Uber is testing a service that lets you hire drivers for chores

Lee Duna@lemmy.nz to Technology@lemmy.world – 99 points –
Uber is testing a service that lets you hire drivers for chores
theverge.com
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I can't wait to have underpaid, non licensed, non professional people in my home doing potentially dangerous tasks and going through my personal things!

Wait til they try to get insurance involved too for "on-site injuries" and such -_-

I live in Chile and that happens already in regular uber service.

Dangerous? What dangerous tasks do you have at home. And presumably you wouldn't hire them for that if you're concerned about that.

Not that I would hire them for anything though.

Cleaning gutters or windows up high or cutting back large trees both seem dangerous enough, but I'm sure people will volunteer for it if they need the money.

I presume they're thinking about electricians' and heating engineers' jobs. Seems a bit over the top though because no-one's forcing you to use the service (i.e. this is not the kind of problem that affects people who object personally) and because there are already online services which act as a proxy to help you find people to do jobs at home which have not led to a slew of domestic gas explosions (i.e. this is not the kind of problem that is likely to have a big effect on society)

Yeah, that's probably the case. Here, no one is hiring non licenced electricians and stuff like that, so I didn't think of that.

Oh, and I just thought they are talking about everyday chores, like doing the laundry, vacuuming, going to the grocery store or pharmacy, cut the grass or the tree, stuff like that. Which don't require any certification.

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TaskRabbit is testing a service that lets you hire a tasker to drive you somewhere

TaskRabbit is a terrible service. I hired a handyman once but when they arrived they were neither a man nor did I get a handy. 1/10

I'll see myself out.

So not only will Uber wear out your car but now your body too. Typical capitalistic greed.

The goal of every company is to do shenanigans at the top while profiting off an underclass of laborers at the bottom. The more shenanigans they can do to squeeze the underclass harder, the better. Uber et al are genuine innovators in automating labor law violations to maximize that squeeze. Looks like they're expanding from chauffeurs to every other kind of household servant. Awesome. This will be very cool and fine.

I have never been able to understand Uber. They never invented anything new. Maybe there weren't e-hailing apps everywhere, but that's not so much better phoning for a taxi. The main thing they did was to spend an insane amount of money only to brush aside taxi regulations in the US and maybe some other countries. I have no idea how anyone expects to see a return on that "investment".

Phoning a taxi was hell. You’d get an operator and he would throw a dart on the board as a time estimate for pickup. Then after going to the pickup area and waiting 20 minutes you’d get a call saying walk 6 blocks to another pickup area because another taxi is closer.

Uber was cheaper because they were burning VC, like every other startup. Uber service declined A LOT soon after that. At least in my country Uber drivers vehicles are complete trash, almost falling apart because Uber cannot afford to limit themselves to drivers with mint vehicles anymore.

The parent commenter didn't even mention the price being an issue with taxis....

That may explain something about why Uber succeeded in the US. I have no idea what a pickup area is. Isn't the point of calling a taxi that they pick you up where you are? Ring the doorbell? And if one dispatcher service is no good, why not use another?

Have you used the e hailing apps and ordered a taxi? Its way better. Just sucks the corporate greed monster is ruining it. Although taxi medallion system was extremely predatory and terrible too

Maybe there weren't e-hailing apps everywhere, but that's not so much better phoning for a taxi.

Tell me you've never phoned for a taxi without telling me you've never phoned for a taxi

Lmao, every single traditional taxi service I've ever used has had absolutely horrendous service. From rude to long waits (Hours...HOURS LONG) to intentionally driving longer routes if you weren't local (Since you wouldn't know otherwise). For awhile Uber was even cheaper than regular taxis.

Maybe they did toss aside taxi regulations, but it needed to be done, the taxi industry really needed some real competition.

Frankly, Uber could be twice as expensive than a regular taxi and I'll still choose it, I'm never going back to taxis

They did all that, but they've also stirred the taxi ecosystem, which used to be full of rude dipshits who'd go the long way if they noticed you were not a local. Suddenly, they got competition in price and quality (the latter has been decaying).

I'm not defending Uber in any way.

true, taxi business everywhere has been a shitshow of sketchiness for such a "simple" concept

Rich families in African countries already do this. Families have trusted drivers that they use to drive them around and send out to do errands for them.

This is the best summary I could come up with:


Uber is experimenting with a new service that allows users to hire drivers from its app to complete everyday household chores and projects, in a bid to expand beyond its existing ridesharing and courier business.

The service, called Uber Tasks, will launch as a “small pilot” in the coming weeks in Fort Myers, Florida and Edmonton, Alberta.

According to a statement provided to The Verge by Uber spokesperson Conor Ferguson, users can advertise chores like furniture assembly, snow removal, at-home laundry, packing/unpacking, holiday decorating, yard cleanup, garden maintenance, and lawn mowing during the initial pilot.

Uber couriers and drivers can then browse the unclaimed tasks, with estimated earnings displayed before reserving.

“This small pilot is the newest way for drivers and couriers to put their skills to work and earn on their own schedule.”

The company has made other attempts to generate additional revenue in recent months, including the launch of a new flight booking service in the UK, and by sticking video ads in its apps.


The original article contains 265 words, the summary contains 167 words. Saved 37%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

oh... it's "chores" ... nevermind... I'll find myself out