Recently, Cleveland Indians All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis punched in a handful of data points on a smartphone app, waited but a few moments (we think), and got into a shiny black luxury car somewhere downtown. He was (cue majestic trumpets) “Rider Zero.”
The occasion coincided with the quiet rollout of Uber here in our city. Uber, as we’re sure you’re aware, is among the hottest trends in technological transportation facilitation. James Ondrey, Uber’s general manager in Ohio, is a Cleveland native and he believes this town is ideal for the Uber model. We can only imagine it’ll be simpler than waiting while the Red Line stalls somewhere above the Flats.
Here’s the gist, for the uninitiated: You order up a driver through the Uber app, choosing from a short menu of choices that includes Uber Black and UberX (the former is fairly luxury-class and piloted by commissioned limo drivers; the latter is a less expensive ride-sharing option helmed mostly by people around town looking to make some side income). Once you’ve established your whereabouts on the screen, you can watch the driver head your way via GPS in the app. It’s generally much quicker than waiting for a taxi (taxis in Cleveland being a mostly absurd notion). And payment? You’re billed online via a credit card on file.
“I think that whole experience, you know, for many people the first time they do it is kind of magical – just based on the old way of hailing down transportation,” Ondrey says.
Ondrey says that Clevelanders have opened the app in anticipation of seeing their city more frequently than in any other neighboring market. This week, local Uberheads will finally get their fix.
But Uber, already booming in bigger cities across the U.S., does come with a paper trail of controversial headlines. Most notably, customers have taken aim at Uber’s penchant for surge pricing during bouts of, say, inclement weather or otherwise heightened demand. Elsewhere on the dial, the company has taken heat for a steady drumbeat of sexual harassment claims, highlighted recently by Olivia Nuzzi at The Daily Beast.
“There’s a very stringent background check process,” Ondrey says of UberX drivers, adding that checks are done quarterly. Drivers aren’t employed by Uber; rather they’re essentially contractors who have been approved to use the Uber network. Ondrey adds that the company has instituted a zero-tolerance policy for anything remotely bordering on harassment in the car. He encourages all riders to touch base within the app’s feedback loop.
Watch out this weekend for all sorts of overeager passengers screaming “I love this app!” out their windows as the car flies by.
- UBER
- Kipnis + Uber
This article appears in Apr 2-8, 2014.
I worked as an UberX driver for over 2 months and logged over 600 rides. I quit once Uber slashed the rates early in Jan. According to Uber’s weekly statistics, I was consistently better than their “top” performers. Even when the rate was at $2.55/mile, I actually made very little even though I “earned” over $1,000/week. Once they slashed that to $1.29/mile, it was foolish to continue. Most of the drivers drink the Kool-Aid and drive for Uber because they think it is cool and fun. Economically, it is a disaster for the driver, though it can be hard to see why. The problem lies with the increased wear and tear on the vehicle and the fact that you really have to drive 2 miles for every mile you are actually paid. To get rides, you have to go to where people are looking for a ride, and then back again.If you don’t go back, you don’t get fares. I kept track of my mileage for at least 30 days to come to the 2 miles for every 1 paid conclusion. Gas, depreciation, and maintenance are at least $0.50/mile. That’s $1/paid mile since it is 2 for 1. That leaves you with $0.29/paid mile divided by 2, or $0.15/mile driven. Uber then takes its 5% and you are left with about $0.14 for each mile driven. This calculation does not take into consideration your increased personal risk of injury when driving at high risk times and places (drunk drivers at 1 am). I enjoyed driving for Uber and was disappointed to have to end it, but I had to be realistic. When you take the time to analyze what is really happening, you realize Uber is just a way for you to drive other people around while sucking all of the value out of your car and paying it back to yourself.
Cab drivers and Uber drivers, like fast food workers, are unskilled labor and will always be at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder. The drivers for all of the various new companies just don’t realize it yet. UberX has publicly stated that they intend to be the low cost provider, and they will do it on the backs of ignorant drivers.
Enjoy the service while you can.
When you sign up for a new account, use promo code uberAndrewJackson for $20 off of your first ride
uberKIPNIS gets you $20 off your first ride
Buyer beware – read the small print – they are not responsible for ANYTHING bad about your ride. They are just a referral source and are located in Amsterdam. If you ride in an Uber X car drivers insurance will not cover your in the event of an accident. Also they sell your name and info to any of their advertisers
This seems like a good way for a girl to get into a dark car with a guy she doesn’t know…
How is using Uber any different than hailing a cab? Or is this any different than renting a limo or a sedan to take you to the airport? Or for that matter, is this different than asking a taxi cab to take you home from the airport? Welcome to the 21st century, Cleveland.
Yea i don’t get the allure of Uber. Cab works just as effectively
I meant, the safety of Uber can be compared to the safety of hailing any taxi cab or using a car service. I’ve lived in a few big cities, it works.
Eh, I can’t bring myself to fully agree with you. Cab services are part of a city’s transportation commission’s network. Private car escort services aren’t. Plus, uber is basically what, “certified” citizen drivers, using their own vehicles, accepting or declining services whenever is convenient to them. The idea creeps me out. But this is all personal opinion of course.
Boy…. the cab drivers and their associations PR folks are already quite active on this page. Uber is great service in Columbus and Cincinnati. Nationally, they are only growing and growing. Poor Uber drivers and cars get poor ratings and deleted from the system. Cabs have to pay for their “leases” with their company whether its snowing…raining….or they have pneumonia. Uber lets them work only when they want to. The ability to actually know when your ride is coming is invaluable…versus the cab companies “it’s on its way” which can range from 15 minutes to 3 hours. Face it…cabs had monopolies and didn’t care about technology….and they are paying the price. Try Uber…. you’ll freakin love it.
This is a sad day for Cleveland… The days of being able to expect that you are safe and protected in a taxi are gone. In days of yore (from yesterday on back) we knew that when we jumped in a cab the car was safety inspected, the driver had undergone a physical and was drug tested and if something happened we could rely on the cab company to stand behind their car and driver.
Uber is cool but not without a cost; they are being sued by their own drivers for stealing their tips, being sued by passengers who have been injured in unfortunate accidents and by cities where they are in violation of transportation law and according to their disclaimers, they aren’t responsible for anything that might go wrong.
Unless you are willing to take the risk that if you have to sue them for something that it will be in a Dutch court; stick with the old standby taxi.
For “Sad in Cleveland” and the carpet guy, if you think the certifications and medallion requirements are enforced, think again. Search “cab companies” and “liability” and you’ll find as many incidents as you would with any other transportation service. Getting a pay day from a cab company is virtually impossible. You’ll have as much luck suing a local cab company as you will suing a Dutch company.
If old standby taxi cabs were plentiful in Cleveland, I would agree with you Sad in Cleveland. Cabs are in no way plentiful in any popular neighborhood or at sporting events, etc.
As a consumer, you have the power to demand high standards. If you demand good service, you’ll get good service. Uber works in Chicago, San Francisco and New York City – do you guys really think you are coming up with new issues that people in SF or NYC haven’t already addressed?
It’s frustrating to see all this push back on services that work in many, many other areas. I lived in other places and decided to come home to help rebuild a great city. Companies such as Uber are valuable and will help promote local business and (fingers crossed) will make the roads safer. People now have easy (easier) access to transportation and won’t resort to drinking and driving.
Yay! I used Uber several times while in Detroit, and it was really nice. Never waited more than 2 minutes for a cab, no tip, no need to fuss with money after. It was a great, easy, and affordable service. Glad Cleveland’s in the loop finally.
Sad in Cleveland: Which Cleveland taxi cab service do you work for and when do you expect to be out of work?
I was recently an UberX driver here in Cleveland for their launch and after just 3 days have told them to “shove it”. They barely pay more than a $1 per mile when every other taxi service in the Cleveland area charges between $2.75 and $3.28 per mile, and they sent me from Lorain County all the way to Shaker Heights (28 mile away) on the east side leading me to believe that I was the closest available driver to that person, then the person ended up only going 2 mile up the road for a whopping total trip cost of $5. it cost me more than $10 in gas to get there, do the trip and then come back to the west side. Add in the fact that you’re using your own personal vehicle, responsible for ALL maintenance, gas, and insurance, and are being paid ridiculously low rates per mile and for wait time. they don’t take into consideration that you may be crossing county lines, and the kicker is that Uber specifically tells their customers that tipping is not to be done. Since when is tipping a bad thing in the service industry??? Uber Cleveland, to you I say F@#* OFF and can’t wait until you’re forced to pull out of the Cleveland market.
Kevin, I drive now as a Uber Driver in San Francisco. First, just to slightly disagree with you on that long trip you took. Totally sucks that you did that. But as a driver you can call or text the customer and ask where they are going before you go.( mind you, I did not know this until three weeks after I started, so may have made the same mistake) I decline rides all the time. If you don’t want to take the fare, you can just not take it. TOTALLY AGREE with you on their rates for drivers. The rate per mile is way too low and its just a shame they don’t encourage tipping. There is NO reason why it should be lower than a cab, because simply put UBER is way better than cabs!! Its a brilliant motto, but all the wear and tear on the drivers car for the low pay means drivers will constantly quit and they will be left loosing money having to re hire over and over again. As of now they are creating the Walmart motto. they say “who cares someone else will sign up” I now am in search of a job but out of necessity I have to stay driving for now. I will stop driving soon. Before the price cuts I was doing great, they used to be 40-60% higher than cabs and people still loved UBER because its so much easier than calling and waiting for a cab. Its a better service to customers than a cab, just terrible how bad they treat the drivers. Maybe at some point they will realize its better to have a good knowledgeable staff than to spend so much hiring and then the driver quits.
I just got a free ride to the airport with code ‘uberInStyle60’ (confirmed working). Good for 3 free uber rides ($20 max/each ride)
I have had great success using Uber in other cities and am happy it is now in Cleveland. Maybe the cars will be cleaner and more comfortable than typical. Cle airport cabs are nice but rest leave alot to be desired.
Use the code UberBuckeyes to get up to $20 off your first ride