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The platform no longer prioritizes those who accept the ride first, but rather those who accept the lowest price! The dynamic pricing policy has made earnings unpredictable, frustrating workers. Understand how this change is impacting the routine and pockets of app drivers.
Uber's pricing policy has been the target of criticism from drivers who feel disadvantaged by the changes in the way rides are paid for.
According to Cláudio Sena, an app driver since 2016, in an article published on the portal 55Content, the company prioritizes those who accept to work for less, and not those who accept first.
This strategy has caused great dissatisfaction among drivers, who report a drop in the predictability of earnings and difficulties in maintaining a stable income.
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Uber and the variable pricing policy
In recent years, Uber has changed its system of paying drivers. Previously, the driver kept 75% of the fare, and this percentage was predictable..
Now, the price can vary significantly, becoming a real lottery for those who depend on the service to support their family.
“You can take a trip from point A to point B today and earn X amount, but tomorrow that same trip could earn X² or, more often than not, less than X,” explains Sena.
The problem is compounded by drivers entering the road expecting a fair return for their work, but end up frustrated when they realize that rates are unstable and often do not cover day-to-day costs.
This has led many to abandon the app or reduce their working hours, prioritizing times of greater demand.
How does Uber set prices?
According to the company, the variation in fares takes into account factors such as the number of passengers requesting trips, the number of drivers available and other elements that are not disclosed.
In practice, this means that the driver never knows exactly how much he will earn on a given trip, making predictability almost impossible..
“It’s a game of luck. You can go out and drive and get good fares or spend the whole day doing low-cost rides,” says Sena.
Another factor that directly influences drivers’ earnings is the so-called “trip radar”. This system allows different drivers to view different values for the same trip.
“At inDrive, for example, the passenger sets a price and all drivers see the same price. But at Uber, Each driver sees a different price, and the ride is routed to whoever accepts the lowest price first“, denounces Sena.
Strategies to outwit the system
Faced with this scenario, drivers have been looking for alternatives to minimize financial losses.
Some simply turn off the app and look for other ways to earn income when prices are low.
Others insist on the track, even with unattractive rates, in the hope of getting more advantageous rides throughout the day.
“There are also those that I call 'vacuum cleaners'. They accept any job that comes their way, without evaluating whether it is really worth it.. But at the end of the day, many realize that they spent a lot and made little profit,” says Sena.
According to him, The best strategy is to calculate before accepting a ride, avoiding losses and unnecessary wear and tear..
The impact on passengers
Changes in ride pricing don’t just affect drivers. Passengers also feel the effects of this policy, especially during times of high demand.
As many drivers refuse low-value trips, wait times increase and fares may rise due to a shortage of available drivers.
Faced with this impasse, drivers continue to pressure Uber for more transparency and better working conditions.
So far, however, the company has shown no interest in returning to the previous model, which is more predictable and fair to drivers.
Have you noticed these changes when using ride-hailing apps? How do you think this affects the quality of service? Leave your opinion in the comments!
This charging model is very bad for drivers. Uber auctions off rides to drivers, charging absurd percentages for each ride, and the driver's payout is very low. I believe they don't want to partner with drivers; they want them to be slaves behind the wheel. The category needs to unite and stop general passenger service for a day to protest the drivers. That way, they won't make a single day of revenue, and who knows, they might review their remuneration and fare collection policy.
Perfect, stop for 24 hours so they can change their stance, but the class is not united.
I've been a driver since 2016 and today I stopped driving, sometimes I do a few trips just to save on my fuel, I have 23 thousand trips, I started when I didn't even have X yet
Then I had to change the car and I lost the wheel. I just think that after Uber entered Brazil, it saw that it would have to do, like all businessmen, sacrifice the worker, they don't want the driver to earn well. In the beginning, I myself often earned 450 or 500 reais per day working 5 hours a day, today you. Even working 12 hours you earn 450, you get 90 or 100 in fuel, whatever is left, and pray that the car doesn't break down. Today I went back to work at a company because I was already a professional driver, and if Uber doesn't take any action, it will only continue to go bankrupt here in Brazil. It should see that here the information only increases, in Brazil it is not the United States or a first world country, fuel here is very expensive and increases every month.
Here in Rio de Janeiro, I work in the west zone and I noticed that in the last few weeks the amounts paid by passengers to Uber continue to be charged within the standard, but the amount passed on is much lower. And so I have tried to work less regularly and accept fewer rides.
Drivers need to unite, if things continue like this, things could get worse, UBER has no respect for drivers!
The category is very disunited, remembering that unity is strength.
6,99 – 12, 15, 18 minute races? Risk areas? Assaults? This needs to end!!!
Let's unite!!!
In fact, drivers do not need to stop for a day and do not accept low-value rides. For example, I only accept rides worth R$1.80 per km and I do not accept any rides below R$15.00.