Income as Lyft or Uber driver ?

[caseyc]

Another update here. Last night, I grossed total earnings of about $62 for driving 5 different customers during a period of 2-1/2 hours in the evening. Each individual fare varied anywhere from $8 to $15 to $25. I get to keep approximately 75% of the gross amount, which comes out to roughly $46 net amount for me. I figure if I work part time in the evenings Monday to Friday, I should probably make over $1,000 net amount. Math comes out to this: $46 net (for 2-1/2 hours of work during evening time) X 22 weekdays approximately = $1,012 net amount to me. Obviously, if I choose to work every single day of the month (for average of 30 days), I will earn more. Or if I choose to work more hours, again I would earn more. Because I have a "normal" day job that requires me to wake up at 4:30am to arrive to work by 6:00am, I'm already tired by the time I get off my day job. Hence I only have limited energy to drive around in the evenings. That's why I like this type of part time work. I start work when I want. End work when I want. Work more hours or fewer hours if I want. I can either choose to work weekends...or not. Total flexability. No stupid paperwork to fill out. No clocking in and out. No staff meetings. No supervisor looking over my shoulders. No stupid coworkers gossiping about me. Each ride is done in 15 to 30 minutes and on to the next customer. I get paid weekly each Thursday whereby the paycheck is electronically deposited to my checking account. No paycheck to pick up and deposit to a bank. Very convenient. Heck, I can even take naps in my comfy ride if I want to, and for as long as I want to.

 

[Scott_1776]

Awesome, remember the best times are late night, $50 an hour and around events like football or any sporting event. I'll drive Sunday before and after the Ravens game for 3 he's prior and maybe 1-2 he's after and should make $300-400, so work smart not hard!

 

[offroad]

Don't forget to pay Uncle Sam quarterly. Or you might get a penalty. He gets his pint of blood. I see this regulated by the states. Insurance groups. And other business groups pretty quickly in each state. In the next year. Get the money while you can.

 

[caseyc]

Hi Scott,

Thank you. What time exactly is late night? After 10:00pm or midnight? Did you read the Uber FAQ that says something to the effect of $100 cleaning bill if any vomiting cleanup is required? Do I have to worry about drunks vomiting in the car for late night pickups? I have a buddy who says he only works weekends driving to the airport and averages $300. So I'm figuring out the possibilities. Right now, I'm simply getting my feet wet.

Question: Are you using the crappy company provided iPhone 4 with its small screen? Or are you using something better? I need a larger screen, and I'm considering buying the iPhone 6+ for its 5.5" screen, especially since the Uber driver app is only available for the iPhone at this time.

Also, guess what? Lyft just now today sent me an email to say I've been approved as a Lyft driver. Should I even bother with Lyft at this point? I have a bad feeling about them at this time. The only cool thing about Lyft is that their passenger app allows tipping, whereas Uber doesn't, as you already know. Maybe with tipping, I might possibly make more with a Lyft passenger? I have no idea. Just thinking out loud.

Thanks,
Casey

Awesome, remember the best times are late night, $50 an hour and around events like football or any sporting event. I'll drive Sunday before and after the Ravens game for 3 he's prior and maybe 1-2 he's after and should make $300-400, so work smart not hard!

 

[Scott_1776]

I do use their iPhone, didn't have a choice when I started, plusI have limited data plan so I didn't want to pay for that, also I like to multi-task with both devices and an iPad. I've heard of some drivers using both Lyft and Über, I say über busy with one. As for late night, it's after 11 pm and really good after 1-2 as he bars close. I don't let "piss" drunk peeps in my car! So not a problem with cleaning up.

 

[caseyc]

Hi Scott,

Thanks for your reply. You must have better eye sight than me to be able to see such a small screen on the iPhone 4. I'm considering buying the new iPhone 6+ with its 5.5" screen. Debating. Hmmm. What to do? As it stands now, it's causing me stress, delay time, and inconvenience having to transfer the customer address from the iPhone 4 to my Android smartphone in order to use my 5.7" Samsung Note 3 screen. I don't want any additional stress, as it's hard enough finding the customer, especially in the dark in unfamiliar streets. Worse, the supplied navigation app through the iPhone 4 is very basic, it downright sucks! I have the unlimited grandfathered data plan through Verizon. I will go check if I'm able to transfer my unlimited original plan to a new iPhone 6+. I imagine the answer is yes, but I will confirm.

Casey

I do use their iPhone, didn't have a choice when I started, plusI have limited data plan so I didn't want to pay for that, also I like to multi-task with both devices and an iPad. I've heard of some drivers using both Lyft and Über, I say über busy with one. As for late night, it's after 11 pm and really good after 1-2 as he bars close. I don't let "piss" drunk peeps in my car! So not a problem with cleaning up.

 

[Scott_1776]

Tip for picking riders, use your hazards as you pull up, they will find you, and don't forget you can text them that you arrived and more specifically your location. I agree the screen is small, and I need my prescription updated, too!

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

so is the driver app seperate from customer app? cause there is an app for android from customer end...youd think they would have been able to have one made. maybe its a exclusivity deal they worked with apple for a break on the phones.

 

[akrvbob]

Have you figured out your hourly rate? It looks to be a little more than $20 an hour for you and the vehicle.

I don't think that's nearly enough for both. It's barely acceptable for you alone.
Bob

 

[caseyc]

The Uber driver app is entirely different than the passenger app. The driver app is only on the iPhone. The passenger app is available on both iPhone and Android platform. Hopefully in the near future the driver app will also be available for Android.

so is the driver app seperate from customer app? cause there is an app for android from customer end...youd think they would have been able to have one made. maybe its a exclusivity deal they worked with apple for a break on the phones.

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I would say $20 per hour sounds pretty accurate based on only driving about 6 total hours for past 3 evenings.

Have you figured out your hourly rate? It looks to be a little more than $20 an hour for you and the vehicle.

I don't think that's nearly enough for both. It's barely acceptable for you alone.
Bob

 

[offroad]

If you look at $20 against all expenses nope not worth that including wear and tare on car. But most are just letting their car rot rust in the driveway and loose value faster to age of car, versus mileage on car odometer.

 

[Scott_1776]

The driver app is available on Android in my area.

 

[akrvbob]

I'd figure a minimum of 50 cents a mile to operate your vehicle, and probably more like 75 cents a mile. Figure out your cost to operate the vehicle and then deduct that from the $20 an hour to know how much you are being paid.

Does Uber report your income to the feds? If so figure another 15% gone to self-employment taxes plus your personal taxes on the income.

I don't think it's going to be good.
Bob

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

As long as we're being negative here, I notice that no one has mentioned vehicle insurance.

I'm guessing most uber drivers don't tell their insurance company they're driving for uber and are just paying normal rates for a non-commercial policy.

If so, I can guarantee that the first time an uber driver is in an accident in which the passenger is injured, the shit will hit the fan. The insurance company will wash their hands of the whole thing, and the driver will be swinging in the wind.

Regards
John

 

[Seeker]

32-mile Uber ride cost a Jacksonville man $417
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/story...2-mile-uber-ride-cost-local-man-417/18659227/

Looks like for special events like football games you can make enough to be worthwhile!
A SEEKER

 

[offroad]

As long as we're being negative here, I notice that no one has mentioned vehicle insurance.

I'm guessing most uber drivers don't tell their insurance company they're driving for uber and are just paying normal rates for a non-commercial policy.

If so, I can guarantee that the first time an uber driver is in an accident in which the passenger is injured, the shit will hit the fan. The insurance company will wash their hands of the whole thing, and the driver will be swinging in the wind.

Regards
John

Supposedly UBER has a million dollar policy to cover that themselves.

---

As long as we're being negative here, I notice that no one has mentioned vehicle insurance.

I'm guessing most uber drivers don't tell their insurance company they're driving for uber and are just paying normal rates for a non-commercial policy.

If so, I can guarantee that the first time an uber driver is in an accident in which the passenger is injured, the shit will hit the fan. The insurance company will wash their hands of the whole thing, and the driver will be swinging in the wind.

Regards
John

Supposedly UBER has a million dollar policy to cover that themselves.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Does that million dollar policy cover the drivers too, or just the people running uber?

Regards
John

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

it covers driver and passenger, but only when when driving someone, if you kill someone on the way there uber washes their hands of it. this happened already, guy killed a little girl and injured family rushing to client. they are suing uber.

 

[caseyc]

I grossed an extra $103 yesterday for only 3-1/2 hours of driving from 10am to 1:30pm. I was busy the whole time with no down time. I stopped driving after a few hours cuz I needed a break for the weekend. I find this type of job relatively easy. Can't beat the super flexible hours. I've never had a job where I'm able to call my own hours and work as much or as little as I want. So far it's been a good gig for me. Based on 4 days of part time driving, I know I can net over $1,000 a month just doing this part time. More $$ if I'm willing to do more.

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Edit: By the way, I bought the (gulp) 128gb iPhone 6+ for Verizon and kept my unlimited grandfathered 4g data plan. The phone was $949 plus another $150 for various accessories. I can't stand to use an iPhoney phone, but at least this model has the large 5.5" screen for easy to see GPS navigation.

 

[caseyc]

By the way, yesterday I spoke with a buddy who both works at Lowes full time plus as a taxi cab driver part time. He tells me that although his pay and benefits are halfway decent having worked there for past 4 years, he is increasingly getting agitated over his work conditions. He says management keeps screwing with his hours and days to the point of adversely affecting his family time. He is afraid of turning down any request for schedule changes cuz management might or will make him do sh!tty tasks in the future. His words, not mine. Gaaawd, I would hate to work a retail job like that! Been there, done that, can't stand it. On the other hand, he seems to like his taxi job and says he makes an average of $150 a day. But Uber is killing the taxi business he tells me.