Tipping Uber drivers in Australia

[Flying mermaid]

Drivers can see who tips what and are able to base rider ratings on that? They shouldn't be able to see tips per ride, just a lump sum amount of total tips for a given period.
Isn't the point of Uber ratings that no one can see who gave what and are only able to see an average?

Don’t know - just what she told me. Apparently she had a perfect score until that trip and then she didn’t. Only Uber she took in a 2 month period was the one in Canada, so it didn’t take much to work out who dropped her rating a little.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Given the quality of many drivers, if anything they should have the option to give you a discount after a coughty ride/ unsafe behavior/ homophobia and the likes. And yes, the latter is very widespread: I almost always get a 5 Star rating when travelling alone but as soon as my boyfriend is with me, I get rated down- particularly by drivers of a certain faith.

Tony Abbott is an Uber driver now? How the (not) mighty have fallen.

 

[odysseus]

Drivers can see who tips what and are able to base rider ratings on that? They shouldn't be able to see tips per ride, just a lump sum amount of total tips for a given period.
Isn't the point of Uber ratings that no one can see who gave what and are only able to see an average?

Yes, they get full details of each trip, including tips.

Here's an example fare that received a tip.

 

[samh004]

Ms FM used Uber in Canada a few years ago and didn’t realise you were supposed to tip. The driver gave her a bad rating.

I'm sure she could have contacted support about that if it had been a big concern, but it's hard to say that it was that one thing. It could have been anything, the driver could have just been having a bad night/been a bad person/had high standards.

Drivers can see who tips what and are able to base rider ratings on that? They shouldn't be able to see tips per ride, just a lump sum amount of total tips for a given period.
Isn't the point of Uber ratings that no one can see who gave what and are only able to see an average?

Yes, they get full details of each trip, including tips.

Here's an example fare that received a tip.

Usually if you are in demand, you finish, rate and then accept a new job and have to drive, so unless the allegation is that every Uber driver is using their phone to check their last fare (which I recall can sometimes be slow to update anyway), it's not that easy to wait for this information to be displayed before giving a rating.

I like how this thread is rapidly descending into all drivers are bad though, instead of the more logical, you'll get some bad drivers but most will probably be good. In my experience at least.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I'm sure she could have contacted support about that if it had been a big concern, but it's hard to say that it was that one thing. It could have been anything, the driver could have just been having a bad night/been a bad person/had high standards.
.

she didn’t really care as the tiny drop in rating was pretty meaningless. She was just surprised as it had been a pleasant trip and they had got on well. When she found out that tipping had been introduced and she hadn’t known about it, it seemed logical to attribute it to that....

 

[JohnK]

Ah yes the good old judging people for tipping or not tipping.

If only that energy was focussed on employers who don't pay enough in the first place.

 

[kpc]

I don't rate my trip till the driver rates me...I make a mental note of my score pre trip. If my score drops, I rate accordingly Having said that it is rare that I rate less than 5.

 

[Flashback]

I've had a few dodgy drives and the driver makes sure to show me that he has given me a 5* rating..... so that I'll do the same...... Ahh, all good fun. Don't really care.

 

[jb747]

No.

 

[serfty]

I don't rate my trip till the driver rates me...I make a mental note of my score pre trip. If my score drops, I rate accordingly Having said that it is rare that I rate less than 5.

See upthread, seems a driver can amend their rating of you as a PAX well after you have rated them.

Tipping Uber drivers in Australia

 

[eric2011]

So you tip out of local custom, rather than on service provided?

What would happen this year if you have your worst Uber experience in the US, and your best Uber experience in AU/NZ? Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to change people's attitudes to tipping, as I flat out don't – being on a low income. However, if I was going to tip, it would be based on merit I would hope.

Worst trip in the US, no tip as IMO a tip in the states is to thank someone for a job well done. Best trip in AU, no tip as I (personally) don't tip in this country

 

[samh004]

I don't rate my trip till the driver rates me...I make a mental note of my score pre trip. If my score drops, I rate accordingly

That's pretty terrible IMO.

See upthread, seem a driver can amend their rating of you as a PAX well after you have rated them.

Only with some difficulty.

It is not a case of simply clicking 'edit' on a ride and then changing the rating, and that automatically updating. It needs to have justification/a reason and Uber will look at that and decide whether to amend.

 

[Flashback]

That's pretty terrible IMO.



Only with some difficulty.

It is not a case of simply clicking 'edit' on a ride and then changing the rating, and that automatically updating. It needs to have justification/a reason and Uber will look at that and decide whether to amend.

I don't want to get involved in this but I can see you have a vested interested (partner as a driver?). Anyway, I think it's best to just let everyone discuss it out and say what they have to say. I can see all the viewpoints and understand why. It's a tough one when it comes to tips and I don't think there's any right answer.

 

[kpc]

I don't rate my trip till the driver rates me...I make a mental note of my score pre trip. If my score drops, I rate accordingly

That's pretty terrible IMO.

Why? You have only partially quoted me as well and left out this pertinent bit

Having said that it is rare that I rate less than 5.

I have been left with a poor rating due to ( I assume) short trips so it is well within my rights to return the favour!

 

[samh004]

I don't want to get involved in this but I can see you have a vested interested (partner as a driver?). Anyway, I think it's best to just let everyone discuss it out and say what they have to say. I can see all the viewpoints and understand why. It's a tough one when it comes to tips and I don't think there's any right answer.

Yes, and I am discussing it.

Why? You have only partially quoted me as well and left out this pertinent bit I have been left with a poor rating due to ( I assume) short trips so it is well within my rights to return the favour!

You can't 100% say that it was the short trip that got you rated down though.

 

[tdimdad]

I see the point of giving a tip as thanks for service well delivered. The next question is then how would the bean counters at work like this? Most of my trips are charged directly back to my cost centre (Uber for Business profile). If I add a tip while it's not customary in Australia, which financial policy would one need to battle through to get it approved and stand auditing?

 

[samh004]

I see the point of giving a tip as thanks for service well delivered. The next question is then how would the bean counters at work like this? Most of my trips are charged directly back to my cost centre (Uber for Business profile). If I add a tip while it's not customary in Australia, which financial policy would one need to battle through to get it approved and stand auditing?

You raise an interesting point. It's been a while, but I'm pretty sure I have 2 cards in my Uber, depending on who I am travelling with. It would be useful if you could set tips to come from one account, but the ride from another.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Thinking about this - I will (and have) tip Uber drivers overseas, but not in Australia.

The thing I love about Australia is the fact that we have industrial relations law and people get paid a living wage. I do tip in restaurants here if I get decent service, although in the medium level restaurants I find staff don’t expect it and are appreciative.

I respect the culture of other countries and tip accordingly although find I am often stressed and worried whether I am tipping enough. E..g we tipped about $4,500 across various camps on a month’s trip in Africa and I was constantly worried about whether it was right.

If Uber wants to operate in Australia then they should respect our culture and if they think drivers aren’t getting enough, then raise the fees and give more to the driver, don’t expect us to adopt an American culture. I am happy to pay more, but I want it coming from the company and not establishing the handout culture from overseas.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

As I posted elsewhere, I won't be tiping Uber in Australia and NZ fullstop!

Ummm ... , so why to you use Uber?

This reply confuses me. Why does a comment about tipping raise a question about usage? This is Australia where it is not customary to tip (except for really great service).

I won't tip either, unless there was some really exceptional service. Simply doing the job they are paid to do is not reason enough to warrant a tip IMHO.

 

[dajop]

The Australian way would not to have a screen that asks for a tip, rather it should ask ... “Round up to the nearest ...” with options of dollar, five dollar or ten dollar. That’s what tipping in taxis has been about for time immemorial. Taxi fare $38.71 ... hand over $40 and keep the change ... unless the driver was bad.