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Do Rideshare Drivers Need To Get Business Licenses?

In this Throwback Tuesday Classic, RSG contributor Paula Gibbins answers a question many drivers are worried about: do we need business licenses to drive with Uber and Lyft? Many LA Uber drivers recently received a notice from Uber stating they need a business license to operate in the city, which came as a surprise to many drivers. This isn’t the first time this has happened to rideshare drivers. Here’s what all drivers should know about business licenses and rideshare driving.

Update: Since SB 182 passed in California, California drivers now only need one business license to work statewide. Drivers can obtain this business license in the city where they live.

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The Case Of San Francisco

The actual language of the letter drivers in SF received was “if you drive on San Francisco streets seven days or more a year and work as an independent contractor rather than an employee of your TNC, you are required to obtain a Business Registration Certificate.” It gave me 30 days to either register for “both the current registration period and the 2016-2017 registration period.” 

Or I could to go to a different website and declare I do not need to register. Now, it gives you 15 days from starting business to submit your registration.

For those of you who are interested, here is the full letter that drivers received from the SF Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector, along with the response that Uber and Lyft gave to drivers:

What's up with business licenses and rideshare driving? Ryan tells us what rideshare drivers need to know about business licenses.

Deactivated after a background check?

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You can fight back. The Fair Credit Reporting Act entitles you to accurate information for backgound checks. Contact The Consumer Law Firm of Francis & Mailman for a free case review if you've been deactivated by Uber or Lyft due to an error on your background check! Contact Francis & Mailman here!

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Here’s What Drivers Should Expect from Uber Comfort

In this Throwback Classic post, we’re talking about Uber Comfort. We covered Uber Comfort a few months ago, and now Uber is rolling out Uber Comfort to more cities. RSG contributor Paula Gibbins covers what Uber Comfort is, its roll out in cities nationwide, and how it’s affecting drivers.

Has Uber Comfort rolled out in your city? Let us know in the comments or via email how it has affected you and your earnings. Here is the full list of approved Uber Comfort vehicles. Not sure if you’re eligible? Here’s how to get access to Uber Comfort trip requests.

Uber Comfort sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Well, it was a bit of a shock for drivers in the Phoenix area when it was recently beta tested without their knowledge or consent. I spoke with a driver in Phoenix about his experience and while it was a shocker to begin with, he does see the overall upside of Uber Comfort. Unfortunately, the beta test roll-out just wasn’t quite handled very well.

Uber has been listening to drivers about the roll out and lack of announcement/information to drivers. According to Uber, “eligible drivers will receive an in-app notification and email letting them know they are eligible and providing more details around the driver experience.” Additionally, drivers will be notified in their apps when a Comfort trip is available.

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Chicago Uber Event Turns Into a Disaster!

Recently, an Uber driver in Chicago reached out to us about a fun, partially driver-centric event hosted by Uber in downtown Chicago. The event was designed to ‘celebrate’ drivers and their families, inviting them to a dinner, live music, and more. Unfortunately, the event didn’t go quite as planned. RSG contributor Paula Gibbins interviewed Sean, an Uber driver and describes the disaster that unfolded below.

Recently, drivers in the Chicago area were given an invitation to what sounded like a pretty fun evening: night out at the science museum while receiving free food along with a welcome meeting put on by Uber — as well as live music, face painting, balloon artists, etc.

Chicago Uber Event Turns Into a Disaster!

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The Best Rideshare Advertising Companies You Can Make Money With

Vugo was one of the first companies on the rideshare advertising scene a few years ago and since that time, we’ve seen a plethora of other advertising companies come and go. Combined, these companies have raised millions of dollars, signed up thousands of drivers and it’s clear that the ‘rideshare advertising’ category has a lot of potential.

The industry is still pretty young though, and it can be hard to tell which companies are legit and which aren’t. Today, we’re going to take you through the top advertising companies that are paying drivers for everything from providing infotainment tablets to passengers to wrapping your car with an ad and putting a digital billboard up top. These companies won’t be for everyone but as you’ll see below, the income you can make is pretty substantial with some of these services. I’m plenty willing to sell out a little to make some extra money – after all, it’s all about working smarter, not harder.

The companies below are at various sizes and stages. Most claim to get drivers a few hundred extra dollars per month by placing ads on their cars.

The Best Rideshare Advertising Companies You Can Make Money With

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What to Do If Uber Won’t Pay You for Flat Rate Surge

What happens when Uber won’t pay you what you’re owed? It’s unfortunately more common than you might think. RSG contributor Paula Gibbins interviewed one driver about his experience – and how he got paid back by Uber.

As drivers we oftentimes have to blindly accept whatever Uber or Lyft tells us when it comes to what we should be earning on our trips, according to their standards and rate cards. But what happens when we catch them in the act of not paying us what is owed?

One driver caught Uber not giving them their flat-rate surge price several times and only got Uber to pay them for 5 instances that he was able to prove thanks to screen shots. The rest were dismissed because of insufficient evidence because, let’s face it, it’s difficult to take screen shots constantly while driving.

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