

Uber Drivers Flock to Hamptons to Gain Partygoers’ Fares - zabalmendi
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-11/uber-drivers-flock-to-hamptons-lured-by-partygoer-s-fares.html

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filmgirlcw
When I was in the Hamptons last year, getting a car was MAD expensive. This
was before Uber had people come in, so they partnered with some car services
so even Uber was like $150 minimum for a round-trip to go 2 miles. I'm not
actually joking about that.

Even with a cut-rate car service, to go from our hotel to an event I was
attending and back (and it was maybe 4 miles in distance, MAYBE), it was close
to $100. And that was because we found a cheap car service.

I totally see Uber drivers who have high ratings and $15 minimums being able
to clean UP over the summer.

The only thing is I wonder about the impact on the existing drivers. Part of
the reason the prices are so nuts is that the town basically shuts down the
other nine months of the year, so those drivers charge an arm and a leg
because after that, that part of the island is just freaking dead.

Screw pissing off London cabbies, I'd seriously be scared of messing with
Hamptons drivers...

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cpwright
The "local" drivers don't certainly all live in the Hamptons either. I worked
at an ISP doing tech support while I was in high school, and one of the other
guys also drove a cab in the Hamptons. This was 30-50 miles west of the
Hamptons; yet still solidly Long Island (50 miles east of Manhattan) not the
city.

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filmgirlcw
That's a good point. I only knew of the driver we had, who was local, and had
to go to do the opposite thing the other 9 months of the year (the occasional
rich client airport run aside), but you're right, I totally expect that many
of the drivers aren't local. I guess I was more thinking the cab companies
themselves rather than the drivers.

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omarforgotpwd
Ah, good old supply and demand based surge pricing. One of the most unpopular
features of Uber, but it works like a charm.

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aborochoff
Actually, this has nothing to do with surge pricing. From the article:

"Working in the Hamptons is a perk for Uber’s top drivers. Only those with the
highest ratings from riders -- at least a 4.7 out of 5 stars -- can operate in
the area because “Uber wants to preserve its image keeping a high-standard of
service,” Cosentino said."

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gtremper
I'm pretty sure they kick you off the uber system anywhere if your rating goes
below 4.7

