Playing devils advocate here. I prefer the predictability as well. But assuming an honest driver, it’s not usually their fault you got stuck in traffic or the ride took longer than expected. Should he/she not get paid for the extra time they drove?

Driver getting paid and the passenger paying are two different transactions; that's one of the reasons there's a company in between them. So while the driver should be compensated, this doesn't necessarily means the particular passenger should be charged extra. The company in the middle has an opportunity to pool such risk.

On top of that, with all the tech specialists Uber hires, with all the complex tech they brag about, with all the data they suck in - and given that they know your starting point and your destination - how come that they can't include traffic in the price estimation? It's not like traffic jams materialize suddenly, out of nowhere, and disappear in the flash. With the data it has, Uber could tell in advance that your ride will be stuck in traffic, and price accordingly.

> how come that they can't include traffic in the price estimation? It's not like traffic jams materialize suddenly, out of nowhere, and disappear in the flash.

Even traffic indication in Google Maps isn't that accurate, I often get into a red section where there might have been a jam 15-20 min ago but it cleared up when I got there.

Those traffic indicators aren',t really live, more like how it was 30 minutes in the past.

And why should a company give you some insurance for a traffic jam? Can you find another example where companies are paying for "things happened"?

Options? Fixed-rate mortgages? Salaries that are stated as a number of dollars, not a percentage of company profit? "We will charge you perhaps a bit more / pay you perhaps a bit less but in exchange we will take the risk of the real value fluctuating and your number is guaranteed" is a super common deal.

More fundamentally, why should they do it? Because they think it'll get customers, and as a big company they can absorb the risk.

Every single company that ships things to customers. If it gets damaged in transit it is their problem not your problem. If traffic is bad it is the shipping companies problem.

Every single company that offers a warranty. If something unexpected caused an issue in creating the good (in this case a ride from a to b) it is their problem not your problem.

>Can you find another example where companies are paying for "things happened"?

Airlines.

How much Uber pays their drivers is not the customer's problem. If Uber has to take a loss because they quoted too low a price, so be it.

That is the entire point, they are not "Ubers drivers", that is what most people do not want to accept

You are hiring a contractor to pick you up, and drop you off, not a "uber driver"

This is no different than going to Angie's List to find a Contractor to fix your broken pipe

Now Uber has been attempting to talk out of both sides of their mouths on this topic, but I find it hard to believe people do not understand the reality here.

Maybe I have too much faith in the intelligence of people

Wait, does that mean that if I'm an uber driver, I could decide to just give a flat 100 USD quote, and anyone wanting to pay a premium could choose me in the app? And I could theoretically build up a loyal following based on quality of service?

Because that would make it a marketplace for contractors.

I always assumed Uber claimed some standard of service (all trips will be of equal quality, drivers and cars are replaceable) - in which case it's just a race to the bottom, with desperate people operating at a loss, or close to it?

I don't know how Angie's List work, but the drivers are contractors hired by Uber or Lyft not you, they aren't the ones setting the price.

So how do these "independent contractors" negotiate compensation?

No, I am obviously hiring Uber. I am going to the Uber app, putting a destination, looking at the price Uber quotes me, and clicking "go". In no meaningful way am I choosing my contractor myself.

Whether Uber chooses to structure the workforce as contractors or employees is their problem, not mine.

hmm many of the freelancing sites operate the same way,

I go to acme freelance, I put in the work I want done, acme freelance sends me quotes and profiles for people willing to do the work, I click go..

I guess in that instance i am not hiring a "contractor" either I am hiring acme freelance.. good to know

To the rest of the world when I have my software developed by a contractor I found on Acme Freelance I did infact hire a contractor, but I guess because this is driving it is some how different? Or because the rates are more standardized?

I am trying to figure out why you believe uber is different from the 100's of other freelance websites? or maybe you dont and you believe all of the people selling services on all of those sites should also be Employee's of the sites?

> acme freelance sends me quotes and profiles for people willing to do the work

This is the step that doesn't happen with Uber.

> This is no different than going to Angie's List to find a Contractor to fix your broken pipe

If I find a contractor I like, I can keep working with them. How do I do that with Uber?

Not sure why this is comment is being downvoted. This is literally the point Uber is trying to make. They are a platform to connect drivers with passengers.

Too many people want to believe in the Myth that Uber is this evil company stealing all the money from the Drivers..

Most of them are Uber Customers that believe that if Uber makes the drivers employee's the drivers would be treated fairly, well compensated, and they will still get Cheap rides

Of course this is all a delusion, because as always "Price, quality, or service: Pick 2"

They believe they can "have it all" but reality does not work that way

Cool, how do I offer an Uber driver more money in exchange for better quality/service? It's a platform, right? Where's the button for that?

The Uber Black button is right there in the app.

No, I'm already taking Uber Black. I'd like to offer them more money in exchange for better service. How do I do that?

Or are you saying all Uber Black drivers are exactly the same quality and provide exactly the same service?

It's called tipping. You go ahead and pay the driver whatever the heck you want for better service, $1M, whatever. Hand cash to the driver if you want.

Great, how do I tell the driver ahead of time that I'm willing to tip more for better service? For instance, how do I communicate to drivers, I know I'm in the middle of nowhere, but you should drive over here and accept my request because I'll tip more heavily?

I mean, it's just a platform for communicating with independent drivers the way that Angie's List lets me communicate with plumbers, right? So there's definitely some box in the app which lets me send this message out, I just need to find it?

That's why I didn't contest it; I knew the driver would just get shafted by Uber, even though it wasn't his fault. I'm still mad at Uber for pulling a bait-and-switch but that's not really the point of my post. The point was that they were already doing this last year!

If a plane is detoured due to weather the crew are paid for the extra hours. Why would you assume the customers should pay more for their ticket to cover the cost?

It’s just part of the company’s cost of doing business.

Yes, but I ride only a few times and they drive thousands of times. Assuming the estimates are accurate on average, they will be fairly compensated overall, whereas I could have a very skewed result.