Uber driver

[thairick]

Used uber first time today,we are new here in mai rim.took 20 mins to pick up from macro.thats ok he was a fair way away.took us home close to mae raem shooting range,83 baht,unbelievable!

[narkeddiver]

If I know roughly what time I’ll need an Uber I always book one of their 15 minute time slots and the latest I’ve had one arrive is 5 minutes after the slot started - normally they arrive right on time

[jonwilly]

I've used Uber quite a lot over the last month.

Depending on time of day they can take up to 20 mins to arrive for a pick up.

I am often amused watch the car approach on my mobile as they can quite literally go all around the houses.

Most drivers speak good English and drive well although some accelerate to fast to catch up to car in front then brake hard to prevent crash, just young folk learning to drive their own motors.

Some work long hrs, 10-12/ day but when your young one can do such things.

In the main I am well satisfied with the service.

3 times I have been fined B35 for missing my car. In all cases the car has gone past me standing by roadside.

Rough old world.

 

john

[FolkGuitar]

I'm impressed by Uber's service. In fact, it has changed my way of dealing with transportation here in Chiang Mai. I don't own a car, relying solely on my motorcycle. For the 2-3 times a year that I 'need' a car, I'll rent one. Now, instead of a 1,000 baht rental, I'll often take a 75 baht Uber ride, unless my needs take me further away from Chiang Mai. 

 

There are many areas inside the Superhighway were it is virtually impossible to get a songthaew or Tuk-tuk, especially later in the evening. Uber to the rescue! Being in the city area, I've never needed to wait more than 5 minutes for one to arrive. And with Uber's constant promotions, few rides ever cost more than 50 baht.

 

I see more and more tourists standing on corners, scanning cars with their mobile phones in hand, waiting for their Uber rides (OK, possibly Grab..) I have a feeling that Tuk-tuks are going to eventually get relegated to 'tourist attraction' status rather than a form of regular transportation. Why ride in an uncomfortable vehicle for 150 baht when you can ride in air-conditioned comfort for 50?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Quote

.took us home close to mae raem shooting range,83 baht,unbelievable!

 

I don't think 83 baht is all that unreasonable.  Not as affordable as the Mae Rim songthaews, but overall it seems pretty fair for your own aircon vehicle.

[amexpat]

The songthaew would get you somewhere near where you want to go, eventually. 

[sanemax]

51 minutes ago, WinnieTheKhwai said:

 

I don't think 83 baht is all that unreasonable.  Not as affordable as the Mae Rim songthaews, but overall it seems pretty fair for your own aircon vehicle.

He did say "unbelievable" rather than "unreasonable"

[Dante99]

1 hour ago, amexpat said:

The songthaew would get you somewhere near where you want to go, eventually. 

Not at night.

[thairick]

2 hours ago, WinnieTheKhwai said:

 

I don't think 83 baht is all that unreasonable.  Not as affordable as the Mae Rim songthaews, but overall it seems pretty fair for your own aircon vehicle.

Ok,what  i meant was it was very cheap.

[rebo]

I recently calculated the real cost (incl. insurance, tax, depriciation, maintenance, gas ... but no unforeseen incidents ...) for my Fortuner as about 8 THB/km.
Even though I appriciate a low fare for taxi service I don't see how the Uber drivers/car owners make a profit with these 83 THB, a 20 min approach and the 10 min for the 5 km from macro to mae raem shooting range. For me it seems it just covers at most the expenses for the car.
O.K., they may not have a 1st cl insurance and may not let the car being serviced by a genuine dealer/workshop but even then it seems hardly possible to make an hourly wage of 50 THB.

[mat999]

Can they see our location on their map like we can see them? Because they often call me to ask where I am when I am at the pin, usually when they have driven off past a prominent stop like a 7/11.

 

I have had a few situations where they insist they are at the pick up point but aren't and even if we move a bit to a well know shop they dont respond. Getting picked up at Airport Plaza is the worst (e.g. the pin is at Starbucks but they insist on asking us to walk about 400 meters around the back, not the normal drop off point, all the way round to the southbound main road). I crosed the road the yesterday to save everyone time and told him (he was able to explain he would be late with a toilet emergency but not able to understand my message but he still said "OK"), but he didn't see me. He was parked in the traffic I was trying to avoid and I was flailing about like a crazy person trying to flag him down (i.e. he definitely saw me), just feet from the car at the end, but he still drove off. Managed to get in eventually.  

 

Prices are going up now but I hope the tuk tuks will be alowed soon, like motorcycles are allowed in Bangkok.

[Rockjockey]

Can the uber driver see where you want to go and where your are located... well I thought so until today. I book a ride only to see him head off in the opposite direction so that an Etam of 4 minutes went to 12 minutes. I called him and said to turn around only to have him disconnect and another driver log on with a 15 minute ETA. This guy also obviously changed his mind and disappeared. Then another driver calls asking where I want to go and then shows 14 minutes ETA. He too drops the call leavingme to rebook. All in all I went through 5 drivers to finally be picked up. Ive been using UBer for over 6 months and not had issues. Is this to do with Pattaya based uber drivers?

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[lordblackader]

If you like Uber, try Grab - having used both I nearly always will opt for Grab now as they have have far more vehicles on the road and they tend to be a little bit cheaper than Uber as well. 

[mat999]

I am pretty sure they dont know the destination before you get in the car as it is normal for them to ask where you are going, especially for new drivers. Grab was awesome a few months ago with loads of money off coupons, but I guess they got what they wanted- market share, so that seems to have stopped. Grab had a good deal for Tesco online the other day - 750 Baht off if you have enough points. I am going to try it now actually towards a bottle of Jack Daniels.

[idman]

Outside of Chiang Mai proper can be a bit dicey when trying to book with Uber as I am finding out more and more.  I am out by the Convention Center and lately when I book I see the Uber car going in circles trying to find my Condo.  I had one guy last week go by three times even after talking with him on his mobile.  I think a lot of the new drivers cannot read, cannot follow simple directions and rarely use the voice prompt on their GPS.  They just look at screen and off they go regardless.  When I am in the city itself there is never an issue getting to my Condo using Uber.  I also don't like being charged 35 baht when the driver cannot find my location when he is close by and he cancels.  Trying to deal with Uber about that is total waste of time.  All in all Uber and Grab despite some hiccups is much better than having to deal with the Taxi and Red Bus mafia.

[tyznd]

Where do you call to get an Uber or Grab driver?  Can you arrange someone pick you up a couple of days in advance?

[Rockjockey]

You need to download their Apps to your smart phone assuming you have one. If no phone try to ask domeone who has one ro do it for you. Dont know about ordering for future date.

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