I don’t get it

[islandbear]

@j1994 I honestly don’t believe OP here. Gorman California, population 12. $5 minimum warning from Uber $9.89 to go 0.9 miles up the road. Las Vegas Blvd smiths to budget suites $14. 1.2 miles. Population 2.5-3 million. Any no-where place I’ve ever been Uber will not give drivers a ride without a $5 minimum. When they first came out and gave drivers most of the fair? Yeah. I remember $6 1.5 mile rides. That’s been gone for a looong time.

 

[goingon4him]

@islandbear CA has a state rule that Uber has to pay a lot more for their drivers. CA is also like $6 a gallon for gas because of CA gas tax. I paid $3.52 a gallon in Idaho yesterday.

Uber has to charge more and pay more in CA, doesn't matter if it's a pop 50 town or Los Angeles.

 

[islandbear]

@goingon4him California also has the right to charge their own rates now. So it’s often I was paying 4-5x even 8-9x rates during peak. Like $48 to go 3 miles. That’s not a thing yet in Las Vegas. They also have prop 22. Which for ubereats covers loses and wait times so that you make money even if your not doing shit but waiting for Walmart to never bring out food for your customer to deliver to. Or if the customer cancels and comes pick it up themselves.

 

[goingon4him]

@islandbear Which I think are mostly good things because uber is predatory otherwise.

But that is one reason you'll see $5 rates in some areas and much more in California

 

[islandbear]

@goingon4him California is always ahead of the curve with employee /civil rights. Basic needs. Healthcare. Etc. but Uber was able to sway voters into convincing them Uber drivers are not employees but contractors when clearly they are employees .

I tried to start a co-op solar panel cleaning company in central California. I tried peace rate, investor-only. California gov said I can’t do it.

I had to provide minimum wage. $0.25 per panel @ 8 panels per minute wasn’t acceptable.

But Uber comes along and says they can do minimum rides, per rate same as me and they get a pass that they’re employees are contractors not employees because they can work when they want to. Not when weather permits like my business.

 

[goingon4him]

@islandbear Yeah you won't want 1099s for that kind of work anyway

They would need their own insurance and workman's comp.

Sounds like a good gig and you could just w2 them and cover them with insurance and workman's comp. You just have to keep finding clients.

 

[j1994]

@islandbear Wow, uber only for the rich. Lol

 

[islandbear]

@goingon4him Ok. But my second example is in Las Vegas. And the drivers here make 1/5th what they do in California. It’s still $5 minimum. Uber take be linking all this data, doing all these point of sales/transactions, and incentivizing both the drivers and customers to use the service for nothing.

 

[leslee]

@j1994 My small town also has a flat rate taxi to anywhere in the city limits. $10. Drives a Volkswagen CC I think.

 

[mousearts]

@bhagofangels Are you in the United States?

 

[slamdunker]

@bhagofangels Where the hell are you? I would assume a five dollar taxi ride would cost me five dollars and one or two kidneys.

 

[blazingflower420]

@bhagofangels I’ll give you a different perspective. It’s probably a trust issue versus a price issue. You may be the greatest guy in town but I’ll be honest, if I can get a ride for 10 bucks from Uber or from a known taxi cab company in town, I will pick them any day even if the price is twice as much. Why? Piece of mind knowing the driver’s information is recorded somewhere versus just a appearance of the driver and the car.

 

[risen145]

@blazingflower420 I use taxi over ‘uber’ too.

 

[bhagofangels]

@blazingflower420 I’ve had my prices at $8, $2 cheaper than my most expensive competitor (the one with nice vehicles). And still didn’t receive any calls. But you and the person above you have me really thinking about going back to that price and only offering $5 rides as special promos (holidays, LEO, Veteran, Fire etc discount). My other worry is my town is kinda broke. The only thing my top competitor has that I don’t is delivering out of town.

 

[sozo1517]

@bhagofangels So many issues here…

Call? I’d pay $2 to use the Uber app. Way easier IMO.

How many people in your town actually take taxi within city limits? Is this a thing where people need another option? If people like and know the other guy, is $2 every few months worth trying someone new out?

A discount ride in a “premium” vehicle makes no sense. Charge extra and green-wash it. Then maybe offer a discount if you need to attract business. Charge $20 and offer it for $10 to new customers.

Also, if you’re particularly young, in a “fast” car, people may be suspicious of your safety and driving ability. It’s stereotypes, but there’s a reason insurance charges more for

 

[marymj]

@sozo1517 I think OP should use one of the taxis and ask the driver some questions for a lot of insight that they are lacking.

 

[ai1226]

@bhagofangels 5 bucks I wouldn't trust. Figure I'd get gassed and wake up without one of my kidneys

 

[bhagofangels]

@ai1226 But $10 you would feel more comfortable with? One way anywhere in town? Think small town?

 

[joshua119]

@bhagofangels Not the person you're responding to, but the short answer is yes.

$5 buys very little these days, even in a small town. Your price needs to reflect that. Also, many folks like to pay what they believe something is worth. Your pricing, even if it doesn't scream ‘scam’, definitely screams ‘I don't value my time.’ That feels unsafe to strangers.

OP, I’d suggest the opposite approach. Price yourself $1 higher than the competition, as your vehicle and offered services are unmatched in value. Price and market yourself accordingly; I suspect your luck will change

 

[hopecountypreacher]

@ai1226 Gassed, nah you just get to bite down on a stick.$5 isn't paying for anything fancy.