Becoming A Rideshare Driver And What You Should Know:
In this short review, I’ll be diving into the realm of rideshare driving and equipping you with essential knowledge to successfully navigate this dynamic industry.That being said, working and earning money is and should be a big part of all of our adult lives right? It’s the only way we have of maintaining our finances, our families and more importantly ourselves. Some of us have chosen to fix cars for a living as a mechanic. Some others have chosen to protect and serve others as policemen. Some folks have even chosen to put out fire, as firefighters. That being said, I’m going to assume that you’ve chosen to provide people with a very clean and safe ride by becoming a professional Rideshare driver.
If this is the case, you’re in the right place my friend. My whole goal and purpose for creating #1RideShareDoc is to make the public, as well as new rideshare drivers and passengers aware of everything there is to know concerning rideshare driving (the good and the bad). Let me explain the basics of how Rideshare driving works! Let me provide you with some sort of assistance by reviewing and sharing the things that RideShare companies like Uber, Lyft, Via, and Sidecar aren’t telling you about or wanting to talk about. You are not alone when you visit this website. Read my story to see where I’m coming from with this!
To provide a good rideshare service to a customer or passenger sounds simple right? Well if it does sound simple, I promise you it’s not. Simply read my other reviews published on this website to learn about the bad parts of rideshare driving. But with this particular review, we’re going to be covering the basics of rideshare driving, for those interested in joining this type of road service.
This rideshare review will be divided into the following sections, for better absorption and clearer understanding purposes:
–Introduction Into The World Of Rideshare Driving
-What’s Is Rideshare Driving?
-Who/When/Where Did Rideshare Driving Start?
-How Does Rideshare Driving Work?
-Ordering Your 1st ride:
-Skills Needed Before Becoming A Rideshare Driver
-Does It Cost To Join Ridesharing?
-How Do Rideshare Companies Pay You?
-What Do I Love About Ride Sharing?
-The Advantages
-The Disadvantages
–My Professional Conclusion For Rideshare Driving
What’s Is Rideshare Driving?
Rideshare driving or ride sharing is a term used to describe a person who’s sharing their motor vehicle with a complete stranger for profit. Or at least that’s my simple definition for “ride sharing”. These rides are arranged through online apps that belong to major Transportation Service Networks (TSN) like Uber, Lyft, Via, or Sidecar just to name a few. So in a nutshell, you’re picking up passengers and dropping them off at their designated destinations, to earn a small profit. You’re an independent contractor who’s sharing your ride for a living.
Who, When And Where Did Rideshare Driving Start?
Uber took the world by storm first, publicly launching its services and its mobile app back in 2011, in the city of San Francisco California. It was originally founded back in 2009, by Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp, who were and still are best friends today. Uber again, was the first ridesharing company to step foot into the world of picking up and dropping off pedestrians. Then the Rideshare industry snowballed out of control from there. Read the full Uber story now!
How Does Rideshare Driving Work?
The process of ordering or accepting rides is pretty simple and straightforward. If you’re ordering a ride, then you would be considered the customer or passenger. And needless to say but if you’re accepting a ride, you would be considered the driver. Either way, you must own a smartphone with internet access to begin using these pick up services. That being said, I’ll explain how ordering your ride works first.
Ordering Your 1st Ride:
Before ordering your first ride as a passenger, again you would first need to have access to a smartphone (Android, iPad, or iPhone), or a regular computer/laptop/desktop with an internet connection. You would next need to provide some personal information including your name, phone number, email, home address, payment information and password details. Once your account is finished being set up and you’ve verified your email, your good to go.
Important Safety Note:
Ridesharing companies feel like there’s no need in giving any riders background checks, even though they should for the driver’s safety and peace of mind. So future drivers beware, beware, beware! But regardless of that important, horror, safety fact, Rideshare companies believe you (the passenger!), are now ready to order your first ride.
Picking Up Your 1st Ride As A Driver:
Before accepting your first pickup as a driver, you would again need to have access to a smartphone with a strong internet connection. You will then be required to pass a background check, along with a few other requirements, before beginning your career as a professional rideshare driver.
Some Other Driver Requirements Include:
-You having to be at least 25 years of age
-You having to pass a background check and driving history check
-You having a valid driver’s license for the state your planning on driving in
-You having a smartphone
Some Vehicle Requirements Include:
-Your vehicle not being titled as non-reparable, salvageable, rebelt, or anything equivalent
-your vehicle having at least 4 doors
-your vehicle having at least 5 seats including the driver’s seat.
-your vehicle not being on the list of ineligible subcompact vehicles
Your vehicle not being a limousine or taxi
-Having a vehicle that’s 10 years old or newer
Some Important Documents Needed Include:
-providing a copy of your vehicle inspection
-providing a copy of your vehicles insurance
-providing a nice, clear profile picture
Skills Needed Before Becoming A Rideshare Driver
There are some skills that you might want to consider sharpening up on, before joining any Rideshare company. The biggest one (or at least for me), was sharpening up those people and communication skills. I’ve learned from 6 years of rideshare driving, that you have to know how to listen and how to talk to people first, if you’re planning on having any longevity in this. Having patience and knowing when to stay quiet, will also take you a long way.
To work in the Rideshare industry, you must also have an amazing amount of love and patience for people. You must know how to talk to your customers without using profanity or yelling. Having a strong amount of patience is key. Having a strong stomach is also key. I say this too because a lot of funky people use rideshare services lol. But you can easily prepare yourself for these types of situations by buying and having plenty of air fresheners, sanitizers, deodorizers and cleaning products.
You might want to also learn how to drive for others! If you’re not good at driving for others and yourself, someone’s going to hit you and mess up your work day. If you can do this and can Master these characteristics of a good people’s person, you might be able to handle this sort of on the road profession. If you’re experiencing difficulties with any of these, it might be in your best interest to stay away from a career like this.
Does It Cost To Join A Rideshare Company?
Yes, but it depends on which boat you’re sailing in. If you’re sailing in the boat who already has their own motor vehicle, then you’ve avoided a lot of costs right there. The only thing you really have to brace yourself for before starting work, is making sure your car is working properly and most importantly, full of gas (which isn’t cheap). I feel like the next one is needless to say, but you will also be investing in cleaning and deodorizing products, as well as break food for when you’re hungry. This is if you already own your own motor vehicle.
Now if you’re sailing in a boat who doesn’t already own their own motor vehicle, you’ll obviously need to make an investment into that Rideshare company or a car dealership before getting started. Basically all Rideshare companies have some sort of rental program, where you get to rent a vehicle (for a hefty fee). The problem is, these companies not only require you to make a security deposit (which is usually around the $250-$500 mark, depending on your credit and driving history), but they also require you to make weekly payments on the vehicle. These payments range from between $200-$400, depending on the make and model of the vehicle chosen.
And you can only keep the vehicle for a certain period of time. None of these Rideshare companies offer a “rent to own” option. So with all of that being said, if you don’t have any cash or an existing vehicle to get started on the road, you’re just out of luck when it comes to this type of business. But whether you do or don’t have a vehicle, you’ll still have to spend money to get started in this type of industry. There’s actually no way around this part or shortcuts. So be sure to keep this in mind, when joining any rideshare platform!
How Do Rideshare Companies Pay You?
Rideshare companies pay their drivers a small percentage of each ride completed. Rideshare companies use to pay up to 70% of each fare to its drivers. But they’ve gotten hungry over the years. Now, companies take what they want from the drivers earnings, ranging between 40% and 60% of each ride completed. And these percentages fluctuate, depending on the time of day and passenger demand.
When it boils down to actually getting paid, rideshare companies tend to use the direct deposit method. And most of them allow you to cash out on a daily basis. But what if you don’t have a bank account? Not to worry.. If this is the case, these companies also offer pay cards where they give you the card they’ll be depositing the money on (for a small fee). So either way, rideshare companies tend to hold true to paying their drivers.
What do I Love About Ridesharing?
I love my people:
To be totally honest, I used to really dislike Rideshare driving. From the backseat drivers and the smells, to the nasty attitudes of ghetto people and their loud children. I hated them all man lol! But over the years, I grew to love what I do and the riders I provide pick up services to. Lord knows back then, I thought I would never be saying anything close to what I’m saying now. But because of 6 years of Rideshare driving and adapting to the elements of the streets, I’ve learned that people can grow you, once they know you. From the opportunities passengers present, to the wisdom they share. Especially if a conversation takes place during the ride.
I’ve learned that when you’re dealing with people of all races, ages and from different walks of life, whatever stereo types or points of views you might have had in the past, can actually change (for the better or for the worst!). You don’t have to have a conversation with the passenger to learn from them. You can actually learn more from them believe it or not, without conversing back and forth. They say that actions can speak louder than words right? Now you see my point! So I sit back quietly and watch, listen, and learn, in that order.
As a matter of fact every time I begin a new ride, I always look at it like class has just begun. Now it’s time to be quiet and pay attention lol. I don’t care how innocent or nice the riders may seem, or how sweet they may smell. That being said, I think this is why I’ve grown to love people so much. It’s because I’ve learned from completing almost 34,000 rides (as of this writing), that the average passenger just wants to get to their destination without any issues. I would say 90% of the customers are like that. No rider really wants a problem. It’s just the small 10% that makes the 90% look bad, which sucks.
I Love Driving And Enjoying My Freedom:
Other than my love for driving and the people that I pick up, I also love the freedom that the rideshare companies provide me with, which I felt was needless to say at the beginning of this section. This reason alone was the reason why I chose to stick it through and be the best Uber and/or Lyft driver I can possibly be, for this ever growing Rideshare industry. I mean who doesn’t want to be everywhere, all the time and have the ability to work when, where and how you want? That made ride sharing so exciting for me then, and it is still exciting to me now. Dangerous, but exciting!
The benefits and disadvantages of Rideshare driving:
The Advantages-
-Picking up great, positive, happy people
-Work when you want
-Work where you want
-Picking up who you want, depending on how you do it
-Learn about new possible hangout places
-Make new friends or associates
-Build the person you are mentally, physically, and emotionally
The Disadvantages-
-You must have money to start Rideshare driving
-You must have a smartphone and a vehicle
-Picking up dangerous/criminal passengers
-Traveling to dangerous pick up or drop off locations
–Picking up drunk people
-Dealing with Body/breath odors all day/night
–Dealing with Road rage drivers all day/night
-Dealing with possible car accidents all day/night
-Car Maintenance (daily/weekly/monthly/yearly)
-Dealing with bad weather conditions
–Dealing with Phone/GPS/navigation issues (sometimes)
-Driving for really long periods/falling asleep
My Professional Conclusion For Rideshare Driving and What You Should Know:
Rideshare driving can be a fun and truly amazing opportunity to be a part of. Depending on how you look at it though. I say that because it has its goods and it’s bad like any other job or business opportunity. The difference is, this job is a little more personal due to it being just you and the passenger in your car while you’re performing your duties. Not to mention, them sitting behind you the entire time. Since this is the case, this job requires more safety, effort, good communication, patience and dedication than your average profession. Especially when it comes to keeping and maintaining peace. If you have these characteristics, you’ll be fine. It allowed me to live a decent living by bringing me this far!
Okay, I think that sums it up for this review. Hopefully I didn’t ramble on too much lol! Do you think I missed something or do you have something on your mind that needs to be added on to this rideshare review? If so, I would love to hear it. Please leave your comments and concerns down below in the comment section and I will respond back to you as soon as possible. And if you like what you read, please feel free to subscribe to my post. Just be sure to enter a valid email address. Everytime I make a post, you’ll receive a notification. Check your spam folder if you don’t get a confirmation email from me. Thank you so much again for reading and stay safe out there!
If you’re not interested in driving strangers around in the backseat of your car, but interested in having a flexible lifestyle, you could always start a business working from home! If you’re interested, please don’t hesitate to read my review on Wealthy Affiliate. Thank you again for reading..
