5 things I learned driving for Uber
Over the holidays, I signed up to drive for Uber, the ubiquitous ride-sharing service that’s revolutionizing how we get around town. I knew I wouldn’t get rich, but a little extra spending money plus the experience of playing taxi driver seemed appealing, if only for a few weeks.
After registering, Uber ran a background check, confirmed my insurance, then made sure I drove a newish car–in my case, a 2007 Honda Accord. In just a few days, I was on the road hauling the mostly young and internet savvy around town. Here’s 5 things I learned:
(1) You won’t get rich driving for Uber, but if you’re willing to drive between 9 pm and 3 am on weekends, you could make decent money. That’s because Uber sometimes guarantees drivers upwards of $27 an hour during peak times. For the most part, a driver can expect to make about $10 an hour after gas and wear on the car.
(2) Meeting people is fun. In general, I’m not an extrovert. So picking up complete strangers and taking them to their destinations is somewhat of a rush. And the thought of most likely never meeting these people again liberated my shyness and allowed me to be the outgoing, fun loving person I always wanted to be, If only for a night.
(3) Riders like talking. A lot. Seen Taxicab Confessions on HBO? It’s not quite like that. But for the most part, riders–even the sober ones–seem to be more uninhibited than normal getting into an Uber car. For example, when I asked one rider how his day was going, he said, “okay” at first. Then he quickly changed his tune and proceeded to open up about how terrible his day actually was and how he hates his job and boss. Another rider shared her desire to have a baby if she can’t find a husband. One young lady expressed regret about the random guy she slept with the previous night.
(4) Uber can be addictive. You know how you can’t stop playing Angry Birds on your phone? Driving for Uber is sometimes the same, except instead of playing a video game, you play the waiting game, wondering who you’ll pick up next and where they will want to go. Even after a many hours of driving, it’s still tempting to open the driver app just to see if there’s one more person needing a ride.
(5) Uber is here to stay. Remember when taxi companies tried to ban Uber from entering the market? That ship has sailed. Uber–and similar ride-sharing services–have permanently disrupted the taxi industry, and based on feedback from riders, for the better.
Photo: App Store
This story was originally published March 10, 2015 at 12:45 AM with the headline "5 things I learned driving for Uber."