Drivers, Let’s Stop This . . .

There is little more to be said about the Drivers being quite angry with Uber over lowered rates and reduced income. We get it, they get it, everyone but Travis Kalanick gets it. But, we may be doing irreparable harm to ourselves in our acts demonstrative of dissatisfaction with Uber. We as Uber Drivers have to be concerned about what the public thinks of us and their trust in us. What all the drivers have to realize is Travis Kalanick did not make Uber what it is today. Sure he brought the App and the money to the game, but the drivers were what made Uber cool, cool then made it popular. When the “cool” is gone, Uber becomes just another Cab Company.

I observed this pic on one of our  FaceBook Group sites earlier today and it bothered me. It didn’t bother me that drivers were cancelling rides because of distance, because it makes no sense to take a ride that doesn’t pay. This is Uber’s fault, not the drivers fault at all. If Uber wants to pay us to drive, I believe most of us take the ride. Again, this wasn’t what bothered me.

What bothered me was the first few words on this Yelp Review: “Beware of Uber.” This is not cool. This doesn’t say that drivers are cancelling rides that they cannot profit from since Uber  dropped the rates so far that for a driver to make a buck the driver has to play the guarantees or work the surge, this says, “Beware of Uber.”

Then at the end; “Drivers are rude and constantly try to screw you. It is no longer a premier service and something everyone should avoid.” This is as damning as it gets. But, look around you. Uber has taken the cool, the cooperation, the friendly out of driving for Uber by taking the money away. Nobody expects to get rich working with Uber, and the Riders are already convinced by Uber’s lies and deceptions to believe all Uber drivers are making bank. The truth is that many of us, most of the UberX drivers are not even making a minimum wage any more.

This is not the Riders fault. This is Ubers fault. Our argument is not with the Riders whom I believe we are getting angry with because we are no longer able to provide the “cool” Uber services  we used to. Uber is the reason the Riders rarely give us tips. Uber lied to the Riders long ago and a driver telling riders that Uber drivers should be tipped like any other service industry only serves to make the Rider believe the Driver trying to scam him. Again this is Uber’s fault.

I believe we need to turn this around a bit before we turn this whole gig to “shit” unable to recover from it. Drivers please stop being angry for Uber’s actions. Again Uber is to blame for the lies about tipping and the rate reductions, be angry at Uber, but not the Rider. Regardless of anything the Rider does, they are our “bread-n-butter” so to speak. Okay, only bread, and from a discount bakery store, but it is not the Rider to blame.  So, let’s get back to being as cool as we used to be for the Rider. If Uber has not figured out by now that we are tired of being treated like crap, they never will. Sooner or later we will find a way to take it to Uber and fix this. Until then, give the rider a break . . .