A London-based Uber driver has raised a serious concern after receiving a job offer with a predicted mileage that was wildly inaccurate—potentially underpaying him for a lengthy airport run.
The driver, who contacted YouTuber advocate Driver Matty, was offered a trip from SE9 (South East London) to Heathrow Airport. According to the Uber app, the job was listed as a 26.8-mile journey with an estimated fare of £46.85. However, after cross-referencing the route on Google Maps—following the exact same directions Uber was suggesting—the actual distance came out to nearly 60 miles.
If accurate, this would mean the driver was set to be paid less than £47 for a long-haul, cross-London journey that would typically command a much higher fare.
The situation raises important questions: Was this a one-off glitch, or a sign of a deeper issue in Uber’s fare estimation system? And more critically for drivers—would Uber have corrected the mileage and fare automatically at the end of the trip if the driver had accepted it?
As of now, Uber has not publicly commented on this specific case. In theory, Uber’s system is supposed to adjust fares based on the actual time and distance travelled. But drivers across the UK have reported inconsistencies in how and when such corrections are made—leaving some to worry about potentially driving long distances for substandard pay.
Driver Matty, who regularly shares insights into the realities of driving for rideshare platforms, is urging fellow drivers to double-check mileage and fare estimates—especially for longer trips where discrepancies could be more costly.
“This is a huge error if it wasn’t going to be corrected automatically,” said Matty. “A 60-mile trip for under £50 just doesn’t add up. Drivers deserve transparency and fair pay for the work they do.”
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