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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.

Drive with Uber 1

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.

Track Your Miles for Free with Stride Drive

Stride DriveSmart drivers know they need to track their mileage from start to finish. Stride Drive is a free app you can use to track your mileage, which will help you save money at tax time. 

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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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The Highs & Lows of Driving for Uber on New Year’s Eve

Is it worth it to drive on New Year’s Eve anymore? In year’s past, it has been a pretty good idea to drive on New Year’s Eve and/or the following morning, but does that recommendation still stand? We sent senior RSG contributor Jay Cradeur out to navigate NYE 2018 and report back with what he found.

In this article, I will share some of the insights gleaned from a long day and night of driving.  Driving on New Year’s Eve is supposed to be one of the best days for us, the rideshare drivers.  Is it?  Or better yet, is it still?

Quite a few things have changed since I wrote a New Year’s Eve article last year.  Let’s dive in and see how these changes have impacted this driver’s ability to earn on New Year’s Eve.

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What’s It Like To Be A Taxi Driver vs an Uber Driver?

The second installment of Jay drives a taxi instead of rideshare brings a summary to Jay’s entire taxi experience. How much did he make? What was the overall experience like? Senior RSG contributor Jay Cradeur answers those questions and provides his 5 takeaways to anyone interested in ditching rideshare for taxi driving.

You can read Jay’s first article on getting started as a taxi driver here.

When Harry, aka “The Rideshare Guy,” first asked me to become a taxi driver so I could share about the experience [link to taxi article, not yet published], I had no idea what I was in for.   Having less of a fear of the unknown than most, I rather blindly said, “Yes!” and undertook to secure my “A” Card and establish a relationship with Flywheel Taxi.  Then last week, I drove for five days in Flywheel Taxi #592.

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