Uber regular driver

[smittytabb]

Do you use Uber regularly in certain parts of the country? Do you have a driver you want to patronize who gives you good service? Get their card and ask if they can be your regular driver. Let them know when you will be ready to be picked up and where. They arrive, you call Uber and guess what? They are the closest driver and accept the job and bingo you are all set and had no wait time.

 

[duffman]

I tried this once. I took a ride and needed to pick up some stuff. Asked the guy if he wanted to wait for a bit but he had ended the ride. I didn’t mind paying again so he waited for a few mins. I came back a few mins later, sat in the car called Uber and some other driver got the call :?. I cancelled, tried again and got yet another driver.

Point being, it makes sense but doesn’t always work. FWIW, I am in NYC so there is a higher concentration of drivers here.. might work a bit better in other parts of the country.

 

[duffman]

Also, at that point why not pay the driver directly? One area (there are more) where Uber adds value is transparent pricing. If you do like/trust a particular driver why not just pay him directly so Uber doesn't take a cut from his paycheck.

Uber, to me, is useful becuase of transparency. NYC has numerous black cabs w/o meters - their prices are often horrific and need to be negotiated. Prior to Uber I never took a black-cab because it was always a hassle. Now I almost exclusively use black cabs via Uber.

 

[smittytabb]

This was the driver's idea. It works.

 

[duffman]

not doubting your (or the driver's) idea smittytabb, just providing a data point =)

This was the driver's idea. It works.

 

[jjangoo]

I don't know if this always works. Uber had a promotion in Northern Virginia last winter where if your trip originated or ended in the Tyson's Corner area your ride was free up to $30 (up to two times). So I took an Uber to the Tyson's Corner area, ended the trip ($31), requested another Uber from the same spot, and got a ride to the DCA airport ($15). When I ended that first trip, I explained to the driver that I was going to request a second ride and he would likely be my driver again (since I'm literally in the vehicle). Nope. It matched me with a driver 9 minutes away.

This was the driver's idea. It works.

Any special trick for making this work?

 

[smittytabb]

I don't know if this always works. Uber had a promotion in Northern Virginia last winter where if your trip originated or ended in the Tyson's Corner area your ride was free up to $30 (up to two times). So I took an Uber to the Tyson's Corner area, ended the trip ($31), requested another Uber from the same spot, and got a ride to the DCA airport ($15). When I ended that first trip, I explained to the driver that I was going to request a second ride and he would likely be my driver again (since I'm literally in the vehicle). Nope. It matched me with a driver 9 minutes away.


Any special trick for making this work?

My guess is that the larger the metropolitan area, the more unlikely this is to work, given your experience.