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2355 Views 19 Replies 13 Participants Last post by  Johnny Drives
I'm tinking about quitting my full time job job to be a Uber driver full time, I met a driver and his advice to me was "if you really want to make $$, drive select or black" he goes on to say he made $65K last year driving black and select and ne never works past 6 pm and about 5 days a week....NOW, is this guy full of it? or can a Select or Black Uber driver really make that kind of $$$,,, if not how much can I expect (40 more/less) hours a week driving merto around metro Detroit and the subs?
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Lmao @ believing what you were told! Try 65 or more hours a week including every Friday and Saturday night. Add in the fact you may only receive one select or black ride request a day. If you seriously consider giving up a full time job to do this full time you need your head examined
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Like right now, there are 6 drivers within 10 minutes of my current location. No surge anywhere, I wouldn't be online at all. Between 10 and like 2 I would never be online driving bc it will literally be non surge garbage day in and day out.
I'm not so sure about the Alternative Facts that Uber Driver shared with you. Between 10-2 every day in Metro Detroit is a challenge. With that being said, there is no way that you could work Monday through Friday and stop at 6ish daily and make a decent wage. This is not a 9-5 type thing. There is money to be made, but you've got to 'Hustle' more than that. Good Luck.
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I'm tinking about quitting my full time job job to be a Uber driver full time, I met a driver and his advice to me was "if you really want to make $$, drive select or black" he goes on to say he made $65K last year driving black and select and ne never works past 6 pm and about 5 days a week....NOW, is this guy full of it? or can a Select or Black Uber driver really make that kind of $$$,,, if not how much can I expect (40 more/less) hours a week driving merto around metro Detroit and the subs?
DON'T DO IT. Uber is meant for part time, not full.

I'm tinking about quitting my full time job job to be a Uber driver full time, I met a driver and his advice to me was "if you really want to make $$, drive select or black" he goes on to say he made $65K last year driving black and select and ne never works past 6 pm and about 5 days a week....NOW, is this guy full of it? or can a Select or Black Uber driver really make that kind of $$$,,, if not how much can I expect (40 more/less) hours a week driving merto around metro Detroit and the subs?
When I was working the Airport, I'd see black and select guys in the same spot for hours. Sometimes I'd do 6 trips and they would still be there. If you like waiting, it's for you.
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Maybe the driver you spoke to was from another city. Maybe NY, Miami, LA,, DC, etc. Hard to net that much in Detroit.
You can Gross that much driving Black but you will have to work nights, weekends and mornings in excess of 50 hours per week.
People are cheap here and would rather get in 2008 Focus than pay extra for Select or Black.
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What I will way because I drive part time really not even that no more than 9 hours a week

I make all my money on the weekends Friday night to Sunday night and I only drive surge

I wouldn't quit my job for this I work in the middle of the week this is perfect

I barely even get xl rides so I know it's no money in select

If do Uber x driving all day no surge you'll starve I stopped driving a full year to figure out a way to turn a profit

Now I do lyft and Uber and I basically drive for the highest bidder at the time and I don't worry about bonus driving and all that
WOW!!, WTF! I guess I got my answer, thanks brothers for being so straight with me... and my dumb ass was actually thinking about going out and buying a 4K Chrysler 300 (uber said it was ok) and only doing Black/Select runs working hell no more than 35-40 a week ( or less) and bring home about a G a week ( my weekends belong to me), DAMN, you guys saved me, thanks, next time I need a car I will try to request one of you...p.s. no one really did answer the question about how much $$ can a select driving working 40 week, metro Detroit/Ann arbor?
Man I gotta work the system to even get surge let alone anything but x runs

Everybody want Uberx and just getting regular fare isn't worth it at 2.5 yes it's worth it
WOW!!, WTF! I guess I got my answer, thanks brothers for being so straight with me... and my dumb ass was actually thinking about going out and buying a 4K Chrysler 300 (uber said it was ok) and only doing Black/Select runs working hell no more than 35-40 a week ( or less) and bring home about a G a week ( my weekends belong to me), DAMN, you guys saved me, thanks, next time I need a car I will try to request one of you...p.s. no one really did answer the question about how much $$ can a select driving working 40 week, metro Detroit/Ann arbor?
You can be select and black but when you get select or black pings once every couple hours you're gonna be forced to log into uberX and do uberX and uberpoo in that select/black car until that's literally all you do.

And to make a $1000 in Detroit rates per week would literally mean 80 hours a week.
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WOW!!, WTF! I guess I got my answer, thanks brothers for being so straight with me... and my dumb ass was actually thinking about going out and buying a 4K Chrysler 300 (uber said it was ok) and only doing Black/Select runs working hell no more than 35-40 a week ( or less) and bring home about a G a week ( my weekends belong to me), DAMN, you guys saved me, thanks, next time I need a car I will try to request one of you...p.s. no one really did answer the question about how much $$ can a select driving working 40 week, metro Detroit/Ann arbor?
Only 40 hours a week? 500 ish at a guess. Less your expenses!
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BTW what area of Detroit do you come from?
I would be working Farmington Hills, just had a interview with MICHIGAN GREEN CARS, they are hiring , you gotta work 12 hour shifts and your split is 35/65 ,,,65 to the company , anybody know about them, any good?
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Not familiar with them do it for a couple of days and see how much that 35 split is
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I would be working Farmington Hills, just had a interview with MICHIGAN GREEN CARS, they are hiring , you gotta work 12 hour shifts and your split is 35/65 ,,,65 to the company , anybody know about them, any good?
No way. It should be 50-50. Even if they paid for gas 65-35 seems kind of high.
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I would be working Farmington Hills, just had a interview with MICHIGAN GREEN CARS, they are hiring , you gotta work 12 hour shifts and your split is 35/65 ,,,65 to the company , anybody know about them, any good?
The upsides:

The cars are clean and well maintained. Hybrids at 45+ MPG, so your fuel bill is small. Car washes are free, and the cars are frequently detailed. If you get into an accident, or there is a mechanical problem, you can be back on the road quickly. You are responsible for up to the $1000 deductible if the wreck is your fault, but they will work with you to pay that over time. Not your fault, and you file a police report - no charge.

The primary dispatchers each have years of experience and are dedicated to their job. You can talk to a local human being instead of texting a robot or a barely trained CSR thousands of miles away and waiting hours or days for a response.

They have several local accounts, most of which include built-in tips. Speaking of tips, as a taxi driver, you are more likely to get tips (more than half your passengers will tip). The car graphics are sharp, and you are less likely to be harassed by cops and security guards. You can legally take walk-ups, and the dispatchers try to accommodate passenger requests for particular drivers whenever feasible. Speaking of passengers - with the higher fares, more of your passengers will be professionals, long time passengers, and accounts. So there are fewer issues with drunks and cheapskates.

The biggest downsides are the split and the assigned shifts. But keep in mind you are NOT wearing out your personal vehicle, you ARE getting tips (the company encourages accounts and passengers to tip), and they have full coverage commercial insurance, so you don't have to worry about your personal vehicle insurance being canceled.

Driving people from point-to-point, whether rideshare or taxi, can be challenging, sometimes frustrating. It can be feast or famine. But of all the companies in the area (and I've driven with, or had friends and associates with, several in the local area), Michigan Green Cabs is one of the best.

(Note: I have not driven for them in the last couple years, so the above details are subject to change)
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I know Uber and lyft pisses me off with just double the fare to these deadhead destinations we were going out to port Huron last year I'm gonna only take 3 time the surges from now on Saturday downtown that fare not worth the trip they don't even tip
You can be select and black but when you get select or black pings once every couple hours you're gonna be forced to log into uberX and do uberX and uberpoo in that select/black car until that's literally all you do.

And to make a $1000 in Detroit rates per week would literally mean 80 hours a week.
I worked 65 hrs one week and I made 900 and change. Only UberX. That was the last time I did that. I drive only in Daytime and I average , (according to my spreadsheet) 15.59 per hour gross.
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Thanks Fellas, Ok here's the deal, I met this guy who wants me to buy his car (airport only) transportation business , he drives an old car (decent condition) from northwest suburbs of Detroit , Novi, farmington, northville etc..) to DTW only. he's retired, met some girl online and is moving to Cambodia to be with her..(ikr) anyway...we have been talking for a year about me buying the business, his business is pretty solid. This business needs to step up into the 21st century. He only takes cash, NO credit cards, he has a built in clientele that call him on a regular bases, for rides only to DTW..I have stood in one spot and talked to him face to face for 20 minutes on numerous occasions and in each time I actually see with my own eyes and heard with my own ears him turning DOWN jobs because he doesn't take credit cards or do CORPORATE accounts, or he doesn't want to go to Southfield or downtown Detroit, I call it laziness , he says that he doesn't wanna work that hard...

Anyway a young(ish) guy like me can really sky rocket this business, which I plan to but I can't do it alone...Now. here is where my new uber driver thread member buddies come into play...

I'm buying the business in a couple of months (the price is insanely cheap) I'm a one man band, I would need other drivers and ideas.
we could really expand and make some good $, anything you don't like about uber/lyft we can start our own service from the ground up with existing clientele

please if you are interested or have ideas please let me know and we will go from there
thanks
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I'm not so sure about the Alternative Facts that Uber Driver shared with you. Between 10-2 every day in Metro Detroit is a challenge. With that being said, there is no way that you could work Monday through Friday and stop at 6ish daily and make a decent wage. This is not a 9-5 type thing. There is money to be made, but you've got to 'Hustle' more than that. Good Luck.
-- I agree Brother!

I'm tinking about quitting my full time job job to be a Uber driver full time, I met a driver and his advice to me was "if you really want to make $$, drive select or black" he goes on to say he made $65K last year driving black and select and ne never works past 6 pm and about 5 days a week....NOW, is this guy full of it? or can a Select or Black Uber driver really make that kind of $$$,,, if not how much can I expect (40 more/less) hours a week driving merto around metro Detroit and the subs?
It all depends on what you mean by "full time income". As an UberX only driver, you can make the equivalent of $40-50K W-2 salary because of the 1099 tax treatment and write offs you'll encounter as a Rideshare Driver. Meaning, if you make $50k salary, you're actually only "taking home" $35,000 in actual money. At $3,000 per month with Uber (and very little taxes due to the write offs), you'll make around $36,000 per year in "take home pay" (which is actually equivalent "roughly" to a W-2 SALARY of $52,000 per year (not bad!). That other driver you spoke with was prolly using $65K as a W-2 equivalent number, meaning, he ACTUALLY "takes home" around $45,000 per year in actual spendable money. BUT WOW That would be VERY hard doing only SELECT and XL alone because of the lack of demand. Moreover, the competition for XL, Select, and Black is stiff my friend. I don't even bother with it (other than an occasional XL ride). UberX is the only way to go, just focus on surge areas and times. **And, stop at 5-6pm? No frea**** way! In fact, I find the most lucrative time to drive is 4:30pm to 12:30am week days and 6:30pm to 2:30am on Friday and Saturdays. In fact, I gave up trying to compete with what I can only describe as the "Baby Boomer Uber Driver Surge" that happens between 10am and 3pm weekdays, and then dies off around 3:30-4:00pm. No offense, but there are a lot of retired "Baby Boomer" era people (i.e ages 55-70 or so) that do Uber/Lyft for extra money and they tend to dominate the time block of 10am-3pm - especially at DTW Airport, so I just avoid that time block and drive when they're done saturating the market with their cars. LOL! (DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT AN ATTORNEY, ACCOUNTANT, OR TAX PROFESSIONAL. ALL STATEMENTS MADE IN THIS POST ARE MY PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND DO NOT CONSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. THANK YOU.)
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