Do you drive in Atlanta, or are you considering driving for Uber or Lyft in Atlanta? Senior RSG contributor Paula Gibbins interviewed Atlanta drivers to see what they had to say about what it’s like driving in Atlanta. Spoiler: it’s not easy! Here’s what you need to know.
If you are looking for city driving guides, check out the guides we have below! Want to see your city listed? Email Harry (harry[at]therideshareguy.com) and let him know which cities you’d like to see covered.
- Driving for Uber in Los Angeles
- Driving for Uber in Miami
- Driving for Uber in Atlanta
- Driving for Uber in Chicago
- Driving for Uber in Seattle
- Driving for Uber in Portland, OR
- Best Times to Drive for Uber (any city)
What should brand new rideshare drivers know about driving in Atlanta? Atlanta’s size (roughly half a million people) belies how intense its traffic gets. If you’ve driven in Atlanta or been a passenger in Atlanta, you know what I mean!
Below, I’ll break down what every new Atlanta rideshare driver needs to know before hitting the road. This information is based on several interviews from actual rideshare drivers (follow The Rideshare Guy Facebook page for these opportunities and to give feedback on driver topics!)
I’ll share what you absolutely need to know, how you can make more money, and what drivers are really saying about driving in this city!
Ready to sign up and drive in Atlanta? Get started with Uber here!Requirements for Atlanta Rideshare Drivers
To become an Atlanta Uber driver, you’ll need:
- 15-year-old vehicle or newer
- 4-door vehicle
- Good condition with no cosmetic damage
- No commercial branding
Registration
Uber accepts both official and temporary registration documents. The vehicle does not need to be registered in your name to qualify.
Tip #1: Traffic is BAD!
One common theme among the drivers I interviewed was just how awful the traffic can be and how important it is to avoid high traffic areas and times in order to be successful on any rideshare platform.
Eric shared that Atlanta is “very much a driving town.” He cited that there is no great option for people who want to get around without their own vehicle. Eric said that it’s not a mass-transit-friendly city, and the infrastructure is made for driving. There are a lot of highways and lots of traffic.
“Horrendous” was the word he used to describe the traffic.
Aisha, also from Atlanta, shared that the horrendous traffic also puts drivers at risk for accidents because other drivers on the road just don’t seem to care about driving carefully. Make sure you definitely have rideshare insurance that covers rideshare specifically if you drive in Atlanta!
Finally, driver Ken goes against the grain when it comes to my typical recommendations for rideshare drivers: he does not drive during the morning and evening rush hours, but rather between them. He says sitting in traffic doesn’t make him money, and those other times of the day are just as lucrative!
Basically, it’s key to understand the traffic flow patterns in Atlanta. It’s clear you want to always have a passenger in the car (or are driving delivery) when you’re out driving, so if you get a ride request for a passenger, but it takes you through heavy traffic, you may want to pass on it!
Tip #2: Any Time of the Day is a Good Time to Drive
Drivers agreed that you’ll be more likely to earn more in the evenings if you decide to drive at that time instead of during the day, but that daytime driving in Atlanta tends to be less frustrating overall and has “better” passengers who are great to talk to and get to know.
Ken found that going up a level to Premier (as opposed to Uber X, which are standard rides) made a difference in his pay. On Uber X he said he averaged around $15-20 an hour. Since switching to a Premier-level vehicle, he’s bumped up his earnings to around $30-40 an hour on average.
Curious as to what Uber drivers make on average? Check out our article on Uber driver pay!
Of course, the only downside of this is Premier vehicles are typically more expensive vehicles, with increased vehicle costs. You can check out our Uber vehicle marketplace if you’re looking for a vehicle to drive with Uber and Lyft.
Check out how this Atlanta Lyft driver made over $40,000 driving for Lyft for 8 months:
Atlanta Driver Hotspots
One thing to keep in mind as an Atlanta rideshare driver? Atlanta is home to five major sports teams, including the Braves (baseball), Hawks (basketball), Falcons (football), Dream (WNBA) and Atlanta United (soccer). What does this mean for you? Almost throughout the entire year, there’s likely some sort of sporting event going on in Atlanta.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium – football. State Farm Arena – basketball. Not to mention the rest of downtown Atlanta!
Pay attention to these events, plus other events happening throughout the city, to position yourself to accept ride requests and take advantage of bonuses that typically happen during these times.
Tip #3: Practice Patience
Overall, Aisha advises patience above all else. “Just be patient with all aspects of the app,” said Aisha. “Learning the app, passengers, driving, maneuvering the city. Everything. The only word you can have is patience.”
Atlanta traffic can be miserable – that’s a fact. In addition to all the events and highways, there are also several universities around downtown Atlanta, plus many tourist attractions. Just be prepared to sit in some traffic and you’ll already be ahead of the game!
Atlanta driver Ken also advises drivers not to “overindulge” in rideshare driving. It takes its toll on your health if you overdo it, and we may feel like we have to when we really don’t. It’s fine to take breaks, head home, or even take the whole day off if you need to!
Being an Atlanta driver can be very lucrative, but Atlanta is a unique market (definitely make sure you have insurance!) and it can test the patience of even veteran drivers. However, the market is there and so if you’re ready to hit the road, now’s a great time to start!
Ready to sign up and drive in Atlanta? Get started with Uber here!Other Gig Driving Jobs In Atlanta
Courial is the courier platform for everything. Created by gig-workers for gig-workers, their technology has modernized the courier industry by allowing any business or person to seamlessly connect with their community of on-demand couriers to deliver anything. From a set of keys and legal documents to snacks, groceries to dry cleaning, furniture, medicine to electronics, and even food, THEY GET IT!
Do you drive in Atlanta? What has your experience been like?
-Paula @ RSG
