Cars & Transportation Are you an Uber driver?

[BACCS]

Giving serious consideration to signing up to UberX to make a bit of extra cash in my spare time. I only realised recently how flexible Uber are, in that you just work when you want to. It's also becoming extremely popular in Adelaide and they are always looking for new drivers.

The driver also gets 80% of the fare (after a small fee of less than 2 bucks is taken away), and if you're heading into the city or whatever, why not pick someone up along the way and make cash out of it? You (and the passengers) are also covered by Uber in case of an accident, which was the first thing I wanted to double check before signing up.

Anyone in here already an Uber driver?

 

[Demosthenes]

https://www.finder.com.au/uber-driver-income-calculator

 

[MarcusP2]

Giving serious consideration to signing up to UberX to make a bit of extra cash in my spare time. I only realised recently how flexible Uber are, in that you just work when you want to. It's also becoming extremely popular in Adelaide and they are always looking for new drivers.

The driver also gets 80% of the fare (after a small fee of less than 2 bucks is taken away), and if you're heading into the city or whatever, why not pick someone up along the way and make cash out of it? You (and the passengers) are also covered by Uber in case of an accident, which was the first thing I wanted to double check before signing up.

Anyone in here already an Uber driver?

Since you're in SA, you need a working with children license and a driver history accreditation. You also need to ensure the $1 levy is collected. Otherwise you are liable for fines. Uber openly don't care about whether you have done this or not.

I'd also read the terms and conditions of the insurance they provide and check the excess. Sounds like it only covers 3rd parties so if you destroy your own car tough bikkies (unlikely your own insurance applies in this instance unless you have commercial)- "hat’s why all Uber ridesharing driver-partners in Australia are also protected by at least AUD$20,000,000 contingent coverage for bodily injury to third parties, as well as property damage to road users outside the uberX vehicle." Your own injuries and the actual UberX vehicle?? You also need to have insurance - this is only if yours doesn't apply.

 

[akkaps]

I have also given considerable thought into becoming an Uber driver if I cannot get my shit together and find a decent job.

 

[Hawk Dork]

no

I wonder if the pay is better at 7/11 or Caltex ?

 

[ioppolo]

Could you live off the income of the average Uber driver?

 

[rocker_oz33]

One guy left work to become a uber driver.
Funny thing he has a shit car and he thinks it's dangerous to drive at night.
I guess most of the uber jobs would at night,people don't want to drink drive etc.

 

[radiojake]

I wonder if people will love uber like the currently do once the parasite of a company has complete monopoly after destroying taxis and then set their prices rather high.

Uber make a killing by connecting smartphone to smartphone. That is all. They bare no risk or pay for no maintenance of the cars, that is all on the drivers hands..

It's like agro-capitalism and while it seems fine now, I can see it going bad

That woman who had a $750 uber ride over New Years in Sydney gets lambasted for not realising the 7.5x tariff would make it that high, but it every other aspect of our commercial world, things like the ACCC try to make ripoffs like this don't occur.

Uber is a world onto itself

 

[PP34]

I wonder if people will love uber like the currently do once the parasite of a company has complete monopoly after destroying taxis and then set their prices rather high.

Uber make a killing by connecting smartphone to smartphone. That is all. They bare no risk or pay for no maintenance of the cars, that is all on the drivers hands..

It's like agro-capitalism and while it seems fine now, I can see it going bad

That woman who had a $750 uber ride over New Years in Sydney gets lambasted for not realising the 7.5x tariff would make it that high, but it every other aspect of our commercial world, things like the ACCC try to make ripoffs like this don't occur.

Uber is a world onto itself

People will stop using Uber if price becomes the same as that of a taxi. Yes, you tend to get nicer drivers who are happy to actually drive you places and offer you a water and some mints etc but at the end of the day myself and others were drawn to it because of the price and how easy the whole thing is.

Everyone is aware that Uber operates differently to taxis.

Taxis only have themselves to blame for being a monopoly that for years has not changed anything to prevent customers from wanting to take their business elsewhere. It's still a total stab in the dark trying to get a taxi to come to a house on a weekend, the app is rubbish, you can't track your cab properly like you can on Uber, I'd say almost 75% of drivers are total pricks, and the later you get at night the more and more they want to make you feel bad for simply wanting them to take you home.

Uber will never become a complete monopoly anyway. Only a matter of time before Lyft and some other ride-sharing services pop up to compete with Uber.

 

[Xenthor]

I've thought about it but I don't think I'm nice enough to have a total stranger in my car. Plus I kinda don't want to get stabbed and robbed

 

[Demosthenes]

People will stop using Uber if price becomes the same as that of a taxi. Yes, you tend to get nicer drivers who are happy to actually drive you places and offer you a water and some mints etc but at the end of the day myself and others were drawn to it because of the price and how easy the whole thing is.

Everyone is aware that Uber operates differently to taxis.

Taxis only have themselves to blame for being a monopoly that for years has not changed anything to prevent customers from wanting to take their business elsewhere. It's still a total stab in the dark trying to get a taxi to come to a house on a weekend, the app is rubbish, you can't track your cab properly like you can on Uber, I'd say almost 75% of drivers are total pricks, and the later you get at night the more and more they want to make you feel bad for simply wanting them to take you home.

Uber will never become a complete monopoly anyway. Only a matter of time before Lyft and some other ride-sharing services pop up to compete with Uber.

Regardless of the problems with the taxi monopoly, the solution isn't really to unleash a less-regulated competitor on it. An uneven playing field is inevitably going to drive the taxi industry out of business, not incentivise market-driven reform.

Because it's run by private companies, people tend to forget that point-to-point transport is part of the country's public transport infrastructure. Like any other public good, it's reasonable to expect a degree of certainty around its safety and price. The current Uber business model doesn't provide that. As such I find it hard to bring myself to use it, even though I like the idea of ridesharing in principle.

 

[PP34]

Regardless of the problems with the taxi monopoly, the solution isn't really to unleash a less-regulated competitor on it. An uneven playing field is inevitably going to drive the taxi industry out of business, not incentivise market-driven reform.

Because it's run by private companies, people tend to forget that point-to-point transport is part of the country's public transport infrastructure. Like any other public good, it's reasonable to expect a degree of certainty around its safety and price. The current Uber business model doesn't provide that. As such I find it hard to bring myself to use it, even though I like the idea of ridesharing in principle.

So should they charge Uber drivers ridiculous fees to operate? That's not going to solve anything.

Ubers have been around for a good while now, this notion that they're automatically unsafer than cabs is nonsense. They could do a bit more for safety, but I have hardly heard of anyone having major issues with them. They wouldn't be so popular if this was the case. I know girls who would much rather be in an Uber than get in a cab. Like I already said, price is not an issue either and shouldn't be in the future.

The only time there can be issues with Uber pricing can be at about 7pm on a Saturday depending on the suburb you're in or if you're in a highly populated area like the city late at night, and even still unless the price is something crazy like 3.0x the normal rate, you'll still most likely be saving money.

 

[Demosthenes]

Ubers have been around for a good while now, this notion that they're automatically unsafer than cabs is nonsense.

The training, vehicle maintenance, driver screening and insurance requirements are all lower than for taxis. It's quite reasonable to expect those will all contribute to statistically lower levels of safety in the long run.

The only time there can be issues with Uber pricing can be at about 7pm on a Saturday depending on the suburb you're in or if you're in a highly populated area like the city late at night, and even still unless the price is something crazy like 3.0x the normal rate, you'll still most likely be saving money.

That is your experience in your area, at the current point in time for an industry that is changing rapidly. How it will change is a matter for speculation, but one of the problems with demand-driven pricing is that it assumes people have a choice about whether to buy not. Public transport infrastructure is used by a lot of people who often don't have a choice, many of whom struggle financially. Holding them hostage to surge prices is not really good public policy.

Everyone wants cheap rides to go drinking, but there are broader implications to what we are talking about.

 

[PP34]

The training, vehicle maintenance, driver screening and insurance requirements are all lower than for taxis. It's quite reasonable to expect those will all contribute to statistically lower levels of safety in the long run.

That is true, and I feel Uber could do more there, but I think the whole issue is being overblown. It's been around for a while now, and there hasn't been anything drastically bad happening.

Again, I'm being anecdotal but all this training, maintenance etc in cabs hasn't left me feeling much safer when I use them. You get drivers who don't even know road laws and taxis which are much older than Ubers, plus there have been many incidents where cab drivers have done the wrong thing in regards to payment.

Good cab drivers are getting increasingly harder to find, and having spoken to a few people driving taxis or Ubers, some are moving onto being Uber drivers. That can be a good thing.

That is your experience in your area, at the current point in time for an industry that is changing rapidly. How it will change is a matter for speculation, but one of the problems with demand-driven pricing is that it assumes people have a choice about whether to buy not. Public transport infrastructure is used by a lot of people who often don't have a choice, many of whom struggle financially. Holding them hostage to surge prices is not really good public policy.

Everyone wants cheap rides to go drinking, but there are broader implications to what we are talking about.

It is my experience of course. But do you think in the long-run, it's going to be in Ubers best interests to be pricing every user out of getting a ride somewhere?

I think you're ignoring that plenty of people already use Uber just fine as a method of public transport. I do, I know of plenty of people who use it for all sorts of occasions, and being held to ransom over prices is incredibly rare. Cabs are still around so nothing will change for the meantime, so you've still got that choice, and as I already said I'm sure there's always going to be an alternative to ensure that demand for Uber doesn't completely hijack prices.

 

[the_interloper]

I know of people who, while working, will take an Uber fare on the way to the city for a meeting, not a bad way to double dip.

 

[rdhopkins2]

Also giving this consideration. However I wonder how profitable it is in the end.

Variable income

Less Uber commission / fees (Uber now taking 25% of fare?)

Less expenses
Petrol
Rego
Insurance
Car servicing
Cleaning
Tax / GST
Depreciation
Tolls
Superannuation

Have to bear in mind that driving more frequently will increase wear and tear and hence servicing/repairs on your vehicle.

I'm not sure it's viable short of working overnight on a Fri/Sat night and doing another 20hrs a week on top of that

A good way to earn a little extra income where it suits but not convinced of it being a long term employment solution for most people.

As a subcontractor you also won't get sick or annual leave days etc.

Remember to keep any Uber related expense too.

It will be interesting to see how the ATO approaches Uber this year.

 

[Mofra]

I wonder if people will love uber like the currently do once the parasite of a company has complete monopoly after destroying taxis and then set their prices rather high.

Big assumption that competitors won't enter the market (like Lyft in the US which is doing better than Uber there).
Most drivers I met in the US drive for both Uber and Lyft simultaneously.

 

[igon value]

Neither Lyft not Uber make any profit.

Their long term aim is to establish a monopoly or (or at worst duopoly) over most markets and create profits that way.

The idea that other competitors will enter the market is laughable. Because that has happened in the markets that Facebook, Google, Amazon, etc have monopolised.

 

[craigos]

Neither Lyft not Uber make any profit.

Their long term aim is to establish a monopoly or (or at worst duopoly) over most markets and create profits that way.

The idea that other competitors will enter the market is laughable. Because that has happened in the markets that Facebook, Google, Amazon, etc have monopolised.

Haven't heard of Ask Jeeves?

 

[igon value]

Haven't heard of Ask Jeeves?

No. I had to Alta Vista it.

 

[Speck]

Neither Lyft not Uber make any profit.

Their long term aim is to establish a monopoly or (or at worst duopoly) over most markets and create profits that way.

The idea that other competitors will enter the market is laughable. Because that has happened in the markets that Facebook, Google, Amazon, etc have monopolised.

How is it laughable when there is clear evidence that other competitors already exists in other parts of the world and are doing just as well as Uber?

I think the real game changer with this will be when autonomous cars get implemented - no drivers needed.

 

[igon value]

How is it laughable when there is clear evidence that other competitors already exists in other parts of the world and are doing just as well as Uber?

I think the real game changer with this will be when autonomous cars get implemented - no drivers needed.

Yeah just like in the early days of search engines there were heaps.

The obscene valuation of Uber is with the intention for it to monopolise the market it is in.

 

[Sinjin Smith]

Neither Lyft not Uber make any profit.

Their long term aim is to establish a monopoly or (or at worst duopoly) over most markets and create profits that way.

The idea that other competitors will enter the market is laughable. Because that has happened in the markets that Facebook, Google, Amazon, etc have monopolised.

I've said it before Amazons success in the "data centre as a service" that is AWS is going to have such a massive impact on employment, not so much in the Western World but rather in India, Phillipines, China where physical and independent (I guess) data centres will no longer be required. Massive loss of skilled jobs.

 

[Run n Spread]

I hate sitting in traffic at the best of times. I can not imagine doing it for a living.

 

[kickazz]

Also giving this consideration. However I wonder how profitable it is in the end.

Variable income

Less Uber commission / fees (Uber now taking 25% of fare?)

Less expenses
Petrol
Rego
Insurance
Car servicing
Cleaning
Tax / GST
Depreciation
Tolls
Superannuation

Have to bear in mind that driving more frequently will increase wear and tear and hence servicing/repairs on your vehicle.

I'm not sure it's viable short of working overnight on a Fri/Sat night and doing another 20hrs a week on top of that

A good way to earn a little extra income where it suits but not convinced of it being a long term employment solution for most people.

As a subcontractor you also won't get sick or annual leave days etc.

Remember to keep any Uber related expense too.

It will be interesting to see how the ATO approaches Uber this year.

RACV website is good for getting estimates of running costs for a car.

I think the big hidden hit is that many uber cars are expected to be new. Crank out the kms on a newish car and you really cop it in the balls quite quickly depreciation wise.