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10 - Sep - 2018

Uber Drivers Manipulate App to Receive Higher Earnings

A Daily Star investigation has revealed that Uber drivers are manipulating the app to increase their earnings.  

The drivers are said to work together to push up the “surge price” that leads to the doubling or tripling of normal fare rates.

An anonymous driver said, “Drivers basically hack the app so their location is hidden. 

“That means the app thinks there aren’t many cabs available in the area, so the surge price rockets. “Then they reveal their location to book a fare and wham, they get three times extra money.” 

The drivers also earn cancellation fees by delaying arrival time. When passengers get bored of waiting and cancel a ride after five minutes, they have to pay a fine of up to £6.

Passengers have noted that drivers usually use these delays tactics around airports.

Daily Star reported that a driver who earned £250 a night said, “There’s definitely a whole group of drivers who hang around Gatwick and Heathrow airports to get free cancellation fees, yeah.” 

When asked to clarify what that entailed, the source added: “So what they can do is accept the fare, then just hang around, just kind of driving around the same roundabout. 

“The customer cancels because they get sick of waiting and the driver gets like a fi ver for nothing.” 

A passenger John Ollila complained on LoyaltyLobby.com of being delayed for 20minutes. He said, “I wasted 20 minutes of my time on Tuesday trying to get a driver to pick me up at Heathrow T5.” 

Uber’s license to operate in London was revoked last year by Transport for London after the ride hailing app was ruled “not fit and proper” to operate in London.

Uber was this year allowed to operate in London under a temporary license after an appeal case was heard. However, the company continues to face protests and legal action by taxi drivers around the world.

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