RIDEGURU
Anyone with 1000 rides or better can tell you ride share is no fun and games. You have your moments of sublime peace and an occasional laugh; but, then the real world catches up and life sux. The oil needs changing, two tires are iffy, you have no spare and the car still smells like your last rider. The average life of an Uber driver is 6-9 months. It's addictive because you have $100 daily instant cashflow and those $300 days have you walking on clouds. But after the learning curve, it takes a certain breed to stick with it. How do you combat depression or feeling "lonely." Are you a man/woman alone or is your extended family part of your support team? Thanks for your upvote.
As an Uber/Lyft driver, how has driving affected your family/relationship life?
Posted 5 years, 8 months ago
Posted In
Ask a Driver
Do you have questions for your Uber anad Lyft drivers? What about tips and suggestions? Whether you are a driver or a rider, share your comments here and get responses from real rideshare drivers.
Posted By
Frank Pressly (fpressly)
4088
Rider
Driver
Ride Apprentice from Greenville, SC
Video te ego audiam vos ego sentio tibi. - Cat herder - Uber/Lyft 3000 rides
I have been a ride share driver for almost three years. While I like the ride share concept, I truly hate it's implementation and the way Uber and Lyft have so little regard for their work force. I am for the little guy. I seek to right injustice and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. It's usually the ones you find hardest to love that need it the most. Please enjoy my opinion and if you like (or even if you just welcome the effort), an upvote is a digital pat on the back and is most appreciated. I invite you to read my other comments and upvote them as well. Thanks
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Comments
Having done a around 3K rides over the last 3 years, (which isn't a lot actually) on a very part time basis, I'm blessed that my MIL lives in our home, so when I do take an evening to Uber, my wife isn't left alone. I try to always start later (usually around 10PM) knowing that she'll be hitting the sack shortly. I generally only take one or two evenings a week, and often a couple of weeks will pass with no Ubering depending on our schedules. Fortunately my Uber income isn't critical but rather a little bonus money to our stable income.
When I retire in a couple of years, I do plan to drastically increase the amount of time i spend Ubering, but once again I will try to build my schedule in such a way as to not take away too much time for she and me to be together and do things. I'm blessed with an incredible marriage and I truly enjoy our time together, so I hope to never have to change that.
But for those that are working full time plus Ubering most evenings…
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Having done a around 3K rides over the last 3 years, (which isn't a lot actually) on a very part time basis, I'm blessed that my MIL lives in our home, so when I do take an evening to Uber, my wife isn't left alone. I try to always start later (usually around 10PM) knowing that she'll be hitting the sack shortly. I generally only take one or two evenings a week, and often a couple of weeks will pass with no Ubering depending on our schedules. Fortunately my Uber income isn't critical but rather a little bonus money to our stable income.
When I retire in a couple of years, I do plan to drastically increase the amount of time i spend Ubering, but once again I will try to build my schedule in such a way as to not take away too much time for she and me to be together and do things. I'm blessed with an incredible marriage and I truly enjoy our time together, so I hope to never have to change that.
But for those that are working full time plus Ubering most evenings, there's no question it is negatively impacting your lives and I would hope you could find a way to spend more time with your significant other and especially your children if you are blessed with those. You can't burn candles on both ends and not expect it to negatively impact your relationships. Just won't happen....
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Key to driver longevity...
DON'T LET RIDESHARE INTERFERE WITH YOUR FAMILY LIFE.
If you drive and are miserable, it will carry over to your personal life.
We drive 14 hours a day, at the oddest times of the days and oddest days of the weeks. Our work schedule is the exact opposite of everyone else's day, where we work on weekends and mornings and nights. (basically whenever normal people aren't working)
Never get to see the family. I go out on the road while everyone's sleeping, because early mornig is a great time to make money. Then I sleep during the day while the kids are at school, and by the time they get home, I am on the road again. Then I stay out through dinner time (people have to get to dinner plans!) and I come home when people are done being humans and my whole family is asleep.
Do the math.
I feel you to bro.
You seem like a pretty dedicated driver, 3,000 rides is impressive. It sounds like it has started to take a toll on your car, and you personally. So first of all, props to you. I have only been driving for a couple months, and I'm not there yet. I do have a family who supports me, but sometimes I find enjoyment in making conversations with passengers.
Just like anything in life, we all have our own stories. Passengers and drivers alike. I think that's why I enjoy being part of this community at RideGuru because I can talk with drivers who are having the same experiences as me. It's comforting to know I'm not alone, since sometimes family does not always understand what I do.
I feel ya brother.
I try to only sign on when the kids are at school or my wife is at work/asleep. I dont make nearly as much as I could but after a really tough spell with my wife I knew it was more important to not put everything I have into driving. Sometimes I still get this itch though to do just a few more rides, make a few more bucks but I know every minute I stay out on the road and leave my wife alone at home with the kids she will be more and more irritable when I walk through that door. Toughest part for me is feeling like Im not providing enough for my family. My wife has a decent job, thank god, but I want to provide more.
Other than chasing the rates up and down and trying to undercut the competition, both Uber and Lyft need to figure out some other ways for the drivers to make money. Here are a couple of ideas.
I think it is only fair to charge extra per body beyond the contract rider. A $2-$3 tip per each additional person should be added to bill. $25 extra for that fifth rider. Ask any driver, the wear and tear with four big people in your car is significantly greater than with one person. This is tip money and not to be shared by Uber/LYFT.
Long hauling to pick up a short trip is everyone's nightmare. Since Uber won't give you details of trip; but, does assign you as closest to the call, Uber should then compensate you for going to where ever they are sending you. Whether the victim of a cancellation after driving 20 minutes to the pickup point, or the pickup is a two miles to the store ride. So the compensation should be two part. Drivers original location to pickup point and then pickup point t…
Read more...
Other than chasing the rates up and down and trying to undercut the competition, both Uber and Lyft need to figure out some other ways for the drivers to make money. Here are a couple of ideas.
I think it is only fair to charge extra per body beyond the contract rider. A $2-$3 tip per each additional person should be added to bill. $25 extra for that fifth rider. Ask any driver, the wear and tear with four big people in your car is significantly greater than with one person. This is tip money and not to be shared by Uber/LYFT.
Long hauling to pick up a short trip is everyone's nightmare. Since Uber won't give you details of trip; but, does assign you as closest to the call, Uber should then compensate you for going to where ever they are sending you. Whether the victim of a cancellation after driving 20 minutes to the pickup point, or the pickup is a two miles to the store ride. So the compensation should be two part. Drivers original location to pickup point and then pickup point to destination. If the driver reaches the pickup point, they are guaranteed compensation for that leg, no matter the outcome of the ride. Whether Uber wants to eat that addition to the drivers income or pass it on to the consumer, is up to them. If Uber assigns a ride that makes someone drive twenty minnutes to complete the task on Uber's behalf, then it is only right that they cover that cost of getting there.
I think Uber should reduce it's take from the drivers money to a strict 15% of gross and look for alternative revenue streams to make up the difference. They are already making billions in revenue. Just because they choose to squander it or waste it on a support system that is complete qrap. That doesn't make my wallet any fatter. For a company making so much money and it's workers practically impoverished, Uber/Lyft need to wake up. They think driverless cars are going to be there savior, so they don't care how many drivers they cut loose or piss off. All those people they piss off are future foes. I am told driverless vehicles are highly susceptible to sabotage. All one has to do is block it's ability to "see" and for fear of hurting someone, it has to shut itself down. It doesn't have to be damaging or permanent. A tacky foam or sticky paper label over the "eye". That will just disable the driverless car for now, for a minute. Won't hurt it, just confuse it. Make it it's own worst enemy. Thanks for your upvote.
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I have always thought that taxis and rideshares should charge a extra per person fee. You are right that the wear and tear on the car with 400 extra pounds is real. Some taxis (in some cities) do have extra person charges like $1 per person after the first rider but they are usually very small fees.