Uber Technologies

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/07/07) */
Uber appreciates the chance to respond to this issue, as we are adamant about being upfront and transparent about our fare pricing.
Uber's fares are determined by the app, not the driver. Please find attached a picture of a surge...

notification in the Uber app. During periods of surge pricing, it is not possible for an Uber passenger ** request a ride without first approving the current rates and tapping the 'I ACCEPT HIGHER FARE' button. In addition, we require all riders to manually type in and confirm the surge rate when it is over 2.0X. The app also has a surge drop feature in place, so riders can choose to be notified when the surge pricing ends. A reminder of the rate increase is also included in the driver's confirmation notice, should the rider choose to cancel the trip at no charge and seek another ride. Our records show that the customer was shown the surge notification, then accepted the surged rate of 3.5X at 11:43 p.m.
The Uber app features a fare estimator, and estimates received during surge periods will always factor in the rate increase in effect at that time. For this trip, the rider used the estimator prior to riding to get a fare quote for her trip and received an estimate of $292.50-$458.70, which reflected the current surge rate of 4.7X the normal fare. Her final fare is within the range of the estimate she received.
Our Community Support Team responded promptly to this rider's initial support request, and explained dynamic pricing and why we implement surged fares during busy times. Again, thank you for the chance to reply.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/07/09) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
That is not correct! I never received an estimate of 300 plus dollars. The estimate that popped up on my phone was 55.00. I would have never in my right mind accepted a charge of over 300 dollars to go 20 miles. I paid 33 dollars earlier in the day to get to the same location. And as for your surge I was quoted 3.5. You were never clear wether it was percent or times the price. You guys are in the business of ripping people off and I will be sure to let everyone know what uber is about. I know many people that use it in multiple cities. I will never use you guys again that is for sure!

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 15, 2015/12/21) */
Our Community Support Team has reached out directly to this rider by both phone and email to answer all questions and address her concerns. We sincerely hope that this matter has been resolved to her satisfaction and that this valued rider will...

continue Ubering with us. Thank you very much for the chance to respond.

Uber is glad for the chance to look in to these concerns. One of our agents has reached out to this rider on the message they originally wrote in to us on, in order to assist them further with this matter. We sincerely hope the resolution will be to the rider's satisfaction.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/20) */
Uber is grateful for the chance to respond to this issue. When this rider contacted our Community Support Team about this trip, they verified her actual drop-off location, adjusted the fare to reflect an estimate for the route and refunded the...

difference. The fare for the cancelled trip was also refunded. We hope that this matter has been resolved to her satisfaction and that she will continue riding with us.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/08/24) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
After multiple emails and attempts of trying to resolve this issue Uber did refund the incorrect trip. What they stated is true.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2015/12/02) */
We are grateful for the chance to respond to this issue.
Uber implements dynamic pricing to ensure that riders always have a ride available when they need it. When the supply of cars gets tight, we choose to raise rates incrementally as a...

means of making sure that enough drivers are available to accommodate the demand in the area. We are adamant about being upfront and clear about our fare pricing during these surge periods so that riders can make an informed choice whether or not to use Uber.
Please find attached a picture of a surge notification in the Uber app. During periods of surge pricing, it is not possible for an Uber passenger ** request a ride without first approving the current rates and tapping the 'I ACCEPT HIGHER FARE' button. In addition, we require all riders to manually type in and confirm the surge rate when it is over 2.0X. The Uber app features a fare estimator, and quotes received during surge periods will always factor in the rate increase in effect at that time. The app also has a surge drop feature in place, so riders can choose to be notified when the surge pricing ends. A reminder of the rate increase is also included in the driver's confirmation notice, should the rider choose to cancel the trip at no charge and seek an alternative ride. Our records show that the customer was shown the surge notification, then accepted the surged rate of 5.0X at 1:37 a.m.
When a ride is requested in the Uber app, a pop-up occurs when the vehicle class is selected that shows the rates and capacity for that vehicle type (please see attached photos), and a link to the app's fare estimator. Also, on the Uber vehicle request screen, riders can double-tap on the vehicle slider to see rates and capacity information for each vehicle type.
When the rider initially contacted us about this trip, our Community Support Team reviewed the details and confirmed that the fare was correct based on the time and distance travelled and vehicle type chosen - in this case, UberSELECT, a premium, higher-priced option. Our team did understand that this rider regularly rides with uberX and the selection was made in error, so they credited her account with $139.71, the difference in cost between uberX and UberSELECT for this surged trip. We hope that this matter has been resolved to our rider's satisfaction and that she will continue to ride with us. Thank you again for the chance to reply.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/07/05) */
Uber is grateful for the chance to address this issue, as the security of our customers' account and payment information is of the utmost importance to us. In this case, this rider's payment method was flagged by our system and her account was...

suspended. Our system's safeguards are in place to protect our riders from any unauthorized use of their account or payment method. With the rider's assistance, our Support Team has verified her payment information and reactivated her account. We completely understand why this rider is concerned about providing us with photo ID and credit card verification via email, but when we make this request, we do instruct riders to obscure any sensitive information on their identification and all but the last four digits and expiration date on the credit card. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this customer encountered and have issued ride credit as a thank-you for her patience. Again, we appreciate the chance to respond.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/07/07) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)

Uber is glad for the chance to look in to these concerns. On June 9th, one of our agents spoke with this individual in order to assist with the aforementioned charges. We sincerely hope that we have been able to assist to their satisfaction.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 15, 2016/03/09) */
Uber is glad to have another chance to look in to this concern. On December 23rd, we received word from the rider that this concern had been addressed. We hope that all further issues have been resolved to their satisfaction.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/06/04) */
Uber reserves the right to suspend an account and/or revoke any and all referral credits at any time if we determine that they were earned improperly. While we appreciate this rider's sharing his personal "Give One, Get One" promo code, we have...

found that his usage of the promotion is in violation of Uber's terms and conditions (https://help.uber.com/h/3aXXXXXe-aXXX-XXa0-b63e-99d39c380c39) and of our Terms of Service (https://www.uber.com/legal/usa/terms). Our Community Support Team has explained to this rider in detail the reason why the codes are invalid and the account is deactivated. Unfortunately, we are unable to honor the value of the promotion and this account has been suspended indefinitely.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/06/09) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I am not satisfied with the response I have got from UBER. I have not violated their terms and conditions.
As per uber one account per mobile number and one paytm account per mobile number .so let them provide me proof that I have violated the terms. I have genuinely referred my friends and family. I need further proof or free rides given back
thanks

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/07/23) */
Uber appreciates the chance to respond to this issue. As a courtesy and a compromise, we have adjusted the fare for this ride down by $20. However, as the rider did not enter the destination into the app, and did not clearly articulate the exact...

address to the driver, no further adjustment will be made. The driver must be fairly compensated for his time. Again, thank you for the chance to reply.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/07/24) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
They are making an assumption that "I did not clearly articulate the address to the driver." I absolutely did give the driver the correct address. Further, the driver immediately knew he was in the wrong when I questioned where he was going. He said he was going to cancel the whole ride which he did not do. This was a very shady operation and I feel I have been taken advantage of.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2015/06/29) */
Unfortunately, because a passenger [redacted] sick in the vehicle, a cleaning fee was added to the fare. Immediately following this trip, the driver contacted us with photos documenting the mess in the interior of his car, the trip number and a...

description of the incident per our policy. He was unable to resume working until his car was professionally cleaned.
A cleaning fee covers cleaning, sanitizing and deodorizing and the car. These vehicles are a driver's livelihood and their source of income, and they cannot pick up passengers [redacted] an objectionable mess or smell in their vehicle. Drivers pay out of their own pocket to have their vehicle cleaned and they do need to be fairly compensated for the cleaning required in order for them to continue to drive and pick up other riders in a safe and sanitary condition. Vomit is considered a biohazard and most shops will charge an extra $100-$150 on top of their standard detailing fees for the presence of biological materials.
Our Cleaning Fee policies are clearly stated in our Terms of Service www.uber.com/legal/usa/terms and on our Rider Support page here https://help.uber.com/h/079c30a4-5bXX-XXXX-b518-3ec9c4310e33. We regret that this situation occurred, and appreciate being given the chance to respond.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2015/09/09) */
Uber appreciates the chance to address any service issues. Our Community Support Team has been working with this rider and her bank to resolve the technical problems with her credit card and payment profile. We're pleased to report that her...

account is now ready to roll, and we truly apologize for the frustration and inconvenience. We've added ride credit to her account as a sincere thank-you for her patience, and with the hope that she'll continue riding with us. Thank you very much for the chance to reply.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 10, 2015/09/10) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Yes I got a credit card to work but it was NOT my credit card of choice. Apparently UBER does not accept credit cards that offer rewards to the customer for using their cards. I verified this with a friend who was also unable to use her rewards card with UBER. Customers should be able to use their card of choice. Having said that although it's not my choice of credit cards to use I will continue to use UBER. I got one free ride and the drivers were outstanding!

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/05) */
Uber is truly grateful for the chance to address our service issues and improve our performance. Our sincerest apologies to this valued rider for the frustration and inconvenience she experienced during her ride on 7/23/15. When she initially...

contacted our Community Support Team about this matter, they immediately adjusted the fare to reflect an estimate for the trip and refunded the difference, along with additional ride credit to thank her for her patience. They then forwarded her feedback to our SF Driver Ops, who have since followed up with the driver of the trip about this incident. We genuinely hope that this matter has been resolved to her satisfaction, and that she'll ride with us again soon.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/08/07) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
Satisfactory response

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2015/12/16) */
We appreciate the chance to respond to this issue.
Uber has procedures and guidelines in place that must be strictly followed when a driver submits a request for a cleaning fee and before a rider is charged. In this case, the driver...

contacted us immediately following the trip with documentary photos, the trip number and a description of the incident per our policy. The photos showed an extensive stain on the front passenger [redacted] upholstery of his car, and he was unable to resume working until his car was professionally cleaned and deodorized. The rider was immediately sent an updated and itemized receipt, then upon request provided with documentary photos and a statement of our Cleaning Fee policy.
Our partner drivers' personal vehicles are their livelihood and their source of income. When a rider makes a mess in their car, they cannot work until the mess and smell are gone. Drivers pay out of their own pocket to have their vehicle cleaned on their own time, and they need to be fairly compensated for the cleaning required in order for them to continue to pick up passengers ** the condition expected of an Uber vehicle.
Uber's policies are in place to protect the drivers we partner with and provide their passengers [redacted] an odor-free, sanitary and comfortable ride. Uber's Cleaning Fee policies are clearly stated in our Terms of Service (http://www.uber.com/legal/usa/terms) and on our Rider Support page (https://help.uber.com/h/079c30a4-5bXX-XXXX-b518-3ec9c4310e33). When Uber riders sign up for an account, they agree to abide by the Terms of Service, including our right to assess a discretionary cleaning fee when they accept these Terms. The section header "Repair or Cleaning Fees" states the following:
"You shall be responsible for the cost of repair for damage to, or necessary cleaning of, Third Party Provider vehicles and property resulting from your use of the Services in excess of normal "wear and tear" damages and necessary cleaning ("Repair or Cleaning"). In the event that a Third Party Provider reports the need for Repair or Cleaning, and such Repair or Cleaning request is verified by Uber in Uber's reasonable discretion, Uber reserves the right to facilitate payment for the reasonable cost of such Repair or Cleaning on behalf of the Third Party Provider using your preferred payment method designated in your Account. Such amounts will be transferred by Uber to the applicable Third Party Provider and are non-refundable."
Our Rider Help page states:
"The drivers that we partner with work hard to maintain clean vehicles. A clean up fee for cosmetic or physical damage to the interior or exterior of the vehicle incurred as a result of events such as vomiting or pet accidents will be assessed and charged when applicable. In most cases, this fee will be between $50 and $200, but the exact amount depends on the extent of the damage. You will always receive an updated receipt with an explanation when this fee is being charged."
We regret the incident, and again, thank you for the chance to reply.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 9, 2015/12/18) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I do not agree with Uber's explanation of this situation. In this instance Uber did not follow their own notification protocol as outlined in their response. At no time did I receive "an updated and itemized receipt", nor was I "immediately" notified by the Uber. They simply raided my account without first communicating with me. The first time I was made aware of this so-called incident was 48 hours later when I checked my bank account and discovered a $200.00 transaction made by Uber. I frankly thought it was an error so I contacted them via email. Until then, there was no communication from them. Since all communication is done via email, please provide the document that was sent to me on the day of the incident. Please know that I have transcripts of the conversation showing the exact date and time when I first was provided with "documentary photos" Nor did I receive a statement of the Cleaning Fee policy. Clearly notification was after the fact.
As for the so-called damages, I continue to deny this incident ever took place. This is a case of the driver's word against the passenger's word as there was no one else to corroborate the driver's story. The photo shows so much damage that it looks like water was poured on the seat. I cannot imagine a sober adult doing something like this and walking away as if nothing had happened.
I contend that Uber completely mishandled this entire situation and did not adhere to their own policy.
I am once again requesting a refund.

Uber is glad for the chance to look in to this concern. At the end of October, one of our agents reached out this rider in order to explain how surge works, and to provide a partial refund for this trip. We're always happy to take another look at fares, so if this rider has further questions we...

would encourage them to reach out to us via in-app support.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2015/11/10) */
Uber is grateful for the chance to respond to this issue. Our Driver Support Team is working directly with this partner driver to address each of her concerns. We sincerely hope to reach a satisfactory resolution, and that this valued partner...

will continue driving with us.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/07/14) */
Uber is always grateful for our riders' feedback, as it helps us improve our performance and ensure that all trips are reliably pleasant and professional. When this rider initially contacted our Community Support Team, they immediately responded...

with an apology and a prompt refund of the cancellation fee. Her negative feedback was then forwarded her feedback to Uber's Tampa Rider Ops, who followed up with the driver about the questionable cancellation and unwarranted charge. Our team has confirmed with the rider that her account is in good standing with no outstanding balances, and advised her to contact Google Wallet about any billing issues, as there is no problem with her payment method on our end. We truly apologize to this valued rider for her frustration and less-than-Uber experience, and we have issued her additional ride credit with the sincere hope that she'll ride with us again.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/07/16) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
Yes, I accept Uber's response. All I wanted was to be heard. Being stranded isn't fun, and I felt that Uber didn't care about their customers. I am happy that I have finally had all my questions and complaints answered and resolved. Thank-you!

Uber is glad for the chance to look in to this concern. On November first, one of our agents added $100.00 to this partner's account in order to ensure they were fully paid out for this referral. If this partner has any further questions regarding this, we would encourage them to reach out to us via...

in-app support so we can assist further.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 6, 2015/06/30) */
Our Uber [redacted] Operations Manager has reached out directly to this partner driver to address his concerns. We sincerely hope to reach a resolution and that this valued partner will continue driving with us.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2015/11/15) */
We are grateful for the chance to respond to this issue.
While we do hope to provide phone support in the future, Uber currently handles all support requests via email.
This account was absolutely not deactivated because of a fare dispute...

- we welcome our riders to contact us if there is ever a question or problem with a trip, vehicle, route or fare. This invaluable feedback helps us make all trips as seamless and professional as our riders expect from Uber.
In this case, the driver for the trip appears to have started the trip and ended it two miles north at N Lake Shore Drive, but if the driver started the trip without his passenger [redacted] than canceling, our team will gladly refund the fare and follow up with the driver about the error. However, since the fare was charged back to the rider's bank, the account is in arrears and riders may not request a ride with an open balance. We have asked our payments team to clear the chargeback and refund the charge of $6.17, along with an additional $30 credit with the sincere hope that this rider will give Uber another go. Again, thank you for the chance to reply.