U.S. Justice Department launches criminal probe of Uber

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In March, the New York Times reported that Uber used a software program called “Greyball” to thwart local transportation regulators. Now, the U.S. Justice Department has launched a criminal probe of Uber because of that software program.

Criminal probe of uber

Also, a grand jury in Northern California has sent Uber a subpoena “seeking documents concerning how the software tool functioned and where it was deployed.” There’s an old axiom in legal circles. A prosecutor could get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich. The reason is that there’s no defense. There’s just a jury, and a prosecutor. The prosecutor gets to present whatever he or she feels like to the grand jury. Usually, a prosecutor doesn’t call a grand jury unless they think they can build a case. In other words, expect indictments at some point.

Source: Reuters

Uber driver after collecting his signup bonus.

Uber updates UberPool rating system.

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Uber makes UberPool rating system fairer…to drivers.

It’s nice to write something nice about Uber for a change. This past week, they did something right that actually helps drivers. They have modified the UberPool rating system to take into account things beyond the driver’s control.

From Uber:

With POOL trips, there are things outside a driver’s control that impact how riders rate the experience. For instance, was a rider unhappy with the match our algorithm made or was their co-rider too chatty?

We believe that drivers’ ratings shouldn’t be affected by things outside their control, so we’re adjusting the POOL rating system to make it fairer for drivers. Now, when riders rate a POOL trip less than 5 stars, they can select additional reasons why. And when the reason is something like the route or co-rider behavior, we won’t count the rating toward the driver’s average.

uberpool rating system

Source: Uber.com

Changing the UberPool rating system addresses a key driver complaint

This is fantastic. A lot of drivers are not fans of UberPool. It’s not only that it pays less for the same work. It’s also that when Uber launched the service, they pitched it to drivers as a way to make more money! This turned out to be untrue. Sorry Uber, you can’t buff a turd, but keep trying.

In addition to being paid less, drivers had to deal with being rated for things out of their control. For example, what if a passenger annoyed the other riders? While many would think the other riders wouldn’t give a poor rating, it happens often. My personal favorite is when someone takes an UberPool when they’re late, and then gives a low rating because there were additional pickups on the way. Please riders, don’t take UberPool or Lyft Line when you’re late. That’s not what they’re for.

So, kudos to Uber on this day for changing the UberPool rating system. Now, one more thing.

When will Uber add a tip option?

Lyft Sign up Bonus Lyft Driver Promo Code

Drive With Lyft in Duluth, Minnesota.

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Sign up to Drive With Lyft in Duluth, Minnesota

While Lyft has been around for some time, it has finally made it’s way to Duluth. Yes it’s true. The home of the largest inland freshwater port in North America has joined the rideshare universe. Although this means you can summon a Lyft while in Duluth, it also means something else. For the first time, you can also sign up to Drive With Lyft in Duluth, Minnesota. Residents seem to be flocking to Lyft in Duluth. However, Lyft is still in need of Duluth drivers.

Drive With Lyft in Duluth, MN. $500 sign up bonus

Drive With Lyft in Duluth, get a sign up bonus.

Even better, Duluth, Minnesota is a newer market for Lyft. This means Lyft is currently offering some of the highest sign up bonuses in the country for new drivers in Duluth. While you can earn up to $25 per hour driving for Lyft, most drivers average between $15 and $20 per hour. To see what your bonus is, click here to start your application, or click the “Join Lyft” button below.

 

Join Lyft

 

If you’d like more information about driving for Lyft in Duluth, post a comment or question below, or check out these resources.

Drive With Lyft in Duluth – Additional Resources

If you would like more information about signing up to Drive With Lyft in Duluth, be sure to check out some of these great resources.

Want to drive rideshare, but don’t have a car? There are rental options available on both Uber & Lyft