When I was driving full-time in San Francisco, $2K a week was easy. That was back in 2016 to 2019. Times have changed. As Dorothy said in The Wizard Of Oz: “We’re not in Kansas anymore.”
I am not in 2018 and I am not in San Francisco. I am in Sacramento. Gone are all bonuses. Gone are fat multiplier surge rides.
Therefore, the question in this article is, can a driver still make $2,000 in a week in Sacramento?
Background
When I drove full-time in San Francisco, making $300 in a 10-hour day was easy. In addition, I could always reach a ride total goal to earn a $500 weekly bonus.
Six days at $300 plus an additional $500 was a $2,300 week. Little did I know how good I had it. Sacramento’s rates have always been less than San Francisco’s rates. I have not seen a bonus in a year.
Can a driver make $2,000 in a week in Sacramento? How can I use my experience to patch together a $2,000 week?
Goals
I have two goals as I begin this project. The first is to go out and make $2,000 gross revenue. My second goal is to remain healthy.
I don’t want to go so hard that I hurt my back. I have a trip planned for Bangkok next Tuesday, and I don’t want to be injured or in pain when I sit on that airplane for 16 hours.
The bottom line is to put $2,000 in my pocket and get onto the airplane at San Francisco International Airport feeling healthy and pain-free.
Strategy
I will work assuming I can earn $30 per hour. I will drive 10 hours, from 3 AM to 1 PM, Tuesday through Friday. I will drive from 10 PM to 8 AM on Friday and Saturday to maximize my earnings. I don’t like the late-night crowd, but it will be necessary if I can achieve the goal.
If I can make $35 an hour on the weekend, that would get me very close to my goal. Finally, after a short nap on Sunday, I will drive another four hours to make the final $100.
Keys to Success
The keys to success are threefold.
First, I must manage exhaustion. I have not driven 10 hours in a day in a long time. To do so seven days in a row will tire me out. I must get plenty of sleep to allow my mind and body to recharge.
Second, I must manage my diet so I don’t feel tired and bloated. I don’t need an upset stomach in addition to being exhausted.
Third, I must remember to relax. The key for me to drive for many hours is to relax and enjoy the rides.
I can’t get anxious thinking about how many hours I must drive seven days in a row. I must take it hour by hour, slow and steady.
Struggles Throughout the Week
Things changed almost immediately, and I needed to change my tactics. On Tuesday morning, I noticed that the ride demand after 10 AM significantly dropped off.
Therefore, I began a week-long process of starting earlier to avoid periods of inactivity. By the end of the week, I was starting my shift at 4 PM and driving until 2 AM. This allowed me to get home and sleep at a relatively normal time.
Getting Rear Ended… Arghh!!
On Thursday, my project almost came to an end. A black truck rammed into the car behind me at a red light. That pushed the car behind me into my vehicle. I had a passenger in my car, and we were shaken up.
I exited my car with extreme trepidation to see what damage I had incurred. To my great relief, the car had a few dents and scratches, but nothing required me to get off the road. Looking closely at the picture, you can see an indent on the car’s license plate.
After getting all the pertinent information from the guy in the black truck, I continue dropping off my passenger. She was my last passenger for the day. A few hours later, I got a call from Lyft and reviewed all the accident details.
I was immediately deactivated, but then a few hours later, I was reactivated once Lyft saw the photos showing that my car was not damaged. Lyft is currently working on getting funding from the black truck driver’s insurance company to cover the repairs.
Working with Lyft was pleasant, and everyone seemed competent and helpful. The bottom line is I was back on the road and did not miss any drive time.
Final Results
So, how did I do? Take a look.
I got lucky on Monday.
A passenger requested a cash ride, which paid me $60 an hour for two hours. My drive time continued to shift earlier and earlier as I discovered the busiest times to drive. I felt the exhaustion later in the week.
Since I was not sleeping normally, I only slept four to five hours daily. Several times, I felt mentally challenged. I questioned whether I needed to do this.
I was tired. I was driving around Sacramento at 1 AM without any rides. I felt the most exhausted when I did not have any rides. As long as I kept busy making money, I was excited and did not feel tired. I felt incredible last night at 2 AM as I drove toward home, having achieved my goal.
Key Takeaways
My biggest takeaway is I loved night driving. There is no traffic. There were few drivers, so I stayed busy.
Since traffic is light, I could get my rides done very fast. I rarely sat in traffic. I also enjoyed the people at night. Yes, some were drunk, but they wanted my music. I will never forget listening to two loud Keith Richards songs with one of my enthusiastic passengers.
My second takeaway is that setting outrageous goals works!
The idea that I could make $2,000 weekly in Sacramento seemed ludicrous. But I figured it out. The project pushed me uncomfortably toward my goal. I will drive again after my Bangkok vacation, and I expect to resume driving at night. More money. Less traffic. More joy.
These are valuable nuggets of wisdom to pick up. I’m happy I went for it and learned a few things along the way. Be safe out there.
