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Friday Rideshare Roundup: The Real World of Driving for Uber and Lyft

Lyft lowered prices by 10-30% in major markets across the country this week which pissed off a lot of people.  I’m one of those people but as you guys know I’m always going to figure out a way for you guys to beat the system, so stay tuned and let’s all help each other figure out ways to make more money despite Lyft and Uber’s best efforts to stifle us!  Today, RSG contributor Jack Ross highlights a couple feel good stories and breaks down some of the crazy stuff that happens to us rideshare drivers.

Happy Friday everyone! In the words of the late Stringer Bell, let’s “get on wit it motha-fa*SHOTGUN NOISES*”

After a couple weeks of discussing/recapping the ridesharing world from the ol’ high level, birds-eye (business practices, funding rounds, new even more disruptive companies, and as always, angry taxi co.’s and regulators), a great deal of press this week dissects the nitty gritty of what it’s actually like to drive these days. Shit is about to get REAL.

And while, no, the picture is entirely rosy, there are reasons aplenty for optimism.

Like, you know, when companies...

Do Awesome and Help Employ People Who May Have Difficulties Working.

Like the article concludes, it’s hard to see this as anything but positive. As a driver, I’ve heard many stories of people with challenges like partial paralysis who find work driving for TNCs and absolutely love their work driving. The more companies do this, the better. [Read more…]

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Before and After: UberX And Lyft, Respectively

Some of the most popular articles on this site have to do with comparing Lyft and Uber earnings.  Today, RSG contributor Scott Van Maldegiam uses Sherpa to take a look at his old UberX earnings and compare them to his new Lyft earnings.

First, thanks for all the kind words or welcome.  I appreciate it.  I will try to post a new article every Thursday.  I know Yoda says “there is not try…”.  My father is moving in October from a house he has lived in for over 50 years and he is downsizing.  Yeah, it is going to be a busy month.  Ok, enough of that.

I pulled up my driving statistics in Sherpa this morning.  I was a bit surprised at what I saw.  My average Lyft fares were almost exactly the same as my UberX fares! Let me explain a bit.  I have not driven for UberX until before their changes (before their 15% fare reduction) and I only drove for Lyft after their changes (commission changes).  Let’s dive right in to the statistics: [Read more…]

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How To Get An Uber Airport Ride At LAX

Update (12/22/15): Lyft has now been approved for pick-ups at LAX!  Click here to sign up and get $50 in free credit!!!

Update (7/20/15): Uber and Lyft have now been approved for drop-offs AND pick-ups but the authorities have indicated that pick-ups may not be available until September!  So in the mean time, we still recommend that you take a hotel or rental car shuttle off airport grounds and request a ride there.  Some shuttles say no Lyft/Uber pax but try the Free Airport C Lot Shuttle which drops you off at the C Lot Depot (next to the cell phone waiting area).

If you’re a new Uber passenger, you can get $20 off your first ride.  And don’t forget about Lyft, Lyft tends to surge way less than Uber during peak times and they will also give you $20 off your first ride!

Over the last few months, we’ve seen a lot of progress when it comes to government acceptance of TNC’s like Lyft and Uber.  But one area in which there hasn’t been much progress is at the airport.  At stake is the costly $4-$5 tariff that airport authorities receive each time a taxi comes in and out.  I have no idea who gets this money or why they get it but if I had to take a guess it’s probably someone who doesn’t deserve it.

As it stands now, you are allowed to drop off passengers at the airports with Uber or Lyft, but the government regulators have said no to pick-ups unless you have a TCP license.  Despite government disapproval, Lyft’s public stance has always been that airport pick-ups are ok by them.  So if you pick up a Lyft passenger from the airport you run the risk of being impounded by the cops (however minute this risk may be) but Lyft’s got your back! [Read more…]

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5 Things Every Rideshare Driver Should Carry

I get a lot of questions about the technical side of being a rideshare driver but today I’m going to talk about providing the ultimate experience.  At its most basic level, being a driver really only requires two things: a smart phone and a car.  But once you delve a little further and start enjoying it as much as I do, it feels good to provide your passengers with that extraordinary level of service.

The Extras

When I first started driving for Lyft, I was big on giving out water, gum, mints, candy and pretty much everything else under the sun.  But the only problem with that type of generosity is that you are constantly spending money to replace those items once they are consumed.  It’s not a ton of money but when you’re trying to drive efficiently and maximize your earnings per hour, those extras can hamper that goal.

Related Podcast: Rez LaBoy of R3Z Solutions and His Online Rideshare Classes

I also found that once I stopped giving out those extras, my tips stayed at about the same level and my rating remained stellar.  To me, it is apparent that riders cherish the experience a lot more than the freebies.  You can provide a great experience without bribing your passengers with candy. [Read more…]

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Friday Rideshare Roundup: Mo’ Money, Less Problems for Uber, Lyft (and Sidecar!)

The stakes just keep going up, it seems.

Words like “world domination” seem to be getting thrown around more than usual, loads of dollars and companies (and stories) seem to be flooding the space on the regular, and one of the world’s most well respected entrepreneurs is jumping in the passenger seat to get a piece of the action. Will we see words like “union” and “working wage” hit the news more in the near-future? Time will tell, but not too much this week, anyways.

Here’s a quick rundown of the week that was in the Rideshare world.

Hello, Sir Branson: Sidecar’s Cache Goes Up

Though this certainly won’t put Sidecar alongside Uber and Lyft as far as traction and public perception immediately, tossing another $15 million behind their wheels, with Richard Branson joining the cause, is definitely a big eyebrow raiser.

[Read more…]