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5 Misconceptions Drivers Have About Their Passengers

When drivers first start out driving, there are plenty of misconceptions (and nerves!) that inform their first few rides. In this article, senior RSG contributor (and veteran driver) Jay Cradeur covers what passengers really want from their drivers.

When I started driving, I had very definite ideas about my passengers.  I thought I knew it all even though I had never been a passenger in an Uber or Lyft car.  I had been a passenger in taxis in cities like Chicago and New York, but that was a long time ago.

Drive with Uber 1

I believe most drivers feel this way when they get started.  I thought to myself, “how hard can it be?”   But after getting a few negative comments, and not too many tips, I began to unpack what it means to be a driver for a passenger.

In this article, I will share with you five misconceptions I had that I have had to change so I can maximize my rating and earnings as a rideshare driver.

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What Should/Shouldn’t You Allow in Your Ride?

After a certain number of rides, all rideshare drivers have some crazy stories to share. Sometimes the stories are funny, sometimes they’re weird, and sometimes they’re scary – and they all went down in your car. But what things are okay to do in a rideshare vehicle, and which ones should you shut down right away? Senior RSG contributor Will Preston shares the 10 things he won’t allow his passengers to do – and a few he will.

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People have tried some pretty crazy stuff in the several thousand rides I’ve done for Uber and Lyft. But you have to set boundaries for what you allow in your car, then stick with them. Some drivers allow different things, others do not. For example, not all drivers allow vaping or eating in their car, while others are totally fine with it.

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12 Things I’d Like to Tell My Uber and Lyft Passengers

Do you ever wish Uber or Lyft would create a public service announcement for passengers, letting them know what they should or shouldn’t do before requesting an Uber/Lyft ride? We had senior RSG contributor Jay Cradeur create a list (along with your suggestions!) of what all drivers wish passengers knew before getting into their cars. Do you agree? Let us know in the comments below!

While driving for Lyft and Uber can be very rewarding, there are certainly more than a few pain points that can cause great frustration.  Many of these frustrations involve our interactions with passengers.  Sometimes they just don’t seem to get it.  They don’t understand what it is like to be a driver.

I, and a few fellow drivers, have put together a list of 12 things we would like to tell our passengers.  These are things we would not normally tell a passenger because we want to maintain our high ratings and earn a tip.  Read along and see if you can relate to any of the suggestions below, which are presented in no particular order.

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Uber is Ripping Off Frequent Riders and Here’s How to Avoid It

Drivers already know upfront pricing typically doesn’t work in our favor. But what is upfront pricing, or variations of it, looking like for passengers? We had frequent traveler and senior RSG contributor Will Preston analyze how Uber charges different passengers and whether more frequent Uber-users are charged more than their less-frequent counterparts. Here’s what we found – let us know if you’ve seen something similar in the comments!

Uber appears to have the opposite of a rewards program. That is, it appears the more you use Uber as a passenger, the more they’re going to charge you per mile. We know Uber said they were going to experiment on charging different customers different rate, based on a variety of unpublished factors. My current belief is the more you use the service in a way that suggests you can afford more, the more they will charge you.

Drivers already know upfront pricing typically doesn't work in our favor. But what is upfront pricing, or variations of it, looking like for passengers? We had frequent traveler and senior RSG contributor Will Preston analyze how Uber charges different passengers and whether more frequent Uber-users are charged more than their less-frequent counterparts.

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