I'm sure your here because UBERs 5 min introductory video was very informative.

Couple of pointerss

keep your doors locked at all times. Pax will try and jump into your car with more pax then allowed.

Never give your personal number out to anybody. You will have pax ask for your personal number to get rides under the table. It's a safety issue and a liability issue.

Never start a trip until you feel satisfied with the potential pax. If you feel any bad vibe or just don't feel safe kindly ask them to leave your vehicle. It's not worth it to put up with any unruly pax for below minimal wage.

Always keep track of your miles in some type of log for the end of the year.

Don't expect any kind of tip, uber tells pax that tipping is included in the fair.

The #1 most important thing to remember is cancelation fee. If you show up to the ping that the pax enters. DO NOT waste your time/gas looking for the pax. It's their responsibility to make sure the address they entered is correct. If the driver does not show up after 5 minutes cancel the trip and use "RIDER NO SHOW"

Uber will proudly deactivate you if your rating falls below 4.5.

Always greet the pax and say goodbye when they exit the car it's really easy. You might hear of people giving treats like candy and water to the pax. It's a waste of money and pax will still 1 star you if they feel like it.

Well you will learn the rest on your own as all of us other drivers have.

Good luck

 

Thanks! I appreciate the pointers!

 

The only way to get over your nerves is to just do that first ride. Get in your car. Turn on the app. Wait for the ping. Then go. You know what to do. Ninety percent of the riders you pick up will be very nice. Just put them in your car and go. The worst that can happen is that you'll get confused about the app or something. In that case, just take your time and figure it out. Mumble something to the pax that this "new app" is giving everybody headaches. Then drive and drop off. When you're done you'll say... "Wow, what was I so nervous about?"

 

You're right, thank you!!

 

Don't sweat it. It's fun.

 

Yep, I think the only roadblock is myself. Thanks!

 

First, never listen to a person with YOLO in their name from NJ. Seriously, if you learn nothing else, learn this.

I LOVE to Uber. That doesn't mean it's not work or that the money is good, that depends on you and your area.

I would say, from what I've read here, TALL and coastal cities suck. WIDE and non-coastal cities are way better. Longer runs and more polite passengers.

Don't be scared at all, it really is fun if you are patient and outgoing, but do be prepared. You can have 15 great rides killed by one bad one. The trick is to remember YOU are the boss and don't let the bad one happen.

Lock your doors and talk to pax through a window. They have to know your name, period.

DON'T start the ride in the app until you are sure YOU want to give them the ride. If you don't like the ride for any reason, drive off and then cancel in the app, really, do it, you decide not Uber or the pax. Do this on an iPhone by tapping their name, select cancel, and select whatever reason you choose.

If you give the ride, be nice, be mostly honest that you are new, and turn on your GPS voice if you are new to the area. Do that by tapping the audio icon in the upper right corner. It's off by default.

In the tall cities, amenities might be worthless, here in the midwest I rake in the tips with them, do what you want and see if you think they work. You don't need them to do your job.

If this isn't for you, you will know it soon enough, but don't be scared to try. 95% of my passengers are rich people, tourists, or college kids. Not scary. The other 5% are people I drive away from and cancel like falling down drunks or people who try to break the rules.

 

Good suggestions here. Another one: Get a friend to download the passenger app and request a ride so you can get an idea of the mechanics of how it works. If they use your promo code their ride will be free, but Uber will pay you for it.

 

I did this, felt a lot better after I saw how simple it really is

 

99% of the time it's easy, they get in, you drive to dest, they get out.

 

The first time is awkward for most new drivers. Stick with daytime in an area your farmiliar with of corse. After a few rides, especially the first, you'll feel MUCH more comfortable. Good luck.

 

I was in your exact shoes... until tonight! I got approved on 11/20 but finally did my first run tonight. It was fine. I would say to pick a not-so-busy night to get your first couple of pings that way, when the busier weekend rolls around, you're more ready. Go for it!!

 

Good suggestions here. Another one: Get a friend to download the passenger app and request a ride so you can get an idea of the mechanics of how it works. If they use your promo code their ride will be free, but Uber will pay you for it.

I had my sister upload the rider app and request me for a practice ride. It was perfectly easy and everything worked exactly as shown in the Uber training videos.

 

Good suggestions here. Another one: Get a friend to download the passenger app and request a ride so you can get an idea of the mechanics of how it works. If they use your promo code their ride will be free, but Uber will pay you for it.

I had my sister upload the rider app and request me for a practice ride. It was perfectly easy and everything worked exactly as shown in the Uber training videos.

I think I'll do this for my first ride tomorrow. What is the limit on the trip that uber will pay? lmao.

 

POST # 1/DogMommy78: "Ahoy!" and
Welcome to the UP.Net
Forums from Mostly Dark...overnight...
Marco Island, on Florida's Wild SSW Coast.

 

Just have a couple of beers before you start out and you'll be fine..Hell half of them are drunk or hung over anyway

 

What..? No.

 

So if I'm guessing correctly, we have a 37 year old woman who treats dogs as if they're children.

You're going to do great. LOL

 

Sounds like the prototypical taxi driver of 2016. Oh, I mean uber driver. It's a ridesharing service, not taxi. Keep forgetting.

 

Start by focusing on driving in the daylight if possible. Learn the basic structure of your town, lay of the land, North South, East and West. Use your GPS, don't let it dictate your driving to you. Relax, don't feel a need to micromanage or fret over your driver rating. Allow yourself to get as many trips in early during daylight hours......... If you are a nervous Nelly and feel out of your element, I have no idea where you live but if need be, return to the closest area you feel at home in and turn the driver app once you feel more in your element.

Figure 30 rides might make for a ten hour shift, just for perspective. 200 rides is a couple weeks work, so give yourself time to really run some trips. That will give you perspective.

Good luck.

 

You are insinuating she likes that sort of thing.
Maybe she's into the other, or same I suppose.

 

Good suggestions here. Another one: Get a friend to download the passenger app and request a ride so you can get an idea of the mechanics of how it works. If they use your promo code their ride will be free, but Uber will pay you for it.

Genius.

Slow clap.

 

Did you do it?

How did it go?

 

Just have a couple of beers before you start out and you'll be fine..Hell half of them are drunk or hung over anyway

Lol! Oh my!

 

Face your fears head on. It's very simple and it's pretty fun driving Uber. Your first trip can be pretty memorable...so get out there and make some personal history for yourself. Then get signed up for Lyft, too.

 

I went out tonight but no bites. I think I will follows some others advice and drive in the daylight hours.. I'm new to the area and am not familiar with it at all. But at least Ii turned on the app and was finally prepared to take the leap! Oh, and I am signed up for Lyft, too!

 

I had my sister upload the rider app and request me for a practice ride. It was perfectly easy and everything worked exactly as shown in the Uber training videos.

Download

 

Thanks! I appreciate everyone's advice, serious and humorous.. Totally helped break the ice.

 

Did you do it?

How did it go?

I went out for the first time tonight but no bites. I think the daylight hours are a good suggestion since I'm still new to the area.. Looking forward to my first actual ride now. Now I just need to learn where the bites will happen out here.

 

Well, as long as this old post got dusted off and now I have read through it all..... Curious to know how it has been going for DogMommy and if she figured it out and making money or tried it and stopped altogether?

 

I'm a brand new driver as well. Got approved over the weekend and still haven't taken the leap. I've been reading these forums a lot and looking at videos on YouTube and whatnot. Kinda feeling it out before I dip my feet in the water. I'm headed to Best Buy right now to get a cell phone mount for my car and then I'll likely fire up the app for an hour or two tomorrow. Good luck DogMommy!

 

Go out in the daylight and drive. The package might be a jerk but they are only people.

 

Don't feel bad....I'm having the same problem! Tomorrow's the day!

Don't feel bad....I'm having the same problem! Tomorrow's the day!

Oh wow! I'm feeling pretty stupid right now. I just realized how old this discussion is! Sorry!

 

After a few rides that scary feeling will turn to hate...