[JediDriver]

I was wondering if anyone has been aproved to get a profile that is XL and Select only without the X rides.

Right now I have a minivan and they won't allow me to get a profile with just XL rides.

I was thinking that with a Volvo CX90 you could get both XL and Select rides and perhaps stay somewhat busy and keep the larger fares. It is hard to argue taking X rides at 20 MPG and the depreciation on a nicer car.

 

[Robmsp85]

I didn't know this was possible.

I thought if you got select request you also got X request. No way to only get select request.

 

[JediDriver]

Yeah, I know people can get some of these options in other markets, but I was just wondering if anyone has here.

 

[Robmsp85]

Yeah, I know people can get some of these options in other markets, but I was just wondering if anyone has here.

O wow that would be sweet!

 

[Tincup44]

Suburban LTZ here.....would love to see that. New to forum....new to Uber....

 

[JediDriver]

Tincup44, what percentage of each category ride do you get on average?

 

[Tincup44]

JediDriver Four days driving......4 Select.....13 xl.....100+ trips. Think I need a better strategy? lol

 

[poopyhead]

I explicitly asked to be only XL. They said no, not in this market.

I was wondering if anyone has been aproved to get a profile that is XL and Select only without the X rides.

Right now I have a minivan and they won't allow me to get a profile with just XL rides.

I was thinking that with a Volvo CX90 you could get both XL and Select rides and perhaps stay somewhat busy and keep the larger fares. It is hard to argue taking X rides at 20 MPG and the depreciation on a nicer car.

 

[JediDriver]

Poopyhead, I did too. I keep sending requests every week hoping to catch a new guy or a pissed off guy at support to just push it through. I went down to the green light office too with no luck. I am even considering a bribe; it is not like they are govenrment workers or anything. I would much rather sit and read a book for 15 minutes waiting for an XL ride at $2/mile than run around on X runs, which are break even or worse if I have to drive far to get them.

 

[JediDriver]

Tincup,
I am not sure how old your suburnban is, but I would take a close look at the math to see if you are making any money at all. I broke down my costs for my 2006 Odyssey and on X runs there is not much meat left on the bone.
$1/mile - 28% = $0.72/mile
$0.12 gas/mile
$0.03 depreciation/mile (much less than the government deduction rate of $0.24/mile)
$0.09 repair and maintenance/mile
$0.09 license and insurance/mile (I don't take these into accont since I would pay these anyway and USAA has a great deal in rideshare insurance)

So, $0.72/mile - $0.24/mile running costs = $0.48/mile profit However, if not careful you can get about half of your miles running unpaid.
So, $0.72/mile - $0.24/mile running costs - $0.24/mile empty miles = $0.24/ mile profit

But if you have a newer car and your depreciation was $0.15/mile instead of $0.03, then you would be straight up breaking even. Yes, you get paid, but you are using your vehicle as an ATM.

Maybe some experienced drivers can point out if my math is wrong anywhere.

 

[Tincup44]

Jedidriver.....yep, you're exactly right which was kind of what I suspected would be the case going in. Just figured I was going to try it to essentially confirm that would be the case. Learning the hard way I know. I do appreciate your sharing the info and you're exactly right! Uber poisoning the paradigm riders have toward the service with the no tipping policy leaves no room to be able to afford to operate a select xl.

 

[JediDriver]

Tincup,
I still think it is a good thing to have in your back pocket. You never know when you might have a bill come due next Friday and it is nice to be able to pocket a few hundred bucks over a weekend, even if you might be using your car as an atm essentially.

 

[Woodbury77]

I don't know. I think it's all in how you look at it. I drive XL but yes most of my runs are X.

I spend say $50 to $75 on gas and bring home $350 to $500 a week. I get a Mileage credit for taxes and put away 30% of my Lyft and Uber checks for taxes and put the rest towards my DEBT.

Yes I'm putting wear and tear on my car but personally I'm going to have a car payment no matter what. So far since Thanksgiving I've paid off $3,000 on a CC with a nasty interest rate and still have all of my cash tips. I've spent less money drinking beer and doing other things and I never would have paid off $3,000 in three months just sitting on my a$$ at home.

Again it's all in how you look at it and we all have different reasons.

 

[Spike00]

My car is 7 years old, 120k miles and paid off several years ago. It's gets 30+ mpg. My kid turns 16 next year, so it'll go to him. I am not worried about depreciation. Minus gas and $20 a month for rideshare insurance, everything I make seems to be take home. I may get oil changes a bit more frequently, but I don't sweat it. The .54 cents & being a business owner should provide enough write offs, plus my real job, I'm actually getting a little money back. I think it just takes a winning attitude!

 

[Woodbury77]

I'm actually getting a little money back. I think it just takes a winning attitude!

Well said!

 

[JediDriver]

Spike, do you have an XL/Select that gets 30 MPG? That would be great! I agree that a car with 120,000+ miles is the best way to go. I will say that with rideshare a lot does SEEM like take home, which is part of the trap. Depreciation is happening whether you care or recognize it. Maintenance costs will add up, although these are so variable with repairs; you could get lucky and drive a car 200,000 miles with no major problems. I like the attitude though!

Woodbury, it sounds like we have a lot in common. I started driving because in addition to wanting more money to pay for a new kitchen I really needed to stop drinking so much. If I drive Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, then it eliminates so much of the temptation. I play soccer late Sunday nights, so that just leaves three nights a week and I am not nearly as tempted on weeknights, which is good for me. I have been enjoying being a driver, but I would love to get more XL runs. Do you have any good strategies you use for that?

 

[Spike00]

I just drive select. I realize deprecation happens. If I went out and got a loan for a $30k Prius, drove it for Uber for a year put 70k miles on it, it'd probably only be worth $15k, but my loan would still be for about $28k...ouch.. Luckily that's not my scenario! Car was paid off before I ubered. I'm not concerned about turning my $7k car into a $5k car. 2 + years and no major mechanical issues. I know they'll probably come, but I've made enough to buy my car 5x over

 

[Woodbury77]

Spike, do you have an XL/Select that gets 30 MPG? That would be great! I agree that a car with 120,000+ miles is the best way to go. I will say that with rideshare a lot does SEEM like take home, which is part of the trap. Depreciation is happening whether you care or recognize it. Maintenance costs will add up, although these are so variable with repairs; you could get lucky and drive a car 200,000 miles with no major problems. I like the attitude though!

Woodbury, it sounds like we have a lot in common. I started driving because in addition to wanting more money to pay for a new kitchen I really needed to stop drinking so much. If I drive Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, then it eliminates so much of the temptation. I play soccer late Sunday nights, so that just leaves three nights a week and I am not nearly as tempted on weeknights, which is good for me. I have been enjoying being a driver, but I would love to get more XL runs. Do you have any good strategies you use for that?

Live in a super social neighborhood and trying to avoid drinking more to keep healthy. Plus its super expensive. How is the kitchen coming?

 

[JediDriver]

Slow, we spent a bunch of cash on new siding and a front porch. Now we are just buying new appliances one at a time; got the dish washer and stove, but still need the fridge and microwave. Then, new floors, counters...it never ends

 

[Tincup44]

I just drive select. I realize deprecation happens. If I went out and got a loan for a $30k Prius, drove it for Uber for a year put 70k miles on it, it'd probably only be worth $15k, but my loan would still be for about $28k...ouch.. Luckily that's not my scenario! Car was paid off before I ubered. I'm not concerned about turning my $7k car into a $5k car. 2 + years and no major mechanical issues. I know they'll probably come, but I've made enough to buy my car 5x over

Thanks for posting and I get what you're saying. Curious however, how do you drive just select? Don't you have trouble with your trip acceptance rate, given 90+% of the requests are for X?