How to Be a Successful Uber Driver

Being an Uber driver can be a great way to make money. When you have the right approach to organization and customers, you’re able to earn quite a sum. Being in the Uber community can bring you many benefits. But, you have to pay attention to some things that might seem useful, but end up being more harmful. If you know how to deal with people, you’re pretty much close to being a successful driver, but there are some things you should consider.

Know the Peak Time

This is when you’ll earn most per hour. Be sure to inform yourself about the peak time in your area. Uber refers to it as surge pricing, while Lyft calls it Prime Time, and this is when customers get charged more. These hours are usually very early in the morning and late at night. Also, consider tracking the trending events and when they are finished. This will help you time your arrival appropriately.

The most common passengers you’ll get during peak times are the ones that had gone out at night. This means that there’s a probability you’ll be facing a lot of drunk people. Some of them might even get sick. Fortunately, if any mess appears, Uber will cover the payment for cleaning up your car.

Find a Good Spot

Picking a fare when Uber pings on an area isn’t going to bring you many benefits. Actually, you’ll wear out your vehicle and waste more time and fuel. This especially applies to suburbs. Driving a long distance to pick a customer up should be avoided, as they might demand a short ride.

A great solution is to find a good spot to park. This way, local people will remember you and know where they find a sure ride. There’s a possibility that you’ll be driving frequent customers as well. This way you can stay in touch with them and assure yourself of more work. In order to be productive, be sure to find a good way to spend your time while on your designed parking spot.

Track Your Mileage

If you’re self-employed and driving around in your car, there’s a way of getting money back on your taxes. This can be done by tracking your miles. For every mile you drive, you can get back 54 cents, which means that you’ll save $54 on every 100 miles. There are some useful apps that can track mileage for you. Be sure to do a research on these apps, as some of them can save you over $3,500 on taxes every year.

Treat Your Customers Well

If you want to become a successful Uber driver, then you will need to treat your customer well. In the good old days, drivers knew how to approach a customer. Opening doors, being polite and having some treats in handy can make a major difference between you and any other driver. Be sure to use a pleasant tone and polite words. Have in mind that some passengers love sharing stories and opening themselves up. This is the reason why you should start a ride with two simple conversation-opening questions. If you receive short answers, there’s no need to continue the conversation. But, if someone is willing to interact, you should act accordingly.

Don’t Always Follow Uber Instructions

While working as an Uber driver, you’ll probably be provided with more fares, as Uber management is always trying to maintain a quality community. They will text you about places and big events that may be profitable for the night. The reason why you shouldn’t always attend these places is because there’s going to be a lot of other Uber drivers on the hot spot. When there’s a decent number of drivers in a certain area, the surge pricing drops. This makes your rides cheaper than if you’d waited in a location you’re well informed about.

Adam Richards

About Adam Richards

Adam Richards is a semi-retired business professional originally from Bangor, Maine. He spent the majority of his career in sales and marketing where he rose to the marketing lead of a Fortune 1000 company. He then moved on to helping people as a career counselor that specifically helped bring families to self-sufficiency through finding them rewarding careers. He has now returned to Bangor for his retirement and spends his free time writing. This blog will be about everything he learned throughout his career. He'll write on career, workplace, education and technology issues as well as on trends, changes, and advice for the Maine job market and its employers.