When Lubbock’s last taxi company closed in October, the city was left with one car service in town.
Uber is a new concept in the transportation industry. According to the Uber website, the ridesharing service employs drivers with nice vehicles who are looking for a flexible work schedule. The company has strict requirements for drivers, including a reliable, clean vehicle and a spotless driving record.
The service operates primarily through a smartphone application, in which riders request a driver to pick them up and take them to their destination. The application has many features to helps riders have the best experience possible. Riders can check on the estimated arrival time of the driver and get an estimate of how much their trip will take. When it comes time to pay, it is done entirely through the application.
Carlos Fuentes, a military veteran who now drives for Uber, said he thinks the ridesharing service is a safer alternative to taxis.
“I’ve learned that working with Uber, and I’m not saying it’s 100 percent because nothing is, they do an excessive background check on you,” Fuentes said. “And before I even get there, you see my face, you see my picture, you know what color and what kind of car I have. You know my license plate. So, you know that I’m the right car.”
Even with safety precautions, incidents do happen. CBS in Dallas found that the background checks may not be as thorough as Uber claims, letting certain felony convictions slip through the cracks. On a post on their website, Uber claimed drivers who did not meet their background standards were fired.
Fuentes said he has a daughter who attends the University of Oklahoma. He said he would prefer his daughter use a service like Uber rather than a traditional taxi because of the safety features. Fuentes said that especially for young women, he feels like Uber is a safer option.
Fuentes has worked for Uber since it first launched in Lubbock this past summer. After being in the military for 22 years, Fuentes said he wanted to be his own boss for once. He said he enjoys making his own hours and the freedom Uber gives him as an employee.
“I’ve always said that when I retired, I wanted a job with the least amount of stress possible,” Fuentes said, “and this is it.”
Driving people around can give you some interesting stories. Fuentes said on weekends, he typically parks near the Broadway bar area. He said he has not had a rider vomit in his car or anything like that, but he has had some disrespectful customers. He said some people will put their feet up on the seat or windows or leave trash in his car.
Fuentes said the easiest way to have good experiences in a job like his is to remain relatable.
“I have had nothing but great experiences,” Fuentes said. “Because, you have to have that personality. I’ve been in some cabs, where you get in, and they’re like robots. There, there and that’s it. You have to be able to gauge if someone wants to talk or not.”
Since the Yellow Cab Company of Lubbock closed in October, Fuentes said he has noticed only a slight increase in customers. He said he has had an increase in older customers, but he enjoys getting to talk to different kinds of people.
Courtney Bier, a senior public relations major and public relations manager at The Hub, said she uses Fuentes’ Uber services frequently. She said she has had great experiences with him and likes that he is always friendly.
Bier recalled one incident where Fuentes took longer to pick her and her boyfriend up than the application said. She said she was ready to find an alternate way to get home when Fuentes showed up. He explained it had been a busy night and apologized. Bier said it did not affect her opinion of Uber, and she will continue to use their services.
Fuentes said game days are the busiest for Uber drivers in Lubbock. The Hub@TTU tracked the Uber application throughout the day on Nov. 15, which was the last home football game for Tech. Data from that day can be seen in the graphic below.
We tracked Uber numbers in Lubbock on Saturday, November 15. Check them out!
“If it’s game day, between 5 and 6 is when it starts,” Fuentes said. “Because they’re getting ready, they want to go to Chimy’s. You know how it goes. And then, between 8 and 9, actually 7:30 and 9, because that’s when everybody gets ready. And little by little they’re starting to trickle, and they want to go top these different establishments, and stuff like that. And then it picks up. By 10, maybe 11 at the latest, and then it starts peaking again between 12:30 and 2 in the morning because everyone is going home.”
With drunk driving always a concern on game days, Fuentes said, he is glad he can help to keep the number of intoxicated drivers on the road to a minimum.
Fuentes said he is happy with his job and encourages anyone looking for extra money to consider working for Uber.
“I tell students, of course you gotta at least be 21, because there’s a lot of students who have very nice vehicles,” Fuentes said, “and most students don’t want a 9-to-5 job. They’re tired; they’re studying. They want to work when they want to work. You are literally your own boss with this job.”
It was reported earlier this month that the Yellow Cab Company of Lubbock will reopen soon under new ownership, creating competition once again for Uber in Lubbock.
About Sarah Self-Walbrick
