Uber states that it wants every ride to be both safe and enjoyable for all that participate in the ride and has prepared a list of ground rules that will assure everyone of a five-star experience. These rules apply to riders seeking an efficient and comfortable ride from pick up to drop off as well as for drivers that operate the rides.
Respect each other
Uber starts with a basic ground rule that is part of what we term the unwritten social contract that binds us together as people living in a community. Respect, this is a reciprocal function for both rider and driver. It is important that riders and drivers both respect each other, do not use profane language, shout or use physical violence or physical force such as slamming doors. Uber also expects the rider to be as clean as possible and remove any trash they might accumulate during the ride. They also request that both driver and rider respect the physical and cultural differences between each other as the US is populated by many different people from different nations, cultures, and religions.
Give riders and drivers some personal space
The concept of personal space is ambiguous since everyone's personal space is different. What Uber means here is to be aware of the other persons "space" in terms of physical proximity, language, and appearance. In other words, when two people come together, they should not be close enough to be uncomfortable for either one of them, they should not disturb each other and should act in a way that allows each individual the right to personal thought. This means that the entertainment center should be used in a way that both the rider and the driver do not suffer, that the climate control is used in a way that is comfortable to both and that the driver is able to concentrate on providing a safe driving experience. Uber also disallows any sexual contact between the driver and the rider, irrelevant of the relationship between the two.
Safety first
Safety was not first on the community list but is first when a ride starts. Even without ground rules, everyone should be given a chance to arrive safely at their destinations. The rider must buckle up when sitting in the front of the car and when sitting in any position must maintain a semblance of dignity and not act in any way that will endanger the driver or the car. The driver must drive according to State, and Local laws as well as consider the personal comfort of the rider. The driver must not exceed speed limits, must not drive recklessly, no aggressive overtaking, no sudden braking due to speeding and no driving when intoxicated. Drivers must not drive when using medicines that affect their cognitive abilities and definitely not drive if using drugs, even for medicinal purposes. Drivers must not drive when I state of fatigue or tired. Drivers must secure their app and GPS navigation units and must not text or hold a phone to talk when driving.
Children must be supervised
Uber does not allow drivers to take children without a parent or adult supervision. Drivers will and must refuse taking children unsupervised. It is important to make sure that the child is secured during the ride and should try to contain any unruly behavior that could put the driver at risk of losing focus on the road.
Feedback makes us all better
It is important that riders and drivers rate the performance of each other at the end of the ride. Uber needs these bits of information to populate their metrics. These metrics are known as Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and are used to rate both driver and rider, which will give an indication of how well a driver performs, how food their car is and how polite and thoughtful a rider is. Incidents during rides should be reported using the rider app and can be reached by tapping the help button in the app.
WHY DRIVERS CAN LOSE ACCESS TO UBER
In this section, Uber describes in detail what Uber seeks in its driver-partners and explains what will lead a driver to deactivation. There are two types of deactivation, the permanent ones and the temporary ones that will be explained in detail in the following paragraphs. What Uber does state as the four reasons for permanent deactivation are Quality, Safety, Fraud, and Discrimination. Uber starts with Quality, so we will review the community page using their headings.
Quality
Uber drivers are expected to offer a quality service, the use of the word quality is global and as such covers a lot of KPI's. Uber states that the higher the overall quality of a ride will bring in more rides and the lower the quality will lead to less income and eventual deactivation. Uber installed a star rating system to gauge drivers and has a number of KPI's in place to gauge driver performance beyond the star rating system.
Star Ratings (Driver)
Drivers are rated according to any number of perceptions that the rider has during a trip. Riders can offer a driver up to five stars, and the system is reciprocal, which means drivers also rate riders. We discussed rider stars earlier, so now we will concentrate on driver's ratings only. Drivers can see their ratings in the Uber app. These ratings are given after a ride is finished and the rider rates before the tip. The rating is based on 500 rides rated, and the ratings are based on the number of stars the rider awards the driver.
One of the biggest mistakes many rideshare drivers make is the distinction they think exists between them and taxi drivers. As far as passengers are concerned, there is no difference. The fact that you might be a leading professor or banking giant doesn't change the fact that you are their driver! Remember, your job is not just to drive a person from point A to point B, but to offer a service and driving experience. Otherwise, the passenger would pick a taxi rather than an Uber ride.
Some tips for getting better ratings include when driving, one issue is the app sound. Turn down the sound or off completely, you don't want the app to take over the silence or sounds of the entertainment system. Give explanations about where you are, let them know you are knowledgeable about the city and all its surroundings. Study up on local attractions, shopping, and culture; sometimes your knowledge will tip the scale. Drive safely, don't speed and accelerate slowly for smoother riding. Show confidence, talk but not too much, ask about small things like weather and the day, don't interrogate. Make sure you have invested in various appliances and comfort items so that the trip will be smooth even with situations (sick, toilet stops, etc.) Always make sure the car is clean outside and inside, with a fresh smell. There is nothing worse than a shabby, smelly car. Always be courteous and polite. Be patient, even with the most annoying passenger, unless they step out of line, then deal with it legally, use police if necessary but never become abusive or violent. Upholstered seats, make sure they are attractive, comfortable and clean. When you have time between trips, vacuum or brush them before every trip. In-car entertainment, make sure you have a constant selection of films or music and make sure you maintain them up-to-date. Working air-con or heating: The worst feeling is a hot car in summer and a cold one in winter, unless your passenger is ill, then open a window for G-d's sake! If a passenger wants to smoke, offer them a place to stop at for a cigarette, but never let smoke permeate your car. It sucks and is offensive to most people.
Once your ratings are stable above 4.8 you are considered a safe, comfortable and amiable driver, anything under 4.6 is considered problematic and can eventually lead a driver to deactivation. Apart from the above options that can secure a comfortable rating, Uber uses other KPI's, and they are listed in the next few paragraphs.
Cancellation Rate
A negative KPI is the cancellation rate. Drivers receive requests in-app and have the ability to accept or not accept a trip. The cancellation rate is based on how many times a driver accepts a trip and then cancels it. This is considered to be acceptable at a 5% cancellation rate. The reasons to cancel can be many; Uber doesn't really care what the reason is, the higher the cancellation rate the closer you are to deactivation.
Each city has a different cancellation rate, and they set city limits, which means you have to check to see what your cap is. A cancellation rate cap is the highest percentage of cancellations the cities Uber office will allow for, leading to immediate deactivation.
Acceptance Rates
A positive KPI is the driver's acceptance rate. Acceptance rate is based on the number of requests a driver accepts and does not cancel. The higher the acceptance rate, the larger the expected income will be for the driver and is also a good metric for Uber to gauge the driver's commitment to the process. Uber suggests that drivers that don't want to work for any particular reason should log off, that way they do not need to lower the quality of the overall service.
Safety
Uber has a number of technologies it deploys for improving the driving experience, and these include a GPS map that helps drivers navigate to and from locations. Navigation might seem easy, sure, you grew up in the area, you know all the shortcuts and quick get-always. You might even know traffic patterns, but lets put on a show for the passenger and show them how professional you are and how serious you take their safety. Phone dash mounted; will make it easier for you to drive and to see and control the applications. Navigation apps such as Google or Waze, even if you know the way, key in the address and drive via the shown route, the psychological effect is huge. If you want to deviate because you know something Waze doesn't, explain that to your passenger, and key in your change, in any event, just to show them the difference. Safe driving, listen to all the navigational orders and also maintain all traffic and road rules. Hesitate when uncertain, take no risks and don't accelerate like a madman. Nothing is worse than holding onto your seat praying to get out as fast as possible.
Other actions that will be investigated by Uber ae physical contact issues. Drivers should not touch in any way any part of the rider's body, clothes or property unless asked to do so for help reasons only. These can include helping with luggage, helping with getting into our out of the car only.
Safe driving is the core of a good driving service, if Uber receives complaints regarding safety issues from riders or from law enforcement agencies, they will investigate. The more complaints received will not be tolerated, and Uber will definitely deactivate the driver before receiving a reason as to why they received so many complaints.
Physical contact with the rider without their consent is strictly forbidden. Regarding sexual contact between passenger and driver, this is totally forbidden under any circumstance. Drivers are forbidden to use any form of force, even in self-defense. However, we will state here that if the driver's life is in danger, and only if the passenger is using physical violence that endangers the ride or has a weapon that is being wielded in a violent and aggressive manner, it is better to be deactivated as driver and be alive and well, unharmed, then to allow a rider the ability to maim or kill you.
Inappropriate language is also not condoned, and this includes body language too such as suggestive hand movements. Uber states that swearing, threatening, discriminatory and sexual and even asking personal questions is an inappropriate use of language.
Unauthorized contact between a driver and a rider is also not allowed according to Uber. So, if a driver sees a rider, when off-duty in public, they should not approach them. Drivers are forbidden to text, visit or contact a rider in any way or form after a ride has been concluded. One of the ways that Uber enforces anonymity is that the customer's contact details are never given to the driver, even during a request the details are shielded from the driver, and they contact the passenger for pick up instructions via the app and not directly. The only way a driver or rider is allowed to be in contact with ether after a ride is if they were in any kind of relationship before the ride, such as a co-worker, friend, associate, distant relation or any other kind of knowledge of each other.
Lawbreaking during a ride is not acceptable, and this includes bringing controlled substances into the car during a ride, such as alcohol or drugs. Drivers cannot allow the number of passengers to exceed the legal limit, which is the number of seatbelts in the car. Drivers must agree to requests made by riders to break any driving laws including speeding and parking illegally. Drivers are expected to report immediately any rider that intends on or is breaking the law in any way that will include the driver as an accomplice to illegal activity that the rider intends to perform during the ride. This includes transporting people against their will, sexual exploitation of children, human trafficking, driving as a getaway from a crime scene and drug-related offenses.
Uber will investigate all incidents that drivers report. If Uber find out that a driver was complicated in a crime without their knowledge or without their consent will be reported to the local authorities, and Uber will deactivate the criminal's account.
Zero Tolerance for Drugs and Alcohol
Uber does not tolerate the use of drugs or alcohol by partners while driving.
What leads to you losing access to your account? The account of any driver found to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol while using the Uber app will be permanently deactivated. Uber may also deactivate the account of any driver who receives several unconfirmed complaints of drug or alcohol use.
Firearms Ban
Drivers are prohibited by Uber to carry any live weapon of any kind, whether they have a license for it or not. Driers may keep a non-lethal weapon on hand for defensive purposes, but Uber has a strict non-violence clause that automatically deactivates drivers when force is sued no matter what the reason.
Discrimination
This issue is of major importance to Uber, and whilst it has been discussed in previous paragraphs it comes up again as a separate item. Uber states that it has "zero tolerance" to discrimination, and that includes discrimination against service animals too. The usual discriminations include "race, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, sex, marital status, gender identity, age or any other characteristic protected under applicable law."
Another issue with discrimination might include the fear of a particular neighborhood or the avoidance of areas that a driver might consider dangerous. This is not acceptable, and drivers cannot ignore an entire population due to their location. Another issue that arises that can be misconstrued as discrimination is the cancellation of rides that do not end up where the driver wishes to travel to. These can include reasons such as a doctors appointment or picking up children from school. If a driver has a reason for not taking rides, it is better to log off then to cancel rides and be susceptible to discrimination claims.
Fraud
Uber will deactivate any driver that is involved in any form of fraudulent activity. This means any falsified trips, falsified cleaning bills and falsified fees of any kind. The use of dummy rides and collusion with a rider to defraud Uber of money. Uber also has ways to follow the ride path, so any misuse of GPS driving to make a ride longer in time or mileage will also be used as a reason for deactivation.
Compliance with the Law
Uber states that it expects all its drivers to adhere to every local, state and federal law, whether driving or otherwise. Uber performs background checks on a yearly basis, and while a driver might have a clean record when applying, it does not mean that during the time they work for Uber the driver gets complicated in any number of legal issues that can affect the safety and compliance of the driver to Uber's safety and regulatory compliance standards. Uber expects all its drivers to comply with a law enforcement agencies requests during any period of service when active.
Background Checks
Before a driver starts to work for Uber, they undergo a background check, many times the company will perform random review checks and on occasions will perform mandatory checks based on Federal or State requirements. Drivers are expected to be open about any changes in their status before a background check is performed.
Unacceptable Activities
Uber does not allow drivers to have an accompanying passenger, or to conduct other activities while logged into an Uber shift. If Uber finds out that a driver has been taking illegal street hails or using the car for other activities will working during an Uber shift, or violating any part of the driver's agreement during a shift, the driver will be deactivated.
Accurate Personal Information
One of the features in the Uber app is the driver's information. If the information is incorrect, the driver must change it. The information must be accurate at all times. If the driver provides false information which is a fraudulent activity the will be deactivated immediately. Such false information might include the age of the driver, the type of car being used and outdated information such as license and insurance coverage. If the driver has an outdated license, they should notify Uber and will be able to drive again after uploading the new license.
Getting Back on the Road After Deactivation
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." Or "Your account has been placed on hold."
If you receive a message that your accounts are on hold or wait-listed, it means your driver's account is being disabled. This happens because of bureaucratic instances such as you forgot to finish/sign or provide forms, documents, etc. or failed a background check, traffic violations, and other causes. If 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.
It can also be due to your driver rating was on a constant decline or customer complaints; Uber received too many complaints about you that include unsafe driving, bad car or bad driver issues.
The permanent deactivation issues involve 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.
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.
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.
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.
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, or if you broke a rule intentionally, and If you are listed on the sexual offender's list.