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I Haven’t Gotten My Tax Docs from Uber Yet, What Now?

The April 15 tax deadline is almost here, and by now you should have received tax documents from any sources of income you had in 2018. But what if you never received anything from Uber or Lyft, or you can’t access your documents? RSG contributor Paula Gibbins covers what to do if you don’t receive your Uber tax documents below.

No one enjoys doing taxes, (except, perhaps, the accountants and CPAs out there). But what do you do when you don’t get the paperwork you need in order to legally file your taxes? The information should be sent to you, whether you’re an active driver or not, but I’m going to walk you through an instance that really happened to a former Uber driver this year, so you can be better equipped to handle this situation if it ever arises for you.

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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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Is It Safe for Females to Drive for Uber and Lyft?

In addition to driver pay, many drivers are concerned with driver safety. It’s difficult to find public information on the number of assaults and attacks (both on and by drivers), which understandably leads to drivers (and passengers) being wary of each other. RSG contributor Paula Gibbins tackles how Uber and Lyft could make ridesharing safer for drivers, and profiles one company that touts safety as one of its key differences from Uber/Lyft.

Female Uber Driver Review

Today we’re going to look driver safety from the female perspective and what I feel Uber and Lyft can do to make me, and all drivers, feel safer. Then, we’ll dive into into alternative, potentially safer options for drivers and how this service is becoming a hot commodity, especially for female drivers. In the midst of some serious driver and passenger incidents, Uber and Lyft could take notice of what other companies are doing to protect both riders and drivers.

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Is It Worth Quitting My Job to Drive for Uber Full Time?

One question we receive a lot via email is ‘should I quit my job to drive full time for Uber/Lyft?’ Drivers frequently cite flexibility as their primary reason for driving for Uber or Lyft, but what is it really like to be a full-time driver? RSG contributor Paula Gibbins went out to find full-time drivers, their advice, and what you should consider before you jump into full-time rideshare driving.

Many rideshare drivers do it “full-time” and don’t have another job or career. But is driving full-time something you should quit your regular job to do? The answer is dependent on a lot of factors, but I think everyone can agree you should try it out for a few weeks or so before you decide to quit your steady income job. So, what goes into deciding whether or not Uber and Lyft driving is worth your time?

You can read more about bonuses and sign up to drive for Uber and Lyft here.

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How To Use HyreCar to Rent a Car For Uber (Step-by-Step Guide)

A great option for people without a vehicle, or who don’t want to use their vehicle but still want to earn money with rideshare driving, is HyreCar. HyreCar is a service that brings owners of vehicles onto one platform to rent out their cars to drivers like you. Today, we’re going to walk through how to use the HyreCar driver website and app(s) so you can get on the road and earning money faster.

Quick links:

How to Use the HyreCar Driver Website

The HyreCar website is fairly easy to navigate but it also has a lot of information, so it can be intimidating. Whether you’re a driver or car owner, the website is the same, but it is broken into sections with individualized information for each.

You’ll want to start on the How It Works page for a basic breakdown of what becoming a HyreCar driver looks like. It’s laid out in a timeline fashion showing what order you need to get things done in so that you can get on the road as quickly and painlessly as possible. The left side of the page is specific to drivers and the right is for car owners. There are some steps that a car owner needs to take before you do your step to move forward in the process. So, while you’re focusing mainly on the driver’s side of the timeline, keep an eye out for the owner side to make sure you’re not getting ahead of yourself.

If after reading through the “How It Works” page, it sounds like something you’re interested in trying out, the next step would be to sign up for a HyreCar account, as you can’t do much of anything else on the website without it.

Once you sign into your account and choose the option “Rent A Car” while logging in, you’ll be brought to a page that looks similar to this:

 

From this page, you’re able to scroll through the cars that are currently available to rent through HyreCar. You can click on each available car to learn more information about it including how much it would cost if you wanted to rent it, including the insurance and transaction fees. It also will show a brief description of the car as written by the owner.

The cost of renting a car will vary and is chosen solely by the owner of the vehicle. There’s no minimum or maximum an owner can charge for their vehicle to be rented. Be sure it fits into your budget, especially if you’re planning on renting long-term.

While you’re within the car profile, you are able to select the number of days you’d like to rent it for at a time. Keep in mind, the total that you’ll see is due in full before you’re able to rent the car. Do not fear, however, you can always choose to extend your rental at a time during the rental period and pay a new amount for the extended number of days. I had a gentleman rent my car through HyreCar and he extended for 3 to 7 days at a time. As he earned with Uber and Lyft, he bought more time with the vehicle. From there you complete the process for renting the vehicle.

If you have questions about anything, the easiest way to get answers is to scroll to the bottom of the page you’re on and click on the Support link or the Help button depending on where you are on the website. The Help button will bring up a search bar for you to start a search for whatever you’re questioning. Similarly, the Support link will bring you to a search page that will link you to their premade articles made to answer any questions you might have.

The HyreCar Driver App

At the time of writing this article, HyreCar does not have an app available for use. I spoke with a representative who said they are still working out the bugs. At this time, the website is the best way to rent a car. No timeline was given for when to expect the app to be available.

HyreCar Claims App

Let’s say someone rear ends the car when you’re renting it. What now? First, review this Damage Claim Policy that HyreCar has posted on their website. The long and the short of it is, if anything were to happen during the rental period such as an accident, you as the driver would be responsible for it. When you rent a car, you pay for HyreCar’s insurance policy which covers quite a bit, but keep in mind, it does not cover:

  • scratches, dents, punctures, window cracks, or dings under 6 inches in length (these are considered normal wear and tear)
  • tire damage
  • loss of income, vehicle downtime, or storage fees
  • an alternative rental vehicle during an ongoing claims investigation or during a repair
  • failure of a vehicle’s engine or mechanical components (this is regular maintenance)
  • interior stains, tears, or rips
  • lost car keys
  • damage that occurs outside of the active rental time

According to a support representative, “As a driver, if you get into a big or little fender bender, you have to return the car [to the owner] because we don’t want anything else to happen to it. When you confirm drop off, [the HyreCar website] going to ask you a couple of questions… ‘is the car in the same condition it was picked up’ and you hit NO, then it auto generates a claim.”

He went on to say that “If you are the owner, then you can simply log into the mobile app and create a claim to send to us.” So, the claims app is to be used only by the owner of the vehicle.

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Uber Driver Referral – How To Refer New Drivers For Uber

Have you noticed weird things happening with your Uber referrals for new drivers? Several RSG readers reached out to us in the last few months to ask if Uber referrals had changed. We sent RSG contributor Paula Gibbins to check out if, and how, Uber referrals have changed.

Aside from your regular earnings, promotions and other typical earnings, Uber also gives you the opportunity to refer drivers for a little extra cash for you and the person you refer. Now, why should this matter to you? Well, the biggest upside is that it’s basically “free” money. All you do is refer friends and family and you have the potential of earning money without lifting a finger.

However, there are downsides also. There have been some RSG drivers who have found it difficult to receive their referral bonuses. Some drivers have even said that Uber is making drivers contact Uber in order to confirm they know the person who referred them before allowing the money to be made by each. And others say that it saturates the market with more drivers.

You can read more about bonuses and sign up to drive for Uber and Lyft here.

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