+11 votes
El Draino on 21/11/2019 - 12:08
I drive with Uber, Ola and DiDi. Most drivers are like me are running these 3 apps simultaneously and taking work as it comes. As soon as you book an Ola or a DiDi, as ozio did, check the location of the car. Often drivers will be completing a drop nearby on another app, then heading to pick you up. The key here is how long will they be. If theyre miles away and not getting any closer, contact them via phone and ask whats going on. Do this in the first 2 minutes because if you wait too long, you, as the pax will be charged a PAX cancellation. Theres some really dodgy dudes driving out there, so watch out for "sliders" - drivers who will commence a fare even if you're not in the car. If a driver does this 10 times a shift, he will pocket $50 or 60 for doing nothing except behaving fraudulently, Ola didnt really enforce this scam until only recently. To combat this, Ola have just commenced a 4 digit code given to pax only. When pax gets in Ola, pax gives driver code and then the driver inputs this code to commence fare (without code, fare cannot be started).
DiDi are usually cheaper than Ola and Uber on light traffic routes due to their fee structure being weighted on time rather than distance like Uber and Ola. But avoid DiDi in heavy traffic as you'll pay more. THe other thing is that DiDi dont surge up like Uber in peak periods. If Uber is displaying for example, 1.5X or 2.0x surge, odds are DiDi wont be surging up like Uber. Uber surges up quickly due it's high customer base - whereas Ola and Didi so look at the other two if Uber is surging.
Another way to combat surge (for longer trips only) if you're say leaving the city, cant get a Didi or an Ola and have to accept taking a surging Uber, often surge zones are very localised. For example, if you're in Fitzroy at midnight on a Saturday and want to go to Carrum Downs, it will be very pricey. But the surge on our app will usually be localised to the inner city (CBD, Richmond, South Yarra, Prahran, St Kilda) past that it's standard pricing. So you can set the destination to Elsternwick maccas, get a burger then book an uber from Elsternwick to Carrum Downs and pay zero surge. I've had people pay 2.0X surge from Ringwood to city not realising they could get out at Nunawadding, book another uber and pay no surge into the city from Nunawadding. Remember this method only makes sense for longer fares, not local fares.
Lastly as a rideshare driver please take note of some pet peeves drivers have.
Pick ups in bad locations - please consider where your pick up will be. A lot of pax (usually under 25yo) will stupidly set a pick up on a corner. We cannot pick up on a corner as you cannot park on a corner. Arrange the pick up where a car can actually park. Places in Melbourne like the corner of Flinders St/Elizabeth St are total poison for parking as well as Southern Cross railway station (Southern Cross is a total nightmare to pick up from). No corners please. Please, no corners.
Long delay picking up/Anchor pax - a few pax will deploy the anchor pax method if someone is still inside a residence getting ready. So you pull up, 1 pax will get in and say the other pax is still in house but coming. But they take a long time. 5 minutes is like an hour when you're waiting for that last pax to get in. When you call up a car, be ready there and then, as there might be a car just around the corner. Delayed pick ups will likely get you 1 starred. Very annoying.
Changing destinations mid trip - sometimes this is fine but remember drivers get two directional fare (DF) opportunities per 24 hours and they are usually used by drivers to get home. So, if im in the CBD and set my DF home to Mordialloc, then uber will only give me fares set in that direction, but if a pax get in and resets the fare to Werribee, then it's a massive problem. Thats 90 minutes of my life I'll never get back because the pax changed their mind. This will get you a 1 star for sure, and you earned it. Please do not do this.
Cancelling fares mid trip - if a driver has done nothing wrong and you do this and you'll get a very upset driver
The dreaded Uber pool - Uber pool is universally hated by rideshare drivers because it's almost always cheapskate millenials who expect mints and water, plus a direct to door drop. It causes issues for drivers as pax always want to go a bit further than theyve paid for, plus you get some awkward situations like pax taking 2 seats rather than their alotted 1. Drivers will often 1 start pool riders - this is a bit unfair but drivers dont like it because you wont ever get long fares on pool. Pool is a bad proposition for a driver because they do 8 - 12 hours shifts - a driver needs a couple of long trips each shift. Pool guarantees you won’t get a long trip.
Thanks El Draino for the great overview.