"No money at all. "Joel is driving his brand-new Toyota Camry Hybrid, in the morning of Silicon Valley in the misty rain, not without bitterness to say.
Joel, a Uber driver, never stopped complaining from the moment he sat in his car.
"The past is pretty good, one months on the open Uber can earn more than 5,000," Joel said, "Oh, I said more than 5,000 does not include oil charges, car maintenance costs." ”
Joel was one of the earlier drivers to join a taxi application Uber. Early last year, he was driven by his brother and became a Uber driver.
"Now one months up to 3000, or a particularly hard job." "I can't make any money," Joel said. ”
Joel says there are already a lot of Uber drivers who want to quit, and he has a similar idea. Like most Uber drivers, Joel has a full-time job outside the Uber.
"If you take Uber as a serious job, you can earn some money," he said. But when you just do it as a part-time job, you don't make much money in the long run. ”
Joel said that after the Uber rate cut, his one-month earnings by opening Uber income of more than $3,000. But according to current oil prices, the daily oil costs will be 20-30 U.S. dollars, the monthly cost of oil is about 400-500 dollars.
"But you have to take into account the loss of the car, the maintenance cost of the car," Joel said, "My brother's brand new Toyota Roller, driving more than 60,000 miles broken, it will take more than 5,000 to repair the car." ”
"I have to return this car to the car," Joel while driving, pointing at the wheel of the Toyota logo said, "I bought this new Camry, we all know the Japanese car durability high, I hope this car is not like my brother's that car bar." ”
When it comes to Uber's current rates, Joel is full complaining.
"It's a good thing for customers, of course, but it's not good for our drivers," Joel said, "and who's willing to do it for a long time." ”
Uber on line so far, in order to promote the spread, competition for market share, has been repeatedly cut rates. Joel said he felt that the rate had been cut by almost 50% compared with his first Uber.
"You turn up the price a bit higher and the passengers aren't dissatisfied," Joel said, "After all, Uber is more convenient than a regular taxi, and you have to make an appointment in advance." ”
In addition, Joel is dissatisfied with the flexible rates set by Uber. Uber from the point of view of supply and demand, on the road less, customers difficult to hit the car, will be appropriate to raise the rate, attract more cars to carry passengers, when the car enough to meet the demand, Uber will be lowered prices. But Joel believes the "flexible rate" initiative set by Uber is "stupid".
"A lot of my customers simply don't know such a flexible rate," Joel said, "Once upon a time in Friday, I took a passenger home and spent more than 150 dollars on a short journey, and later the guest knew that the rate had been temporarily elevated and angrily said that he would never Uber again because he felt cheated." ”
Joel believes the Uber should raise the overall rate level and remove what is called a "flexible rate", which is good for both passengers and drivers.
Speaking of another taxi application Lyft, Joel said he had never used it and encouraged other drivers not to use it, and he was doing it with his own "wishful thinking".
"You want to, if all people use Uber, do not have to Lyft, then Uber will monopolize the market, naturally will raise the price," Joel has been a low voice suddenly a little excited, "I told all I know the driver Uber, do not use Lyft, all use Uber bar. ”
Although Joel complains, he insists on Uber, because he says there are no better alternative part-time jobs.
"I admit it was a very smart idea," Joel said, "Maybe I can stick to the day when the price of Uber is Uber." ”
There may be a few Uber drivers in "struggling" like Joel, but many Uber drivers are enjoying it. Victor, who became a Uber driver last month, replaced a 2013 Volkswagen CC car with his old Ford F150 truck for years, because Uber required the driver's car to be new within 5 years.
Victor, 58, said he likes to open Uber to see different people, "anyway at home idle is also idle", for every passenger riding his car, he will smile Yingying said, "The back seat has water and candy, please take yourself!" ”