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Breeze Review: Car Leasing Alternative For Rideshare Drivers

Update (7/22/16): It looks like Breeze is no longer accepting new applications and they are transitioning to a software company…RIP Breeze.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive list of all the leasing/rental options available for rideshare drivers, please check out our new Uber and Lyft Vehicle Marketplace page.

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Try HyreCar Instead of Breeze: Even though you can’t get a Breeze Lease anymore, There are still options. I recommend checking out HyreCar. It’s a platform where drivers rent rideshare cars from private owners. They are actually a lot easier to return than a Breeze lease used to be. You can rent a HyreCar for as little as a few days or as long as several months. Plus, they have more options than the Toyota Prius.

Breeze is a flexible leasing company that positions itself towards those who need a vehicle to enter the on-demand economy. Breeze seeks to put those who otherwise could not enter this market due to a lack of a car, bad credit, or no credit history into a brand new/used Toyota Prius. All you need to do is pay them $250 to get started and $195 a week every single week that you have the car afterwards.

Click here to see all the ways you can rent a car to drive for Uber and Lyft

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Prius’ can be badass too…

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The Real Reason Behind Uber Leaving Broward County (Florida)

Today, we’re trying something new and reporting on a current event in the world of rideshare and how it will affect drivers.  Our regular rideshare round-up of all the top news stories from the week will be published tomorrow.  But today, RSG contributor, Christian Perea, takes a look at the real reasons why Uber is leaving Broward County.  There is a lot of good analysis in this post and we break down exactly why these fights between Uber and local governments are breaking out and what they mean for drivers and passengers.

If you drive in Florida, you need to be aware that an important deadline is about to pass in Broward County on July 31st. A complete pull-out by Uber and Lyft from the Broward market.  So if you are one of the unlucky Broward drivers whose job is on the line, that really sucks.  But at the end of the day, this is all a political maneuver on behalf of Uber and Lyft. So let me explain how it works.

The Real Reason Behind Uber Leaving Broward County (Florida)

The Real Reason Behind Uber Leaving Broward County (Florida)

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Are Long Distance Rides Still Worth It?

One of my first rides ever also happened to be one of my longest fares ever.  After a few rounds of fare cuts though, that ride would now pay a lot less.  Today, RSG contributor, Christian Perea, takes a look at whether or not these long distance rides are still worth it and what you should consider when accepting or rejecting that 100 mile ride.

There is a story called “The Old Man and the Sea” where an old Cuban fisherman manages to catch a large Marlin but at great cost to himself. It drags him days out to sea in his small boat and by the time he returns, his catch has been eaten by sharks. His magnificent trophy is reduced to a large fish skeleton.

I can’t help but think of this story when I drive back from a long trip with no hope of a return fare. Some trips just take you to the middle of nowhere at the worst of times.

Like fishermen, we talk in parking lots, drive-ins, or on Facebook about our longest rides with the biggest “catch”.  Lots of us will even screenshot that long ride and post to Uber/Lyft driver Facebook groups or even the RSG Facebook page.

Joe Strandell in Palo Alto after completing a 350 mile ride from Santa Barbara.

But now that rates have come down so much, I am not so sure that drivers really benefit from these long distance fares as much as we once did. So lets take a look at some situations where you win and some where you lose. [Read more…]

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Why Flexibility Can Get In The Way Of Being An Efficient Rideshare Driver

Most drivers will tell you that it’s the flexibility that is the best thing about being a rideshare driver.  Today though, RSG contributor, Christian Perea, shares his take on why rideshare isn’t as flexible as you might think.

“So how do you like driving for Uber?”

“Its not bad, it’s definitely interesting work.”

“I wish I could work whenever I wanted! You must love it!”

“Yeah….”

As rideshare drivers, we have all probably had some form of that conversation a few (hundred) times by now. It’s the one we can repeat in our sleep where our passenger implicitly questions our choice to do this. You go along with it now as it takes up less processing power in your brain so you can focus on the road and make sure that G-maps/Waze isn’t trying to steer you into a collision.

Flexibility is often advertised as one of the best reasons to become a TNC driver. You see ads saying “Be Your Own Boss!” as a man drives his Prius into the sunset on the beach presumably to make easy money while living a happy life accomplishing his dreams. Flexibility has again and again been listed as a reason people leave their jobs for the uncertainty of TNC driving. [Read more…]

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Do You Know How Much Your Rideshare Vehicle Is Really Costing You?

One of my biggest beefs with the income numbers that companies like Lyft and Uber provide is that they don’t subtract the true cost of operating your vehicle.  I think a lot of drivers under-estimate these costs since they are delayed and let’s face it, we may just not want to think about it.  Today, RSG contributor, Christian Perea takes a look at the operating costs of a few different vehicles and gives his take on which car works best for rideshare drivers.  Hint, the answer depends on a lot of different factors.

After last year’s price cuts, it has become more important than ever to select the right car. Although it seems that the slew of price cutting has slowed down for most markets, I still don’t think we are safe and future iterations of price cuts may manifest themselves differently than in the past. So if you are thinking about getting into this as a driver, it’s important that you choose a car that will offer the best value for you and your passengers.

Getting a BRAND NEW CAR is not always the best idea, and in many ways it can sink your career as a rideshare driver before you even leave the lot (and shortly after signing the note to your 24.99% Prius). You don’t want to literally drive yourself into bankruptcy right? [Read more…]