[BeepBeepImaJeep]

I'm genuinely curious, I have seen in my short time on the forums a lot of negativity and saying that you can't make any money driving for uber (which I understand with the X platform and fare reduction is a fair assessment) why do you still drive uber? I mean it has to be one or the other right? Or else everyone is just banging their head against the wall because they enjoy the abuse? Help me understand!

 

[shiftydrake]

My thoughts exactly..........why put up with it?.........uless you enjoy destroying your personal car for the small amount you get.........but what do I know .....right?

 

[Ted1]

Well let me try to answer and this is for me I can't speak for everyone. I started driving over one year ago and uber said I can make great money. Well I did for the first six or seven months so I thought wow I got some good extra cash flow so I can use my credit and buy a couple things for the family. Now over a year later uber has dropped the rates to .87 cents per mile and I'm barley hanging on to make my minimum payments. Now I'm not whining and I don't blame anyone but myself for being in this situation well maybe uber a little. So I'm at the point I really don't know what else to do I still work my full time job that I have been at for many years. I just keep hoping it will get better but now I'm starting to think that is not going to happen. Anyway for some of us it's not that easy to just walk away believe me I wish I could.

 

[Santa]

A question that had been asked over and over again and ANSWERED over and over again.

Search the forum and you'll get 100s of answers to your curiosity. Don't be lazy.

 

[Another Uber Driver]

Uber is allright if you need a few extra dollars to pay the cable bill, take the wife out to dinner and a show here and there or if you are between jobs and need a little cash flow.

Even for those who are getting that out of TNC work, people always do want more money. Maybe Bloomberg, Soros, The Donald or Buffett have more money than they really need, but most people do not.

 

[the rebel]

I was put into a bad position by getting talked to moving to a city 5 hours from anybody I knew by my wife's family, based on some promises of a bunch of leads for my previous work. It of course did not work out but I tried a little to long to make it work, then came back to the Denver area while still in a bind. Despite knowing about and reading this board I thought it could not be that bad so I jumped onto the Uber rental program for a month while I was trying to save money to get my car repaired and find a suitable job. Even with us staying with family for that month I was not able to make enough to keep the family fed and involved with their activities despite working 65 hours per week. I ended up borrowing the money to repair my car and things were a little better driving for uber and lyft but I did not get back on my feet until I found a decent job and now only drive a few hours a week making some side money to start paying off some debt.

 

[BeepBeepImaJeep]

A question that had been asked over and over again and ANSWERED over and over again.

Search the forum and you'll get 100s of answers to your curiosity. Don't be lazy.

If this was a question with a finite number of responses I wouldn't open a thread about it. But an ever evolving world, with new drivers and new responses are worth hearing about. I don't need the archives for that. It doesn't have anything to do with being lazy. Obviously, if it bothers you though... You don't have to read this one.

 

[Mooney]

It sure beats watching television.

 

[Hoon1e]

people are lying. i used to read the negativity as well. depends where u are driving. i know FOR A FACT after expenses that DC drivers that drive part time make a good buck.. i drive around 10-20 hours and ALWAYS make around 20-24 an hour. and in bowie (suburbs) i do usually 16 an hour with no surge

 

[Ted1]

people are lying. i used to read the negativity as well. depends where u are driving. i know FOR A FACT after expenses that DC drivers that drive part time make a good buck.. i drive around 10-20 hours and ALWAYS make around 20-24 an hour. and in bowie (suburbs) i do usually 16 an hour with no surge

Good for you pal not everyone lives where you live and the rates here are 87 cents per mile. So I don't think anyone is lying.

 

[MaximusMurkimus]

I do this to supplement my high-expense lifestyle with my day job

.....And to save up for various things.

There's money in it, just not as much as there once was.

 

[Greguzzi]

How would Travis be able to afford his lavish lifestyle if not for his Uberserfs doing their all for his benefit? That's why I drive Uber.

 

[MikesUber]

I do this to supplement my high-expense lifestyle with my day job

.....And to save up for various things.

There's money in it, just not as much as there once was.

Couldn't have said it better myself

 

[Bill Collector]

Daytime job is boring.. Driving Uber entertains me while paying peanuts.

 

[RJA]

It sure beats watching television.

I quit driving for a couple of weeks. Then one Saturday I had absolutely nothing to do so I got online with Uber. I drove for another couple of days that I was bored. After seeing how much money I made, I decided I really wasn't THAT bored.

I only tried it again for something to do. After careful consideration, I decided I could lose money in more interesting ways than driving people in my car. I'll go play golf and spend less money on that than I lose driving for Uber.

 

[Ubernic]

people are lying. i used to read the negativity as well. depends where u are driving. i know FOR A FACT after expenses that DC drivers that drive part time make a good buck.. i drive around 10-20 hours and ALWAYS make around 20-24 an hour. and in bowie (suburbs) i do usually 16 an hour with no surge

I feel the same way, I make plenty of money, to the point I need to make large tax paments now because so much cash is coming in. Then I watch all of these guys say they don't make anything.

 

[Lilly45]

I feel the same way, I make plenty of money, to the point I need to make large tax paments now because so much cash is coming in. Then I watch all of these guys say they don't make anything.

I drive uber in Kansas City and I can tell you right now , that I'm making less then a dollar a mile so far I've had 1 surge and the rest have been flat rates . I'm unberX worked the royals game last night drove 20.3 miles and made 16 bucks that was the biggest fare I had all night, all other fares that night were 5 dollars and under and most of the trips were 5 miles some of them were a little less miles and some of the fares I picked up I made 2.36 for a trip . So the Kansas City area so far has not been good to me. I'm going to only start working the weekends because I heard that's when you get the surge money.. I'm spending 25 dollars a day in gas and barley making any money. Maybe you are in a better city but Kansas City is not been good to me so far. any advice would be great. Thank you

 

[Ubernic]

UberX non surge needs incentives and lots of grinding, or waiting for surge it seems. I know a guy who makes $1500 weekly, but he is pumping out 100+ rides a week long hours plus getting incentives.

 

[Lilly45]

UberX non surge needs incentives and lots of grinding, or waiting for surge it seems. I know a guy who makes $1500 weekly, but he is pumping out 100+ rides a week long hours plus getting incentives.

I started working for uber Saturday and I've worked every day usually starting around 6 pm and working until about 1:30 am.. My fares have been extremely low and barley any tips some but not many.. I've spent 50 dollars in gas in the 3 days I've worked and I have made less then 200 bucks.. Just trying to figure out the best times work and try to hit some surges.. I believe from my calculations I'm making 82 cents per mile or less. I picked up a fare at the royals game last night , it was a flat rate I drove 20.3 miles and made 16.94.. That In my opinion is terrible even a flat rate that is bad. Also I'm uberX I had 4 people in my car. the guy that's making a 1000 bucks a week must be working 24/7 or hitting a lot of surges..

 

[Webster614]

I do it because I lost my job about a month ago. I'm in Philly, and it's 1.10 per mile. Most of my fares are small 5-8 bucks a pop, but once a night I'll hit a 20+. I hardly see surge here, it seems like when I see the surge on the map and head that way, usually a 5 minute ride) I either get zero rides or the second I cross into the surge it goes away. It can definitely be frustrating at times but I figure I'm making about $90 a night on average and working Thursday-Saturday. I avoid Monday through Wednesday at all costs, there's no money in it at night. Now that I've been able to pocket some extra cash, I put my son back in day care and I'm gonna start working the mornings for a little bit until I go back to work. Right now the DNC is in town so I'm hoping that will give me a nice bump this week (last night was a good night - though the Uber lot and the way they designed it was downright awful).

But anyway, that's why I Uber. I need the cash between jobs to stay afloat and it's been a godsend. I plan to continue doing the Thursday-Saturday night driving after I start work to save up to buy a house next year. I love meeting the different people, hearing the different stories, it's an interesting "hobby/job". I truly enjoy it.