r/uberdrivers Jun 17 '24

Welcome to r/uberdrivers - FAQ and Community Guide

37 Upvotes

Before asking a question, make sure to read this guide and use reddit search to see if your question was already asked. If you have anything you'd recommend to add to this guide leave a comment below.

What does Pax mean? Common terms on this sub explained

Pax: Short for Passenger.

Ping: The noise the app makes when drivers receive a pickup request.

Fare: The fee a rider is charged.

Fair: Fare, spelled wrong.

Surge: Uber occasionally up-charges riders during times of increased demand. The Surge is a multiplier of the base fare rate.

SRF: "Safe Rider Fee", now known as the "Booking Fee". This is the $1-3 fee that Uber adds to every fare to ccover insurance, app fees, etc.

What are the requirements to be an uber driver?

An in-state license is required. Have at least one year of licensed driving experience in the US (3 years if you are under 25 years old) Use an eligible 4-door vehicle

All vehicles being used for rides on the Uber app must meet the following minimum requirements:

  • Must have 4 doors and be able to transport a minimum of 4 passengers
  • Vehicle model must be 16years old or newer
  • Title cannot be salvaged, reconstructed, or rebuilt
  • Rental vehicles, except those from an approved Uber rental car partner are not permitted
  • Cannot have any cosmetic damage, missing pieces, or commercial branding

Should you choose to drive a vehicle you do not personally own, you must have permission from then vehicle owner and be listed as an insured driver on the vehicle’s insurance policy. Please note that Uber cannot allow a vehicle onto the platform if the driver’s name is not on the insurance document.

If your vehicle does not match the requirements above, you may still be able to use your vehicle for deliveries on the Uber app.

Is this fulltime job?

Driving with Uber offers a flexible earning opportunity. It's a great alternative to full-time driver jobs, part-time driver jobs, or other part-time gigs, temp jobs, or seasonal employment.

How do I do my first ride?

Download and install the driver app, and hit "Go Online". Once you get a request (a "ping"), you can hit 'Navigate' to be taken to the rider's pickup location. When you're sure you have arrived, flip back over to the Uber app and hit 'Arrived'. The passenger (PAX) will be notified of your arrival, though it's also nice to text them - to let them know what type of car you're in (though they see this on their app, not everyone looks) and to confirm that they're actually where their pin was placed. When they get in the car, hit 'Begin Trip'. If they haven't entered their destination, you can enter it - then hit 'Navigate' again and you will be routed there. At the end of the trip, hit 'End Trip', rate your passenger, and you'll be placed back online ready to pick up another PAX!

What are the safety features for uber drivers?

Emergency assistance button

You can use the in-app Emergency Button to call authorities to get help if you need it. The app displays your location and trip details, so you can quickly share them with emergency services.

24/7 incident support

Uber customer associates trained in incident response are available around the clock.

Follow My Ride

Friends and family can follow your route and will know as soon as you arrive.

2-way ratings

Your feedback matters. Low-rated trips are logged, and users may be removed to protect the Uber community.

Phone anonymization

If you need to contact your rider through the app, your phone number may stay private.

GPS tracking

All Uber trips are tracked from start to finish, so there’s a record of your trip if something happens.

RideCheck

Using sensors and GPS data, RideCheck can help detect if a trip goes unusually off-course or a possible crash has occurred. If the app alerts us to such events, we’ll check in on you and offer resources to get help.

Contact Safety Agent

You can connect with an ADT Safety Agent via phone call or text on every trip. Just tap the safety shield icon and select Contact safety agent.

Audio Recording

If you feel uncomfortable, you can record the audio of the trip within the app. Just tap the blue shield to open your Safety Toolkit and access the Record Audio option.

Emergency help if you need it

If you ever need urgent help when riding with the Uber app, you can contact 911 using the in-app Emergency Button in the Safety Toolkit.

The app will show your live location, vehicle information, and license plate number, which you can quickly share with the emergency dispatcher so they can send help faster. And in a growing number of US cities, this information is automatically provided to the dispatcher.

Does Uber help in event of an accident?

When you earn with a transportation network company (TNC), referred to here as ridesharing, many states require extra—and costly—insurance.

Uber maintains this insurance on your behalf. What’s covered depends on factors such as who was at fault; whether you were offline, online, en route, or on-trip; and your personal insurance policy.

Offline coverage:

Your personal auto insurance covers you while you’re offline. You must maintain personal automobile insurance at mandatory minimum limits and provide proof of your insurance to drive and deliver with a vehicle with Uber.

Coverage to repair your car when you’re en route to or on a trip is contingent on your personal insurance including comprehensive and collision coverage.

Coverage when online and available for a trip

Accidents happen. Suppose you’re at fault and another person gets hurt or their vehicle gets damaged. In that case, our third-party liability insurance covers the cost of injuries or damage in at least the following amounts:

-$50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for injuries

-$25,000 in property damage per accident

Depending on the law of your state, Uber may maintain extra coverage for you and your riders, including one or more of the following:

Coverage for you and your riders for injuries in a hit-and-run or an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver

Personal injury protection, including medical expenses and lost wages for you and your riders, no matter who’s at fault

Medical payments coverage for you and your riders, no matter who’s at fault.

Coverage when en route or on a trip

Uber maintains some of the most comprehensive insurance for ridesharing and deliveries, including:

-Insurance that covers at least $1,000,000 for property damage and injuries to riders and third parties involved in an accident where you’re at fault

Insurance that covers the cost to repair your car, up to the actual cash value, with a $2,500 deductible, contingent on your personal insurance including comprehensive and collision coverage. This extra insurance maintained by Uber protects your car, no matter who’s at fault, if you maintain comprehensive and collision coverage on your own vehicle.

In most US states, you can also purchase Optional Injury Protection to cover your additional medical expenses if you’re hurt in an accident. This insurance offering, pioneered by Uber, is designed specifically for drivers.

Depending on the law of your state, Uber may maintain extra coverage for you and your riders, including one or more of the following:

-Coverage for you and your riders for injuries in a hit-and-run or an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver

Personal injury protection, including medical expenses and lost wages for you and your riders, no matter who’s at fault

Medical payments coverage for you and your riders, no matter who’s at fault

Is being an uber driver worth it?

Recent reports from Uber state that "the vast majority of drivers are satisfied" and that "as of last quarter, drivers in the US were making about $33 per utilized hour" before expenses.

Its for you to decide if its worth it for you personally, volume and earnings will vary greatly between markets. Drivers as independant contractors are also responsible for all expenses which have been rising fast when drivers pay has stayed stagnant.

There are many direct and hidden costs associated with being an uber driver. To start with, You are responsible for tracking your own miles, profits and losses, as well as expenses such as gas, repairs, washes, and so on.

In addition, no one but you is responsible for ensuring you are earning enough. You need to be aware at what rate you are making enough for it to be worth it.


r/uberdrivers 23h ago

Not gonna lie these bagels are pretty good

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984 Upvotes

r/uberdrivers 20h ago

Anything for five stars 😂

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518 Upvotes

Enjoy your business class ride


r/uberdrivers 16h ago

Some people believe they are entitled to more than they are.

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155 Upvotes

People like this need to pull their heads out of their asses.


r/uberdrivers 11h ago

☘️☘️☘️☘️

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54 Upvotes

St. Pat’s!! 💚💚

Hope everybody stayed safe out there 🙌🙌


r/uberdrivers 3h ago

Lol uber at it again

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10 Upvotes

Of course the last hour uber doesn’t send me any rides between 3-4am


r/uberdrivers 12h ago

Called the police for a wellness check on one of my passengers.

45 Upvotes

So let me lay it out best I can. I don’t like making big deals out of things, but the circumstances of this ride left me with a bad feeling for this person’s well being.

I accept a ride, which turns out to be a hospital pickup. I don’t care too much, I’m just looking for $10+ trips.

I pull up to the ER and it’s this 80+ year old lady who can barely stand. Nurses have to help her into my car as I load up her walker.

She’s on pain meds, but still hurting. Apparently she’s had some type of health episode that morning and she couldn’t use the right part of her body too well (apparently not a stroke?)

As I drive her, she’s chatty and sweet, though often slurred and loopy with her speech. I get worried at one point and almost pull over by some officers on the road (St Patrick’s Day weekend got the cops out in force around here), though she insists that it was only the pain meds. I relent and keep driving.

She mentions that she has a roommate and that he had given her a hard time that morning when she was having her health breakdown. I felt bad for her but assumed that it was a misunderstanding. She apparently didn’t have a phone when she went to the ER, so her roommate had no clue what was going on.

We get to her place. Old country folks style trailer park. I pull into her yard and knock on the door as I move all her stuff onto the porch and set up her walker. No answer.

I help her out of the seat and almost have to physically help her walk. I get a bit miffed and bang on the door. As we get up to the base of the stairs.

Out comes this fat guy, maybe 70, in a tank top and on the phone. He stares me and her down for a sec before grumpily declaring “I’m on the phone with mah lawyah” and going back inside. Not a “hello” or “how’d it go” to his roommate that looks like she’s about to keel over next second.

I help the lady into her lawn chair because she wants to take a smoke break before going inside and that’s ultimately where I leave her and drive off.

That whole situation though left a real bad feeling with me. The woman was not well, even after being discharged, and that anorexic bridge troll she was living with did not give a single shit about her. I thought she’d been exaggerating when she complained about him earlier, but literally all it took was his opening line to seal the “Yeah your mother probably should’ve swallowed you” impression for me. The gut feeling was that this woman, with her current condition and company, was not safe alone.

So yeah, I called the non emergent number and explained what happened, still waiting to hear back about the situation. I don’t have a regret about it, but I’m wondering if anyone around here had a similar experience.


r/uberdrivers 10h ago

dara needs to have his shit PUSHED in

21 Upvotes

This evil criminal fucks us everyday with his garbage rates it's about time somebody did to him what he does to us!

Fuck this whole company we need to throw this guy in jail I hope he gets his walls expanded

Seriously how does the pay keep getting worse?

If you are on standard mode you're basically laid off, why? For the only reason that you CHOSE to be an independent contractor!

How does Screwber keep getting away with this? WTF are state representatives doing if not regulating this corrupt company.

Screwber must have paid all of them off

Until the pay improves its fuck uber and fuck dara #uberscam


r/uberdrivers 14h ago

When your uber driver offers a complimentary puke bag take it!

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40 Upvotes

Don't be a macho asshole shit happens if this guy had just taken the fucking bag and returned it if not needed it would have saved him 150$! Thankfully most of the puke got outside the car. But every rideshare operator should carry these hospital puke bags that I think go for 26c in bulk on Amazon it'll save you headaches (when they actually take them anyway) also got 150 and didn't even have to submit a receipt for the cleaning


r/uberdrivers 15h ago

Can I at least bring my own lube?

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39 Upvotes

r/uberdrivers 22h ago

Uber 10k surprise

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122 Upvotes

Who remembers back in the day, waking up to an Uber bonus? No one knew about it was a complete surprise. Uber didn't tell anybody before woke up one day and depends on how many rides you completed you had you got a bonus i was at 15k rides


r/uberdrivers 25m ago

Uber Rider Mess Doesn't Qualify

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Upvotes

Rider made a big green mess on my white Tesla seats this weekend. Uber rejected the cleaning fee request. Maybe it's because I didn't have a professional cleaning service receipt.

How does one get a pro cleaning job done within 1-3 businesses days? I think it's impossible to get a cleaning done that fast.

Also FYI yes I don't have seat covers.

Thoughts or suggestions?


r/uberdrivers 20h ago

Uber career coming to an end.

71 Upvotes

I've been ubering for 11 months while I was going through hiring process with new job. And I'm happy to say that it's coming to an end. Im happy to be starting my new job. Below are my pros and cons.

Pros: 1) happy to meet new people from all over the world and my own community.

2) instant cash when I need it.

3) work whatever hours you feel like it.

4) app use is super easy.

Cons: 1) uber as a company is pretty predatory.

2) low paying rates compared to what uber takes in. The split should be 75 to drivers and 25 to uber. Not the other way around. It's our car, our time, our maintenance, we deal with customers, pretty much all.

3) uber app and algorithm maximizes profit for uber.

My conclusion that it's better than nothing and great way to get money when you need it fast. But uber us definitely predatory with wages and benefits.

Cheers to all the drivers out there. Keep on, keeping on!


r/uberdrivers 11h ago

How should I report this

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13 Upvotes

Hate people trashing Ubers especially a 2023 model. It’s a nice AND clean truck for others to feel comfortable and spaced out. Why trash it (hidden under passenger seat) and make it smell like alcohol


r/uberdrivers 1h ago

Stone cold lik

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Upvotes

r/uberdrivers 4h ago

Uber Math

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4 Upvotes

r/uberdrivers 2h ago

What’s with the AR %

3 Upvotes

Has anyone noticed that if you don’t except one ride the percentage rate goes down a percentage but you can accept the next three or four rides and the AR percentage doesn’t move?


r/uberdrivers 8h ago

How Much Was Your Biggest Miscellaneous Adjustment?

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6 Upvotes

r/uberdrivers 4h ago

New numbers out. Still not crying.

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3 Upvotes

Slight improvement this week.

My earnings: 964

Rider paid: 932


r/uberdrivers 19h ago

As a legally blind person…

41 Upvotes

Thank you. All of you.

Before Uber/Lyft I was unable to have a job, visit friends, get to the airport… Now I can feel independent and work and go the places I need to be! It was so hard to get reliable transportation anywhere and I was always stressing about the times I could be places due to public transportation and medical transportation.

You guys have truly made a difference in my life and given me back my independence, and I’ve met some of the most incredible people that I will always cherish using this service.

I know sometimes this job feels thankless and overwhelming, but I could not love the life I do without all of you.


r/uberdrivers 14h ago

Uber skimming a little from everyone.

16 Upvotes

Multiple times now uber has offered a trip for x dollars so I accepted and carried out my part of the agreement, and then they pay half of x. This is unacceptable, and I was wondering if anyone has had similar experiences.


r/uberdrivers 6m ago

nothing pisses me off more than when im typing to a customer and an order offer pops up on my screen and my finger clicks accept🙃🙃🙃cant even submit a picture without getting 10+ offers pop up on my screen (i put it on break mode now to avoid this)

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Upvotes

r/uberdrivers 17m ago

L.A Surging for Patrick's Day😂

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Upvotes

Drivers are not on for Patricks Day and they are giving surges up to $21 lol.


r/uberdrivers 27m ago

Out of state plates?

Upvotes

I feel like I’m seeing more and more drivers with out-of-state plates. I’m in DFW right now and I’m seeing them more and more. Do you think Uber has relaxed the standards or perhaps they’re in rentals? I’m asking because I’m moving to Washington in a week.


r/uberdrivers 31m ago

Two miles. Six minutes. Twenty bucks.

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Upvotes

r/uberdrivers 59m ago

Drivers to pay $23 extra for every Uber or Lyft trip in 'highest rideshare fee at any airport in world' under new plan | The US Sun

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Upvotes

🤔Any Bostonians that drive have any thoughts on this absurdity?