Uber/Lyft driving (1 Viewer)

[glvsav37]

Anyone drive for Uber/lyft? Is it worth it?

I need to make some extra cash but getting a second job is hard b/c my schedule is very wonky. I run a business, so I need to be available for client work most of the daytime, then my kids are at practices and games at irregular times and need to be available for pickups and such. So carrying a regularly scheduled 2nd job would be hard to hold.
I live close to an airport, a train station and a college, but otherwise its a mainly suburban area.

Does anyone drive for them or have experience? Pay? Time Commitment? Getting fares?, etc

thanks

 

[Scoresman]

I went on one dive with an Uber guy. It was pretty neat. They provided the gear. Saw some turtles, a shark, and a ton of fish.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

I went on one dive with an Uber guy. It was pretty neat. They provided the gear. Saw some turtles, a shark, and a ton of fish.

SCUBA-UBER

 

[Dickies]

I went on one dive with an Uber guy. It was pretty neat. They provided the gear. Saw some turtles, a shark, and a ton of fish.

SCUBA-UBER

Scuber

 

[massraider]

Anyone drive for Uber/lyft? Is it worth it?

I need to make some extra cash but getting a second job is hard b/c my schedule is very wonky. I run a business, so I need to be available for client work most of the daytime, then my kids are at practices and games at irregular times and need to be available for pickups and such. So carrying a regularly scheduled 2nd job would be hard to hold.
I live close to an airport, a train station and a college, but otherwise its a mainly suburban area.

Does anyone drive for them or have experience? Pay? Time Commitment? Getting fares?, etc

thanks

One friend who did it, while he was getting his law practice off the ground. Two days and he was done. The apps take a big chunk, 30% or so. With gas and such, he wasn't making any money.
Being close to an airport, I might look into doing just airport runs. Here in NYC, you are looking at 60 bucks a pop. They seem to charge a premium for that. Or maybe only working during surge pricing, when increased demand let's the apps crank up the prices.

City guys work 12-13 hours a day to get a days pay, based on my chit chat with them.

But: every market MUST be different, what's true in one place may not be true in YOUR place.

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

I went on one dive with an Uber guy. It was pretty neat. They provided the gear. Saw some turtles, a shark, and a ton of fish.

SCUBA-UBER

Scuber

let’s go 50/50 developing a SCUBER app. you use the app to get someone to hook you up with underwater gear and SCUBA you where you need to go!

 

[Terminalxylem]

I went on one dive with an Uber guy. It was pretty neat. They provided the gear. Saw some turtles, a shark, and a ton of fish.

SCUBA-UBER

Scuber

let’s go 50/50 developing a SCUBER app. you use the app to get someone to hook you up with underwater gear and SCUBA you where you need to go!

I was thinking about a related app, to help picking potatoes. It would post videos of the process online.

Just can’t think of a name. Maybe something like Second person pronoun root vegetable app?

 

[nirad3]

When I was inbetween jobs I gave it a go. I signed up for Uber. Having done food delivery in the past, I knew I didn't want to do Uber-Eats along with it (this was right when Uber-Eats started and there was also an Uber "document delivery" thing going on then too). So I was clear in my sign-up... Uber only. Not Uber-Eats. So what do they sign me up for? Uber-Eats. After like 3-4 tries with online customer service to remedy the situation, still not right. Finally called them. Chatted with a lovely overseas gentleman named "Rodney". He didn't understand what I wanted to do, either.... so I told him to just completely cancel my application for Uber-Eats. And guess what? They canceled my ENTIRE PRESENCE on Uber. Meaning I no longer had a "rider" account either. Unreal. So I had to sign up again with a different email address.

I ended up trying Lyft (better customer service for drivers) for a week or two, but gave up. I think I was driving at the wrong time(s) ... like during the late morning / early afternoon on weekdays. Had I given it more of a shot I probably would have made more money. But I ended up getting a "real" job and just gave up on it entirely.

I've heard it's great for some, not so great for others. So yeah, good luck.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

I did it for a few months. It was pretty fun actually. Would have been more fun if I were single. Met a lot of interesting people and made a few connections.

IIRC I did around 400 rides. Only one jerk, a lady I picked up from the gym who spilled her coffee on my seat (and never told me, then denied it). Uber paid me like $25 but my day was done because I had to go home and clean my truck.

Here’s my advice:

If available in your area take advantage of the promotions (it’s like a bonus for X amount of rides within a certain time limit.) Shoot for shorter and quicker rides to hit your bonus.

Only you know your city but I would say try to find areas where there’s frequent surges.

I avoided the airports and train stations like the plague. I would turn it off when close - Most airports make you que in line and then you could be sent way out into the burbs and no fair to get you paid while driving back to the city.

Two times I got stuck with the same scenario; two women sharing the Uber. One much hotter than the other completely smashed friend. Both times the hotter, less drunk girl left me with their friend. NOT a situation I wanted any part of. I always stopped at midnight after those rides.
Keep cleaning supplies, gum and water.


Bottom line:

It’s only good short term. After gas, wear and tear, and taxes you’re not left with much.

If you’re young it’s a great way to meet people and especially women.

I will say it’s kinda cool if you REALLY need cash you can go out and get it almost instantly. It’s not a lot but can get you by in a pinch.

 

[ghostguy123]

Nobody has mentioned how much you or people you knew actually made. Ya know, dollars per hour.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Nobody has mentioned how much you or people you knew actually made. Ya know, dollars per hour.

IIRC it was like 25/hr. This was ~5 years ago when gas was a lot cheaper.

 

[BassNBrew]

Don't think I'd work for a business where the employees front the capital for the business.

If you can paint it's pretty easy to find work in the $40-$90 per hour range.

 

[ghostguy123]

Don't think I'd work for a business where the employees front the capital for the business.

If you can paint it's pretty easy to find work in the $40-$90 per hour range.

40-90??? Where exactly? Certainly nowhere near where I live

 

[BassNBrew]

Don't think I'd work for a business where the employees front the capital for the business.

If you can paint it's pretty easy to find work in the $40-$90 per hour range.

40-90??? Where exactly? Certainly nowhere near where I live

Pretty much anywhere in NC. $1.50 to $2.00 per square foot, no closets. 1500 sq ft house at $1.50 = $2250. Less $325 for paint and supplies = $2300. 2 people x 12 hours = 24 hours. Toss in another 4 hours for quoting, get mat'l, cleanup, and invoicing and it's 28 hours. That works out to $80 an hour.

eta - I've had guys quote $2-$3 a sq ft because they are so busy and don't want to take on too much work. I realize there are cheaper guys out there but they often don't show up or take weeks to get a job done.

eta - Price per square foot based on floor area, not wall area.