Uber partner and Tax

[Sinbad]

Sounds like a semi-decent business model. For both Uber and their partners.

Yup, it's taken off like wildfire.

They do some fairly rigorous screening of drivers, so as a fare you can feel pretty safe. You rate your driver after the trip as well, and poorly rated drivers just don't get assigned to requests. So it's in their interests to drive well, be polite etc as it means they'll get more business.

Just, as I mentioned - wonder how safe it is for a woman. My wife is werkloos at the moment, she could do this.

 

[Pho3nix]

Yup, it's taken off like wildfire.

They do some fairly rigorous screening of drivers, so as a fare you can feel pretty safe. You rate your driver after the trip as well, and poorly rated drivers just don't get assigned to requests. So it's in their interests to drive well, be polite etc as it means they'll get more business.

Just, as I mentioned - wonder how safe it is for a woman. My wife is werkloos at the moment, she could do this.

Personally don't think it's really safe but from my understanding the drivers can see the passengers and rate them as well so that's a added vetting procedure but with the rampant crime. I'm leaning towards no.

 

[RanzB]

A couple of the gentlemen I have spoken to have mentioned that they are on pension and it keeps them busy
The other few are actual professional drivers that do Uber while their clients are at work for extra bucks.
Then there are the peeps that just want some spare cash and enjoy driving.

Might be more types but these are the few I've met.

Makes sense for them, but I've the majority I've been driven by are younger dudes. Just seems to be a weird financial decision to me, you know?

Uber isn't a taxi business. They're an IT shop that facilitates taxi owners getting in contact with fares. Basically each "partner" is their own small business.
I chatted with my uberBLACK driver the other day - he actually owns a fleet of Corollas and employs people to drive them for Uber. He uses his Audi when there's lots of demand, or some of his regular drivers are off sick. The guy's a CA, worked for AngloGold for 10 years and got bored with accounting. Doing his MBA through GIBS...

Again, makes sense. But all the other, single operators who buy luxury cars and then have to operate as a taxi driver...

 

[Alton Turner Blackwood]

Just, as I mentioned - wonder how safe it is for a woman. My wife is werkloos at the moment, she could do this.

Mine too, and she already has a PrDP. We used to own a small charter company so she has some experience. Unfortunately we had to sell the vans as good trustworthy drivers are few and far between.

I'm just a bit concerned for her safety should she decide to do this.

 

[Sinbad]

Makes sense for them, but I've the majority I've been driven by are younger dudes. Just seems to be a weird financial decision to me, you know?



Again, makes sense. But all the other, single operators who buy luxury cars and then have to operate as a taxi driver...

Well, you know how many young upcoming types feel the need to buy the BMW or the GTI before they buy a house... this could be a direction for them to justify it/extricate themselves...

 

[RanzB]

Well, you know how many young upcoming types feel the need to buy the BMW or the GTI before they buy a house... this could be a direction for them to justify it/extricate themselves...

Yeah that's what I meant. By all means, buy a luxury car if you're comfortable making the payments. But to need a second job? :erm:

 

[Pho3nix]

Makes sense for them, but I've the majority I've been driven by are younger dudes. Just seems to be a weird financial decision to me, you know?

/tinfoil hat
Black guys? Getting paid to flex in their German automobiles. For some younger guys, this makes sense

 

[RanzB]

I'm just a bit concerned for her safety should she decide to do this.

Lose-lose... Drunk dudes getting driven home by a chick. If they make a pass at her, you get upset. If they deem her not attractive enough to make a pass, she gets upset

 

[Pho3nix]

this could be a direction for them to justify it/extricate themselves...

Exactly what it is.

 

[RanzB]

/tinfoil hat
Black guys? Getting paid to flex in their German automobiles. For some younger guys, this makes sense

No, never had a black Uber drive here in Durban. All have been white or Indian.

 

[DA-LION-619]

No, never had a black Uber drive here in Durban. All have been white or Indian.

 

[iacvlvs]

Remember, the phone and calls will for all intents and purposes be free - you pay the service provider and deduct that money from your total tax

I'm afraid that's not how it works. It's (income - deductions) * tax rate, not (income * tax rate) - deductions
So if you earn R100 000 for the year, and have R10 000 in deductible expenses, your tax payable would be:
(100 000 - 10 000) * 18% = 90 000 * 18% = 16 200
Without the deductions, your tax would have been 100 000 * 18% = 18 000
So the total saving is 1 800 (difference between the 18 000 you would have paid and the lower 16 200 due after deductions)
That's 18% of the 10 000 deductible expenses.
Your tax is not 8 000 (18 000 - 10 000) because you don't deduct the expenses from tax payable, you deduct them from your income before calculating tax payable.

So the phone and calls won't be free, but they will effectively be discounted by the applicable tax rate.

 

[Alton Turner Blackwood]

Ah, ok. Thanks for the explanation!

 

[noob_saibot]

Yup, it's taken off like wildfire.

They do some fairly rigorous screening of drivers, so as a fare you can feel pretty safe. You rate your driver after the trip as well, and poorly rated drivers just don't get assigned to requests. So it's in their interests to drive well, be polite etc as it means they'll get more business.

Just, as I mentioned - wonder how safe it is for a woman. My wife is werkloos at the moment, she could do this.

Not always.

They apparently didn't screen a guy in India enough and he turned out to be a convicted rapist who (according to news sources) did rape a woman he picked up as an Uber driver.

Also, Uber is growing but is also facing major backlash in some countries.

I think the Netherlands has banned it completely. New Delhi as well. There's also a few states in the US that are blocking and/or suing Uber.

There's also some other issues they're having, but they did get propped up nicely with a $1.2Billion investment recently.

 

[Sinbad]

Not always.

They apparently didn't screen a guy in India enough and he turned out to be a convicted rapist who (according to news sources) did rape a woman he picked up as an Uber driver.

Also, Uber is growing but is also facing major backlash in some countries.

I think the Netherlands has banned it completely. New Delhi as well. There's also a few states in the US that are blocking and/or suing Uber.

There's also some other issues they're having, but they did get propped up nicely with a $1.2Billion investment recently.

You need to check your facts:

https://www.uber.com/cities/amsterdam

https://www.uber.com/cities/new-delhi

 

[noob_saibot]

You need to check your facts:

https://www.uber.com/cities/amsterdam

https://www.uber.com/cities/new-delhi

I have, otherwise I wouldn't mention it:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/08/uber-banned-netherlands_n_6291210.html

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/dutch-court-bans-uber-online-taxi-service/article21987385/

 

[Sinbad]

I have, otherwise I wouldn't mention it:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/08/uber-banned-netherlands_n_6291210.html

It ordered Uber to stop providing the service known as UberPop, which it said broke a law requiring that drivers have a special license.

So it's not uber, it's unlicensed taxi drivers...

 

[noob_saibot]

It ordered Uber to stop providing the service known as UberPop, which it said broke a law requiring that drivers have a special license.

So it's not uber, it's unlicensed taxi drivers...

Uber, the fast-growing online car sharing service, has been banned from taking bookings in the Netherlands via its smartphone app...

AFAIK, all Uber bookings happen via the app. So if they are banned from taking bookings via it, it is basically banned entirely.

 

[Sinbad]

AFAIK, all Uber bookings happen via the app. So if they are banned from taking bookings via it, it is basically banned entirely.

No, uberPOP is banned. You can still get uberX and uberBlack which are taxi services. UberPOP is a ridesharing service - so non-taxi-drivers can advertise a shared ride somewhere.

 

[KalMaverick]

If you're an Uber driver should you not register as a provisional taxpayer?