Rideshare driving is becoming more difficult – rates are declining, bonuses are changing, and promotions have been reduced drastically in most cities. What’s a driver to do? Become a NASCAR driver – in terms of advertising on their vehicles. Senior RSG contributor Christian Perea breaks down how you can earn an extra $500 – if you’re willing to!

In 2014, I was in a parking lot with other drivers, waiting for pings, in San Diego at 1 a.m. It was dead out, but even after a Lyft price cut, we compulsively checked our phones for requests. Then one of the veteran drivers uttered something that ended up become eerily prescient. He said, “mark my words – this is over. They’re gonna race to the bottom on prices until they can collect 50%+ of the fare and we’re all just driving each other around with advertisements on our cars like cabs. Everything will become like a cab again”  (loosely quoted from memory).

I’m a fairly cranky and skeptical guy. However, Ralf, the veteran driver, was at least twice as cranky and skeptical (and classy). Ralf was also right about every prediction he made for this industry.

There are now a litany of advertising and marketing companies competing for the space in your rideshare vehicle. For the right price, they will wrap your car in display ads, install a headrest mounted tablet that displays ads to your rider, or even beam advertisements directly into strangers eyeballs with a window mounted projector that turns your window into A SCREEN!

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