MAPPING MAD: Uber driver highlights sat nav route glitch costing drivers money on fixed price jobs

An irate Uber driver has highlighted a sat nav routing glitch that is costing drivers time and money on fixed price journeys.

The driver, who wishes to remain anonymous, contacted TaxiPoint to bring attention to a navigation glitch that is potentially costing drivers time and money.

After picking up a passenger following a football match in the nearby area, the driver found themselves in heavy traffic due to roadworks on the A19. Despite being aware of the road closure, the Uber app's navigation system continued to guide the driver towards the blocked route.

"I went another way, but so did everyone else, so the trip took 1 hour and 18 minutes instead of the estimated 40 minutes," the driver said. According to the driver, under Uber's fixed pricing rules, such incidents are supposed to trigger an automatic recalculation of the fare to reflect the extended journey duration. However, this did not transpire in the case of this specific trip due to the mapping glitch.

Following the journey, the driver requested a trip review, expecting Uber to address the issue. However, to their disappointment, Uber are said to have refused the request. The driver then provided screenshots to demonstrate the road closure and asked for an explanation, but their attempts to seek clarification were rejected.

"This is absolutely ridiculous. It's a constant issue resulting from the fixed pricing system," the driver emphasised. "Uber fails to consider heavy traffic, roadworks, or accidents when calculating the fare at all."

The incident highlights the problem often seen on satellite navigation mapping. The failure of Uber's navigation system to account for road closures and the subsequent absence of automatic fare recalculations has raised concerns over the fairness and accuracy of their fixed pricing model.

TaxiPoint have approached Uber for comment.