‘Grossly unethical,’ UBER drivers open up about the company

Last week (28 August 2023) we published a story – UBER speaks up against CRITICISM – which spoke to the disparaging comments about Uber’s dilapidated fleet, poor drivers, cancelled trips, strikes and crime.

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The story clearly hit nerve, because we’ve been inundated with comments and WhatsApp messages from our South African audience. Some riders shared their own criticism of the Uber service, but the majority were Uber drivers sharing their own experiences and remedies.

ALSO READ: ‘This is a three-sided story,’ UBER drivers react to BACKLASH

Crucially, even as Uber drivers open up, calling the company ‘grossly unethical’ in how they put profit ahead of people, most are not arguing with the fact that service is poor and something needs to be done. Now the Uber drivers open up … The question is whether executives will listen.

UBER DRIVERS OPEN UP

• Madelinembwadzi
  Petrol is R23 per litre. 50 km might use R120 or more for fuel and data. A car wash R100. How do we maintain standards?
• Kabelo91
  The drivers will continue providing bad service because the is no way you can provide good service with these prices. To make money you have to be on the road all the time you don’t have time to inspect your car and clean it.
• Nothani Hadebe
  It all comes down to pricing. Uber prices have become unrealistic, it’s downright illogical. A 60 km trip leaves the driver with as little as R250. Uber is being grossly unethical. How do you expect to drop fares to nothing and expect to maintain standards? Also, the uncontrolled supply of vehicles are now far exceeding demand.
• Monarelp
  As an Uber driver I struggle to get hold of the company. They don’t have telephone contacts. They give discounts to riders without communicating with us and they don’t compensate us enough. Our petrol and maintenance is expensive.

ALSO READ: DOWNLOAD this app to find the cheapest fuel near YOU

• Tdoz
  We Uber drivers are feeling pain because our concerns are not being taking seriously by the platform. Some riders treat drivers badly, they have attitude, swearing, trying to tell you how to drive. I’ve had someone drunk, vomiting, peeing in my car. And we have to look after it all. Uber itself doesn’t know how hard we are working. Uber doesn’t care about drivers, we suffer because of them. We work as slaves. How can you wish drivers to provide good service but not put them as the primary source for your business? Remember, without drivers there’s no Uber. Without our hard work they have nothing.
• Mfndo
  The company is running away from the truth. Firstly, how many times did the price of petrol rise and they’ve never raised fares? Secondly, it’s time these apps are regulated in SA.
• Modi
  Uber is not trying to resolve any of these problems at all. Instead they look for new drivers thinking it will resolve everything that’s going on. They don’t care, all they want is the 25% commission.
• Khiwababa1
  As an Uber driver, I’ll never ever switch on the air conditioning as long as the fuel is going up and the pay for us doesn’t go up. First, sort out the Uber prices. People are saying Uber is not the same as it was. Yes, that’s 100% correct and that’s because the prices were competitive. You won’t have any complaints if you bring Uber back to what it once was.

ALSO READ: How much costs to refuel a VW Polo after MASSIVE fuel price increase

• Samual
  Government, especially the Minister of Transport is failing us. No one is holding e-hailing to account. The company takes on no liability. We can’t get hold of them on the phone. It’s only emailing support platform. That’s how autocratic they are.
• Fakier
  I feel some passengers are very difficult and the public complains when there’s crime or a passenger is attacked. This is not Uber’s fault, it’s one driver and his friends giving all other drivers a bad name. They need to be removed from the platform. And we feel for the client when that happens. But on the flip side, nobody talks about when drivers get robbed.
• Thaps237
  As long as Uber is not taking its drivers seriously and not respecting them, the standard will continue to drop. How do you expect the driver to dress nicely and service the car properly if you are focusing on giving riders promotions on their rides while drivers are earning the least of all? The fuel price is going up, while the fares are going down. Recently there have been lots of accidents caused by Uber drivers crossing red lights because they’re driving under frustration, and Uber doesn’t care about any of that.

[We thank everyone who shared a comment with us. Comments have been edited for grammar and readability.]

Are you an Uber driver trying to make ends meet? Do you have more to add to this conversation? Be sure to add a comment and share your thoughts with our audience.

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