# Dumb Question on Uber and Lynk



## suzanne (Jun 7, 2016)

Having never used either of these companies have a question on airport pickups. If I call for pickup from LV airport how do I or the driver recognize each other with all the traffic that's there? I am looking at using one of them for a trip in August. Also can you set up a round trip in advance with them?

Suzanne


----------



## SMHarman (Jun 7, 2016)

For uber you get a picture of the driver and a description of the car make model and color and licence plate. 
You can also call each other on disposable phone numbers uber provides for anonymity.


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Jun 7, 2016)

suzanne said:


> Having never used either of these companies have a question on airport pickups. If I call for pickup from LV airport how do I or the driver recognize each other with all the traffic that's there? I am looking at using one of them for a trip in August. Also can you set up a round trip in advance with them?
> 
> Suzanne



Hi Suzanne,

I think you meant to  say Lyft.

When you  summon an Uber Driver you will receive  a  reply that  includes estimated  time to  pickup , the drivers name  and pic , make, model , color and license  number  of pickup  vehicle , and driver's cell  phone number. You can call òr text  the driver as to what you are wearing. You can't set up a trip in advañce. As of now you can't  add a tip to the card on file, so bring  cash for the tip. 

You'll probably  have  to  wait  less  than  5  minutes .

I'm not  familiar  with Lyft .

Have a great trip

Richard


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Jun 7, 2016)

SMHarman said:


> For uber you get a picture of the driver and a description of the car make model and color and licence plate.
> You can also call each other on disposable phone numbers uber provides for anonymity.



Thanks. I didn't  know  about  the disposable  phones  


Richard


----------



## SmithOp (Jun 7, 2016)

You can also see the gps location of the uber car on the map in the uber app.


Sent from my iPad Mini 4 using Tapatalk


----------



## blr666 (Jun 7, 2016)

Also, in some airports (SFO), the pick up location is at departure not arrival level.


----------



## am1 (Jun 7, 2016)

This is one of the things that make using these apps hard. An airport, sports stadiums or crowded downtown area can be difficult.  

I was outside of an apartment building and someone opened my door asking if I was their uber driver.  

I am surprised there are not more reports or even false reports (started by taxi companies) of things going wrong with uber.


----------



## SMHarman (Jun 7, 2016)

am1 said:


> This is one of the things that make using these apps hard. An airport, sports stadiums or crowded downtown area can be difficult.
> 
> I was outside of an apartment building and someone opened my door asking if I was their uber driver.
> 
> I am surprised there are not more reports or even false reports (started by taxi companies) of things going wrong with uber.


Uber was piloting a thing where the uber light in the car also changed colors so you would be looking for the above and the chartreuse uber logo in the window.


----------



## bizaro86 (Jun 7, 2016)

SMHarman said:


> Uber was piloting a thing where the uber light in the car also changed colors so you would be looking for the above and the chartreuse uber logo in the window.



So I haven't used uber, the city shut them down where I live and with 2 kids in car seats renting makes sensebon vacation.

But what is the uber light? Do drivers have a signal light of aome kind


----------



## SMHarman (Jun 7, 2016)

bizaro86 said:


> So I haven't used uber, the city shut them down where I live and with 2 kids in car seats renting makes sensebon vacation.
> 
> But what is the uber light? Do drivers have a signal light of aome kind


This is the light 






And this is the story about the clever I'd device. 

http://www.geekwire.com/2015/uber-g...ndshield-leds-help-riders-find-right-vehicle/


----------



## suzanne (Jun 8, 2016)

Thanks everyone for your help. Now I know what to expect.

Suzanne


----------



## lvhmbh (Jun 8, 2016)

I for one really like Uber.


----------



## MuranoJo (Jun 8, 2016)

I've never used Uber or Lyft (yet), but am very curious.  Obviously, the charges must be less than taxis?  Or what are the other advantages?

Good to know about the ID process Uber uses in the windshield.


----------



## Ty1on (Jun 8, 2016)

suzanne said:


> Thanks everyone for your help. Now I know what to expect.
> 
> Suzanne



In Las Vegas, at either terminal, go outside baggage claim and cross the bridge into the garage, and there will be signage for rideshare pickup location.  It'ls surprisingly organized.


----------



## am1 (Jun 9, 2016)

MuranoJo said:


> I've never used Uber or Lyft (yet), but am very curious.  Obviously, the charges must be less than taxis?  Or what are the other advantages?
> 
> Good to know about the ID process Uber uses in the windshield.



Cheaper, easier to "hail" a cab anywhere.  Cars may be cleaner, potentially safer, the driver is more likely to own the car and a few others.


----------



## Gaozhen (Jun 9, 2016)

am1 said:


> Cheaper, easier to "hail" a cab anywhere.  Cars may be cleaner, potentially safer, the driver is more likely to own the car and a few others.



Depending on the situation Uber can be cheaper & easier. I used my first Uber the other day, airport to home, ~30 miles, less than a half hour duration, WAY cheaper and easier even than a shared airport shuttle. It was under $30, door to door, no other stops on the way, and my wait was about 3 minutes. 

For comparison the cheapest shared airport shuttle is about $45 per person, includes stops on the way, the drive can take nearly an hour, only picks up every hour so you have to wait, and drops me off a 1 mile walk from my house with luggage. You also get to rate the driver, and Uber will drop drivers that get low ratings.


----------



## MuranoJo (Jun 10, 2016)

It was the safety and reliability I was most cautious of.  But I imagine Uber really checks out potential drivers and, as mentioned, acts on reviews.

Thanks, I may give them a try next time.


----------



## PStreet1 (Jun 13, 2016)

We just got back from Mexico City and used Uber or the first time there after my Mexican physician urged me to and took the time to show me how the app works.  We were leary of trying it; however, when we had taxi after taxi ignore us because of some sort of rules about which streets allow taxis to stop for passengers (rules which we could gain no information about even from the police), we decided to try Uber.  Within 3 minutes, our Uber driver appeared, with headlights flashing as he approached us.  We could see him approaching us on the little map on the app, and of course, we had his picture, car make, and license number and his star rating from previous passengers.  Taxis are cheap in Mexico City, Uber is really cheap.  The car was absolutely immaculate.

After the initial experience, we used Uber twice more and had the same experience:  almost immediate pickup, immaculate car, and friendly drivers--despite our limited Spanish and their limited English.
We were so impressed that once we arrived in Houston, we used Uber the next day to get to the airport there.   We're converted.


----------



## MuranoJo (Jun 13, 2016)

That's great to know, Pat--thanks for sharing!
Nice to know of your good experiences in MX!  I'm going to definitely give them a try next time we need a ride (maybe to the airport).


----------



## Ty1on (Jun 13, 2016)

MuranoJo said:


> It was the safety and reliability I was most cautious of.  But I imagine Uber really checks out potential drivers and, as mentioned, acts on reviews.
> 
> Thanks, I may give them a try next time.



Being a daily Las Vegas driver, I don't equate safety and reliability with cab drivers.They're the biggest fools on the road.  I have found Lyft drivers to be much more sane and comfortable to ride with.


----------



## simpsontruckdriver (Jun 15, 2016)

Here in Orlando, the taxi monopoly (Mears) got the city to *REQUIRE* Uber and Lyft to charge the same as taxis. So, in Orlando, the prices for Uber and Lyft are higher than in other cities.

TS


----------



## MuranoJo (Jun 16, 2016)

Ty1on said:


> Being a daily Las Vegas driver, I don't equate safety and reliability with cab drivers.They're the biggest fools on the road.  I have found Lyft drivers to be much more sane and comfortable to ride with.



That makes sense. I guess I was thinking at least with cab drivers for an established company, there'd be a tracking mechanism (& liability) should things go wrong.  OTOH, where does the buck stop with individual drivers & their cars?  Not sure if Uber's contract puts the liability with the driver.
Obviously, I'm not an expert on these taxi-alternative businesses.


----------



## spackler (Jun 16, 2016)

MULTIZ321 said:


> As of now you can't  add a tip to the card on file, so bring  cash for the tip.



Tips aren't expected; it's supposed to be a cashless transaction.  Uber actually discourages tipping.


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Jun 16, 2016)

spackler said:


> Tips aren't expected; it's supposed to be a cashless transaction.  Uber actually discourages tipping.



That might be corporate policy but you will probably get a different answer from individual drivers.

I'm sure they appreciate the courtesy of a tip.

Richard


----------



## spackler (Jun 16, 2016)

They have some good common-sense reasons why they shy away from tips:

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/04/28/why-ubers-app-doesnt-have-a-tipping-function.html


----------



## Gaozhen (Jun 16, 2016)

Seems like many Uber drivers expect a tip, per Huffington Post. So I go ahead and tip but the drivers do say it's not expected of riders.


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Aug 14, 2016)

Even With an Uber Drivers' 'Union', Little Has Changed in Their Fight for In-App Tipping - by Johana Bhuiyan/ Transportation/ Uber/ Recode/ recode.net

"The group has launched an online petition and awareness campaign similar to those drivers have launched before the Independent Drivers Guild was formed.

As part of a five-year labor agreement with Uber, the New York arm of the International Association of Machinists has been working to help independent drivers get their voices and concerns heard by Uber management. Under the agreement, the group — called the Independent Drivers Guild (IDG) — is guaranteed a once-a-month meeting with Uber management, and a right to appeal driver deactivations.

While it may look like a union and sound like a union, it stops just short of that, because the group is expressly prohibited from collectively bargaining for changes in fares. But that doesn’t mean they can’t fight for things like in-app tipping, which drivers, who were surveyed by the IDG, voted as the concern-du-jour that they wanted addressed at the group’s first meeting with Uber management.

The lack of a tipping option in the Uber app has long been a pain point for drivers, who feel they’re losing out on additional earnings. Calls for in-app tipping are rampant during driver protests. But Uber’s stance has always been that tipping adds a layer of inconvenience for riders, one that the company is not willing to risk..."

Richard


----------



## PStreet1 (Aug 15, 2016)

Also, Uber prices are based on demand--I think they call it "Surge pricing."  So check the rate with a shared van service or taxi company before you are ready to depart since they don't apply "surge pricing."  Then, when you compare with Uber (they give you a price range when you ask), you'll know if you're getting a bargain or not.  When we used Uber to go to the airport in Houston, it was half the price of Super Shuttle; when my daughter (whose house we used Uber from) priced Uber to the airport, it was rush hour and it was more than Super Shuttle and more than driving herself and paying parking at the airport.


----------



## Ken555 (Aug 15, 2016)

PStreet1 said:


> Also, Uber prices are based on demand--I think they call it "Surge pricing."  So check the rate with a shared van service or taxi company before you are ready to depart since they don't apply "surge pricing."  Then, when you compare with Uber (they give you a price range when you ask), you'll know if you're getting a bargain or not.  When we used Uber to go to the airport in Houston, it was half the price of Super Shuttle; when my daughter (whose house we used Uber from) priced Uber to the airport, it was rush hour and it was more than Super Shuttle and more than driving herself and paying parking at the airport.





I used a service form a downtown Chicago hotel to the airport last week. I was going to use Uber but they just started a surge pricing when I was ready, so instead I used Lyft. A few minutes after approving the Lyft request, Surge pricing ended (so it wasn't active very long, in this instance). It cost me ~$27 to get to the airport, I had a great conversation with the driver, car was very clean, and he drove better than any taxi I've had in years. 

Ironically, I spoke with him about the income he's earning from Lyft and he said it was very good for him. It filled in extra hours and helped out financially. He was doing better than many others, but perhaps it's because of the particular hours per day he works, etc. I've also heard and read that many drivers aren't earning enough.


----------

