Uber at midnight downtown? (Phoenix, Tempe: house, taxi driver, minimum wage)

[azriverfan.]

Scottsdalemark

I don't need a published study to tell me Uber is cheaper. I've taken both and Uber is by far cheaper. A cab from the airport to my house is $30-$35 without tip. Uber was $18-$20 and no tip is needed.

I think tipping is stressful. Even if they provide bad service, the driver still expects a good tip and eyes you waiting for you to hand him or her some cash. Most often people are compelled to tip, not because they choose to but because they feel obligated to. There is a difference. With Uber, the drama surrounding tipping is completely removed. Drivers don't expect a tip. Tipping is not a part of their app.

Regarding your comment about an Uber unwilling to pick up in a bad area, that is simply not true. Customers are rated on Uber so a person with a high Uber rating is not going to have a problem being picked up.

And like Detroit said, a major reason people take Uber is the service is considerably better. I know people who prefer Uber even if the prices are the same because the service is so much better. Usually with Uber, the driver has a clean new vehicle. They sometimes offer bottles of water or other amenities. They know they will be rated so they try to provide good service. Cab drivers are under no pressure to provide good service because they are not rated hence the reason they don't provide good service.

Last but not least, cab drivers give you grief about paying with a credit card. I've deal with so many drivers who will lie about their "machine being broken" because they want cash or they will flat out tell you they won't take credit cards for lower fares. With Uber, you don't have to pull out your wallet. There is no exchange of cash or any transaction. It's a great feeling that you can just get out of the car and leave.

[DetroitN8V]

Mark, pricing isn't even close. I didn't bother to read that article but anyone can prove it to be wrong. I mocked up a short sample trip from Talking Stick Arena to Scottsdale Fashion Square and the difference is over $20 more in a cab:

[ScottsdaleMark]

AZriverfan, I appreciate your experiences. Longer rides are usually pretty expensive in a taxi. I personally have found that it is often the same price, or slightly cheaper, to take a limo from the airport than to take a taxi, if you live more than 15-20 miles from the airport, so I'm sure on long hauls Uber would have no problem being cheaper than a limo (or a taxi).

You make a nice case for the positives of Uber. As I've previously stated in past threads, I just dislike the company's culture and ethics, their lobbying, their surge pricing, etc., but I understand that they didn't get so much market share without offering a product that often competes well on price and service. This is just one of my pet issues that I enjoy debating about since I don't think it's a level playing field so long as taxis face so many more regulations than ride-sharing services, which face few to none. I'd like to hear our state administration explain why taxis still need regulation while Uber/Lyft do not. It doesn't make sense to me.

Detroit, that looks like a 12-13 mile ride, so that is probably long enough that the per-mile metering catches up with the taxis' lower starting fare. According to the article / data, taxis are cheaper for shorter rides, and the longer the ride, the more likely Uber is cheaper. But if you're grandma going to the grocery store or the doctor, or a tourist zipping around downtown, taxis are going to be more cost-effective. Regarding the article, it's open-source data and a set metering rate, so I don't think it's possible for it to be "wrong" ... it is what it is. In NYC, taxis are usually cheaper. I did not make that claim about AZ given our spread-out city ... I imagine Uber is likely cheaper here for more than half of all people.

[ElleTea]

Uber is cheap on short rides as well. I have taken an Uber and the fare was $4. No way you could get out of a cab for that little.

[ScottsdaleMark]

Apparently the base rates are a lot cheaper here than in NYC, where there is an $8 minimum fare for Uber, so I may have a hard time making a price argument for non-surge periods in this location. Certainly a four dollar fare is impossible to beat on price, probably anywhere in America. Interesting that it would be a better deal here than in NYC where it all started.

[Ztonyg]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

In my experience with Uber, the drivers have their phones mounted on the dash for navigation, or have it built in their car. It's very simple. As for tipping or not, it's nice to be able to just hop out of the the Uber car without worrying about paying; it's already done.

Uber drivers dislike passengers like you because in actuality there is no "tip" included in the fare.

Uber drivers make 75% - 80% of what your fare is calculated at minus Uber's $1.80 booking fee. That's it.

So, if you pay $30. The Uber driver makes $21.15 - $22.56 to cover their gas, insurance, mileage, etc.

There's no "included" tip whatsoever.

Lyft, on the other hand, has similar rates to Uber but does allow cashless tipping right from the app.

It's amazing how many people won't think twice about tipping a cab driver (on a fare significantly higher) but adamantly refuse to tip their Uber driver.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by Ztonyg

Uber drivers dislike passengers like you because in actuality there is no "tip" included in the fare.

Uber drivers make 75% - 80% of what your fare is calculated at minus Uber's $1.80 booking fee.

There's no "included" tip whatsoever.

Actually Uber drivers like me because I TIP ANYWAY if it is deserved. I never said I didn't. I said you don't HAVE TO, nor did I say it was included. I even gave my last driver a bottle of water because it was a very hot day.


The part that is nice is the fare is given to you up front and you don't have to pay for the ride as you exit. Just get out and go. That is what I said in my post. Tipping is up to you. It is appreciated but not expected according to Uber's policies.


I have spoken to my friends and coworkers IRL about this in the past and more say they don't tip than do tip. The bottom line is, it is up to you. That is how tipping is SUPPOSED to be.

[ScottsdaleMark]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

Actually Uber drivers like me because I TIP ANYWAY if it is deserved. I never said I didn't. I said you don't HAVE TO, nor did I say it was included. I even gave my last driver a bottle of water because it was a very hot day.


The part that is nice is the fare is given to you up front and you don't have to pay for the ride as you exit. Just get out and go. That is what I said in my post. Tipping is up to you. It is appreciated but not expected according to Uber's policies.


I have spoken to my friends and coworkers IRL about this in the past and more say they don't tip than do tip. The bottom line is, it is up to you. That is how tipping is SUPPOSED to be.

I am glad to hear that and thank you for tipping when warranted...driving a taxi/Uber/limo is a grind and I know how much they appreciate a nice tip.

I once had a limo driver give me a hug, haha. But he was such a nice guy it was my pleasure to give him a big tip. Everybody wins in a situation like that, and I agree tipping is at its best when it is an expression of appreciation.

Some people feel most comfortable with a standard tip kind of all the time, e.g. they just always tip X percent at restaurants. I'm more of a variable person, I tend to go lower or higher from the baseline based on what's occurred, although I generally do always tip something, so I understand the frustration of tipping for bad service. It's not a perfect system, that's for sure. I know a lot of other countries think American tipping standards and the low wages paid to tipped employees are absurd. But, at least on the plus side is it does encourage positive service (ideally).

[Ztonyg]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

Actually Uber drivers like me because I TIP ANYWAY if it is deserved. I never said I didn't. I said you don't HAVE TO, nor did I say it was included. I even gave my last driver a bottle of water because it was a very hot day.


The part that is nice is the fare is given to you up front and you don't have to pay for the ride as you exit. Just get out and go. That is what I said in my post. Tipping is up to you. It is appreciated but not expected according to Uber's policies.


I have spoken to my friends and coworkers IRL about this in the past and more say they don't tip than do tip. The bottom line is, it is up to you. That is how tipping is SUPPOSED to be.

Sorry, I didn't mean to accuse you of not tipping. Your viewpoint makes a lot of sense.

I used to driver for Uber and it was a real grind. Without tips, I ended up barely breaking even (actually claimed a loss on last years taxes). Therefore, for me, it's not worth it unless I got tipped regularly as the rates are set too low.

I always had a cooler full of water that I would offer to passengers, and I tried to accommodate their temperature and musical requests. I also always provided an Android and iPhone charging station.

Back to the OP. There are hundreds of Uber drivers in Phoenix and at midnight you wouldn't even have to wait more than 5-10 minutes for a ride in the East or West Valley.

[DetroitN8V]

Bottom line, Uber is cheaper both on longer distance runs and short trips. The cabs are cheaper argument isn't fruitful.