6 ms·

Forget software, here in Miami where Uber drivers were initially operating illegally (cited with violating 2 municipal ordinances each being a ~$1,010 civil fin

Forget software, here in Miami where Uber drivers were initially operating illegally (cited with violating 2 municipal ordinances each being a ~$1,010 civil fine, but escalates to criminal charge after the 3rd such violation) Uber sent emails to driver training them on avoiding detection (e.g. When at airport take down phone; have drivers sit up front; etc...). I imagine there are similar emails for every county, city that were actively citing drivers for legal violations. Worse the drivers usually use a Lawyer selected and paid for by Uber, and guess what that lawyer isn't some independent traffic lawyer it's Uber's FL lobbyist. Though these charges are years old, last I check none were resolved and still $2M-$3M in fines owed to Miami. To this day in Miami, it's not uncommon for drivers to allow undocumented immigrants without drivers licenses to use their Uber car/account.

illumin8 9y ago
I've recently noticed a huge decline in the quality of Uber drivers. In 2012, when I first started using Uber, most of the drivers were college educated millennials driving a brand new Toyota Prius. They were friendly and nice to have a conversation with while you drove. Today, the drivers I get on UberX are almost universally bad. You get a 10 year old vehicle that is poorly maintained and unsafe (last couple rides have been a 2006 Ford Escape and a 2005 Chevy Bronco; both had bad tires and suspension and numerous dashboard warning lights lit). The drivers are immigrants with very poor english, who didn't have an EZ Pass for the tolls, and most likely were borrowing their friend or family member's car. Unless I really have to now, I'm avoiding Uber and driving myself to the airport. Uber has proven they don't care about passenger safety, and only care about profits.
- chronic940 9y ago
  > Unless I really have to now, I'm avoiding Uber and driving myself to the airport. Uber has proven they don't care about passenger safety, and only care about profits. You do that. Me and the tens of thousands other riders will continue to use Uber for airport trips despite owning a car. I just wanted to counter your antecdote with mine.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
- hackuser 9y ago
  > when I first started using Uber, most of the drivers were college educated millennials driving a brand new Toyota Prius To pick on one point, I don't see educated people or millennials as likely to be better drivers.
  - gaius 9y ago
    I don't see educated people or millennials as likely to be better drivers Maybe not, but they are people who have options, and if they pick "driving for Uber" as their best option, we can assume that the conditions are pretty good, vs people for whom this is the only "job" they can get.
- awfgylbcxhrey 9y ago
  >In 2012, when I first started using Uber, most of the drivers were college educated millennials driving a brand new Toyota Prius. Surely that's a historical oddity courtesy of the economy at the time.
wdb 9y ago
If I wanted to sit up front. I would either drive myself or ask a friend. I am paying for a taxi :P
aorth 9y ago
> Uber sent emails to driver training them on avoiding detection (e.g. When at airport take down phone; have drivers sit up front; etc...). This is literally my interaction with Uber drivers in Jordan. Originally just a convenience (available on demand, and that I don't speak Arabic), I've started getting nervous when using Uber because they aren't licensed in Jordan and drivers always have the discussion with me about sitting up front, telling the police that "we met in English class", etc.
dfcab 9y ago
You forgot to add Uber drivers stealing cookies from hotels on Lejune Road right across MIA (Miami International Airport). :)
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
thesmallestcat 9y ago
I would hope the drivers always sit up front!
- will_brown 9y ago
  I think rider auto corrected to driver...here is a link to a copy of the alleged Uber email to Miami driver's [1]. I don't believe they misspelled anything but if you change the charge from illegal ride for hire to prostitution, drugs, etc... it's Fairly easy to see organized crime... some of our drivers/prositutes/dealers have got into legal trouble, while we work to lobby to change the law, you can hopefully avoid legal trouble by x,y,z but don't forget if you do get in legal trouble we will pay the fines and provide a lawyer (so you have no clue what's going on and we can cover our ass). [1] https://uberpeople.net/threads/welcome-to-miami-international-heres-a-2-020-ticket-for-operating-an-unlicensed-vehicle-for-hire.2618/page-6 https://uberpeople.net/threads/welcome-to-miami-internationa...
  - fstuff 9y ago
    Wow. I read that link and they flat out tell their people how to get around the airport ban. They tell the drivers not to have the app in view, keep it in your cup holder, ask the passenger to sit up front and say your a friend if asked. Drop the passenger off as far away from the terminal door if possible. And if you do get caught they'll provide you with a lawyer and pay the 1100 dollar fine up to 3 times before deactivating you. That last one is messed up, like sorry you're fired for not being sneaky enough
    - abakker 9y ago
      This has actually happened to me. Can confirm.
    - will_brown 9y ago
      Here is what's even worse: 1. The way it was working in Miami is drivers would get 2 tickets when they were stopped, I think a. No taxi license; b. Illegal ride for hire. Both are $1,010 so a total of $2,020 per stop; 2. The laws escalate from civil penalties to criminal charges upon the 3rd such violation (I.e. 2nd stop could be criminal) 3. This also means 2 stops and you are out from your Uber driving 4. I don't think Uber has actually paid anyone's fines, at least it appears all these years later articles say the fines are still outstanding.
vadym909 9y ago
<it's not uncommon for drivers to allow undocumented immigrants without drivers licenses to use their Uber car/account> pulling an Uber on Uber
- personlurking 9y ago
  In Brazil, there are now Uber users, with fleets of cars, who no longer have to drive themselves, since these users rent the cars out to unemployed people (or those unable to have their own car) in exchange for a large part of the profits.
  - martin_bech 9y ago
    Its bad, but isnt it actually exactly the same why the current taximedalion and similar systems work today? A person or company buys the expensive right to drive a taxi service, and employs people to do just that?
  - ingenuous2 9y ago
    Given the reported strictness of the Uber rating system, are the actual drivers good? Isn't that what the rating system is supposed to solve?
    - personlurking 9y ago
      I'm guessing it's part of the contract when the fleet owners hire, as well as something the owners watch like a hawk. Since the drivers wish to keep their job in order to keep earning, they theoretically need to worry about ratings as much as the next person. If we assume that finding a new fleet owner is easy, then jumping ship and finding employment with someone else may make the driver's need to maintain a good rating a fuzzy matter. If anyone wishes to learn more, here's an article to throw into Google Translate: http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/cotidiano/2016/03/1746900-motoristas-alugam-carros-e-montam-frota-de-uber-em-sp.shtml http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/cotidiano/2016/03/1746900-motor...
    - Cthulhu_ 9y ago

illumin8 9y ago

I've recently noticed a huge decline in the quality of Uber drivers. In 2012, when I first started using Uber, most of the drivers were college educated millennials driving a brand new Toyota Prius. They were friendly and nice to have a conversation with while you drove. Today, the drivers I get on UberX are almost universally bad. You get a 10 year old vehicle that is poorly maintained and unsafe (last couple rides have been a 2006 Ford Escape and a 2005 Chevy Bronco; both had bad tires and suspension and numerous dashboard warning lights lit). The drivers are immigrants with very poor english, who didn't have an EZ Pass for the tolls, and most likely were borrowing their friend or family member's car. Unless I really have to now, I'm avoiding Uber and driving myself to the airport. Uber has proven they don't care about passenger safety, and only care about profits.

chronic940 9y ago
> Unless I really have to now, I'm avoiding Uber and driving myself to the airport. Uber has proven they don't care about passenger safety, and only care about profits. You do that. Me and the tens of thousands other riders will continue to use Uber for airport trips despite owning a car. I just wanted to counter your antecdote with mine.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
hackuser 9y ago
> when I first started using Uber, most of the drivers were college educated millennials driving a brand new Toyota Prius To pick on one point, I don't see educated people or millennials as likely to be better drivers.
- gaius 9y ago
  I don't see educated people or millennials as likely to be better drivers Maybe not, but they are people who have options, and if they pick "driving for Uber" as their best option, we can assume that the conditions are pretty good, vs people for whom this is the only "job" they can get.
awfgylbcxhrey 9y ago
>In 2012, when I first started using Uber, most of the drivers were college educated millennials driving a brand new Toyota Prius. Surely that's a historical oddity courtesy of the economy at the time.

wdb 9y ago

If I wanted to sit up front. I would either drive myself or ask a friend. I am paying for a taxi :P

aorth 9y ago

> Uber sent emails to driver training them on avoiding detection (e.g. When at airport take down phone; have drivers sit up front; etc...). This is literally my interaction with Uber drivers in Jordan. Originally just a convenience (available on demand, and that I don't speak Arabic), I've started getting nervous when using Uber because they aren't licensed in Jordan and drivers always have the discussion with me about sitting up front, telling the police that "we met in English class", etc.

dfcab 9y ago

You forgot to add Uber drivers stealing cookies from hotels on Lejune Road right across MIA (Miami International Airport). :)

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

thesmallestcat 9y ago

I would hope the drivers always sit up front!

will_brown 9y ago
I think rider auto corrected to driver...here is a link to a copy of the alleged Uber email to Miami driver's [1]. I don't believe they misspelled anything but if you change the charge from illegal ride for hire to prostitution, drugs, etc... it's Fairly easy to see organized crime... some of our drivers/prositutes/dealers have got into legal trouble, while we work to lobby to change the law, you can hopefully avoid legal trouble by x,y,z but don't forget if you do get in legal trouble we will pay the fines and provide a lawyer (so you have no clue what's going on and we can cover our ass). [1] https://uberpeople.net/threads/welcome-to-miami-international-heres-a-2-020-ticket-for-operating-an-unlicensed-vehicle-for-hire.2618/page-6 https://uberpeople.net/threads/welcome-to-miami-internationa...
- fstuff 9y ago
  Wow. I read that link and they flat out tell their people how to get around the airport ban. They tell the drivers not to have the app in view, keep it in your cup holder, ask the passenger to sit up front and say your a friend if asked. Drop the passenger off as far away from the terminal door if possible. And if you do get caught they'll provide you with a lawyer and pay the 1100 dollar fine up to 3 times before deactivating you. That last one is messed up, like sorry you're fired for not being sneaky enough
  - abakker 9y ago
    This has actually happened to me. Can confirm.
  - will_brown 9y ago
    Here is what's even worse: 1. The way it was working in Miami is drivers would get 2 tickets when they were stopped, I think a. No taxi license; b. Illegal ride for hire. Both are $1,010 so a total of $2,020 per stop; 2. The laws escalate from civil penalties to criminal charges upon the 3rd such violation (I.e. 2nd stop could be criminal) 3. This also means 2 stops and you are out from your Uber driving 4. I don't think Uber has actually paid anyone's fines, at least it appears all these years later articles say the fines are still outstanding.

vadym909 9y ago

<it's not uncommon for drivers to allow undocumented immigrants without drivers licenses to use their Uber car/account> pulling an Uber on Uber

personlurking 9y ago
In Brazil, there are now Uber users, with fleets of cars, who no longer have to drive themselves, since these users rent the cars out to unemployed people (or those unable to have their own car) in exchange for a large part of the profits.
- martin_bech 9y ago
  Its bad, but isnt it actually exactly the same why the current taximedalion and similar systems work today? A person or company buys the expensive right to drive a taxi service, and employs people to do just that?
- ingenuous2 9y ago
  Given the reported strictness of the Uber rating system, are the actual drivers good? Isn't that what the rating system is supposed to solve?
  - personlurking 9y ago
    I'm guessing it's part of the contract when the fleet owners hire, as well as something the owners watch like a hawk. Since the drivers wish to keep their job in order to keep earning, they theoretically need to worry about ratings as much as the next person. If we assume that finding a new fleet owner is easy, then jumping ship and finding employment with someone else may make the driver's need to maintain a good rating a fuzzy matter. If anyone wishes to learn more, here's an article to throw into Google Translate: http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/cotidiano/2016/03/1746900-motoristas-alugam-carros-e-montam-frota-de-uber-em-sp.shtml http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/cotidiano/2016/03/1746900-motor...
  - Cthulhu_ 9y ago