Uber X Driver Tip for Passengers, Episode 1: Please Be Considerate of Our Time

 

When I receive a pickup request from you, I make my best effort to get there as soon as possible. When I'm taking you to your destination, I make my best effort to get you there via the quickest route. I'm not doing these things as a favor to you; I'm doing them in part because that's rightfully what is expected of us from our customers and in part because I realize your time is valuable.

The thing is, so is mine. In this business, the old "time is money" cliché applies in the most literal sense. Time spent waiting around for you to stroll out the door at your own leisure is time I could have had a paying customer in my car. I realize that sometimes we're quick to arrive if we're nearby when you send your request and you may not have all your loose ends tied up; in those cases it's understandable if you're not ready right when I get there. Even so, please make a good-faith effort to be ready to go as soon as possible.

But for those times when there's a 10+ minute arrival estimate when you submit your request, there's little excuse for you to not be ready when I arrive. If the arrival window was that big, that typically means I already drove several miles with an empty car to come get you, most likely foregoing a closer pickup opportunity to do so. In that case, my patience for sitting around with a still-empty car waiting for you to saunter out whenever the mood strikes you will be very thin, and the time I'm willing to wait before I declare you a "no-show" and move on will be correspondingly short.

If I'm expected to be punctual in picking you up, please do your best to take advantage of my punctuality. Lets make the most of both my time and yours.