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Life on the Road as a Truck Driver

In our second article on how to become a truck driver, RSG special contributor Jon Knope shares what life is like on the road as a truck driver. You can read Jon’s first article, How to Become a Truck Driver here.

In my last article on how to become a truck driver, I went over how to get a commercial drivers license (CDL). As you might have gathered, trucking is a lot more demanding than rideshare. The inflexible multi-week shifts, electronic logging devices, and lengthy training time are understandably a big turn-off for a lot of folks.

Drive with Uber 1

Earn 3x driving kids to school

ZumTriple your ridesharing pay. Zūm drivers average $32/hour and many make $750+ a week. Work when you want. Get repeat rides and drive only on weekday mornings and afternoons. Apply to drive here.

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The Fake $100 Tip Rider Scam: How Not to Be a Victim

Ever have a passenger give you a bad vibe? Ever have a passenger who wasn’t the named person on the account who made you uncomfortable? Do you have to take them? RSG Contributor Gabe Ets-Hokin interviewed one Uber driver with a bad experience and shares some of his own, and tells you what you can do about it.

Maybe something like this has happened to you:

You pick up a passenger, but along the way, she wants to pick up a friend. Once you pick up the friend, you proceed to the original destination, but only she gets out and leaves the second passenger. Even though you’ve ended the ride, the second passenger asks, “do you do cash rides?”

It’s late, you’re tired, and don’t want to argue with the passenger, who says he doesn’t have the Uber app. You agree to take him on what would be a $15 ride, and he shows you a $100 bill.

“Do you have $60?” he asks. That’s a pretty good deal, so you peel three Jacksons from your wad. He hands you the $100, which you quickly make disappear, he gets out.

You get home, kick off your shoes and crawl into bed, exhausted from your 10-hour shift. In the morning, you remember your last ride, and pull the folded-up bill out of your jeans.
It’s fake.

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Does Uber and Lyft Value New or Experienced Drivers More?

The debate between new and veteran Uber/Lyft drivers rages on: which type of driver does Uber/Lyft value more? It turns out, that question is more complicated than it seems. Senior RSG contributor John Ince breaks down this question from the perspective of the companies and the passengers. Which type of driver do you think Uber/Lyft prefers? And do you think new or experienced drivers get more pings?

The question ‘do Uber/Lyft prefer experienced or new drivers’ seems to have a pretty easy answer, right? Of course Uber/Lyft would want more experienced (in terms of knowing their city and how to handle pax) drivers, right? It turns out, there is more to this question than it seems. If you don’t believe me, take a look at my last article on whether or not Uber/Lyft prefer full time or part time drivers. For this article, I’m going to approach it from two primary perspectives: the company and the passenger.

Disclaimer:  I have no first hand knowledge how Uber/Lyft feel about this, so this article is based entirely on my speculation about their thinking.

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Do Uber and Lyft Value Full or Part Time Drivers More?

One question we get a lot at The Rideshare Guy is: what type of drivers do Uber and Lyft value more? Do part-time or full-time drivers get better treatment? We had senior RSG contributor John Ince investigate this question and share which group he believes is more valued and why.

At The Rideshare Guy we really do pay close attention to what you, the readers, are saying and thinking.  In fact, this article is a direct response to a comment from one of our readers that appeared last November on Uber Pro – New Rewards Program Helps Drivers Be More Successful

In response to that article, Cappy Benton asked,

Are the full-time Uber drivers more valuable? Part-time Uber drivers are probably not as concerned about becoming employees and probably don’t get as mad when Uber makes changes that lower their income. (An analysis of this might make a good article.)

Good question, and good suggestion too.

We decided to look into this question and do an analysis. But before we get into particulars, let me issue a disclaimer:  This article is based purely on speculation. Even if Uber and Lyft did have a particular preference, it would be extremely unlikely that either company would ever reveal it publicly. Like the parent who will never say which child is their favorite, they simply don’t want the least favorite to be damaged psychologically by telling the truth. That said, let’s all jump onto the speculation wagon.


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What Happens When You Drive a Chevy Bolt EV for Rideshare

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to drive an all-electric vehicle for Uber or Lyft? Is it even possible, and does it make financial sense? RSG contributor Gabe Ets-Hokin answers these questions and more below.

“Yes, it’s fully electric.”

“It goes between 200 and 250 miles on a single charge.”

“I charge it in my garage overnight, but a DC fast charger can get the battery to an 80-percent charge in about 45 minutes.”

Memorize these responses if you’re planning on driving a long-range EV for your rideshare gig, because your passengers will ask the same questions over and over. Of course, since you’re reading this article, you probably have questions, and that’s okay. It’s why I’m here.

Interested in trying out a Chevy Bolt as a rideshare rental? Maven Gig offers a fleet of Chevy Bolts if you’re interested in trying one! Learn more here.

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