Did you guys see that bot that keeps saying Empower is dead in South Florida when it’s clearly taking off like wildfire?
Also I’ve noticed even Uber has noticed and is starting to give me flash offers (as a passenger) thang is hasn’t given me in years. Still sticking with Empower. I’ve brought on over 35 new riders!
Unfortunately, Empower is completely dead in South Florida. My app has been on for the last 5 hours, and not a single request!
Unfortunately, Empower is completely dead in South Florida. My app has been on for the last 5 hours, and not a single request!
Unfortunately, Empower is completely dead in South Florida. My app has been on for the last 5 hours, and not a single request!
Greetings to everyone both Driver and Rider and any potential people who use this app. I hope all of you are doing well.
I will get straight to the point. Some of you may already know this but I imagine most do not so I am going to explain the current state of things for Empower when it comes to DC. Because of a decision made by Mayor Bowser, no doubt influenced by Uber, Empower is currently banned from giving rides for a fee in DC. Here is a break down of what this means.
Simply put: All rides that use DC streets in any capacity as treating DC as Free. All of this is completely absurd and unfair to the Driver as Free does NOT pay for the time, gas/electricity and wear and tear spent on the time and distance the system isnt appropriately compensating the Driver for and some Drivers are full time Drivers. As Independent Contractors which is what every Empower, Uber and Lyft Driver is they arent paid by the hour because they arent employees of either service, they get paid by the Ride. So...
To Drivers
Do not allow yourselves to give rides where you know you're not being appropriately compensated for. Any time you get a ride offer where the fare is in blatant contradiction to your rates contact the Rider and ask them if they are willing to compromise but DO NOT knowingly allow yourselves to be ripped off by circumstances that arent your fault. If Riders wont fairly compensate you then cancel the ride.
To Riders
Please understand that expecting free rides from Drivers or rides that have a fare that is unreasonably low versus the time and distance involved is just unconscionable and unfair.
Examples include: A fare that is only 8 dollars for rides that are 15, 20 or 30+ minutes long. Rides like that would and should be closer to 12, 16 and 25 dollars respectively with round trip rides totalling such times being priced accordingly such as a 60 minute road trip, round trip or one way being 50 to 55 dollars.
I've already heard of Riders being blatantly unreasonable expecting to get dirt cheap/nearly free rides because of an issue that while yes isn't their fault but it isn't the Driver's fault either.
One Driver reported a gentleman accusing him of demanding that the gentleman pay him more or he won't give that rider their ride because the driver didnt want to give a 30 minute drip for 8 dollars when the driver made no such demand and was simply asking if the gentleman would be willing to compromise. The gentleman even kept interrupting the Driver when the Driver was trying to explain the situation and even rudely asked "Then why are you working for a company that's not paying you appropriately?" Again people, Drivers are NOT employees, they are Independent Contractors who are paid by the ride, not by the hour. Luckily that gentleman took his head out of the clouds and paid the driver appropriately but that Rider was still being rude despite knowing ahead of time that the Driver was giving him a choice. From what I know though the ride itself went fine and the gentleman was nice when he left, even paid the driver a little more then necessary, driver even said he could break even by giving some money back so the rider wouldn't over pay.
Then there was another ride that same day for that same driver where this lady was wanting to take a 60 minute round trip for only 8 dollars and when the Driver figured that out he had to tell her in person that he absolutely will not do such a ride for so little pay and the Rider made ZERO attempt to even offer proper compensation, she literally expected a dirt cheap ride that was unfairly priced in her favor.
Some weeks later another rider called this same Driver to cancel the ride because she didn't want to pay an appropriate 25 dollars for her 30 minute trip and was very snarky to the Driver when he was being nothing but polite to her the whole time even when he explained the situation.
Simply put, Riders, YOU HAVE to stop acting like it is okay to knowingly rip off your Drivers. They are well within their rights to expect proper payment, because without proper payment it is a waste of their time, gas/electricity, wear and tear, insurance costs and maintenance costs to be giving rides they know they arent getting paid appropriately for.
If the issue causing this wasnt a thing then you'd be paying them fairly or not riding period, all that they are doing is making sure they get paid what is actually normal for the rates they use. So to all of you Riders who are being selfish, delusional cheapskates thinking you can deliberately use this issue to your man/woman child level selfishness better be ready because no Driver is obligated to bend over backwards and take it up the rear from you. They will not be taken advantage of. Pay appropriately or you dont ride, and since they are running a business using their own vehicles they have every right to make sure they get paid correctly, end of story. You don't like it then you can go pound sand and be late getting to where ever it is you are trying to go because you wanted to be greedy.
Addendum: Just to point out I understand the desire for an affordable ride but there is a very fine line between affordable and ripping off your Driver and it doesn't take a genius to understand when a fare is unreasonably low. All I ask is that you use common sense and be fare to the Drivers because after all without them how would you get to where you're going? If you had another way that works for you you wouldn't be using Rideshares like Empower, Lyft or Uber, you would either be driving yourself or a friend or family member would take you or you'd use a metro bus or train so don't be unfair, just pay the driver what you know is actually fair because Drivers are not stupid, they know what is fair especially if they've done this sort of thing for a long time.
I have a few questions about empower in nyc I’m aware that it is illegal but are a lot of people using it getting caught ? And how much are drivers making a day is it worth the risk I already have my tlc plate .
This is not to discourage anyone, but just be aware that when you are carrying passengers (and even on your way to pick them up), you are doing so with no insurance coverage. Empower does not provide coverage. And personal car insurance, even so-called "rideshare coverage", does not cover you, your passengers, vehicles, or other drivers and their passengers in this situation. Any damage/injuries resulting from an accident, from when you accept a ride request to the drop off, will be out of pocket. This could be financially ruinous, especially if there are bodily injuries.
I was driving for Lyft two days ago and another car hit me with a passenger in my car. The passenger sustained injuries and so did the driver of the other vehicle. I am ok physically. Lyft's insurance covers drivers, but with a $2,500 deductible. So I'm out $2,500. If I had been driving for Empower, all costs for damages and injuries would have been on me.
I am going to look into the cost of commercial insurance before driving for Empower again. The few extra dollars per ride is not worth the risk for me.
I drive part-time, and joined empower on April 27th.