Many Passengers Unaware Of Uber 'Blacklist'
BOSTON (CBS) – The next time you take Uber you might want to make sure you're nice to the driver.
Turns out just like you can rate the drivers they are rating the passengers too. And that number can make the difference between a quick pick-up or being blacklisted.
That's because if your Uber rating drops too low a driver might decide to ride right past you or you could get bounced from the Uber system completely.
That almost happened to Emily Tarran. When she found herself waiting longer than usual for her daily 3 a.m. Uber pick-up to get to work she starting asking questions.
One driver told her she had a really low Uber rating, "under 3 out of 5" stars.
But, Tarran had no idea her number was so low. The rating isn't available on the app. So, the easiest way to get your Uber rating is to just ask a driver.
Uber drivers tell WBZ-TV that just about anything could drive down a passenger's rating, like having a bad attitude or making a driver wait a long time before arriving at the pick-up spot.
"I get to rate them. They get to rate me. Everything works out," one driver told WBZ-TV.
And while you might still get a ride with only a few stars, drivers say when they see that low rating they do think twice.
"When you get a low rating you have to be more cautious," one driver said.
"It's important to us that both sides are behaving well and giving each other a positive experience," explained Josh Mohrer, a general manager at Uber. "The goal of the rating system is just to keep the experience on the platform as positive as possible." And to curb disrespectful or unsafe behavior.
Tarran started out her early mornings on a more positive note and it paid off - her rating quickly jumped to a 4.5 out of 5 stars.
So lesson learned, if you want a smooth ride, be sure to be Uber friendly.
