[imagesource:flickr]

A video has surfaced on X (formerly Twitter) that allegedly shows how Uber drivers at OR Tambo Airport are ‘rigging the system’ to jump the queuing system the platform has in place, and needles to say, it’s not to the benefit of passengers.

This will explain a lot if you’ve ever tried to get an Uber at the airport, only for the drivers to never arrive, resulting in your cancelling the trip (and likely incurring a ‘cancellation fee’). In addition to the inconvenience to riders, the hack also takes opportunities away from other honest drivers who actually pitch up on time.

The video shows several cell phones left in a room by Uber drivers in an attempt to jump the queue – Uber gives preference to drivers who arrive early in a certain region. So by leaving their phones at the airport overnight, they are queued ahead of drivers who arrive early. In many cases these queued drivers are not even at the airport, hence the non-arrival of your ride.

Uber implements a ride request queue in busy areas like airports to manage traffic. This system gives preference to the first drivers in the area that go online on the app and avail themselves for ride requests.

The driver who filmed the video said she had arrived at the airport at 3AM but had been unable to accept a ride request due to the drivers who were ahead of her in the queue.

“We can’t get into the queue because of this,” she explained.

I can’t believe this pic.twitter.com/qSftiJ9TWQ

— (@Lord_4D) September 28, 2023

It’s also alleged that some Uber drivers leave their phones with security overnight and then go home to sleep. “This disadvantages other drivers because the queue is not moving since they are not available to accept trips. They will only arrive around 6AM,” a user said.

Some have asked if cancelled trips do not penalise the drivers, but according to this dodgy setup, it is the passengers that eventually cancel the ride, which leads to another algorithmic consequence besides penalty fees – a surge in prices for that area.

Uber says the behaviour is “unacceptable and clearly violates its Community Guidelines, creating a poor rider experience, and negatively affecting other drivers”. Thanks for pointing out the obvious.

Anyone who uses Uber on a regular basis (as I do), knows that Uber is not what it used to be, so this latest trick is nothing new. For every brilliant driver there is, another shyster is trying to ‘jimmy the system’.

Uber has however added that it would take “appropriate action” based on the outcomes of an investigation.

There is no end to how creative skelm people can be.

[source:mybroadband]