The Top 4 Best Driving Strategies During Spring Break

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Are you a driver who wants to make more money by working smarter, not harder? In this article, RSG contributor Chonce Maddox Rhea breaks down the top 4 best driving strategies for vacationers and spring breakers. These tips will help you earn more by helping you think and act strategically!

The U.S. travel industry brings in trillions of dollars per year. Rideshare driving is now a big part of that industry, seeing as how people often depend on Uber and Lyft to get around during their trip.

If you live in or near a tourist area, spring break and vacation seasons may produce some bigger paydays for you depending on your strategy.

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Spring break season is usually during the month of March and can also carry into April. Vacation season can be year-round if you live in touristy areas within like California or Florida.

We recently asked a few drivers from the RSG community to share their best tips for making more money driving for Uber during spring break and vacation season. Use the tips and strategies for vacationers and spring breakers no matter where you live!

Drivers’ top tips:

  • Know your area and make sure to sign up to drive for both Uber and Lyft
  • Stay informed of events in your area, including conferences and flights (use a tool like Gridwise for this info!)
  • Maximize airport trips – during seasons of high travel/vacation, these trips can often be more lucrative

1. Anticipate Travelers’ Transportation Schedules

Oftentimes, being successful with Uber and Lyft is all about being in the right place at the right time. That’s the beauty of flexibility and choosing when and where you drive.

Michael W., a Florida Uber and Lyft driver since 2017, recommends getting familiar with where potential passengers will be and at what time.

While you can’t technically hack into someone’s personal itinerary, you can use common knowledge knowing that people will need to get to and from the airport and their hotel. For Florida drivers, cruise ports can be a huge area of interest.

“I only drive in the Orlando/Disney area. If I happen to get a trip to the east coast beaches/Cape Canaveral port area it’s extremely difficult to find a passenger/trip back to the Orlando area.

There are a few websites that will give you ship arrival times at the port. I believe those will help drivers decide what time is best to drive. My favorite sites to use are MarineTraffic.com and Portcanaveral.com.”

Below is a snapshot from Marine Traffic of some recent departures and arrivals at the port of Miami.

Michael can use information like this to determine how long it takes passengers to exit their cruise ship and start looking for rides to the airport. He drives about 2-4 days per week for a total of 6-12 hours per day.

Looking for more holiday-specific Uber driver strategies? Check out our article on the best holidays to drive for Uber here.

2. Be Available For Travelers Mixing Work With Fun

Another tip Michael recommends is to be on the lookout for events like conferences in your area, which can lead to an even bigger payday. Spring is a popular season for conferences allowing many people to mix in a quick vacation with professional growth.

“I drive for both Uber and Lyft but have noticed that Uber tends to be busier in my area and gives closer pickups. However, I often check the Lyft app and find that it seems more popular among women passengers. During a recent Grace Hopper (women in tech) convention here in Orlando, Lyft got crazy busy and I was able to get a ton of trips.”

Michael’s statement above is why we always recommend, even if Uber is typically busier in your city, to always sign up for Uber and sign up for Lyft – you never know which platform might be more popular, so hedge your bets and sign up for both.

Another thing you may want to do is search for upcoming conferences in your area. You’ll be able to find important information like the dates, hotel, and conference schedule all online. Use this information to strategically make yourself available for Uber and Lyft trips for the conference attendees.

3. Hit Up Tourist Hot Spots

You know your area better than anyone. One way to get more trips from vacationers and spring breakers is to go near popular tourist spots and attractions. Targeting places that might charge a lot for parking is a good idea since most people will likely opt to rideshare instead.

Derrick M. is a Florida driver who recommends getting familiar with popular tourist spots and trends so you can plan your shift out to maximize your earnings.

“If a driver is in Tampa, Miami, or Hollywood/Ft. Lauderdale area, I would suggest finding a spot near the Seminole Casinos in those 3 areas. You could be getting rides 24 hours per day and spring break will be no different.

After people spend all day at the beach, a lot of them will head to the bars and gamble. After gambling, some people may need to call an Uber or Lyft to take them an hour away to their destination so this can make a nice payment.

Another perk is the cash tips when people win big at the casino.”

4. Don’t Forget to Track Flights

It’s no secret that Uber drivers looking for airport trips would benefit from tracking incoming and outgoing flights. Then again, I’m sure no one wants to be stuck in the airport queue for most of the day.

Allison J. is a California driver who recommends paying attention to certain peaks throughout the year for travelers in your area. Flight Radar 24 is a good flight tracking app to try in order to get familiar with the best pickup times at your nearest airport.

Gridwise is another helpful option to help you track airport passenger volume, airport queues, and important events in the city at the time.

Allison is lucky enough to live near an airport so she doesn’t have to do much to get profitable trips, and she even mentioned how she has gotten more selective over the years.

“Uber has definitely changed in recent years given all the app updates and new rules. I used to do about 10- 15 trips per day but due to the app changing, it’s much better for me to do 4-5 trips per day now and wait around for the really profitable opportunities.

Oceanside is where I live and it’s an up and coming tourist city with lots of people traveling to and from the airport each day. I usually start my day around 4 am and my strategy is pretty simple.

When I first started driving for Uber, I was making around $6,000 per month due to the incentives and surges but right now I only need to make between $2,800 to $3,200 per month. Flexibility is more important to me now and good airport trips tend to provide that.”

Takeaways for Driving Strategies During Spring Break

According to the drivers we spoke with, anticipation is key when you’re trying to get more trips from vacationers and spring breakers in your area. It helps to know your area along with what events will be going on, the best time to hang out near hot spot areas to pick up passengers, and how to maximize your airport trips.

If you’re not traveling yourself for spring break, these strategies could definitely contribute to you making a little more money with Uber and Lyft during the busy travel season.

Make sure to sign up for our newsletter, where we share exclusive secrets for making more rideshare cash! Sign up for the RSG newsletter here.

Drivers, is spring break a big tourist time in your city? If so, what strategies do you employ to make the most money during these times?

-Chonce @ RSG