Uber coming to OKC

[Jeepnokc]

We used Uber last night and came across my first issue with the app unless I am missing something. We were at a beer tasting at McNellies with another couple from Shawnee that was staying at hotel in bricktown. They were not familiar with Uber and was going to take a taxi. I used my Uber to get them a ride to bricktown. No problem and a little bmw 328 pulled up a few minutes later. Here is the problem though...I would not let me request a call for me and my wife until they were delivered to the hotel and that ride was completed. Fortunately they were only going to Bricktown and it wasn't a long wait. They need to set it up where you can request multiple cars for multiple rides. Our ride was a Dodge four door pickup btw.

Speaking with my driver, he told me that there were only four drivers full time and the rest had other jobs which explains why cars are a little more scarce during the business day. I have looked during the day and the time for a car was 15-20 minutes most of the time and I office downtown. I am sure this will get better as they get more drivers.

[no1cub17]

We used Uber last night and came across my first issue with the app unless I am missing something. We were at a beer tasting at McNellies with another couple from Shawnee that was staying at hotel in bricktown. They were not familiar with Uber and was going to take a taxi. I used my Uber to get them a ride to bricktown. No problem and a little bmw 328 pulled up a few minutes later. Here is the problem though...I would not let me request a call for me and my wife until they were delivered to the hotel and that ride was completed. Fortunately they were only going to Bricktown and it wasn't a long wait. They need to set it up where you can request multiple cars for multiple rides. Our ride was a Dodge four door pickup btw.

Speaking with my driver, he told me that there were only four drivers full time and the rest had other jobs which explains why cars are a little more scarce during the business day. I have looked during the day and the time for a car was 15-20 minutes most of the time and I office downtown. I am sure this will get better as they get more drivers.

I don't think this is an issue with Uber. It worked exactly as intended - you're the one with the app, so you requested the ride. Sort of makes sense that you can't request multiple rides at the same time. Uber is probably quite okay with this arrangement. The more people that use Uber directly or indirectly, the more people that are likely to download the app and start using it themselves.

[Pete]

As a driver, you actually are supposed to confirm the identity of the rider by looking at their driver's license.

Otherwise, anyone can get in the car but the person that made the request you responded to gets charged.

You aren't supposed to say "Are you Matt?" because people learn to say yes, jump in, and then the ride gets billed to someone else.

[Jeepnokc]

I don't think this is an issue with Uber. It worked exactly as intended - you're the one with the app, so you requested the ride. Sort of makes sense that you can't request multiple rides at the same time. Uber is probably quite okay with this arrangement. The more people that use Uber directly or indirectly, the more people that are likely to download the app and start using it themselves.

It only makes sense if you are only concerned with yourself. As a employer and business owner, there are times that I will want to utilize Uber for employees or clients. I have actually used Uber in OKC four times of which three of the four times were for someone else besides me. My point is that the app should let you request more than one ride per account or design a similar app for businesses that may wine and dine clients than want to put them in Uber but pay the bill. As an employer, there may be times that I want to use multiple cars for employees like after a Christmas party. I would much rather pay for ten people to uber home than have one of them get a DUI after I provided alcohol to them.

Also, letting people order more than one car actually helps Uber. My friends last night would have been quite content taking a taxi and would never download or try Uber. As I paid for their ride last night and put them in a Uber car, he was calling me today asking how to set it up. I will not send someone again on my account if it means that I have to wait for a car for myself so really means less exposure for them.

Pete makes a good point about other people jumping in and I have never been asked for an id anywhere I have used Uber. Of course, I usually say "are you (drivers name)" They could very easily send you a password or number code that you give driver to ensure you are the right person to solve the problem of using the car for people not named on account.

[Pete]

The people jumping in is much more an issue in the case of a big event letting out all at once, where there is a crush of people trying to get a car.

Just as easily, you could get the wrong rider, as at least out here there are often multiple Uber requests from one location. Since the rider account is opened when you accept the request, when you start the fare it automatically goes to that person.



I also had another rider ID problem... On NYE I was waiting for the rider outside a house party and someone asked if I was with Uber and I asked, "Are you Parker? And when she said no I waited around forever only to finally figure out this same ditzy girl was using her dad's account and his name was Parker. You think she would have made the connection but I wasted the better part of a half hour right after midnight.

[Urbanized]

My experience as well.

[no1cub17]

Slightly off-topic, but right now Uber is offering double the credit for new referrals, so use my code and we both get $20 (instead of the usual $10) through January 20th. Code is: ft9db. Win-win for both of us. I really want to take advantage of these promos while Uber still runs them here, so use away, people!

[Urbanized]

And if you like me better, MY code is 9oz8v. Click here: https://www.uber.com/sign-up

Sorry, no1cub17, had to do it!

[Pete]

BTW, just found out another no-so-small downside for being a Uber driver: they charge you for the iPhone they make you carry.

I mentioned earlier that they issue drivers an iPhone 4 with their software on it. It's completely locked down in every other way; you can't even do an Internet search, call or text, etc.

It's actually a giant pain in the arse because it means you have to have two phones, as you still need to be able to call/text riders, have a GPS system, etc. And because both phones use GPS, you have to have them plugged in because the batteries drain pretty fast.

So, I get dinged $10 a week for a phone I don't want or need and they won't let you install their app on your phone.


Since I don't plan to drive much for them anyway, I may just return the phone which means I'm out for good.

[mkjeeves]

That might explain part of why one of the uber cabbies we rode with in Chicago had two (or three) phones. He was using one for rides for sure and another running the software to tell him where the auto speeding ticket radar cameras were located. The cabbie we called up with Hailo said he also used uber but I don't know if he was running that on different phones or not.

[no1cub17]

BTW, just found out another no-so-small downside for being a Uber driver: they charge you for the iPhone they make you carry.

I mentioned earlier that they issue drivers an iPhone 4 with their software on it. It's completely locked down in every other way; you can't even do an Internet search, call or text, etc.

It's actually a giant pain in the arse because it means you have to have two phones, as you still need to be able to call/text riders, have a GPS system, etc. And because both phones use GPS, you have to have them plugged in because the batteries drain pretty fast.

So, I get dinged $10 a week for a phone I don't want or need and they won't let you install their app on your phone.


Since I don't plan to drive much for them anyway, I may just return the phone which means I'm out for good.

Wow that is weak sauce! $10 per week? Goodness. Do they tell you this up front? I guess that's their way of giving drivers incentive to drive as much as humanly possible, knowing you're on the hook for $40 every month.

[Pete]

It's really not a phone. I mean, it is a phone as hardware but they aren't using it that way. The same way that fleet companies have used mobile devices for tracking purposes. It's the data transfer, UI, and GPS they need and today, modern smartphones are oftentimes the best package for those.

The fact that other people use it as a phone is beside the point really.

I understand all of that but it's only an app that could be easily added to existing phones.

I could see them offering the phones for those that don't have the proper equipment but why make drivers pay -- a ridiculous fee, I might add -- when they don't need the hardware, only the software? And in the process, require you to carry two devices?

Lyft is merely an app a driver can load on any iPhone. If I continue to do this at all, I might switch over to them rather than pay $40 a month for something I will rarely use and is a pain in the butt to operate.

[Pete]

Sid, if you saw the Uber driver app you'd be surprised how remedial it is. It doesn't even provide driving directions to the rider or where the rider wants to go.

In fact, as you drive along, the screen doesn't even scroll as your blipping blue dot moves across the screen! You have to manually keep hitting the map to re-center it and then have to manually zoom in to see the exact location of the rider.

Why this couldn't be an app like the thousands that already exist is beyond me, especially because it's functionality is extremely rudimentary.


I'm sure they want to maintain strict control but Lyft does that by forced upgrades. I tried to log on yesterday and it wouldn't even let me do it until I downloaded the latest version.

[Pete]

Also, one last anecdote, remember that UberX isn't their core. Most drivers are professionals and carry dispatch hardware. They could have built an app just for UberX drivers but again, if they are focused on scalability and first-to-market concerns, I can see how that conversation ended up with them sticking with what they already have.

I'm a Black Car driver, which is the huge majority of their business, at least in LA and SF.

[Pete]

Right. Well then for $10 a week, you are getting off cheap for dispatch hardware.

The majority of Black Car drivers are like me: only drive occasionally, and the ability to go on- and off-line at will is a big part of their sales pitch to drivers and clearly key to their business model.

So, IMO the forced use and rental fee of their hardware often works against their bigger goals, mainly that they get the maximum of drivers and thus coverage and availability.


BTW, with Lyft you do have some flexibility as to when you drive, but they give priority to those that schedule in advance and they strongly prefer you plan out your hours.

Therefore, Uber offers ad-hoc drivers more flexibility, which is -- as I said -- one of their big selling points. But charging a required set fee seems to be contrary to their larger goals.

[Pete]

On another subject, when I received my first driver's scorecard yesterday I learned that of 20 fares only 13 rated me as a driver and 11 were perfect 5's.

But my overall rating was only 4.62 and using algebra (much more practical than I would have ever thought back in high school!) I know that the two other riders only gave me a total of 5 points between them. I will also never know who or why.

I suspect at least part of the lower rating was due to "surge" pricing, which I explained to all riders, especially the part of how I had no control.

At any rate, I'd sure like to know at least who downgraded me and why, even though my rating is still plenty high and likely will only go up over time.

[Urbanized]

I've probably ridden at least a dozen times now and so far I've never given less than a five. It's interesting because usually when I evaluate (employees, for instance), I'm typically loathe to give perfect scores, because my position is that there is ALWAYS room for improvement.

I think with Über I have been generous in part because of the value, but also because of the newness of the service and the drivers. Like Sid mentioned, I ALWAYS talk Über with the drivers, and most that I have had have been brand new to the service (I mean, beyond the fact that the service is a recent addition, many of mine started more recently than the introduction date). I also find that some of mine are still learning about driving in downtown during peak traffic times. Since I'm a longtime downtown resident/worker/consumer, I generally give advice for bypassing traffic backups, back ways to venues, etc. along the way. If they didn't listen I would probably rate lower, but universally they have, and have always been appreciative.

Since you can't tip, I've taken to telling my drivers on the way out the door that I'm going to rate them five star when that is my intention (every time so far), and several have said "I've already done the same for you..." which makes me hopeful that my own (passenger) rating is high, which may have something to do with the positive uptick in service turnaround. While that probably has to do more with additional drivers in the ecosystem, response times for me have dropped precipitously of late.

I will say that the five star rating system makes it harder for me to give less than perfect. If it were ten star, I probably would have given a fair share of nines; especially to the guy whose car smelled like farts.

[Pete]

I sometimes want to tell riders, that smell is not ME... It was from the last riders!

I've started to carry Febreeze now.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Thought I would put my two cents in as someone who personally knows the owners of a taxi company in OK.

The reason the OK taxi companies are fighting Uber is because of Oklahoma laws. Basically taxi drivers in OK need to have taxi displayed on the vehicles as well as rates and special tags. The taxi company that I know also has insurance for people if involved in a wreck that includes the driver and passenger(s). If anything is wrong with the car and it doesn't meet the OK taxi laws standard they get fined.

Uber gets around this by listing themselves as a technology company. I have no gripes with Uber. It's a cool idea and the app is neat. I have used it in California myself.

Now the OK taxi companies want either the laws to change so they don't have to display rates and be subject to the somewhat strict OK taxi laws or for the law to be enforced on Uber.

I think the laws could do with a bit of change but we will see where this goes.

[blangtang]

Has anyone ordered an Uber ride via text?

I see its an option that is buried on the bottom of their website where you can text your address to a number to order a ride. One thing I find a little odd is that you can't download their app/platform on a laptop/desktop .

It seems like they should allow a way to just order a ride if you are on a desktop, but I'm not seeing how to do that other than via text message. Maybe there's something I'm missing here...

[mkjeeves]

I noticed that yesterday when I updated my phone ios and downloaded the app. (Glad the ios upgrade didn't break my iphone 4. I've been holding out both upgrading the ios and my device.)

I was also a bit surprised to see where cars were when I checked them in the daytime, a couple around I-44 and the turnpike north, a couple about the same distance south. One about I-40 and Midwest Blvd. None downtown or west.

There was a cluster downtown at one point over the weekend in the evening when I checked. Now they seem to be scattered up and down north to south again and one in Midwest City.

I haven't seen one westerly yet. 20-30 minute pick up time for me when I've looked.

[mkjeeves]

I knew they only show up if available. I kind of wondered if those locations are where those drivers live and where they park in an off peak time. Also wonder about the economics of driving to my hood for a pick up from either north or south, which of course depends on where I might be headed. I wouldn't call one for a short hop. Might for the airport or some special event 7 -15 miles away.

The ones most likely to pick me up were farther from the center of town than I am, they just weren't on my side of town.

[mkjeeves]

I also wonder if and when cabs will use Uber in OKC.

[Pete]

I knew they only show up if available. I kind of wondered if those locations are where those drivers live and where they park in an off peak time. Also wonder about the economics of driving to my hood for a pick up from either north or south, which of course depends on where I might be headed. I wouldn't call one for a short hop. Might for the airport or some special event 7 -15 miles away.

The ones most likely to pick me up were farther from the center of town than I am, they just weren't on my side of town.

Just so you know, Uber really wants a driver to go off-line unless they are immediately ready to respond to a rider request. You have 15 seconds to respond, otherwise you get dinged in your driver rating.

So, I doubt very seriously someone is sitting at home or near home while on-line. The whole point of being on-line is being close to riders. And if you aren't the closest driver, you don't get any requests.

[mkjeeves]

You mentioned the response time before. That wouldn't be a problem from the living room if the phone is in their pocket or in reach to respond in that time frame and they are ready to drop everything and walk out the door.

I noticed the other day the two cars north and south didn't move for a fair amount of time. I checked in on the traffic off and on tonight and there were a number coming on screen and going off earlier in the evening, with several moving on streets, which of course slowed down later in the evening. There were also several like this screen shot, where the car is or was at the same location for a significant period of time and when zoomed in, map to a house in a residential neighborhood. This one hasn't left the area for the 45 minutes I've checked in on it off and on. The car icon has moved around the house but never gotten close to the street so either they are walking around, there's some mapping error or both. Likely a little of both. I do not think the phone is actually located in a car on the street or even in the driveway. (It just went off as I was proofing this. Maybe they went to bed like I'm about to do.)

I zoomed in on my own location and see the same effect as I move around the house. The mapping is not far off. So I have to think at times, people turn on their phone at home and wait for a fare or return home and wait for a fare from the living room. Could be first time of the day. Could be they don't get enough fares to park on a corner somewhere and/or they haven't figured out where to do that yet. Maybe the level of interest for some isn't high enough to work it that hard and they would rather kill time between fares doing laundry. It doesn't matter. Just an observation and possible indicator of how drivers may be using the system.