If you are a potential driver who is considering signing up for Lyft or Uber, please keep the following advice in mind:
1. If you become a part time driver, be aware that you will pay out quite a bit just on maintenance alone - make sure you have a reliable car that doesn't have a tendency to break down or is expensive even when the most simple of things goes wrong.
2. Be aware that you will come into contact with a lot of passengers who are intoxicated or high from different substances, the biggest ones being marijuana and alcohol. Exercise a high degree of caution with these people, as they can be very volatile. Additionally, invest in some vomit bags. You can get them from virtually any retail outlet.
3. Use caution in how you speak and act as well - many times passengers can be upset by the most innocuous of things, and will make you pay dearly through rating you poorly. This has happened to many of my fellow drivers out across the country that I still maintain contact with, and oftentimes they don't have a clue because the passengers act like everything is great. If you can, stick to sports or something mundane. Be courteous at all times as well unless absolutely necessary.
4. Know that, going into this, you will have to pay for a DMV medical exam and a state inspection of your vehicle in many parts of the country, as Lyft and Uber increasingly are having to abide by the rules put into place by regulatory agencies both at the city, county and state levels.
5. Invest in a dual USB charging port for your car - always have a charging cable on hand at all times both for Android based phones and iPhones as well. Passengers can and will rate you poorly if you do not have at least one of the other.
6. If necessary, contact each and every passenger at the start of a ride to obtain their accurate location. Experience dictates that people as a rule do not read, and as a result do not put in any kind of pickup address, business or even a destination address. Many seem to assume that TNC providers operate exactly like a taxi service, and any attempts to dissuade passengers of this mentality has resulted in poor ratings for many drivers nationwide.
7. If you are in a more rural or smaller market with no other major cities within a short driving distance, do not pursue Lyft or Uber as a full time job. It is financially not worth it. Use it as a side gig if you already possess a part time job or a full time job, but be aware that the payout each week may not be what you think it is.
8. Invest in a dash-cam, and if allowed to, pepper spray. You never know when you will have a violent or disruptive passenger, and in case of an accident, a dash-cam could potentially clear your name.
9. If you wish to do so, provide candy, mints, gum or water. It does help to improve the ratings of some drivers, but not all. Do this at your own discretion.
10. Always memorize the locations of local law enforcement agencies. Keep their numbers in your phone on speed dial. You never know when you may need their help. Also, memorize all of the safe locations that are brightly lit and have high traffic near them in your area in case you need to kick someone out of your car. These will be your designated safe zones. If you are unable to find either one in time, be constantly on the lookout for areas a law enforcement patrol unit may frequent. This will help protect you even further in the event that you may be at risk with respect to personal safety.
11. If you so choose to, invest in an emergency first aid kit. You never know when a passenger might experience a medical emergency. It also goes without saying that it is not a bad idea to be certified in emergency first aid and CPR through either the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association. These things may come in handy for when a passenger experiences medical distress and help is several minutes away.
12. Document every dollar spent that is to be used towards your gig as a driver with Uber and Lyft. Use a smartphone app, use Excel spreadsheet, keep all of your receipts of purchases made while logged into driver mode and any repairs or cleaning done to your vehicle that directly relate to working as a driver for Uber, Lyft or any other similar company. The best website you could use is SherpaShare, if you choose to go that route. Also make sure to document all of your miles driven while logged in as a driver - you will need all of the above items come tax time, as you do not get any tax forms from either company unless you gross over $20,000 a year from driving. Account for every last dollar, or the IRS may audit you.
13. Allow the passengers to choose what kind of music they want to listen to, if they prefer to. If they simply wish to be left alone in peace for the duration of the ride, respect that.
14. This final piece of advice may come across as a promotional bit, but I advise you, potential driver, to follow The Rideshare Guy on Facebook or at his personal website at http://www.therideshareguy.com. He's been an advocate for us drivers since beginning his website, and oftentimes has useful tips for drivers that may help you out, depending on what kind of a market you live in. He has many, many resources to help drivers try to increase their income (again this truly depends on what kind of a city you live in - personal opinion here), along with many, many other resources to help you not only improve as a driver but also to save money on your expenses. Once more, follow him - he's the only one serving as a voice, and as a beacon of light, for the driving community as a whole.
Consider well everything I outlined above, and best of luck to you as a new driver if you pursue it. Above all, don't let yourself get sucked into the black hole I found myself in (I live in a smaller community with poor demand - took a year plus a bankruptcy to convince me to get out of driving). Be smart with what you are doing as a driver, and don't let yourself be blinded by glitzy advertising that promises you untold riches by companies offering independent contracting work. Play it smart, and you'll do okay. Good night, and good luck.
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