With this short review, I plan on covering whether or not it’s better to accept longer or shorter ride requests as a professional Rideshare driver. So if you’re aiming to become a professional rideshare driver by first maximizing your profits, this review is for you. Wouldn’t you just love to learn the basics to maximizing your earnings as an Uber or Lyft driver? And even if you’re not interested in maximizing your earnings as a driver, wouldn’t you just love to know whether or not it’s better to complete rides that involve driving more or less miles? I thought you would..
You see as Rideshare drivers we’re constantly finding ourselves accepting and completing ride request that are either really short or really long in duration. We’re also constantly finding ourselves being apologized to by passengers for their trip being really short or really long! But is it worth apologizing to your Uber driver when your ride is under 10 minutes long? Is it also worth apologizing to your driver when your trip is over an hour long? The answer to both these questions is no and I’ll explain why shortly.
Here at #1RideShareDoc, I’m all about sharing my personal story with you guys concerning this hectic Rideshare industry! Let’s discuss the things that’ll create a better understanding for both the driver and the passenger. Passengers should never feel bad for ordering a ride that’s longer than normal and drivers should never feel bad for canceling on a ride that they feel isn’t worth it. So let’s discuss the topics that these Rideshare companies aren’t talking about. Companies like Uber, Lyft, Via and Sidecar just to name a few. Let your Rideshare Doc 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
What’s My Definition For A Long Or Short Ride Request?
What’s My “Make-Even” And “Break-Even” Rule/Mentality?
What Are Some Examples Of Rides That Would Be Considered “Making-Even”?
What Are Some Examples Of Rides That Would Be Considered “Breaking-Even”?
What Are Some Advantages And Disadvantages Of Accepting Shorter Rides?
What Are Some Advantages And Disadvantages Of Accepting Longer Rides?
My Professional Conclusion
What’s My Definition For A Long Or Short Ride Request?
In my opinion, a short ride request would be considered a ride that’s less than five miles and under ten minutes in travel time. A long ride request would be more than five miles and over ten minutes in travel time.
What’s My “Make-Even” And “Break-Even” Rule/Mentality?
Whether the trip be long or short, a “make-even” ride is any trip that could potentially help a Rideshare driver reach their goal for the day, week or month. A “break-even” ride is literally the exact opposite. “Break-even” rides take drivers away from their goals that they may have set for themselves, making it harder for them to stick to their game plans. So in other words make-even rides are rides that a driver needs, while break-even rides are rides that a driver doesn’t need and could do without! When I’m using this mentality, it helps me consciously understand that every ride plays it’s part in my day. Either the ride is going to make my day or break my day. Especially when it pertains to my profits!
This “make-even” and “break-even” terminology refers to not only the type of ride a ride would be considered depending on how long or short the trip actually is, but also the overall general mentality a driver should have when accepting and rejecting rides. That being said, when a professional Rideshare driver is choosing to implement my “make-even” or “break-even” rule, the driver is also choosing to only accept rides that fit into his or her personal life. Any rides that could potentially disrupt that driver’s life should be ignored and canceled on immediately. Sorry in advance passengers lol!
Implementing this thought process into your strategy or game plan could make all the difference in you reaching your weekly goals and/or bonuses. But of course this would only apply to my serious Uber and Lyft drivers. Part-time drivers need not apply, seeing as though every ride might be considered a “make-even” ride in their book lol! You’d be surprised on how many drivers are part-time and are only looking to make an extra buck! Nothing more..
What Are Some Examples Of Rides That Would Be Considered “Making-Even”?
Now I would like to provide you guys with a few examples of rides that would be considered in my book as “make-even” rides. I’m also going to provide you with some examples of rides that would be considered “breaking-even” when it relates to a Rideshare drivers work day! If you’re looking for more examples, let me know in my comment section below. That said, my first examples of a “make-even” ride might include:
The Uber Driver’s Trying To Qualify For A Weekly Bonus: There’s a bonus for the week ($80.00) that involves the Uber driver having to complete a certain minimum number of rides (140 rides to be exact!) between Monday 4:00 a.m. and the following Monday 4:00 a.m. So the Uber driver then aims to complete a minimum number of 20 rides per day and not a single ride less to qualify for the weekly bonus of $80.00. But for this to take place, the driver would also have to do a certain amount of “short rides” or “make-even” rides because doing too many “long rides” or “break-even rides could throw the drivers daily ride count off.
Keep in mind that drivers are only allowed up to 12 hours of drive time per day before being mandated to take a 6-hour break. That all being said, the Rideshare driver would then have to do more “make-even” rides versus “break-even” rides to meet Uber or Lyft’s bonus requirements. This is particularly because most longer rides are an hour or more in duration while most shorter rides can be completed in under 20 minutes. Sometimes a ride can be completed in under 10 minutes depending on the rider, the riders pick-up location, the weather, the time of day and traffic congestion!
The Uber Driver Missed They’re Weekly Bonus: The Uber driver has just missed his or her weekly bonus of $80.00 by one measly ride and realized that they have a small amount of time remaining before needing to have a certain dollar amount in their Uber account. The driver then decides to focus only on completing “longer” or “make-even” rides which leads to them reaching their weekly quota of whatever dollar amount they were aiming to receive!
What Are Some Examples Of Rides That Would Be Considered “Breaking-Even”?
Now I would like to provide you guys with a few examples of rides that would be considered in my book as “breaking-even” when relating to a driver’s work day in real time! Unlike “make-even rides, break-even rides will be a little easier to explain. That said, some examples of “break-even” rides might include:
A Passenger Traveling A Few Miles: Your passenger has just requested a short trip which is only a few blocks up the street. When a passengers only traveling a few miles up the street, this can sometimes be very inconveniencing to the Rideshare driver. Especially if the driver is part-time or has other things to take care of or an important place to be that day. A ride like this would be considered a break-even trip, especially since it doesn’t aid the driver in accomplishing whatever he or she set out to accomplish for that particular day or week!
A Passenger Traveling To New York: Your passenger has a 4 hour long trip to Brooklyn! When a passenger is traveling to New York or to a destination that equals 30 minutes or longer in travel time, this could also pose as an inconvenient ride to a Rideshare driver. Especially when that driver has a game plan in place with quotas or bonuses to meet! That being said, a ride like this one would be considered a “break-even” trip. Especially if the driver had to use the bathroom or had something else to take care of that may have been urgent prior to receiving the long trip request!
What Are Some Advantages And Disadvantages Of Accepting Shorter Rides?
Now I know by now some of you readers may be thinking that short rides are bad. I know by now that some of you readers may be thinking that longer rides are better. That being said, I would like to nip your thoughts into bud by listing some advantages and disadvantages of an Uber driver accepting and completing rides that may be considered by most drivers to be shorter than normal.
Some advantages or benefits of an Uber driver completing short rides might be:
1.) Achieving Weekly Bonuses: When a Rideshare driver is choosing to only accept or short rides, a driver is also choosing to accept rides that could possibly help them reach their weekly bonuses more efficiently. Especially since weekly bonuses depend on a driver’s ride count versus how much money the driver actually brought in for the day or week.
2.) Multitasking Abilities: When a RideShare driver is choosing to only accept or short rides, a driver is also choosing to accept rides that could possibly help them get other tasks done like maybe a grocery store run, going to see a friend or getting a quick hair cut. But the advantages are endless when a driver chooses to only complete rides that go towards their game plan or the multiple task they may have planned for the day.
3.) Saving More On Gas: When a RideShare driver is choosing to only accept “shorter” rides, that driver is also choosing to save on gas, which happens when the driver drives 2 minutes to a 5 minute ($4.44) ride. But of course this would depend on how far the driver had to drive to reach this 5 minute ride.
4.) Recuperation Time Isn’t Needed: When a RideShare driver is choosing to only accept “shorter” rides, that driver is also choosing to enjoy the benefits of recuperating faster. Stretching those legs and muscles or even taking a nap won’t be necessary.
Some disadvantages for an Uber driver completing short rides might be:
1.) Driving More While Earning Less Money: When a RideShare driver is choosing to only accept “shorter” rides, a driver is also choosing to drive more while earning less income. Especially if there’s no bonuses for that particular week! So in other words it would take four rides (5 minutes a piece), to make what one ride of 30 minutes would make.
2.) Wasting More On Gas: When a RideShare driver is choosing to only accept “shorter” rides, that driver is also choosing to waste gas, which happens when the driver has to drive 20 minutes to a 5 minute ($4.44) pickup.
3.) Having To Pick Up More Riders: When a RideShare driver is choosing to only accept “shorter” rides, that driver is also choosing to have to pick up more passengers. This is what most likely happens when an Uber driver chooses to pick up four separate trips versus one simple long trip. Those four separate trips that the driver may have accepted might have had three or four passengers a piece with each ride while the one long ride might have only had two or three riders.
What Are Some Advantages And Disadvantages Of Accepting Longer Rides?
I would like to now nip everything in the bud by listing some advantages and disadvantages of a Lyft driver picking up and dropping off rides that may be considered by most drivers to be longer than normal.
Some advantages or benefits to an Uber driver completing long rides might be:
1.) Earning More Money In A Shorter Period Of Time: When a RideShare driver is choosing to only accept “longer” rides, that driver is also choosing to earn more money in a shorter period of time. So instead of a driver having to complete two $15 rides for the hour, the driver would only have to do one $45 ride.
2.) Having To Pick Up Less Riders: When a RideShare driver is choosing to only accept “longer” rides, that driver is also choosing to pick up less passengers. So instead of a driver having to deal with multiple personalities, the driver would only have to deal with one 45 minute ride with one personality.
Some disadvantages for an Uber driver completing long rides might be:
1.) No Personal Time/Options: When a RideShare driver chooses to only pick up and drop off rides that are longer in travel time, that driver is also choosing to not have any real personal time to themselves. So if the driver was really hungry and needed to stop for a quick bite to eat, needed to use the bathroom, needed to stretch, take their medicine or make an important phone call for example, all of these personal needs would have to wait until after that 106 minute ride has ended.
Well, that’s unless the passenger doesn’t mind you stopping and using the bathroom or making that quick phone call! That said, communicating these important needs with your passenger would be the drivers only way out.
2.) Driver Doesn’t Have Enough Gas: When a RideShare driver chooses to only pick up and drop off rides that are longer in travel time, that driver is also choosing to invest a little bit more money in gas. This can pose as a huge disadvantage, especially if the driver is short on funds.
3.) Recuperation Time May Be Needed: When a RideShare driver is choosing to only accept “long” rides, that driver is also choosing to be a lot more drained, tired or just plain worn out. I don’t know about you guys but driving always puts me to sleep, especially when I’m doing a long ride and especially when I’m driving my graveyard shift. That said, stretching those legs and muscles or even taking a nap would most definitely be necessary before going on to your next ride. This could create a huge disadvantage for a driver, especially if the driver had a certain number of rides they were trying to finish by a certain time.
My Professional Conclusion:
To conclude this really short review on whether or not it’s better to accept longer or shorter ride requests as a Rideshare driver, I would like to say that whether a ride is considered “making-even” or breaking-even, the classification of a ride really depends on the driver and what those drivers needs may be for the day or week. So in other words both short and long trips could be considered a “make-even” or breaking-even ride. That being said if you’re a passenger, it’s never worth apologizing to your driver for your ride being short or long because you never know what your driver’s needs or goals are for the day or week. Your driver may have been looking for that one long ride to New Jersey to help make their nightly quota.
On the other hand, your driver may have also been looking for that one short ride that’s only a few blocks up the street to help make they’re weekly bonus. Either way, both ride types serve a powerful purpose in every ride share drivers day or night on the road. Every ride a driver completes has the potential of helping that driver reach their goal (“make-even”) or take them away from their goal (“break-even”). It’s all about strategically maximizing your earnings with each trip you complete, which I think is a really good way to put it and a good way to end this review!
That said, now that we’re nearing the end of this review, I would love to know how you guys feel concerning Rideshare drivers excepting and/or rejecting rides that are either really short or really long. Do you agree with what I’ve already mentioned concerning the advantages and disadvantages of completing short and long rides? Do you have any questions concerning “make-even” and “break-even” rides? Well whether you do or don’t, I would love to hear what’s on your mind. Please feel free to leave your stories, thoughts, comments, opinions and concerns at the bottom of this review and I will be sure to respond back to you promptly!
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