

Once deactivated these will be the various notifications a driver will receive:

  • "Your driver account has not been activated"
  • "The partner account you drive under has been disabled"
  • "You are wait-listed."
  • "Your account has been placed on hold."

Accounts on Hold or wait-listed

These messages mean that the driver's account has been disabled. Amongst the many reasons for a deactivation are;

  • Bureaucratic; you forgot to finish/sign or provide forms, documents, etc. or failed a background check, traffic violations, and other causes.
  • Ratings; your driver rating was on a constant decline
  • Customer complaints; Uber received too many complaints about you that include unsafe driving, bad car or bad driver issues.

Top Reasons for deactivation

Bureaucratic Reasons:

Your documents expire, or you didn't supply a missing document when requested. Make sure all your licenses are valid and that all your insurance policies are complete and valid. If you get a request for documentation from Uber, make sure you send the documents as soon as possible and record the sending process.

Violation of the Uber terms of the agreement, which includes taking on curbside hails, trying to manipulate your ratings, over picking or choosing passengers, manipulating hourly pay guarantees and bonuses and driving with an accompanying passenger (family or friend).

Failing a new background check, which can occur at any moment whenever Uber decides to renew checks, check specific drivers or receive new requirements due to State of City changes in regulations.

You canceled too many rides, which is cancellation abuse or skipping. This can sometimes be a product of drivers accepting rides to remain above the low threshold but then canceling after accepting.

Violation of the code of conduct such as operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs, smoking in the car, inappropriate behavior and being rude to passengers.

Not performing the minimum number of rides as required by the contract with Uber.

Ratings

Uber's star rating system is problematic; then your rating is considered low. If your rating remains under 4.6 and goes down, then you are in danger of deactivation.

Customer Complaints

These can include complaints about bad behavior, rude or violent interaction with the passenger and warranted complaints.

Dirty cars, bad and smelly interiors that were not fixed over time.

Unsafe driving, this is either reported by the customer or is a number of traffic violations that add up.

Contacting a passenger after a ride, unless the passenger is a personal friend or work partner or known to the driver in any other way apart from being a passenger, contact with them is not allowed.

Drivers will not be deactivated for low ride acceptance rate

For over a year now, Uber will not deactivate a driver for a low acceptance rate. Uber will send the driver warnings and e-mails as well as text messages. Remember, if the driver takes no passengers or less than the minimum within a 90-day period, they will be automatically deactivated.

Finding Out a deactivation cause

Not all notices of deactivation are detailed, so if a driver receives an undocumented reason for deactivation they will have to contact Uber to find out. It might take a while till the driver gets a response, going to a Greenlight hub might speed the process up, but never get angry or impatient since this will impact the chances for reactivation.

Reactivation

If the issue is a bureaucratic one and involves missing documentation, then the moment you upload the missing documents you will be reactivated.

If it's regarding a background check, then you have t find out what the problem was if you don't know why, if you do know why then you will have to wait till the problem is resolved or if the 7-year limit is passed before being reactivated.

If the reason was low ratings, Uber would ask you to take a class for $100, and then you will be reactivated.

If the reason was due to inactivity, you would need to e-mail them to reactivate you and provide sufficient rides when reactivated.

Non-Reactivation

You will not be reactivated if you received too many customer complaints about bad driving, unsafe driving, bad social skills.

If Uber found out a fraudulent document or claim.

If you broke a rule intentionally

If you are listed on the sexual offender's list.

Using Alternative Employment

One solution is if the reason for deactivation is not something that can cause you problems with other rideshare companies. Go to Lyft and apply there. Remember if the issue was not due to a background check or driving offenses, then you will get work with them. You can also apply to other services such as Postmates and DoorDash

Bottom line

If you are a bad driver or a unsocial person, don't apply for this kind of job, you will find out as its not in your nature to be a rideshare driver.

If you can avoid being de-activated, well this is the best option, otherwise, just try to stay above the minimum requirements.