Tips NOT included

Today the news rolled out that Uber will be dropping rates in many areas. Great for the riders, not so great for the drivers.  While I love driving and meeting new people, the lower rate will be very difficult to handle without benefit of tips.  So this post is about tipping your Uber driver.

There is a lot of confusion about whether or not you should tip your Uber (or other rideshare) driver. Uber, in general, has led passengers to believe that drivers are tipped within the app.  I have had actual passengers ask tell other passengers that they could leave a tip within the app.  That is patently false - there is NO tip function in the app you use to order and pay your driver.   I've also seen the listing on our local convention / visitors bureau that stated "Tips included in the fare." Again, not true at all!

In fact, Uber tells drivers that we are to communicate that tips aren't necessary and only accept a tip if our passenger insists.  I've had several passengers tell me that the whole "tip / no tip" message is confusing and they aren't sure what the protocol should be.

When should you tip your Uber driver?  Easy, if you think they gave you a great ride and you have good service, give them a tip!   It's the same principle as if you were in a restaurant or hair salon - if you got good service, tip them!

How much should you tip your Uber driver?  That's totally up to you.  I've received everything from a few stray ones with a "sorry this is all I have but I wanted to tip you" to a $10 tip for a ride that was maybe 2 miles. I've seen people who got outrageous tips (like $100 bills) for driving passengers, just like you read about waitresses with abnormally large tips.  Whatever you feel like it's worth is fine and fair.

Can't afford a tip? Then just let us know how much you appreciate the service and give us a 5 star rating and maybe a rain check to tip us next time.  We know not everyone we drive can add a tip, and sometimes you just don't have the cash on you.  We get that.

Uber corp thinks it's best to keep cash out of the equation - that's fine.  But the fact is, we're in a service industry.  This was something I was told by my very first passenger, and it was his first ride too.  He gave me a tip for that very reason, he said, "you're in a service industry and you should get tips."  The more I drive for Uber, the more I tend to agree.

So if we meet and you think I did a great job, please feel free to leave me a tip. I appreciate it more than you'll know!

Sources:

Bloomberg : Uber to drop prices in 80 cities

Business Insider:  Uber cuts prices in January

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