u/TheGuyWithThePotato

Man, I wanted to wait until I could speak with whomever at Walnut Creek to get this concern across but I am way to heated by the issue. For those going to a concert there, please make sure you choose the correct address for you drop off otherwise you and your driver are going to be caught in a weird situation. At the same time, for whomever organizing the parking and traffic patterns at Walnut Creek Amphitheater, absolute shame on you for putting peoples safety at risk, wasting time, and threatening fines and to refuse to let drivers leave due to your operational failures.

On the way to Walnut Creek, there was heavy traffic (as usual) and no signage directing rideshare drivers in advance to go to an alternate drop-off location. There are several main roads that Walnut Creek can be approached from, but from what I observed, there was nothing being done to proactively manage traffic or direct riders to the correct locations. Worse, Walnut Creek has changed their traffic patterns and ride-share pick up and drop offs multiple times in the past year, making logistics for attendees and drivers a headache, while tying up parking staff in pointless conversations increasing traffic. In contrast to Lenovo arena, there is proper coordination with the Uber apps, and clear directions from staff to redirect traffic to the correct spots. Never once have they threatened to fine drivers or prevent them from leaving the venue.

Today, Uber apps were directing drivers to enter the venue parking lot and drive to the VIP area for drop off. Historically, this has been the rideshare drop off and pick up spot when the traffic patterns were not altered. Despite zero signage and an apparent lack of coordination with Uber, a particular parking lot attendant at the VIP lane was rudely explaining to drivers that they "know" they are supposed to drop off at some softball field and that they will be fined and prevented from leaving in the future. This is absolutely NOT the way to handle this, especially with an aggressive tone and putting happy concert attendees and underpaid drivers in awkward positions.

I agree and applaud a traffic pattern that ensures people are being dropped off in a safe spot away from the fray of ve ue traffic and where they can easily be picked up from after the show. It's hopefully a positive strategy, but without proper coordination and signage, its impossible for every attendees or driver to know this. When I spoke with another parking attendant, they explained that the coordinator spoke with someone at Uber and we were all supposed to be notified.

I want to make this loud and clear: Uber drivers are not employees who have a magic telephone line to dispatchers that give them pre-shift briefings. Rideshare drivers are every day people who pick up their phones, hop into their cars, and driver around for a few hours to make some extra cash. There is ZERO communication between corporate with their drivers beyond whatever directions are provided in the app, and there is no dispatcher to call that is somehow managing a region. Worse, no one who does this actually makes serious money or has any recourse to manage customer conflicts. I highly doubt that you will be successful in extorting unknowing drivers and their riders without making a huge scene and backing up traffic further, and I seriously doubt that law enforcement wants to waste time serving trespass notices to confused drivers when there are more important matters at hand, all because your venue can't properly coordinate traffic.

The method of communication of these changes and the means for directing traffic today puts drivers and their customers at risk. When a driver receives a request, the app plots the directions and destination. The driver is incapable of altering it without the customers consent. If a venue thought it coordinated with corporate, but for some reason you have all the rideshare drivers going to the wrong area, its because YOU messed up, not the drivers. We have no incentive to sit in traffic. Worse, customers expect to be dropped off at their destination and without clear signage, if I driver does know to go to a drop off point, the customer may dispute the destination and may report that driver for safety issues. All you have to do is look up Uber drivers in the news and youll see endless lists of drivers being attacked, harassed and killed over petty disputes and crimes. While you may think that redirecting traffic through the app is suffcient, having clear signage at all roads leading to the venue improves safety and minimizes risks for the riders and drivers.

TlDr: Rideshare drivers are not employees outside of labor organizing rights and do not have any connection with an app other than whatever directions and destination are given to them. They are low paid and have zero control over the price customers are being charged. Venues bare the responsibility from proper traffic control, directing and coordinating with rideshare companies to ensure riders and drivers are directed to the correct locations. Failing to do this puts riders and drivers in uncomfortable positions at best, and in unsafe situations at worst. Threatening to fine and using parking staff to detain and fine drivers is a massive liability to the venue and an extreme security risk for the employee, driver and the rider. Walnut Creek... get your sh** together. Riders, please be kind and advocate for drivers, and other tipped employees. We are all just trying to put food on the table, finish college, and occasionally go to concerts like you.