# considering doing uber. Advice?



## UberInterested (Jan 5, 2015)

Currently I don't have a job, but I have a 2013 Elantra and am considering deciding to do Uber in Charlotte full-time. What's the likelihood I can make good money from this?


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## uber_sea (Jan 9, 2015)

Charlotte is at 0.75 per mile.

I'd expect about $7 per hour wage. And that doesn't include gas, taxes, insurance, and depreciation.

If you take expenses into consideration; you are literally working for free. All you are doing is trading the equity out of your car for some quick buck.


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

Consider collecting cans on side of freeway.

Seriously.


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## Former Yellow Driver (Sep 5, 2014)

Don't do it. The month you spend learning that it isn't worth it could be a month you are aggressively looking for a real job. Either way....good luck. If you decide to Uber....you can always commiserate on here with the rest of us misguided fools.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

Go to the CITIES section here in the forums and post your question again the group for Charlotte... see what the drivers their have to offer as advice. You've got a car that gets good gas mileage, it's not too new or too old - and you've got plenty of time on your hands. Ask the Charlotte drivers how many 'dead' miles they drive to earn what they do over x hours. Do the math - and don't make the mistake of not considering ALL real expenses (tires, brakes, repairs and the devaluation of your car due to the mileage). If you have no cash coming in now, then you might be able to work Thurs, Fri, Sat nights driving the bar hopping crowd around and come out ahead. Try to pay for your gas with CASH tip money (hard to come by with Uber) - do not charge it (or at the end of the month you'll end up with a$300 bill on your gas card against the $500 you made in the month).


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## Sweet Ping (Jan 20, 2015)

If you think full time it's 40hours a week, then it's not much, but if you can do 80-hour week, then it it would be at least a $1K


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

Sweet Ping said:


> If you think full time it's 40hours a week, then it's not much, but if you can do 80-hour week, then it it would be at least a $1K


not at $.75/mi he won't... it's Charlotte, NC, not LA. If he runs both Uber and Lyft and only drives during Uber promotion periods, like now - then maybe $1,000 is feasible.


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## Raquel (Jan 9, 2015)

UberInterested said:


> Currently I don't have a job, but I have a 2013 Elantra and am considering deciding to do Uber in Charlotte full-time. What's the likelihood I can make good money from this?


You'd make better money ...panhandling..


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## geeman (Aug 22, 2014)

UberInterested said:


> Currently I don't have a job, but I have a 2013 Elantra and am considering deciding to do Uber in Charlotte full-time. What's the likelihood I can make good money from this?


DON"T DO IT. Anyone who drives for Lyft or Uber at 75 cents a mile is an idiot. You're making 60 cents and car depreciation is 57 cents a mile. Then count the miles you drive without a passenger. I quit when it dropped to that rate. You are trading equity of your car for your paychecks and losing money, kinda like a reverse mortgage on a home when eventually you have to move out or sell your home or get another mortgage cause you have no more equity. I was breaking even at $1.20 a mile. Averaging 40,000 miles a year I would need a new car in about 5 to 6 years. Just sit down and do the math and let it sink in.


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## movinglotus (Nov 1, 2014)

Before the rate cut, I was shady on Uber because my calculations showed they didnt pay well for my time especially compared to Lyft. I was loosing .80 on Uber when the passenger opens the door. If they go to Whataburger, I am toast. Make it up in the surge? Risky strategy. Im in Dallas, however, its 90 cents a mile, MAYBE I can make enough for lunch money...but to pay household expenses. I dont see how with the miles and stuff you are putting on your car. Definately, check those dead miles.


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## UberInterested (Jan 5, 2015)

What if I charged a 10 dollar tip per ride?


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## UberBlackPr1nce (Dec 28, 2014)

A risky job with little reward. If your personal car is the only car you have to get around with and u use it to uber then if you wreck it you lose the Uber job and a way to get a new job. I would stick to some hourly job because uber is a huge risk for low reward.


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## Actionjax (Oct 6, 2014)

I think everyone here is on the money. With the rate cuts you will find it hard to break even on your expenses. But if you got car payments right now and facing losing things because of being unemployed it may help you out in the short term. Long term you are sunk. Find something else.


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## UberDC (Jul 12, 2014)

UberInterested said:


> Currently I don't have a job, but I have a 2013 Elantra and am considering deciding to do Uber in Charlotte full-time. What's the likelihood I can make good money from this?


Doing Uber full-time is suicide.


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## UberDC (Jul 12, 2014)

UberInterested said:


> What if I charged a 10 dollar tip per ride?


Then you'd only get about 1 or 2 rides under your belt before you'd be deactivated. Maybe you should try reading some of the posts in this forum.


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## Ehmtbescrewingus (Oct 16, 2014)

Consider doing something else that has some stability to it. Hit your states job board http://www.careeronestop.org/JobSearch/COS_jobsites.aspx, and write to your local legislators tell them you want to work and need their help. But don't Uber full time.


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## UberInterested (Jan 5, 2015)

Why do all you ****ers do it then?


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## geeman (Aug 22, 2014)

UberDC said:


> Doing Uber full-time is suicide.


Go to craigslist in your area and find jobs spinning signs for $10 an hour. Just watch out for scammers and I'll put Uber in that category. Uber's lame ass guarantee is $10 an hour and spinning signs has no wear and tear on car other than getting to job to spin signs. Don;t do it. I've been doing it since August and with the latest rate cuts to 75 cents a mile where you make 60 cents and IRS write off is 57 cents a mile so net profit, 3 cents a mile, I'm out. Wont even chase surges as they disappear by time you get there. Reminds me of the old Charlie Brown.








Uber is on crack and knows they will lose drivers but still post on craigslist about making $600 on weekends to find new drivers until they figure it out. They'll just churn drivers. What bullshit.


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## ElectroFuzz (Jun 10, 2014)

UberInterested said:


> Why do all you ****ers do it then?


In my market it's:
$2.00 for the pickup
$1.20 per mile + $0.20 per minute
$10 cancellation fee.

This is bare minimum and I barely clear any real profit with these rates.
If they will lower it any more I will stop driving.
I wouldn't drive for $1.00 a mile let alone $0.75 a mile.


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## UberBlackPr1nce (Dec 28, 2014)

UberInterested said:


> Why do all you ****ers do it then?


Lmao. That's a good question I can't seem to understand that one myself. I'm uber suv my rates are great. UberX are crazy


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## movinglotus (Nov 1, 2014)

I think people are slowly on the out. People made some very good points... especially putting tons of mileage on your only personal car which is my case. I was Uber and Lyft. Now Lyft has cut the rates. Due to the geographics in my town, I need a certain ride at a certain amount. So when the cut rates it really hurts. 
Earlier this week, I overheard 2 coworkers discussing how NOT to tip an Uber driver. Its just said. Try it for a week and see if you like it. We havent even touched on the ratings system.


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## UberInterested (Jan 5, 2015)

There's no point in "trying it for a week" if it permenantly ****s up my insurance.


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

UberInterested said:


> Why do all you ****ers do it then?


Two weeks ago is when the latest rate cuts occurred. Prior to that there was still some money being made. So you are arriving in the volatility of the transition. It's almost like a lot of people in the different stages of the five stages of grief in here.

These latest rate cuts were HUGE. Some markets dropped by as much as $0.65/mile. A lot of people are trying to make the new rates work, hoping the math is somehow wrong and/or that Uber's number crunchers could make the system so efficient that the rates somehow magically work for the driver. I give them credit for the effort, even if they are just wasting their time trying to make these rates work profitably.

I still drive, but only do so by gaming the guarantee. That means I do as few and as small trips as I can just to meet the requirements to earn the guaranteed pay. Gaming the guarantee turns a 2 mile/$4 fare into a $12/$22 fare. If I actually did produce $12/$22 in fares for the hour, the amount of mileage it would cost me doesn't make it worth the effort.


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## Western Warrior (Jan 20, 2015)

UberInterested said:


> Currently I don't have a job, but I have a 2013 Elantra and am considering deciding to do Uber in Charlotte full-time. What's the likelihood I can make good money from this?


You'll get that depressed feeling in the gut every time you drop someone off and see the fare. That's before you realize you need to deduct $1.00 safety charge along with Uber's take of 20%. Let's not even get into gas and car expenses.


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## Western Warrior (Jan 20, 2015)

movinglotus said:


> I think people are slowly on the out. People made some very good points... especially putting tons of mileage on your only personal car which is my case. I was Uber and Lyft. Now Lyft has cut the rates. Due to the geographics in my town, I need a certain ride at a certain amount. So when the cut rates it really hurts.
> Earlier this week, I overheard 2 coworkers discussing how NOT to tip an Uber driver. Its just said. Try it for a week and see if you like it. We havent even touched on the ratings system.


Where did you see that Lyft was lowering their rate? I cannot find it anywhere.


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## geeman (Aug 22, 2014)

UberBlackPr1nce said:


> Lmao. That's a good question I can't seem to understand that one myself. I'm uber suv my rates are great. UberX are crazy


Not anymore. I'm sitting home waiting for the deactivation email.


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## geeman (Aug 22, 2014)

Western Warrior said:


> Where did you see that Lyft was lowering their rate? I cannot find it anywhere.


 I don;t know about LA but they did in Orlando. Anytime Uber comes out with a change Lyft is right behind them about a week or two later. So expect whatever Uber does Lyft follows.


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## Yuri Lygotme (Jul 27, 2014)

Reminder: über guarantee is before the 20% commission, so it's $8 guarantee, minus gas. That's less than minimum wage. You DO make more money spinning signs, without risk of accident/impounding/tickets.


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## Uberdawg (Oct 23, 2014)

What UberHammer said X 100

We are still able to make money here because our rates are almost double what you have in Charlotte. I maybe netted 9 bucks an hour last week but that was only because I got some guarantee money. Without that it would have been around 8 per hour. And remember, that is rates almost double.


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## troubleinrivercity (Jul 27, 2014)

UberInterested said:


> Currently I don't have a job, but I have a 2013 Elantra and am considering deciding to do Uber in Charlotte full-time. What's the likelihood I can make good money from this?


At current rates you'll hate it. The novelty will wear off so quickly and you'll discover this is among the worst jobs available. Good work doesn't come easy, please keep trying for something better. It's not even guaranteed that you'll make money at all. Some days you just flat out won't.


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## Actionjax (Oct 6, 2014)

I do it part time and my rate are not effected like others. I use Uber for tax write off purposes and for supplemental income when I get time. 99% of my driving is during peek and is only about 2 hours a day. (In to work and home from work). You couldn't live off that and based on the week I took off last year to se what a full timer would make doing 60/h a week I was averaging 19/h Gross from memory. My net I don't even want to think about it. It was minimum wage after expenses and wear and tear on my car. Also a lot of sitting around doing nothing during off peek times.

This is not a good job full time. Your better bet is get a taxi license if you want full time. At least you can hustle for street fares for money and not wait on a ping. Also with Ubers volatility and rate cuts you are at their mercy.


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## geeman (Aug 22, 2014)

Yuri Lygotme said:


> Reminder: über guarantee is before the 20% commission, so it's $8 guarantee, minus gas. That's less than minimum wage. You DO make more money spinning signs, without risk of accident/impounding/tickets.


o good point didn't think about that and minimum wage goes to 8.25 an hour as of July 2015 and Uber is still posting the lame posts on craigslist of making $660 a week. I guess they at least changed it from make $600 this weekend driving Uber now you have to drive all week to make that. 
http://orlando.craigslist.org/lab/4858622345.html

This sign spinning pays $10 to $12 an hour.
http://orlando.craigslist.org/lab/4852988430.html


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

UberInterested said:


> What if I charged a 10 dollar tip per ride?


You can't 'charge' a tip. A tip is a gratuity - and Uber makes it clear to drivers that while they may accept a tip if offered, they are "encouraged" to remind riders that tips are not required. If you ask for tips - you will get low ratings and anything lower than an aggregate rating of 4.6 of 5 stars and you'll lose access to the Uber app. Uber says drivers are independent contractors and have the right to charge whatever we want... but they provide no means to do that - and Uber tells riders what the Uber 'suggested' fare is. Even trying to charge anyone more than the 'suggested fare' will earn you a 1 star rating and you'll be deactivated from the system, pronto.


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## UberInterested (Jan 5, 2015)

How often do the riders rate the drivers? From my recollection (I've only taken like three uber rides as a rider) the rider wasn't required to rate the driver. But I could be wrong.


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## geeman (Aug 22, 2014)

UberInterested said:


> How often do the riders rate the drivers? From my recollection (I've only taken like three uber rides as a rider) the rider wasn't required to rate the driver. But I could be wrong.


After every ride. But the rider may not rate the previous ride until they request the next ride at which point the rider has to rate the previous ride before they can request a new ride.


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## hermesyks (Jan 24, 2015)

I would stay away from uber try lyft or sidecar or a temp agency we all are stuck in mollasses cant walk out or away


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## geeman (Aug 22, 2014)

ElectroFuzz said:


> In my market it's:
> $2.00 for the pickup
> $1.20 per mile + $0.20 per minute
> $10 cancellation fee.
> ...


How long has Uber been in your Market? They came to Orlando in June/July 2014 and started I think around $1.5 per mile, maybe more but it was $1.50 when I started in August 2014. Then it went to $1.20 a mile three months later and I was starting to get reluctant due to the wear and tear on my car. Now its 75 cents another 3 months later so no ****ing way. Be prepared I'm seeing a pattern here. I think this is all a game with Uber to see where the bottom is with drivers. I think they sit around the board room table and say lets see how desperate and stupid the drivers are and lets lower the rates again and see what the fall out is. If they lose too many drivers they jack up rates. Uber doesn;t care as they are collecting the fares and not out there dealing with ****ed up people. At these rates Uber is attracting trash and I have to be nice so my rating stays about 4.6. Guys you are losing money do the math. Uber is trying to compete with city transit buses not just cabs.


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

UberInterested said:


> Currently I don't have a job, but I have a 2013 Elantra and am considering deciding to do Uber in Charlotte full-time. What's the likelihood I can make good money from this?


Your chances of making money at 75 cents per paid mile are exactly ZERO.

Why would you even consider it?


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

UberInterested said:


> Why do all you ****ers do it then?


Good question. Let's just say the people who can actually do math, DON'T.

That should also tell you the mentality of who's on the road.


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

geeman said:


> How long has Uber been in your Market? They came to Orlando in June/July 2014 and started I think around $1.5 per mile, maybe more but it was $1.50 when I started in August 2014. Then it went to $1.20 a mile three months later and I was starting to get reluctant due to the wear and tear on my car. *Now its 75 cents another 3 months later so no ****ing way*. Be prepared I'm seeing a pattern here. I think this is all a game with Uber to see where the bottom is with drivers. I think they sit around the board room table and say lets see how desperate and stupid the drivers are and lets lower the rates again and see what the fall out is. If they lose too many drivers they jack up rates. Uber doesn;t care as they are collecting the fares and not out there dealing with ****ed up people. At these rates Uber is attracting trash and I have to be nice so my rating stays about 4.6. Guys you are losing money do the math. Uber is trying to compete with city transit buses not just cabs.


Ain't no ****ing game with me. The numbers don't lie. It doesn't take a math genius to come to a logical conclusion. I'm only amazed at the numbers of drivers who DON'T or CAN'T *arrive at that conclusion.*

Quite a testimony to the ignorance of the driving populace. And we get potential and new drivers in here constantly still asking about it.

Are you ****ing ignorant or what?


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

UberInterested said:


> Why do all you ****ers do it then?


Just waiting to you to take their bait so we can get a laugh out of the deal.


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## SDUberdriver (Nov 11, 2014)

UberInterested said:


> Currently I don't have a job, but I have a 2013 Elantra and am considering deciding to do Uber in Charlotte full-time. What's the likelihood I can make good money from this?


_You would have a better chance winning the lottery .And you can't charge people a tip to ride. Uber is built on not tipping._


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## geeman (Aug 22, 2014)

Before I officially quit I think I'm going to sit at home and get a ping and accept it. Then after 4 or 5 minutes begin trip while never leaving the house. Let the phone sit there and not answer it and let the PAX cancel trip. $9 for everyone of those $4 for trip and $5 cancellation fee. Then see how long before Fuber deactivates my account.


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## Txchick (Nov 25, 2014)

Raquel said:


> You'd make better money ...panhandling..


Ha ha!! true! Polish that cup or pan up!!


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

geeman said:


> Before I officially quit I think I'm going to sit at home and get a ping and accept it. Then after 4 or 5 minutes begin trip while never leaving the house. Let the phone sit there and not answer it and let the PAX cancel trip. $9 for everyone of those $4 for trip and $5 cancellation fee. Then see how long before Fuber deactivates my account.


That'll last about 1 time before deactivation. And it will be unpaid.

Not much of a statement.


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## ElectroFuzz (Jun 10, 2014)

geeman said:


> How long has Uber been in your Market? They came to Orlando in June/July 2014 and started I think around $1.5 per mile, maybe more but it was $1.50 when I started in August 2014. Then it went to $1.20 a mile three months later and I was starting to get reluctant due to the wear and tear on my car. Now its 75 cents another 3 months later so no ****ing way. Be prepared I'm seeing a pattern here. I think this is all a game with Uber to see where the bottom is with drivers. I think they sit around the board room table and say lets see how desperate and stupid the drivers are and lets lower the rates again and see what the fall out is. If they lose too many drivers they jack up rates. Uber doesn;t care as they are collecting the fares and not out there dealing with ****ed up people. At these rates Uber is attracting trash and I have to be nice so my rating stays about 4.6. Guys you are losing money do the math. Uber is trying to compete with city transit buses not just cabs.


We started on Sep 2013
It was $2.25 then $1.95 then $1.47 then $1.20
The only reason they didn't slash us is because of the Super Bowl.... but next month it's all over for me too.
Unless you guys get some balls and stop driving now... then maybe it won't reach us.


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## Shine'ola (Oct 7, 2014)

I haven't and won't drive for $0.75, hell I won't even drive for $1.45 on XL


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