10 Uber and Lyft Driver Tips That Will Earn You More Money


Uber and Lyft driver tips

As an Uber or rideshare driver, are you always trying to figure out how to make the most money while working? Here are 10 Uber and rideshare driver tips that will earn you more money.

Being a rideshare driver is a great way to make money. Many drivers have come to love the freedom and income potential it offers. After all, how many other jobs allow you to be your own boss, create your own schedule, and to make as little or as much money as you want?

If you've been an Uber driver for a while, you might be looking for some ways to maximize the amount of money you're making. Fortunately, there are some Uber and Lyft driver tips that can help to boost your income without having to increase your hours spent on the road.

Let's take a look at a few great ideas you might not have thought of.

1. Improve Tips

Getting tips from happy passengers is one of the quickest ways to make more money. Uber used to discourage passengers from tipping drivers, but that policy has since changed.

The problem is that many riders aren't aware that Uber has changed their stance. This means drivers need to find a subtle way of letting passengers know that tipping is encouraged. Asking them directly for a tip is bad form and might result in a negative rating from that passenger.

So what can you do? We suggest adding a decal to your vehicle addressing the issue. You could also make a sign to place on your dash. Either way, the message will be communicated without having to say a word.

2. Offer Water to Passengers

It's amazing how much of an impression you can make on someone with free stuff. Even something as simple as water. People love to hydrate while they ride, thus providing complimentary water to your Uber and Lyft passengers is a great way to inspire a generous tip.

Buying water requires a minimal investment, especially if you shop at a wholesale warehouse like Sam's Club or Costco. We think you'll be amazed at how this investment pays off in improved tips almost immediately.

3. Try to Avoid the Suburbs

One of the secrets of how to earn more than the average Uber driver is learning the areas of town that are most profitable. Sooner or later you will learn to stick to the heart of the city as much of as possible. Working the suburbs might sound pleasant because traffic is more tolerable there, but your opportunities to pick up passengers decreases the further out you get. You might find it challenging driving in more congested areas, but you'll get more comfortable as time goes on, pick up more riders and make more money, so the effort will pay off!

4. Make the Most of SURGE Pricing

Taking advantage of Uber SURGE pricing and Lyft’s Prime Time periods is one of the best ways to make more money as a driver. SURGE and Prime Time periods are all about supply and demand. These are peak periods when traffic is heavy, thus a higher demand for rides.

These price hikes are only for specific areas, like hot spots in entertainment districts, when people might have spent the evening drinking or simply choose not to deal with navigating traffic themselves, and are thus willing to a pay a premium for a ride. Smart drivers take the time to learn which areas are most profitable during these peak hours and take advantage of the increased demand and higher earnings.

5. Learn to Deal with Difficult Passengers

When you start working as an Uber driver, one lesson you will likely learn very quickly is that not every passenger you pick up will turn out to be pleasant to deal with. Keep in mind that you are essentially in the customer service business, and some customers simply cannot be satisfied.

This just comes with the territory, so be prepared. It's best to not take these experiences personally. The ride will only last a few minutes, so try to keep your cool and relax. Smile, do your job, and do your best not to react to any negativity or verbal abuse.

Some passengers will be drunk, while others are simply rude or unpleasant. If a passenger becomes hostile to the point that you feel threatened, you can stop the ride and let them out. But we recommend being as patient as possible, completing the trip, and reporting the hostile passenger using the Uber app.

6. Be Aware of Nearby Restrooms

The more time you can spend on the road in your car picking up riders, the more money you're going to make. Yet during long shifts driving, eventually you'll need to use the restroom.

A good piece of advice is to keep track of restrooms located in your typical driving area. If you have to go out of your way to find a restroom, it's going to cost you money. This is especially true when driving in congested traffic or peak hours when you'll want to keep your bathroom breaks to a minimum. Taking the time to map out accessible restrooms will prevent you from wasting both time and gas, and thus put more money in your pocket.

7. Bring Snacks

Another major impact a long shift in your car will have on you is hunger. There's just no way around the fact that you're eventually going to get hungry.

Stopping at convenience stores for sodas and overpriced snacks will cut into your profits and also keep you from picking up your next passenger. A much smarter move is to bring along plenty of healthy snacks from home. This will save money and keep you on the road.

We suggest that you bring snacks that won't smell up the car and annoy your passengers. After all, there's nothing worse than hopping into an Uber or Lyft vehicle that reeks of food.

8. Reduce the Miles You Drive

Once you've been driving for a while, you'll discover that there is a surprising amount of strategy involved in maximizing the amount of money you can make during a shift. In addition to the great tips we've already discussed, another important tip is to simply reduce your driving as much as possible.

By this, we mean to try to avoid driving when you don't have a passenger. After all, you are only making money when driving passengers to their destinations, not when driving alone. Keep in mind that every mile you drive in an empty car is wasted gas, and therefore wasted money.

This is where strategy comes into play, solving the puzzle of the best times to drive, as well as the best areas to target in order to make the most efficient use of time and gas.

Automatically track your mileage and expenses via the SherpaShare app so that you can monitor hours spent driving, waiting, money spent on gas, and how many ride requests you received at specific times and locations. This enables you to track your profits and make changes as needed. Use SherpaShare’s Heatmap and smart driver Pro Tools to find high demand pick areas and plan the best routes to maximize your time on the road!

9. Make Sure to Have Rideshare Insurance

Being an Uber driver is about making as much money as possible while minimizing expenses. With this in mind, remember that you are going to spend many hours in busy traffic, and car accidents can happen at any moment.

We highly recommend that you take the time to review your auto insurance policy to see what kinds of accidents it covers. Being involved in a car accident is bad enough, but not being covered by your insurance is even worse.

Don't worry, there is good news. For a small increase in your monthly premiums, most insurance providers offer Rideshare insurance coverage. This way you can focus on making money rather than stressing out about potential lawsuits or bankruptcy if an unfortunate event occurs.

We realize you might be tempted to save a few bucks and take your chances by not investing in Rideshare coverage. Just remember that you really can't put a price on peace of mind.

10. Use SherpaShare as your Mileage Tracker and Driver Assistant

Tracking mileage is a key component of maximizing your profits and reducing your overall tax burden. The IRS expects you to report the money you're making as a self-employed independent contractor. There are plenty of expenses that can be written off, and the primary one is mileage.

Your chosen platform should send annual summaries of the miles you've driven, but these reports don't necessarily provide all the information you need. The Uber reports, for example, only provide the mileage you drove while a passenger is in the car. Lyft, on the other hand, reports all the miles you drove while your car was in driver mode. If you drive for two or more platforms you’ll need to combine them at tax-time.

Plus, it’s smart to keep independent records of your own as back up for the following reasons:

  • The platforms’ GPS goes awry (which can happen).
  • You drive for business while your app is off (i.e., en route to a hotspot, or returning home from a trip that took you to the middle of nowhere).
  • The IRS could audit you.
  • Ensure you get the largest possible deduction come tax time.

Every Dollar Matters

Driving for Uber and Lyft has allowed many people to escape the drudgery of their 9-to-5 jobs in pursuit of financial independence. Following the entrepreneurial spirit means that every dollar matters, thus everyone looks for ways to save more and make more.

These Uber and Lyft driver tips will help you pocket more money while doing a job you love. As with anything in life, it's the small details that often make the biggest impact. Try these ideas out, tweak them as needed, and watch the extra cash roll in!

Click here to see the complete guide to becoming an UberEats driver.

UberEat, Tip, Uber, Lyft

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