Why Rideshare Driving is the Perfect Job for Retirees

Today we have a guest post from Lisa D., an East Coast driver who began driving for Uber and Uber Eats a few years ago to supplement her income. Below, she’ll talk about how earnings have changed over the last few years, plus why she thinks rideshare and delivery driving is the best gig for retired people and Baby Boomers.

Hey Baby Boomers – are you not ready to retire yet, but want a flexible job with no ‘set hours’? Do you enjoy getting out and about but want to stop working when it’s time to pick up the grandkids or pursue other hobbies?

If you consider yourself a people person, delivering for Uber Eats (considered an essential service) during the pandemic can fulfil your need to feel like you are helping your community as well as make some income in the process.

In addition, giving people rides to the places they need to go provides a sense of accomplishment for mature drivers as you are providing a service that is in high demand. That’s true even after this pandemic subsides!

Quick summary:

  • Lisa earns $25-30/hr driving for Uber and delivering with Uber Eats
  • She mostly drives part time (around 20 hours/week) but occasionally will drive more for certain promotions
  • Driving for Uber as a retired person is great because you can drive when it’s convenient for you, and right now, you’re helping your community get around safely

Getting Started as a Retired Uber and Uber Eats Driver

My experience began in November of 2017 when I was let go from my previous employer, and I found myself with many extra hours in the day. I was initially skeptical of driving for Uber, as I didn’t have a good impression of the company. However, after a month without income, I needed to do something so I began the process of driving for Uber so I could judge for myself this new thing called “gig” work.

I was pleasantly surprised that I really enjoyed driving.  My interaction with riders was interesting and fun and I was earning about $15.00 per hour in those early days.

Gig work makes making money quite simple, as all transactions are handled through the app.  Who doesn’t like a few extra bucks in their bank accounts on a daily basis?  This feature is quite addicting as daily income is better for most people rather than having to wait one or two weeks to get paid.

Being an Independent Contractor (IC), you are responsible for your taxes and at tax time using your expenses as a write off to income comes in handy.  These expenses include gas and maintenance to your vehicle.

Learn more about filing your rideshare taxes.

What is Rideshare Driving Like in 2020?

Pre-COVID, I found that working during busy hours ie early morning, end of work day and in the evenings generated the most rides. At the same time, in order to make a decent day’s pay, I was in the car for over eight hours. That is a long day of sitting!

However, since the pandemic in March of 2020, business has been booming for drivers that chose to stay on the app and drive.

My hourly wages increased to about $20-25 with anywhere from 5-6 hours on the road. Many drivers stopped working and the drivers that stayed working found business increased by about 40%.

Below, you can see some screenshots of my last few weeks of driving – this last week has been very good for me, as Uber has finally begun to offer better promotions. All throughout March-July, I didn’t receive any promotions from Uber, but this past week I was offered an additional $125 for giving 120 rides.

For the week of August 10 – 17, I earned about $30/hour. This doesn’t include any of my expenses, of course, so keep that in mind.

For the week of August 17 – 24, I earned $26/hour of driving (not taking into account expenses). I drove more this week because I was pursuing a promotion.

For me, I feel that driving for Uber (and/or Lyft) is good for retirees since it pays a lot better than being a greeter at Walmart or a school crossing guard. Plus, with Walmart greeter or crossing guard jobs, you have to show up at certain times. For those with grandkids, being able to make your own hours is very attractive since they can spend time with their grandchildren whenever they want.

Overall, being considered an essential worker and having Uber Eats orders has dramatically increased drivers’ income in a positive way.

For people who enjoy driving, like people and want to feel they are contributing a valuable service to their communities, driving with Uber is a good place to start!

Driving During COVID as a Retired Person

Some may be wondering how I justify driving as a retired person while COVID is going on. Personally, I always wear a mask and have my passengers wear masks as well while I am rideshare driving.

When I am delivering Uber Eats orders, I also always wear a mask. I make sure to clean my car regularly with disinfectant spray, wiping down door handles and keeping the carpets vacuumed.

Overall, I’ve found driving during COVID (both for Uber and Uber Eats) to be worthwhile. I know I am contributing to my community when I take people to their destinations, and they don’t have to take the bus. Plus, not everyone owns a vehicle so being able to help those people is very rewarding.

Why Rideshare Driving is Perfect for Retired People (Or Others Who Need Flexible Work)

What I have learned from my three year experience is that these gig economy jobs have become vital for people who no longer fit into a typical W-2 wage job.

These gig jobs are here to stay. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi recently wrote an op-ed in the New York Times wherein he envisions a new three-tier wage structure that I personally wholeheartedly agree with.

It establishes a benefit fund for drivers while leaving the flexibility of independent contractor status, thus giving drivers the freedom they enjoy to make their own schedules with the security of having a fund set aside for emergencies and or time off if one so chooses.

You can listen to Uber’s CEO discuss the benefits fund, driver pay and more in this interview with Harry Campbell on the Rideshare Guy podcast here.

Personally, I’m happy to be able to do this type of work. It allows me to earn some extra income on my own schedule and get out and meet people. While earnings and COVID have changed how I drive for now, I’ve adjusted some things to accommodate for that. Overall, I see myself continuing to drive in the future, both for rideshare and delivery.

-The Rideshare Gal Lisa, East Coast edition

Lisa D, The Rideshare Gal East Coast Edition, is a three year veteran Uber driver. In her time as a driver, she’s given rides to people from 67 countries around the world. In her spare time, she likes to collect action figures and has quite a collection of movie memorabilia characters from Star Wars to The Black Panther. The beach is her favorite destination in the world – any beach, anywhere.