Tips for being a successful Uber driver. This article certainly won’t apply to everyone. However, for those of us who have side hustles, driving for Uber and Lyft are among the most popular. In fact, more than 70 million Americans have a side hustle of some kind! So if you are going to use driving for Uber and/or Lyft (which is what I have done for a long time) you are going to need a few pointers to set yourself apart from the other drivers and maximize the tips that you might get! So let’s get started!
Caveat Alert: This article will talk about what YOU can do to be a successful Uber driver. It will not talk about how to manipulate the rideshare algorithms, cherry-picking rides, or other things like that.
(1) Don’t Drive Too Much Without a Passenger
What I mean by this is that when you are in between rides, don’t drive more than you have to. When you drop off a pax, don’t drive all over town looking for the next ride. This will cause you to put unnecessary miles on your car, spend more money on gas, and increase the chances that you are in an accident or get a ticket.
A good rule of thumb that I have after I drop off a pax is that I don’t drive more than 1 mile before I find somewhere to park and wait for the next ride. That is, of course, if I don’t already have another ride already queued.
I usually look for a place where there might be people requesting rides to wait if possible. However, this is not always possible. A lot of times, when you drop off a pax in a residential area there aren’t a ton of requests in that same area. In this case I look for a parking lot to wait in. Church parking lots are my favorite. They are usually large, don’t have many cars in them (unless it’s Sunday morning) and I can get out and stretch my legs.
If you concentrate on keeping your mileage down when possible it will help you become more profitable. It is not always possible to do so, but do your best to shave off extra miles where possible.
(2) Don’t Chase the Surges
If you have been driving for Uber and/or Lyft for very long, you are used to seeing surge areas pop up and go away pretty often. Unless you are within a mile or two of a surge area don’t chase it. Most of us drivers have had it happen numerous times: You drive to a surge area expecting to get a $10 or $15 surge and as soon as you get there it disappears.
Unless you are already pretty close to a surge area, don’t chase it. It could disappear and you will have just put unnecessary miles on your car. Not to mention that there are probably 20 other drivers also chasing that same surge area.
(3) Be Polite to Your Riders
I really shouldn’t have to even say this one, but I have seen SOOO many drivers be rude, short, or curt to their pax. Just be nice to people! If they don’t want to talk very much, don’t try to talk their ears off. If you are trying to be a successful Uber driver (or a successful ANYTHING) you should be serving others. It is hard to serve others while you are being rude to them.
Put on your customer service face and just be polite.
(4) Keep Music and Podcasts “Vanilla”
There are two ways that Uber drivers look at this.
- This is my car and I’m in it all day long, I’ll listen to what I want.
- I want to be careful not to offend the people in my car.
If you are trying to be a successful Uber driver make sure that you have good music or podcasts playing. What I mean by this is listen to music or podcasts that you like AND your pax will like.
Yes, you are the one in the car the entire time, but you have to be mindful of the other people in the car and do your best to not make them uncomfortable. After all, the pax doesn’t know you at all and they are in your car (usually alone). They can be a little uncomfortable already. Don’t add to it by picking music or podcasts that would likely make them uncomfortable.
Use your own best judgment based on your own preferences, the passengers that you are likely to pick up, your geographic location, and any events going on.
For example, on Halloween I play a Halloween Spotify playlist. I usually stay away from Christmas music because some people can’t stand it. I often listen to a Spotify playlist called Monday Motivation that I like and that my pax seem to like. Classic rock is usually also a solid choice.
In my opinion, you should NOT be playing anything religious or political. While one pax might really like and appreciate the content, there is a good chance that the next one will not and you will make them extremely uncomfortable quickly. And when your pax has a poor or uncomfortable ride, they are likely to not tip you.
(5) Keep Water and Snacks Available
For me, this was a game changer. I always have a case of water in the trunk when I am driving. I also make sure to fill up the cup holders and doors with water bottles for people. I don’t charge them for them at all and I have found that people are really grateful for a bottle of water, especially after being picked up from the bar or club. A case of water costs just a few dollars and I have noticed that I probably get tipped an extra $20-25 when I have water out compared to when I do not.
Snacks can also be a good way to earn more tips. I don’t like when other people eat in my car so I don’t do this but I know other divers who do and it seems to work for them.
I do, however, offer gum to my pax. After all, everyone likes the guy who offers gum!
(6) Keep Your Car Clean
Once again, this one seems to be a no brainer but we have all probably been in an Uber that was kind of gross. Don’t be that driver.
If you want to be a successful Uber driver, keep your car clean!
I clean the inside of mine weekly. I don’t clean the outside as often because where I live we get a lot of snow and there are times where the temperatures don’t rise above freezing to do so. But I clean it whenever I can.
Before each driving shift that I do, I make sure to clean out the car. It might not be a full clean. But I sanitize it and make sure that everything is in order and (at least relatively) clean.
Make sure to not have anything big in your car either when you start driving. Take out the car seats, take your groceries home, etc. The only things that I keep are cleaning supplies which are in a milk crate in my trunk and a small cooler with drinks and food for me in the front seat.
(7) Have Recommendations at the Ready
It is inevitable. You will have people ask you “Where is the best place to eat?”, “Where is the best sports bar?”, “Where is the best fill-in-the-blank?”. It will happen.
If you want to be a successful Uber driver, make sure to have recommendations ready. Know (at least) a couple restaurants that you like of a couple different types of food.
Know which bars, clubs, or hang-outs are the ones that people like to go to and under what circumstances they like to go to them.
If you are able to suggest different things to do in your area it will go a long way with your pax and will most definitely increase your tips.
Final Thoughts
There are certainly more tips and tricks to being a successful Uber driver. However, I have noticed that these have been the ones that have been the most profitable for me.
In a world that we live in where it seems most people have some sort of a side hustle, it is important to help each other to be successful.
In addition to this, I am here to help you with your other financial goals and plans.
The financial world is difficult to understand and navigate. So I am here to help give you the tips and tools to help you be successful.
Please share this with a friend if you found it helpful!
You can do this!
Until next time!
0 Comments