by on 32 Comments

How to Make More Money as an Uber and Lyft Driver

There seems to be this notion out in the world that Uber and Lyft drivers still make a lot of money.  While that may have been true a few years ago, these days one of the most common complaints I hear from drivers is that they’re not making enough money.

New drivers are especially at risk because there is a steep learning curve in this industry.  It’s not rocket science being a rideshare driver, but it is a little more challenging than it might seem.  And unlike other jobs where everybody makes the same amount from day 1, a more savvy driver will be able to make more than a brand new driver since there are all sorts of tips and tricks that will impact your bottom line.

Drive with Uber 1

As you drive more, you’ll gain valuable experience and likely increase your income.  But in the meantime, there are a few key things you can do to start increasing your income today.

While it may seem harder to make more money as an Uber and Lyft driver, there are some strategies you can use to make more in your city.

Burnt Out Talking To Passengers? Deliver Food With Caviar!

caviar_logo

Make up to $25/hour. No minimum hours required, work outside, and get paid weekly. Click to Sign-up!

[Read more…]

by on 15 Comments

Five Reasons To Get Rideshare Insurance

Harry here.  A lot of drivers sign up for Uber and Lyft without ever thinking about insurance. It isn’t until they get in an accident and it’s too late that they realize the coverage provided by these companies is often not enough.  Today, RSG contributor Jon Knope takes a look at five reasons why drivers need rideshare insurance.

As rideshare drivers, we all spend a certain amount of time figuring out how to make the most money in our local area. But no matter where you drive, you could lose all your earnings (and then some!) in an instant if you don’t have proper rideshare insurance.

I get it: insurance isn’t a fun topic. Like many drivers, I wasn’t even aware I needed anything besides a regular personal auto insurance policy when I first started. Later on, I tried my best to ignore the insurance issue and kept right on driving with my personal policy.

But the more I kept at it, the more I realized that driving for Uber, Lyft, et al is just like running a small business – and when you’re running a business, you have to manage risk. When that business is on wheels, the risks that must be managed are very large indeed. Here are five ways rideshare insurance coverage can help keep your earnings in your pocket – no matter what happens on the road.

Not sure you really need to get rideshare insurance? It turns out, you might not be as covered by Uber/Lyft's insurance as you thought.

[Read more…]

by on 3 Comments

The Ultimate Strategy on Upselling Your Uber Passengers

Harry here.  Being a salesman has always had a negative connotation to some because there are so many people who do it poorly. Today, RSG guest poster Jarod Bell shares his tips on how to upsell your Uber passengers by providing value and ensuring it’s a win-win for all parties involved.

I’ve been a career salesman for over ten years now. I spend every day convincing customers to pay a little bit extra for whatever I’m selling. There are plenty of people making a bad name for the sales profession by using cheap and sleazy tactics, but that’s not me.

Making sales is about bringing real value to the people around you and continually looking for ways to guide them toward making the right decisions, which in turn helps you out as well. You have to make sure every deal you make benefits everyone involved. But what does this have to do with being a rideshare driver? Keep reading to find out!

Don't think of upselling to your Uber or Lyft passengers as something negative - upselling to your customers can be a win-win for both of you!

[Read more…]

by on 24 Comments

Uber No Longer Offering E-mail Support

Getting good help from Uber has always been a challenge for drivers.  In fact, the most popular article on my site over the past two years focuses on the top ways you can just get in contact with Uber.  But as of this week, things are getting a little tougher, as Uber is no longer offering e-mail support.

I’m a little torn on this change since it’s always been convenient/handy to e-mail Uber whenever I had a question, but the responses I got were not always that helpful.  Uber actually announced this change a few months ago, but it wasn’t until this week that they officially killed off the support@uber.com e-mail address.  Here’s what you’ll get in reply if you try sending them an e-mail:

supportuber-com-e-mail-reply

So if you’re a driver (or passenger) looking for help, what are your best options?

[Read more…]

by on 80 Comments

What Miles Can A Lyft Driver Deduct?

QBSE in action

QuickBooks Self-Employed Mileage Tracking

Mileage tracking is one of the biggest missed deductions for the average rideshare driver. In fact, it doesn’t take long for a driver to realize  they really do put a lot of extra miles on their vehicle by driving for services like Uber, Lyft, or Doordash.

However, there is still a lot of misinformation around what to do with all of these extra miles. Many are unsure of exactly which miles can or cannot be written off, or just how much tracking mileage can lower tax liability. Further, every mile costs a driver money, so it’s good to know your miles from a cost/benefit standpoint. Is it worth making $100 if you had to drive 200 miles in the process?

Uber and Lyft provide some information about your miles driven, but it only paints a small part of the picture.

That’s where tools like QuickBooks Self-Employed (QBSE) come in handy. QBSE can track your mileage from the moment you get in your car to drive until the moment you get home for the night using automatic mileage tracking. This gives you all of your information in the same place so you can record your income and expenses as a driver. [Read more…]