The following review will highlight the importance of Rideshare drivers providing assistance to passengers carrying heavy items, bags or luggage. Sometimes we all need a little help right? Whether it be help getting somewhere you’re not too familiar with or help fixing something that you’re not too sure on how to fix! Depending on the circumstance we all find ourselves in situations where we might need some assistance. No problem! But what does a driver do in cases where they aren’t able to help a passenger with their bags? We’re talking about heavy items now! One more question..
What does a driver do when a passenger says they’re okay and doesn’t need help with carrying their bags? You know where I’m going with this conversation guys! That being said, as professional Rideshare drivers we encounter entitled passengers on a daily basis who expect us to step out of our comfort zones and assist them with their heavy items, bags, luggage or any other belongings they may have brought with them. Regardless of the circumstances! Sometimes this expectation persists even when the driver isn’t feeling at their best or is willing to help.
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This review will be divided into the following sections, for better absorption and clearer understanding purposes:
Introduction
What Does “Helping Passengers With Heavy Bags” Exactly Mean?
Why Should Drivers Help Passengers Who Have Heavy Items?
Why Shouldn’t Drivers Help Passengers Carry They’re Heavy Items?
Does Uber or Lyft Require Drivers To Help Passengers With Heavy Bags?
What If The Passenger Doesn’t Need Or Doesn’t Ask For Help Carrying Their Bags?
My Conclusion For Drivers Assisting Passengers Who Have Heavy Bags
What Does “Helping Passengers With Heavy Bags” Exactly Mean?
When a driver decides to help a passenger with their bags, it would first mean that the driver has to get outside they’re comfort zone by getting out of their car. The driver then has to grab whatever heavy items the passenger has and walk them to wherever the passenger needs them to be. Even if it’s up a long flight of steps! This type of assistance is provided regardless of how the Rideshare driver may feel (strong, weak, old) or the current weather conditions. I think that would conclude my short definition of helping a passenger with they’re heavy items and personal belongings lol!
Why Should Drivers Help Passengers Who Have Heavy Personal Items?
A driver should help a passenger with their bags especially if the driver is trying to maximize their daily profits! We did join Uber or Lyft to make money right? That being said, a driver who decides to help their passengers with carrying their heavy bags and other personal items that are heavy, tend to earn more in profits. But a lot of times these profits come in the form of tips, which aren’t guaranteed when you do decide to help a passenger with their heavy items. Drivers should keep this in mind before making your final decision to help out!
I’ve helped passengers carry bags many times and didn’t receive one tip. Sometimes not even a thank you! But to summarize everything, I’ve created a short list of reasons that justify why drivers should be required to help passengers with their heavy, bulky personal items:
1.) It Saves Time: Saving time would be a big reason why I would decide to help a passenger with their heavy bags or whatever personal items they may have! Especially when I have a certain money goal that I’m aiming to reach for the day or a place to go after a certain time. This “time” could also work in passengers favor if they had something to do afterwards as well or another place they have to go.
2.) Good Customer service: Would you happen to be that professional Rideshare driver who’s striving to provide an excellent customer service to your passengers by any means necessary? If you are (which all of us should be right lol?), helping passengers with their heavy luggage or other personal heavy items is considered a great enhancement in terms of the passengers overall experience. It also makes them feel important! Who doesn’t want to feel cared for or important?
3.) You’ll Stand Out More: As far as Rideshare drivers work ethics are concerned, have you ever thought about how you could stand out from all the other drivers? Especially the lazy ones lol? Well if you have then you know that helping a passenger with their bags would definitely set you apart from every other driver who’s not doing it. Especially if you have a competitive mentality! You’ll definitely be providing your passengers with a nice, long lasting impression, a higher level of service and the attention that the passenger may have needed.
4.) Convenience And Safety: By choosing to assist passengers with their heavy luggage or bulky items, the driver not only prioritizes their safety and well-being, but also demonstrates particular considerations for passengers who may have health concerns or physical limitations.
5.) Boost’s Professionalism: How sharp are your professionalism skills, if that’s really considered a skill lol? Well let’s just say that if it still needs a little sharpening, helping passengers out with their bags could be a good way to get that sharpening started. Helping passengers carry their heavy items is actually regarded as a benchmark of professionalism within the transportation industry. That being said, helping a passenger with their personal heavy items has the potential of making (you) the driver not only look even more professional, but it also helps the driver seem even more committed to providing a superb service. I see a five-star rating coming your way now!
Why Shouldn’t Drivers Help Passengers Carry They’re Heavy Items?
Now a Rideshare driver shouldn’t help a passenger with their bags especially if the driver isn’t feeling well or is experiencing some type of health issue. But I’ll sum everything up for you guys just so we’re clear! Here’s a short list of reasons why drivers shouldn’t be required to help passengers with their heavy, bulky personal bags or items:
1.) Personal Limitations: This first one on the list is actually the biggest one for me, especially when I’m not feeling too good! That being said, it’s nothing like having an untitled passenger expect you to help them with their bags when they don’t even know what type of condition you might be in. Your driver could have a bad back or be suffering from some kind of leg issue that might prevent them from picking up or carrying things that are heavy.
They may not even be able to do it for themselves either if they had to! So why would you expect your driver to immediately help you? A passenger should never assume anything.. It’s always best to ask first.
2.) Accountability And Role: The only thing that a Rideshare driver is supposed to be responsible for or worried about is getting that passenger from point A to point b, as safe and sound as possible. That is it and that is all! Some drivers might still insist on helping passengers out with their bags. But that’s totally out of the kindness of that drivers heart and not an obligation. The drivers only obligation to a passenger is to make sure that their vehicle is working properly, they follow all the traffic laws and that the passenger makes it to their destination as quickly and safe as possible!
3.) Time Limitations: A lot of Rideshare drivers do more than just drive for Lyft or Uber. I’m one of them! In other words a lot of drivers have kids and a full-time job which both go hand in hand with having a really tight schedule. So the driver may not have enough time to assist every passenger who needs help with their heavy suitcases. Maybe one or two when possible, but not every time. If a driver did decide to help every passenger with their heavy items, their entire day could go in the opposite direction of whatever goals they may have set out to accomplish. Who wants to be unexpectedly late for something?
4.) All People Have Germs: Sometimes I can be a germaphobe and I know I’m not the only one! Especially when I’m just getting over a cold or maybe the flu. That being said, I don’t know where a passengers hands have been or what they’ve been doing all day with those hands for me to want to place my hands where they’re hands have been. Not to mention the fact that we’re still trying to get over this covid-19 pandemic thing. This health crisis has had the entire world (literally!) down and wearing mask and gloves for over two years now.
So why would a passenger just expect for a complete stranger to want to put their dirty hands all over their personal belongings? Especially after all that we’ve been through as a people! Same thing vice versa. A passenger shouldn’t want a complete stranger putting their dirty hands all over their groceries. You don’t know where those drivers hands have been, especially if they’ve been helping all of their previous passengers with their personal items.. This is your food we’re talking about here lol!
5.) Liability And Insurance: All drivers should be made aware of this last point that I’m about to make. If you do decide to help a passenger with their personal belongings and something does get damaged or lost, you would be held 100% responsible for either fixing the item or totally replacing the item. This is not only by your passenger, but also by Lyft or Uber as well! These Rideshare companies don’t provide insurance for a passengers belongings when they’re damaged.
Especially if they’re damaged by the driver! Needless to say, but you can easily avoid all of this foolishness by simply leaving the handling of the bags to your passengers. So just be mindful. YOU’VE OFFICIALLY BEEN WARNED!!
Does Uber or Lyft Require Drivers To Help Passengers With Heavy Bags?
Though it would have been really nice for Rideshare companies to obligate their drivers to help passengers (especially older passengers!) with their bags and heavy items, they absolutely don’t! If they did obligate their drivers, after rating your driver with 4 stars or higher, you would see an option that might read something like “helped passengers with bags.” It could also say something like “didn’t help passengers with bags” (if you rated the driver with a 3-star or lower) similar to how it indicates “driver was unsafe” or “driver was rude,” for example!
But you get my point! As private contractors, a Rideshare driver has the sole right and discretion to do as he or she pleases when it comes to doing anything outside of safely driving the customer from point A to point B. Maybe one day in the future Rideshare companies might make it a requirement for drivers to help passengers with their bags. Especially bags or items that are really heavy.. Just not today!
What If The Passenger Doesn’t Need Or Doesn’t Ask For Help Carrying Their Bags?
If a passenger doesn’t need help or simply doesn’t ask for help carrying their bags, you can play it one of two ways! We can’t read minds right? So you can either choose to sit and do nothing while they load or unload your car or you can give yourself something to do and help the passenger out anyway. Especially if you’re trying to earn that good old tip lol! Just remember that most passengers on average don’t..
My Conclusion For Drivers Assisting Passengers Who Have Heavy Bags
In conclusion, I would like to say and emphasize that while some Rideshare drivers voluntarily offer assistance to passengers in need, it shouldn’t be considered an obligation or an expectation for them to do so. As adults we all have our own personal daily issues to deal with. So why add on to another adults personal issues by expecting them to do something for you that they may not even be thinking about at the moment? If you need help with carrying a heavy tote for example, you should either ask for help or explore better alternative options such as pre-arranging for someone else to assist you upon reaching your drop-off destination.
Planning ahead of time could really ensure that suitable help will be available for you when you need it. You could even plan to bring that person with you, that way you’ll have help before the ride, during the ride and after the ride is completed. As a matter of fact, I would say that that would be the best route for a passenger to consider when they know they’re stepping out with something heavy or planning on bringing something back that is heavy. It’s never about the obstacle being presented before you, but instead the preparation made before the obstacle presented itself. Like I say with every article, preparation is key!
As I wrap up another great discussion, Lord knows I can’t wait to hear what you guys have to say about helping passengers with their personal items or bags. Do you agree with what I said concerning drivers not helping passengers with their heavy items? Do you think a passenger shouldn’t have to ask for assistance when needing help with carrying their bags? Whether you agree or disagree, I would love to hear what you have to say. If you do have anything you would like to say or add that wasn’t mentioned, please feel free to leave those kind words in the comment section below and I will be sure to respond back to you promptly!
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