With this review, I plan on discussing my top 10 important reasons for why Rideshare drivers should have their radio playing for passengers during rides. How many of you guys listen to the radio? All of us for the most part right? Especially if you’re a Rideshare driver or passenger. That being said, have you ever thought about the importance of having your radio playing and how having your radio playing could help make not just the drivers experience more pleasant, but the passengers experience as well? If you have, then this review is for you. Let’s relate about this experience for a second!
Here at #1RideShareDoc, I’m all about sharing my personal story with you guys concerning this off the wall Rideshare industry! With my almost 7 years of Rideshare experiences and almost 40,000 rides completed, I feel like I’m the perfect guy to go to vent, share information with and/or ask questions starting with this discussion on the importance of drivers having their radio playing for passengers. I know there’s a lot of passengers out there that would love for their Lyft drivers to have their radios playing upon them entering their vehicle.
So why not give these drivers a reminder? Let’s discuss the things that these Rideshare companies aren’t talking about! Companies like Uber, Lyft, Via and Sidecar just to name a few. Please allow your Rideshare Doc to prepare you for what’s ahead of you and more importantly behind you!
This review will be divided into the following sections, for better absorption and clearer understanding purposes:
Introduction
Are Drivers Allowed To Play Their Radio During Work?
What Do I Consider To Be Respectful Radio Music?
What Do I Consider To Be Disrespectful Radio Music?
How Loud Should A Driver’s Radio Be?
What Radio Station Should A Driver Play Or Tune In To?
My Top Most 10 Important Reasons For Having The Radio Play During Rides!
6 Moments When A Rideshare Driver Should Turn Their Radio Off?
My Professional Conclusion
Are Drivers Allowed To Play Their Radio During Work?
If you happen to be a passenger or even a driver and you’ve been asking yourself this question on whether or not it’s okay to have the radio playing during rides, the answer to this question is yes, it’s totally fine! As long as your music isn’t too loud or considered disrespectful by your passenger, your music should be good to go. I’ll be covering what could be considered respectful or disrespectful music within the following section.
What Do I Consider To Be Respectful Radio Music?
Even though an Uber driver may be playing what they consider in their book to be good or respectful music, I would consider respectful music to be music that a passenger does prefer to hear or wouldn’t mind listening to upon entering the driver’s vehicle. It could be because the passenger actually liked that particular genre of music, the tempo, the category, the volume and it’s lyrics or because the passenger actually requested to hear that particular type of music, radio station or song.
Either way the passenger or driver wants to hear or doesn’t mind hearing what they’re hearing or requesting. But it all depends on the type of passenger you’re giving a ride to in which you won’t know until it’s too late. So the best thing to do on both ends is to say something!
What Do I Consider To Be Disrespectful Radio Music?
Even though a Lyft driver may be playing what they consider in their book to be good or respectful music, I would consider disrespectful music to be music that a passenger may not prefer to hear or listen to upon entering the driver’s vehicle. It could be because of the language or lyrics the music is using (profanity included!), the tempo, the category the music is focused on, its specific genre, the volume level of the music itself or because the passenger didn’t request to hear that particular type of music, radio station or song from the beginning.
Either way, the passenger or driver doesn’t want to hear what they’re hearing which in my eyes again translates to a respect thing. Some passengers really prefer riding in silence while others don’t! That said, playing any song (whether it be personal or on the radio!) could be considered to be disrespectful music. Especially in my book!
How Loud Should A Driver’s Radio Be?
I feel as though a Rideshare drivers radio station should only be played loud enough to hear the actual tempo or sound of maybe the radio host or song if there’s something playing. Hearing what’s actually being said or sung during a song isn’t necessary. A driver’s radio station volume should never surpass the noise level of other motorist horns, emergency sirens and more importantly the driver or passengers voice. You should never be able to hear a driver’s radio from outside of the vehicle either.
Ideally, it should match the volume of two people conversing with “12-inch” inside voices. Especially when a driver is completing a trip! A driver doesn’t need anything (especially loud sounds!) distracting them from focusing on the road or the safety of their passengers.
What Radio Station Should A Driver Play Or Tune In To?
Now when it comes to what radio station a Rideshare driver should play when referring to their passengers, the driver should either play a specific station of the passenger’s choosing or a station that is neutral for all passengers to listen to (including children!). A radio station that I would consider to be neutral for all passengers ears would be a station that has a mixed genre of music which includes hip hop, R&B and classical music. Depending on where you live, you may or may not have these types of radio stations available.
So be sure to do a little research first before deciding to accommodate your passengers with radio waves! Where I reside which is in the DMV area, we of course have 95.9, 92Q and 96.3 which are all radio stations that play all genres of music.
My Top 10 Most Important Reasons For Having The Radio Play During Rides!
Now without further ado, I present to you guys my top 10 most important reasons for having my radio playing during rides:
1.) Being Entertainment: Do you care about entertaining your passengers as a professional Rideshare driver? Passengers might find value in the radio’s entertainment, particularly during extended rides.
2.) Being Able To Relax: Are you or your passengers having a hard time relaxing? Good music can foster a peaceful atmosphere, which is especially beneficial for passengers seeking a stress-free and calming ride.
3.) Being In An Elevated Atmosphere: Are you a driver who’s looking to take your passengers trip experience to the next level? If so, then the presence of radio tunes can enhance the overall atmosphere, adding to the enjoyment of the ride for not just the passengers, but for the driver as well!
4.) Rating Impact: Are you a driver who’s aiming for that good old five-star rating?Wellhaving your radio playing in the background just might do the trick. Especially since it’s preferred by most passengers.
5.) Comfort Factor: Would you happen to be that driver who’s aiming to make a passenger’s experience more comfortable? If you are, radio music, commercials and news broadcastings can offer a feeling of comfort and familiarity to passengers throughout the journey. Especially if it’s a long haul!
6.) Initiating Conversations: Are you one of those drivers who enjoys random conversations? If you are, then the radio can serve as a starting point for conversations between drivers and passengers. Especially when playing the news or podcast!
7.) Time Perception: Are you one of those drivers who feels like time is moving slow? If you are, then the radio can aid in making time pass more swiftly for not just the passengers, but for you as well. Especially when driving through heavy, very congested traffic or when your on an extended journey.
8.) Privacy Enhancement: Are you one of those drivers or passengers looking for more privacy during a ride? If you are, then adding some radio background noise can establish a sense of privacy, enabling passengers and/or drivers to engage in personal conversations without the risk of being overheard.
9.) Cultural Awareness: Music or news programs can adapt to diverse cultural preferences, fostering a more inclusive environment.
10.) Distraction Benefit: Are you a driver or passenger looking for a little distraction during a trip? If so, then adding a little radio music can do the trick! Especially during quiet moments which could aid in minimizing potential awkwardness.
Even though it’s okay for an Uber or Lyft driver to have their radio playing while accepting and completing rides, there are specific moments where it wouldn’t be a good idea to have the radio playing. Like when the driver needs to focus for example! When taking this into consideration, instances when a driver should refrain from playing the radio include:
1.) A Passengers Talking On The Phone Or Having A Conversation: When a passenger is talking on the phone or having a conversation, this would serve as the perfect time for a Rideshare driver to turn their radio off or already have their radio off! You want your passengers to not only feel relaxed when entering your vehicle, but also accommodated as well. Doing this could earn you a tip!
2.) A Passenger Making A Special Request: A Rideshare driver should also turn their radio off if the passenger asks for them to do so. Sometimes all the passengers want during their short or long trip is peace and quiet which is not only easy to understand, but also easy to provide!
3.) A Passenger Being Deaf: When a passenger is legally deaf or hard of hearing, it doesn’t matter if the driver has their radio on or off. Moments like these are when Rideshare drivers have the option to play whatever they want or nothing at all! Just be mindful of the volume you decide to play it at!
4.) Driving In Bad Weather: When a Rideshare driver is driving in really bad weather such as heavy rain, snow, fog or black ice for example, it’s always a good idea for a Rideshare driver to either have their radio turned down or turned completely off. You don’t want or need anything distracting you from focusing on the road or your riders.
5.) Driving In Heavy/Congested Traffic: When a Rideshare driver is driving in really heavy or congested traffic, this would be another good time to have the radio volume turned either down or off completely! The more things happening on the road, the less noise or distractions you would want to give yourself.
6.) Overall Needing To Focus: When a Rideshare driver just needs to overall focus on the road and nothing else, it’s always a good idea to simply turn the radio off! So if you’re a passenger and you’ve been wondering why some of your drivers don’t have their radios playing or turned up upon entering their vehicle, then maybe now you know why!
My Professional Conclusion:
To conclude this really short review on the importance of Rideshare drivers having their radios playing for passengers, I would like to say that as professional Rideshare drivers and private contractors we’re given the opportunity to entertain our passengers for the most part by any means necessary. As long as we’re not hurting ourselves or the passenger, we’re allowed to accommodate and entertain them. So why not take advantage of it? There’s more to gain when it pertains to playing the radio for passengers versus losing. Allowing your passengers to choose a radio station could even earn the Uber or Lyft driver a tip! Don’t tell me you wouldn’t mind leaving money on the table now would you?
That said, always try to be mindful of music that may be considered respectful and music that may be considered disrespectful. Especially since playing something that’s considered disrespectful could go against your five star rating! Refer back to this review if you need a reminder on what a respectful and disrespectful song is. Don’t forget that the key really lies in asking questions and paying attention to the signs of your passenger seeming either irritated or like they don’t want to be bothered. Feel free to simply leave your radio off if you’re not sure or don’t feel comfortable asking your passenger what they may feel like listening to. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
Now that we’re nearing the end of this short review, I would love to know what you guys think concerning Rideshare drivers accommodating passengers with radio tunes. Do you think that all Rideshare drivers should accommodate passengers with music? Do you agree with what I said concerning when Rideshare drivers should have their radios off? Well whether you agree or disagree, I would love to hear what’s going through your minds. I welcome you to leave your stories, thoughts, comments and concerns at the bottom of this review and I will be sure to respond back to you promptly!
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