Skip to main content

Not just for toddlers: Uber drivers get ‘timeouts’ if they turn down UberPool rides

uber settles driver background check case man driving in car the city ride share lyft getaround zipcar
Lightpoet/Shutterstock
Uber drivers aren’t big fans of UberPool, according to CNN Money. If drivers turn down UberPool rides they take a chance of being shut out of the system from anywhere between 4 and 15 minutes. These timeouts, typically given after refusing two or three UberPool ride requests, limit the amount of money drivers can earn in a day and can make them feel they’re being treated like children.

The timeouts seem to contradict Uber’s insistence that its drivers are independent contractors. “True independent contractors have the freedom to decide when they want to work and what kind of work they want to do,” said Harvard Law School professor Benjamin Sachs. “By giving drivers timeouts, Uber is exercising the kind of control over its workforce that employers exercise over employees.”

Uber sends ride requests to the nearest driver in most cases. The company wants high driver ride-acceptance rates because that means riders get quicker service and are therefore more likely to use Uber the next time they need a ride. When CNN asked Uber about the timeout policy the company didn’t provide any detail but referred to its general policy under which drivers with low acceptance rates can be logged out of the service temporarily.

Uber makes the case for UberPool by stating that riders are able to get discounted rides in peak times by riding with other people on trips to and from similar locations. The company says drivers can make more money by carrying more fares. Drivers say it doesn’t work that way.

One former San Francisco driver, who drove for Uber for two years but has since stopped, said, “The pay is not worth it. You’re constantly running around putting wear and tear on your vehicle for small fares.”

Drivers also say UberPool rides hurt customer ratings. Riders used to direct transportation don’t like having to sidetrack to pick up another rider, who sometimes they don’t enjoy sitting next to. At the end of the ride, if the rider isn’t pleased the only way to express displeasure is to give the ride a poor rating.

Editors' Recommendations

Bruce Brown
Digital Trends Contributing Editor Bruce Brown is a member of the Smart Homes and Commerce teams. Bruce uses smart devices…
The Apple Car was reportedly dubbed ‘the Bread Loaf’
A man checks his phone in an Apple retail store in Grand Central Terminal.

A 2020 prototype of the so-called "Apple Car" was dubbed "the Bread Loaf" for its looks, according to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday.

In a deep dive into the costly project, which Apple canceled last month, the report described the vehicle as “a white minivan with rounded sides, an all-glass roof, sliding doors, and whitewall tires [that] was designed to comfortably seat four people and inspired by the classic flower-power Volkswagen microbus.”

Read more
The Rivian R2 SUV is up for preorder for only $45,000
Rivian R2

You can now get a Rivian without spending more than $70,000. After months of rumors and leaks, Rivian has finally taken the wraps off of the Rivian R2, its newest SUV, and the first to be built on the new Rivian R2 platform. The R2 is built to be Rivian's "Model 3 moment," or its attempt to build a car that's more accessible to the general public and thus could be sold at a much higher volume than the R1S or R1T ever were.

The R2 certainly cuts some corners to achieve the lower price point, but it actually still has a lot going for it -- especially as an electric SUV in this price range. It goes up against the likes of the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Mustang Mach-E, and Kia EV6, but it's much more of an SUV than a crossover-sized car and should appeal to those who want something larger and with Rivian's design sensibility.

Read more
The R3 is Rivian’s surprise electric crossover
Rivian R3

Rivian didn't just announce the R2 platform at its latest launch event -- in a surprise twist, it also announced the R3 crossover. The R3 is Rivian's smallest car yet, offering a size much closer to the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 than the SUVs that came before it.

Of course, not only is the Rivian R3 smaller, but presumably, it's also cheaper. Rivian didn't reveal actual pricing for the car, but it did say that it would be less than the R2's $45,000 price. Also, it may be some time before we start seeing the R3 on the road -- the car will follow the R2, which isn't set to be available until the first half of 2026.

Read more