Is uber pretty good in Vegas?

Do you have a good rider rating with Uber?

 

I've only used Lyft and only 6 times, all in Vegas. Fast and inexpensive, friendly service each and every time. I was skeptical, now I'm sold.

 

I have no idea.

The first time I tried to use it was at McCarran. It was night and there were 2 lanes of headlights coming at you. But you couldn't make out the cars in the far lane of the parking lot so I, and everyone else, was jumping back and forth trying to locate my driver. After 5-10 minutes of this I looked at my phone and the driver, and vehicle, had changed. Another 5-10 minutes and I located the first car which was no longer on my phone. I had put in as a shared ride so this guy typed something into his phone and said he would take me along with his other pick-up. I got in. It was my first trip so I had no previous rating and I thought this chaotic mayhem was the way Uber worked so I didn't ask questions.

The second fiasco was using Uber in Amsterdam. My husband's arthritis was so bad one day we called for an Uber. Waiting and waiting at the hotel only to be informed by the receptionist that Uber doesn't pick up at the hotel but that the pick-up spot is 4 blocks away. 4 blocks away defeats the purpose, he couldn't walk it. Taxi's will pick-up at the hotel.

I have used Uber 2 other times successfully. A 50% success rate is pathetic in my book and I just don't use them anymore.

 

Well, it's really not a "50% rate" because the Amsterdam experience was not the fault of Uber. Hotels decide where (and if) Uber can pick up there. You were in a foreign country and didn't know the pickup spot was four blocks away, but that wasn't Uber's fault. It really was mostly on the part of the hotel, and you a little, because you could have asked the receptionist where Uber picked up before requesting one.

As for the McCarran pickup, you can message your driver from the app (it's at the bottom of the screen) and let him or her know where you are exactly and the driver can communicate back with you. After a few high profile incidents where people were murdered after getting into a strange car that they mistook for their Uber, the app started putting the car license plate numbers in so you can verify that the car picking you up is your Uber.

You rating can be found in your profile on the app, under your name and (if you uploaded one) your photo. If you have a low rating (and you most likely do, because of those two bad times) that is probably the real reason that drivers have dropped your ride. They actually get penalized for dropping a ride just because they don't want to take it, but now they have the ability to freely refuse to take low rated passengers. Think about it - would you want to ride with a terrible driver who has a bad reputation? You know that those two incidents were unfortunate misunderstandings, but they don't know that - all they see is a poor rating. Here is an article about it:

https://interestingengineering.com/uber-passengers-will-be-blocked-from-app-for-low-rankings

Uber is like anything else - you have to use it a bit to get the hang of it, but once you do it is a great convenience. Going forward just make sure you ask where rideshare pickup is located at the airport or hotel before requesting the ride and you should be fine. I wouldn't give up on it altogether. It is a great service, and a few more successful rides will get your score back up where it should be.

Oh and tip them. Many people feel that they don't have to tip because in the beginning days of Uber there was no tipping, but that has changed. There is even a tip option in the app after you take the ride and are about to rate the driver. They are usually cheaper than a taxi that one would take to the same destination, so if someone would normally tip a taxi driver, it doesn't makes sense that they would stiff an Uber driver. It's the exact same service. I usually give a cash tip, and I have a five star rating.

 

There is an app out that is Anyride. It will list the cost of both Uber and Lift and how much time it will take for both to get to your location. I have used it may times. Lyft seems to be cheaper some of the time. But I have chosen Uber if they can get to me sooner also. (then pay a little higher)

 

I began using Uber in Vegas about 18 months ago and consider it a vast improvement over cabs. Rates are much better, drivers are typically friendlier and the cars are usually a little nicer. I have used it on my last 4-5 trips and have had only 2 negative experiences. On one trip, I was leaving for the airport about 4 am. I requested an Uber from Mandalay Bay to the airport. When the ride was confirmed, it estimated his time of arrival for over 30 minutes. I cancelled that ride immediately and took a cab, which was already lined up outside. There was no charge for my cancelled Uber.

The other bad experience I took an Uber to Harrah's. The driver took me down the strip on a Saturday night when Vegas was packed. She nearly hit several pedestrians in a crosswalk. Then, when we got close to Harrah's the entrance from the strip was barricaded off. I have been there enough to know that they usually use the back entrance, and tried to explain that to her, but she did not want to divert from her gps and started arguing with me about it. I finally just convinced her to let me out of the car on the strip. I know they are not supposed to do that but we were in the car arguing about it and going absolutely nowhere. I was prepared to pay a fine if I had to just to be rid of her. That's the first time I have given anything less than a 5 star rating.

 

We’ve been sold on Uber/Lyft in Vegas. Used to always rent a car but our past couple trips used a combination of Uber and Lyft and were happy with the convenience and low cost.

We did have a couple issues here and there in regards to pick-up location. At Wynn main entrance every time we requested a ride they went over to Encore entrance. Not sure why. At Mirage North pick-up area the driver went to the main entrance. It all worked out in the end, but I guess there are some minor issues as with everything.

 

Uber and Lyft has been including the license plate number of the car long before these high profile murders. I’ve been using U/L for nearly four years and have been driving for them for a little over three years, they have had license plate numbers even when I started.

 

When two places are that close in proximity sometimes the GPS picks up on the other one, in this case the Encore instead of Wynn main entrance. Then the drivers app shows the pick up location at the Encore, happens a lot on the Strip with pick up areas being so close. Just have to make certain that your app has the correct pick up location or contact your driver immediately and inform them where you are located.

Unfortunately Uber and Lyft provide very little training and familiarization to new drivers. Once approved and signed up there’s a little session on how to use the app and they send you on your way into the jungle.

I encourage new drivers to do as I did when I first started, drive the Strip during non busy hours without picking up passengers and locate all the PUDO spots on the Strip. Same for the airport as well. Apparently not all of them do that and learn as they go to the dismay of the passengers waiting on them.