Driving for Uber in Nashville can be profitable if you know what you’re doing.
The heavy traffic and non-stop construction can eat your profits, but if you know the area and how to get around promptly, you can make a decent income.
Here’s everything you need to know about driving for Uber in Nashville to be successful.
Driving for Uber in Nashville
It’s easy to qualify to drive for Uber in Nashville if you are at least 21 years old with three years of driving experience. Drivers over 25 need only one year of driving experience, but everyone must pass a background check.
You’ll need a car that’s 16 years old or newer and has four doors, and of course, you must carry proper vehicle insurance to protect yourself and other drivers in any incidents.
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Nashville Uber Driver Tips & Strategies
Driving for Uber in Nashville can be challenging. Traffic has significantly surged over the past eight years, causing navigation challenges.
Unfortunately, Uber doesn’t factor in ride duration when compensating drivers. This can be especially counterproductive for drivers unfamiliar with the system.
However, here are some ways to make the most of your time driving for Uber in Nashville.
Get To Know the Area
Don’t wing it and think you’ll be okay. Know the streets, traffic patterns, and backup routes like the back of your hand. This ensures you only choose the sensible rides regarding time and compensation.
Know the Traffic Patterns
Just like you should know the area, get to know the traffic patterns on each street down to which lane usually moves the fastest. This ensures you minimize each ride’s time and increase your per-hour rates.
Don’t Always Trust the GPS
The Uber app is great for directions, but sometimes, it can be off regarding the best route given the time of day. Nashville’s ‘rush hour’ is now from noon to seven, so knowing the best route is essential to avoid getting stuck in traffic.
I usually check Google Maps and compare it to Uber’s route to see which route is fastest; Google usually wins, especially for airport runs.
Know the Tourist Attractions
Know as much as you can about the Nashville area, as most of your passengers will be tourists, especially on the weekends. The better information you can provide them, the higher tips you’ll earn. Sometimes, I even chime in, providing recommendations even if they don’t ask.
Always Verify a Destination
This is a normal part of Uber procedures but worth reiterating. Some bars and restaurants share names, so you should always know the exact location to ensure you take riders to the correct place.
Tourists often think they’ve given you the correct location but often are mistaken. Always confirm the location; you’ll have much happier passengers and waste less of your own time.
Nashville Uber Driver Hotspots
Nashville has many hotspots where tourists and even locals want to spend time besides the Broadway strip, which is a hotspot itself.
Here are some of the most popular areas to position yourself to get the most rides, especially during peak tourist season, usually in the summer.
- Country Music Hall of Fame (recommend the RCA Studio B add-on)
- Centennial Park
- Belle Meade Plantation
- Cheekwood
- Loveless Cafe
- Andrew Jackson’s home, The Hermitage
- The Gulch
- 12 South
- East Nashville
- Mid-Town
Also, consider bars with ‘writer’s nights,’ such as The Bluebird, The Listening Room, The Commodore, and Bobby’s Idle Hour.
Some of the ‘best’ places, in my opinion, for tourists and where I get a lot of rides include:
- Pegleg Porker for BBQ
- 5 Points Pizza for pizza
- Nobles Kitchen for hot chicken
- I Dream of Weanie for hot dogs and mac n’ cheese
As far as airport rides, you must time them perfectly. Traffic can be a nightmare, so relying on your GPS for the best route to get there is best.
Best Times To Drive for Uber in Nashville
Nashville remains consistently bustling for Uber drivers. Here’s the breakdown of the best days to drive, ranked from busiest to still busy:
- Saturdays
- Sundays
- Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, which feature a lot of airport runs
- Wednesdays and Thursdays can be busy, but the other days are consistently busy
Even if there are more ride requests on the weekend, the crazy traffic makes it impossible to get where you need to go on time so you might make more money on slower days.
How Much Do Uber Drivers Make in Nashville?
Unfortunately, the cost of living in Nashville has increased significantly lately. I haven’t noticed Uber fares doing the same, so earning enough driving for Uber in Nashville is tougher.
The key is increasing your Uber driver ratings to get more rides and potentially higher tips.
During busy times and with planned routes, Uber drivers in Nashville can make $30+ per hour, but the average Uber driver makes $15 to $25 an hour driving for Uber in Nashville.
Here’s why I think the hourly rates are dropping:
- Excessive road construction and roadblocks
- More people on the road
- Increased traffic lights and decreased lanes in downtown areas
- High gas prices
Unfortunately, Uber surges are not readily available, so we must rely on the rides available at the base fare.
Fortunately, we keep 100% of the customer tips, and if you know how to provide excellent customer service, you can increase your earnings.
Alternatives To Driving for Uber in Nashville
The alternatives for driving for Uber in Nashville still require you to navigate traffic, but you won’t have passengers, which can make it slightly less stressful.
Here are some ways to make extra money in Nashville:
Is Driving for Uber in Nashville Worth It?
I do feel it’s worth it to drive for Uber in Nashville. Even though the cost of living has increased and Uber fares haven’t, getting to know the area and traffic patterns can help you make a decent income for Uber.
