RSG008: The State of Rideshare

Although rideshare is still in its infancy, over the past couple years we’ve seen some pretty amazing growth.  Companies like Uber and Lyft are now worth billions of dollars and it’s clear that they are here to stay.  But due to the ever-changing nature of the beast that is rideshare, it’s hard for drivers to stay up to date on all of the current information, news and policies.

I mean, I run a blog and podcast for drivers and even I find it hard to stay up to date with a lot of this stuff.  So I can only imagine how difficult it is for everyone else to know what’s going on in the world of rideshare.  On today’s podcast, I’m going to try and summarize everything that I’ve learned in 6 months of writing and podcasting into one (long) episode.

I’m also going to update you on some policies, news and basically just give you the low-down on the top issues that rideshare drivers need to be aware of right now.  Obviously I couldn’t cover everything, but I wanted to focus on the most important topics and share my knowledge, advice and insight with all of my faithful readers and listeners.

Things change quickly with rideshare so if you find this podcast weeks, months or even years after it’s gone live, don’t worry, there is still a lot of information that is evergreen.  It’s important to take a step back sometimes and learn from those who have gone before you.  As someone famous once said, “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it”.

RSG008: The State Of Rideshare

Intro

  • New intro song
  • Podcast download numbers
  • My Fiverr Intro Jingle
  • Keeping costs down, quality/content up
  • I’m pretty dang cheap
  • Get $20 off your next oil change or service with Your Mechanic with the promotional code ‘RSG15’
  • The State of Rideshare: what are we going to cover today
  • My top 5 tips to make more money in a saturated driver’s market and low rate environment

What’s The Deal With Airports?

  • SFO agreement with Uber, Lyft and Sidecar
  • Be a rideshare ninja
  • Pick-ups are still not ok
  • James River insurance company
  • You still have to bend the truth with your insurance company
  • Lyft’s $2,500 collision deductible
  • You will be covered by someone

Current Insurance Woes

Safety/Background Checks

  • #Hammergate
  • The media likes to sensationalize these horror stories
  • I haven’t had any bad experiences
  • How many female rideshare drivers are out there?
  • The Rideshare Chick’s first article

Rideshare Tax Tips

The State of Uber

  • Uber has a lot of cash, $1.2 billion to be exact
  • Is Uber trying to push out Lyft?
  • Uber has A LOT of smart people working for them at HQ
  • Variety of new services and offers that benefit customers and drivers
  • Be the best at everything
  • All of Uber’s new partnerships

The State of Lyft

  • A lot of recent negative changes
  • Lyft ruined my passenger referral strategy
  • No more passenger referral credits for a lot of cities
  • Is Lyft hurting for cash?
  • Top employees have been leaving
  • My article on The Downfall of Lyft
  • There is a huge disconnect between Lyft HQ and drivers

What To Do About Lower Rates

  • Drivers need to be smarter than ever
  • Use all the tools at your disposal
  • Sign up for Sherpa to track your driving analytics
  • My fare analysis spreadsheet
  • I make a lot more with Uber right now
  • What’s the money been like?
  • There’s still a slight learning curve for new drivers
  • I am still meeting a lot of cool people: from architects to former playboy bunnies
  • Still strategizing
  • Halloween surge went up to 9.6x!
  • Uber’s tipping policy
  • Get $30 off your first Uber ride as a passenger
  • Get $10 off your first Lyft ride as a passenger
  • Are lower rates here to stay?
  • Look at it from Lyft and Uber’s POV
  • Make a great initial impression
  • New drivers don’t know how much we used to make

Top 5 Ways To Make More Money Today!

Outro

  • There is still a lot of opportunity out there
  • Rideshare is still in its infancy so of course things are going to be a little bit rocky
  • Take advantage when opportunity arises

Show Notes:

Thank You For Listening!

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And if you really loved the podcast that much, I encourage you to go ahead and leave a review on iTunes.  I make sure to read each and every one of the reviews so if you leave one please let me know so that I can personally thank you.

And lastly, if you have any questions, comments or concerns don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

So what do you guys think about the current state of rideshare?  What are the top 3 issues that need to be resolved going forward?  Was there anything I missed?

-The Rideshare Guy