You know a brand is a big part of your life when you use it as a verb. In the world of transportation, Uber is definitely one of those brands. “Mag-u-Uber na ako papunta dyan.” I’m a happy Uber user. I work at Bonifacio Global City and live in Quezon City, so I’ve felt the frustration of being turned down by regular cab drivers because of the traffic and distance. We know that Uber drivers don’t get to choose their passengers based on the destination, so that’s one assurance for us passengers that we’ll almost always get a ride home.
It’s not all perfect – I’ve had irritating encounters with drivers who canceled the ride because of the distance (“Naku, may appointment kasi ako sa airport. Kung sa Quezon City po kayo ihahatid, di po ako aabot pabalik ng airport.”) I’ve had one driver who just cancelled the trip because he said I was not in the designated pickup area, when the truth was I was there the whole time and never saw his car. Truth or fiction on his part? Both still a source of frustration and irritation. But these negative instances happened so rarely it’s not a big cause for anger with the whole Uber service. I’ve had far more positive experiences with Uber, so I’m still a happy supporter.
While it’s the driver who’s responsible for a smooth drive to your destination, you can also make your Uber ride more smooth-sailing. Here are some tips I’ve come to learn along the way to make Uber rides frustration-free.
Call the driver as soon as he accepts your request. This ensures that he didn’t press the accept button by accident (yep, I’ve heard that from another driver who canceled on me). This also helps him ask questions about your location, if he is unfamiliar with it. “Manong, alam niyo po ba kung saan ang (insert subdivision name here)?” “Naku Ma’am, hindi po. Sundan ko nalang yun pin.” “Pwede naman po, pero para po sigurado, bigyan ko po kayo ng landmark.” “Sige po Ma’am!” That irons out any wrong turns and waiting time for both you and the driver.
When you get on that call, confirm the car type and plate number. I’ve had two experiences that the car registered with Uber (the details you see on the screen) was different from the car that picked me up. Both drivers mentioned that the details weren’t updated on Uber’s end. You can help report this to Uber as well, as a form of security for yourself too.
Be present at the pick-up location when they arrive. Don’t keep your Uber driver waiting. They do not charge passengers or swipe on “start trip” until the passenger is inside the car already. Having him wait for you while you go pack up your things and go down the elevator can be unfair. If you are running late, inform your driver through the “call driver” or “text driver” feature of the app. Resist doing so though. After all, before booking a ride you are able to see how far the Uber cars are from your area. Once a driver has also accepted your request, you’ll be able to see how far from your location he is, giving you that time to walk over to the exact pick-up spot. Just as you don’t like to be kept waiting, don’t keep your Uber drivers waiting too.
Do not cancel at the last minute. Once a driver accepts your request, he’ll be using up gas and time to get to your location. He’ll also be choosing you over other customers, other opportunities for possibly more expensive rides for them. Don’t cancel when they are already on their way to picking you up. You’ll also be charged if you cancel more than five minutes after making your request. Save your driver and yourself the unneeded headache by canceling at the last minute.
Tip your Uber driver. While Uber does not have a policy that requires you to tip their drivers, you can give your driver a tip. If you’d tip a regular taxi driver, all the more you should tip your Uber driver. Your ride is cleaner, nicer, even safer.
Nag-u-Uber ka rin ba? Uber has made going to and from work less of a hassle and worry for a lot of folks in the metro. You too can do your part in ensuring your ride is smooth-sailing and frustration-free.