[canzano55]

I used to feel so clever driving Uber on the side - I would tell my friends with pride and I even told people in the business community who I worked with explaining to them that Uber driving helped finance my small business venture during the period I wasn't making money (and it did).

I've been off for over 30 days because my business and customers come first and so I've had no time or energy to log on and make a few bucks. (I should mention that at my peak I was driving Thurs-Sunday 5-8 hours a session and clearing $130-$160 a day since I joined back in December of '14).

I came back on Saturday and a few hours on the Sunday over the past weekend and I only cleared $150 after working a combined total of 9 hours...

I've read through this forum before joining and I have come across mention that Uber is becoming less lucrative and that surging is down/uber percentages increasing etc. I don't think "less-lucrative" even comes close to describing what's going on - in my opinion driving for Uber is downright foolish. I was able to explain away the risks to people on the back of compelling earnings for hrs. worked and flexibility for time but what has clearly happened is an undesirable situation post-aggressive-uber sign-up campaign leading to an enormous surplus of drivers and less earnings.

Very few people on this forum, I'm sure, need any explanation as to the daily risks that are being taken by thousands of drivers who are clogging up the roads without insurance or any care (until they get caught). However it needs to be stated once again, that when you drive for Uber (and this goes for the new drivers especially) you are actively agreeing to dramatically increase the volume of your driving therefore making you the definition of what is considered a "high-risk" driver by every auto-mobile actuary in the world.

I know there are people in this forum who still really need the extra cash and would rather not work at the mall or the car wash (I'm certainly one of them) but driving for Uber is like taking up smoking...its just a matter of time...

 

[PoorBasterd]

driving for Uber is like taking up smoking...its just a matter of time...

Smoking will take about 40 years to finally kill you. Über in the way it's currently managed will work it's black-magic on you much, much quicker than that.

But as with smoking: DON'T START!

 

[RusTO]

True. ROI on Uber in the modern environment is negative.

I'm in exactly in the same situation and, although, I was persuading myself that the best advantage is Uber was flexibility as well as I did really enjoy meeting new and a lot of people, irrelevant of the standard earning potential, it is really not worth it once once break it to the very bottom at this stage.

My advise to all: Don't drive Uber if you are newbie and quit if you are an established driver.

 

[IAMCIRE]

So I recently signed up and got activated last week before the increase to 25%. My car is not the most efficient (calculated cost about $0.12/km) so gas will kill me even on the highway, but it is old and high mileage so depreciation has already taken its toll already.

I live downtown west end and work in Mississauga. Figure I would turn on the app in the morning wait around and see if I'm lucky enough to get someone that is heading out to Pearson or somewhere west in the morning and vice versa in the afternoon. Tax breaks on the commute too which is a nice plus.

It worked pretty well first couple of days I was grossing about $25-30/hr (one drive out west and pickup another in Mississauga area in the morning), but I usually end up driving back downtown empty in the evening on the way home, which is fine since I have to head back there anyways. Did that for a couple of days only for my commute, then yesterday decided to stick around the core and pickup more pax after I got back, and wow I feel so ripped off. My gross went to about $14/hr before all my expenses, factoring in everything I was making less than min wage.

In conclusion I will not be doing this other than for my commute (if even that) and fingers crossed that I will have someone heading out the same way.

 

[Homer J]

So I recently signed up and got activated last week before the increase to 25%. My car is not the most efficient (calculated cost about $0.12/km) so gas will kill me even on the highway, but it is old and high mileage so depreciation has already taken its toll already.

I live downtown west end and work in Mississauga. Figure I would turn on the app in the morning wait around and see if I'm lucky enough to get someone that is heading out to Pearson or somewhere west in the morning and vice versa in the afternoon. Tax breaks on the commute too which is a nice plus.

It worked pretty well first couple of days I was grossing about $25-30/hr (one drive out west and pickup another in Mississauga area in the morning), but I usually end up driving back downtown empty in the evening on the way home, which is fine since I have to head back there anyways. Did that for a couple of days only for my commute, then yesterday decided to stick around the core and pickup more pax after I got back, and wow I feel so ripped off. My gross went to about $14/hr before all my expenses, factoring in everything I was making less than min wage.

In conclusion I will not be doing this other than for my commute (if even that) and fingers crossed that I will have someone heading out the same way.

Welcome to the wonderful world if Uber.
Don't forget to sample the kool-aid

 

[IAMCIRE]

Friend referred me, he does this on a new model civic and was praising how much money it is. He must not know how to do math.

 

[Homer J]

The majority of drivers make less than minimum wage.

Give your friend a calculator

 

[Myxx]

So I recently signed up and got activated last week before the increase to 25%. My car is not the most efficient (calculated cost about $0.12/km) so gas will kill me even on the highway, but it is old and high mileage so depreciation has already taken its toll already.

I live downtown west end and work in Mississauga. Figure I would turn on the app in the morning wait around and see if I'm lucky enough to get someone that is heading out to Pearson or somewhere west in the morning and vice versa in the afternoon. Tax breaks on the commute too which is a nice plus.

It worked pretty well first couple of days I was grossing about $25-30/hr (one drive out west and pickup another in Mississauga area in the morning), but I usually end up driving back downtown empty in the evening on the way home, which is fine since I have to head back there anyways. Did that for a couple of days only for my commute, then yesterday decided to stick around the core and pickup more pax after I got back, and wow I feel so ripped off. My gross went to about $14/hr before all my expenses, factoring in everything I was making less than min wage.

In conclusion I will not be doing this other than for my commute (if even that) and fingers crossed that I will have someone heading out the same way.

I've worked the weekday early evening crowd (6-9 pm) in the past and I can attest that it's a real struggle to exceed minimum wage after expenses.

 

[canzano55]

You guys aren't factoring in monthly insurance, just gas right?

Or are there people in here doing the full_on revenue/gas+mileage_car depreciation+accident_repair risk etc.

 

[RideShareCowboy]

I'm doing Uberx only weekend nights 6pm to 4am approx... using the new "Earnings" tab in the android partner app and only ubering till i "earn" $250 gross ... after fuel $40/shift, ins $3/day, w/t $1/hr, I'm netting $200 for 10 hrs work ... $20/hr during the peak, peak times so heavily promoted by Uber.

Factored against the risk? Not even a contest anymore. I'm going into 1/month mode till the winter when real money can be made again.

"Back to university" will be interesting though...

 

[biozon]

You guys aren't factoring in monthly insurance, just gas right?

Your personal insurance is not a factor, because you are paying it regardless of whether you Uber or not.

However gas is far from your only expense related to this job.

Consider following:

1) Vehicle depreciation.
2) Vehicle maintenance and repairs.
3) Uber related additional vehicle expenses (extra cleaning chemicals, etc, etc).
4) Uber related food and drink expenses (when you are spending that extra cash to buy a snack or even full dinner where if you weren't Ubering, you could be just eating home which is much less expensive). Plus possibly parking expenses for those times you have to park somewhere to have a break to eat, and there is no free parking around.

Add additional risk and stress factor and, therefore it is much more likely for you to get a ticket for breaking traffic rules (mid street U-turns, parking at places where parking is not allowed, standing at places where standing is not allowed, turning where turning is not allowed, etc, etc, etc).

All things considered, my profit is fluctuating around 50% of the total fares I collect when Ubering. Of course, it's on average, but there were lucky days when this factor jumped to 70-80% of the total fares.