# Trust me. Get out while you can or don't even start.



## touberornottouber (Aug 12, 2016)

Seeing how this is the advice forum and all...

I started with Uber last October here. While it wasn't lucrative you could at least make about $10 an hour. Over the last six months I've seen huge increases in the amount of drivers. Every single spot I usually go to has at least one driver there already. Even at 6am! I can now completely circle the entire area here (about 30 miles) during prime time hours (around 5pm or 9am) and not get a single ping reliably because there are so many drivers.

It is to the point where it is not even guaranteed that in working 10 hours that you will gross $5 an hour or $50.

Yeah sure. I know what many are saying reading this. It is my area and not yours. You are right. But here is the thing my friend: My reality here will be your reality soon enough. These companies are only adding more and more drivers.


Don't even think about doing this full time.
Don't even think about buying a new vehicle or leasing a vehicle for Uber or Lyft.
If you do this to pay your bills start looking for an exit plan now or you will be sorry!
If you are thinking about doing it, please take my advice and don't! Run!

The only time you should do this is if you have no choice, aren't doing it for money, or you are just turning on the app from home or on your way home from the store, etc.

I know most will ignore me. Well don't say I didn't warn you!


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## Delivery Mr.Guy (Aug 9, 2016)

I got less ping in the day time because I paid only 20% commission fee, I have done the experiment with many friends at the Ashmont Station, every time we turn the uber app on , I don't get the ping first and I get little ping. I did went to the office but they told me that they dont send ping out to me because my acceptance rate is always too low. Most day I have to restart the phone because waiting too long for a ping. So I decided to drive at night only. I do better at night because there is not too many uber around.


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## touberornottouber (Aug 12, 2016)

Delivery Mr.Guy said:


> I got less ping in the day time because I paid only 20% commission fee, I have done the experiment with many friends at the Ashmont Station, every time we turn the uber app on , I don't get the ping first and I get little ping. I did went to the office but they told me that they dont send ping out to me because my acceptance rate is always too low. Most day I have to restart the phone because waiting too long for a ping. So I decided to drive at night only. I do better at night because there is not too many uber around.


Please realize that while you do okay now at night eventually that will change. It used to be I could go out in the early morning and do well here. That changed. Since I started it honestly seems like the number of drivers out in the area has doubled if not tripled.

I hope you are lucky and it still stays good for another year or so for you.

One thing is for sure I doubt it will ever get better for anyone doing this. And that should be enough to scare anyone.


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## Delivery Mr.Guy (Aug 9, 2016)

touberornottouber said:


> Please realize that while you do okay now at night eventually that will change. It used to be I could go out in the early morning and do well here. That changed. Since I started it honestly seems like the number of drivers out in the area has doubled if not tripled.
> 
> I hope you are lucky and it still stays good for another year or so for you.
> 
> One thing is for sure I doubt it will ever get better for anyone doing this. And that should be enough to scare anyone.


Yeah night time is very dangerous, I have many drug dealer in my car around Dorchester.


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## DRider85 (Nov 19, 2016)

To get pings, you must study downtowns. Know all the major streets for each city.


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## touberornottouber (Aug 12, 2016)

DRider85 said:


> To get pings, you must study downtowns. Know all the major streets for each city.


There are drivers on practically every block here in the area. I'm not kidding. Realize this is probably the end game for everyone. It is only a question of time. There are just too many drivers.


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## DRider85 (Nov 19, 2016)

touberornottouber said:


> There are drivers on practically every block here in the area. I'm not kidding. Realize this is probably the end game for everyone. It is only a question of time. There are just too many drivers.


If there's too many drivers, then nobody will want to drive anymore. Then there will be too little drivers.


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## Uberyouber (Jan 16, 2017)

I got two cancellation today. $8. 
Life Changing Money!


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## Urbanappalachian (Dec 11, 2016)

OP is a conspiracy theorist republican.


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## BaitNSwitch (May 12, 2015)

Nope OP is right. If you rely on this solely for income, something in your life has gone terribly, terribly wrong.

You still have time to fix it, though. Hope springs eternal.


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## ddelro219 (Aug 11, 2016)

it's just a matter of setting realistic expectations. not enough people do their homework before signing up. they just hear what the ads say which of course paint a different picture than what reality is. I would assume the supply of available drives will dry up eventually and the turnover will continue to be as high as it is. there'll be a point where uber will need make a change, which I'm assuming it's a race to get self-driving cars on the roads before that happens. we're all just here for the ride. so hold on tight or get off it.


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## Mco (May 4, 2016)

same thing in Orlando. Just way too many drivers out there. I used to make decent money and now its about half the money for twice the time out there


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## El Cemento (Apr 25, 2017)

Word.


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## sharknado523 (Mar 14, 2017)

Anyone who is doing Uber/Lyft full time except out of absolute necessity (between jobs, but actively interviewing for a new position) is insane.

I do it because I can make cash to pay for my car and insurance. And I get paid monthly so I can make some money in the middle of the month which is nice. But as a job it makes zero sense to be an Uber or Lyft driver in virtually any part of the country.

If you drive a car you don't mind using and abusing and you like people and long hours, Uber and Lyft are for you. But I would recommend to precisely zero people that they give up their day job for this.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

DRider85 said:


> If there's too many drivers, then nobody will want to drive anymore. Then there will be too little drivers.


There will never "be too little drivers". Every year in America another 4 million people become 21 years old. Taking into consideration the exponential growth of ignorance with our youth over the past 20 years then one can only assume that a very large percentage of that 4 million will be stupid enough to become Uber drivers.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Urbanappalachian said:


> OP is a conspiracy theorist republican.


Better than a murderous politician shooting Democrat.


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## Woohaa (Jan 15, 2017)

BaitNSwitch said:


> Nope OP is right. If you rely on this solely for income, something in your life has gone terribly, terribly wrong.


You can say the same about any job with no potential for growth.

Work rideshare. Don't let rideshare work you.


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## Clifford Chong (May 3, 2015)

This is only temporary. I've been through this many times. Not too long ago, I had spent 2 hours dry without a single ping and now I've managed to finish all 6 hours of my shift without a single break with a handful of surge trips at that.

Drivers in general, do not last very long. Multiple sources have indicated this. People try this gig, immediately finds that it's not for them and bam, that's all it takes for Uber to lose a driver. People say there will always be new drivers and that is indeed correct but the rate of drivers leaving doesn't always correlate to drivers joining which is why there are moments where it will be super busy and moments where it won't.

It really speaks for itself though. A lot of people like the flexibility of Uber and being able to set your own hours with minimum skills needed. That is why drivers will keep joining this platform and people like me don't mind it once you get used to the system.


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## Hogg (Feb 7, 2016)

In the 18 months I've been doing it it has gone steadily downhill. I used to work four days a week to make a comfortable income. The pay has gone down several times and I kept finding my self working more to earn the same amount. Now there aren't enough hours in the week to earn the same amount, even working every day.

I have a stack of job application on the seat that I fill out while waiting for requests/passengers. I drop them off while I'm out cruising around and every time I see a Help Wanted sign I stop in and inquire.


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## touberornottouber (Aug 12, 2016)

Clifford Chong said:


> This is only temporary. I've been through this many times. Not too long ago, I had spent 2 hours dry without a single ping and now I've managed to finish all 6 hours of my shift without a single break with a handful of surge trips at that.
> 
> Drivers in general, do not last very long. Multiple sources have indicated this. People try this gig, immediately finds that it's not for them and bam, that's all it takes for Uber to lose a driver. People say there will always be new drivers and that is indeed correct but the rate of drivers leaving doesn't always correlate to drivers joining which is why there are moments where it will be super busy and moments where it won't.
> 
> It really speaks for itself though. A lot of people like the flexibility of Uber and being able to set your own hours with minimum skills needed. That is why drivers will keep joining this platform and people like me don't mind it once you get used to the system.


I don't think the problem now for most is that "it isn't for them". I think for most the problem is that there are too many drivers and they are making near $5 an hour.

I can't get over how I am actually giving people rides often for less than $3 in my pocket. It's unbelievable.



Hogg said:


> In the 18 months I've been doing it it has gone steadily downhill. I used to work four days a week to make a comfortable income. The pay has gone down several times and I kept finding my self working more to earn the same amount. Now there aren't enough hours in the week to earn the same amount, even working every day.
> 
> I have a stack of job application on the seat that I fill out while waiting for requests/passengers. I drop them off while I'm out cruising around and every time I see a Help Wanted sign I stop in and inquire.


Yes it is sort of a trap. The longer you do it, the worse it will get. That is what I want to impress upon new people. Realize that things are only going to get worse with this gig and it will never ever get better. Worse yet it will probably get worse much quicker than you expect.

It isn't just the money changing either. I see that the perception of us is changing in general too. Among Uber, the passengers and others. To be blunt we are basically now perceived as the way taxi drivers were perceived -- low wage, low skill workers who are exploited. Not that there is anything wrong with being a taxi driver but I'm saying that it is a definite change from how it was a few years ago. Uber is now openly charging wealthy passengers more and paying us nothing extra. IOW they are now taking revenue at our expense.


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## PepeLePiu (Feb 3, 2017)

I started back in September and I drove on my day off on Wednesday with the exception of Halloween, etc... I used to make $ 100+ in about 7 hours, now on the same time frame I can only do about $ 80.00, what saved me was the food deliver, I can pull about 60 a day on to p of the Uber earnings. Now I work Tuesday, Wednesdays and on the weekends after 10:30 p.m. until bar closing and I make on average $ 400.00 between Uber and Lyft and about $160.00 on Food deliveries. To me is not a bad gig and is all about spreading the revenue streams. If I was to depend on Uber alone I would've quit a long time ago.
I also been asked to transfer vehicles between dealerships and rental places, they pay about $ 14.00 an hour and rental places pays by the job and I don't have to use my vehicle.

I do agree that the revenue for Uber and Lyft alone has decrease and I think will still go downhill regardless of price hikes. I bet many drivers that quit, now that the option for tipping, waiting times and shorter cancellation windows is here, they will likely to come back, making this even worst that it is today.


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## leroy jenkins (May 27, 2015)

DRider85 said:


> If there's too many drivers, then nobody will want to drive anymore. Then there will be too little drivers.


No, there will always be drivers. Because most drivers don't get the concept of depreciation.

And because there are lots of people out there who need cash any way that they can get it---even if they end up upside-down on their car loan..


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## Spotscat (May 8, 2017)

In about two months all the kids will return for fall semester, and a goodly number of them will think they can make extra money driving for Uber/Lyft and/or one of the local food places that offers delivery. Some people will drive here from the surrounding towns - up to an hour away - thinking they can make a lot of quick and easy money giving rides. In September and October while the weather is still nice, there is a glut of ride share drivers and I'll have to work longer hours to make the same $$.

But... once football season is over and the weather starts to turn to winter... they'll drop out one by one, just like the autumn leaves falling off the trees. The same applies to Jimmy John's, Domino's Pizza, Papa John's, and the rest of the food delivery places - too many drivers, not enough orders to make it worthwhile.

The newbies either don't want to run when the weather is cold, or else they've decided the amount of time they invest compared to the pay they receive just isn't worth it.

By the end of the fall semester, the market has corrected itself and all is well!


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## effortx2 (Jun 21, 2017)

If you think it's bad now, the predicted "Carmageddon" will not make things any easier!


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## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

Spotscat said:


> In about two months all the kids will return for fall semester, and a goodly number of them will think they can make extra money driving for Uber/Lyft and/or one of the local food places that offers delivery. Some people will drive here from the surrounding towns - up to an hour away - thinking they can make a lot of quick and easy money giving rides. In September and October while the weather is still nice, there is a glut of ride share drivers and I'll have to work longer hours to make the same $$.
> 
> But... once football season is over and the weather starts to turn to winter... they'll drop out one by one, just like the autumn leaves falling off the trees. The same applies to Jimmy John's, Domino's Pizza, Papa John's, and the rest of the food delivery places - too many drivers, not enough orders to make it worthwhile.
> 
> ...


I look forward to winter as well. While others flounder, I flourish. Snow falling? Honey Badger don't care...he puts winter tires on.


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## vice (Sep 1, 2015)

uber does not care about you


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## REDSEA (Jun 8, 2017)

Spotscat said:


> In about two months all the kids will return for fall semester, and a goodly number of them will think they can make extra money driving for Uber/Lyft and/or one of the local food places that offers delivery. Some people will drive here from the surrounding towns - up to an hour away - thinking they can make a lot of quick and easy money giving rides. In September and October while the weather is still nice, there is a glut of ride share drivers and I'll have to work longer hours to make the same $$.
> 
> But... once football season is over and the weather starts to turn to winter... they'll drop out one by one, just like the autumn leaves falling off the trees. The same applies to Jimmy John's, Domino's Pizza, Papa John's, and the rest of the food delivery places - too many drivers, not enough orders to make it worthwhile.
> 
> ...


Had to check my backseat, thought you were in Tucson. Can't wait for football season, that's when I started last year and I'm 100 times the driver today than I was then and I made lots of money last year.


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## Spotscat (May 8, 2017)

MadTownUberD said:


> I look forward to winter as well. While others flounder, I flourish. Snow falling? Honey Badger don't care...he puts winter tires on.


Hanging iron in Oregon. More fun than a barrel full of Ebola infected monkeys!


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## Coachman (Sep 22, 2015)

touberornottouber said:


> It is to the point where it is not even guaranteed that in working 10 hours that you will gross $5 an hour or $50.


Any driver who's regularly grossing that kind of ridiculous money shouldn't be doing Uber. I rarely work surge and I easily gross over $100 in 8 hours.


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## Cableguynoe (Feb 14, 2017)

Hogg said:


> I have a stack of job application on the seat that I fill out while waiting for requests/passengers. I drop them off while I'm out cruising around and every time I see a Help Wanted sign I stop in and inquire.


There's still places that let you apply with paper applications?

Check online. You'd be surprised at how many places are hiring. Not just places that advertise it. Go to the companies website. Most companies and city websites have link to their available jobs. 
Comcast is always hiring. City jobs for parks maintenance, very well paid. Believe it or not there are jobs out there. You don't have to aim low.


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## El Cemento (Apr 25, 2017)

Coachman said:


> Any driver who's regularly grossing that kind of ridiculous money shouldn't be doing Uber. I rarely work surge and I easily gross over $100 in 8 hours.


That is easy to say. Circumstances dictate everything.
Surge is almost non-existent where I roam. Pings are often rare and fickle. I count all my minutes spent waiting as working in my mind, if I am on the leash, then I need to get paid.
That's what's killing the Buzz for me, it's all that down time. Brings the wages pathetically low, if you count in real time.


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## Trafficat (Dec 19, 2016)

sharknado523 said:


> Anyone who is doing Uber/Lyft full time except out of absolute necessity (between jobs, but actively interviewing for a new position) is insane.


Insanity has its benefits.



> If you drive a car you don't mind using and abusing and you like people and long hours, Uber and Lyft are for you.


I don't mind using and abusing any man made item. As for people and long hours, I remain undecided.


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## touberornottouber (Aug 12, 2016)

Coachman said:


> Any driver who's regularly grossing that kind of ridiculous money shouldn't be doing Uber. I rarely work surge and I easily gross over $100 in 8 hours.


It isn't about how good they are. It is more about the area and how saturated it is. If I doubled the number of drivers in your city right now then what would you think would happen to your earnings? What if the number of drivers tripled? In a year it very well could! This is what I am warning you about. Do not rely on this.


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## El Cemento (Apr 25, 2017)

ddelro219 said:


> it's just a matter of setting realistic expectations. not enough people do their homework before signing up. they just hear what the ads say which of course paint a different picture than what reality is. I would assume the supply of available drives will dry up eventually and the turnover will continue to be as high as it is. there'll be a point where uber will need make a change, which I'm assuming it's a race to get self-driving cars on the roads before that happens. we're all just here for the ride. so hold on tight or get off it.


Everbody should do Uber for 2 weeks. That's when you get the most incentives in sign up bonus and the best pings. It is during those first two weeks you will actually get paid like a real human being.



sharknado523 said:


> Anyone who is doing Uber/Lyft full time except out of absolute necessity (between jobs, but actively interviewing for a new position) is insane.


Ha! Take a deep collective breath:
Anyone who lets total strangers, of which you know absolutely nothing other than the fact that they've probably been drinking, for a guaranteed minimum fare of $3.75, jump into their car and sit behind them for a trip of unknown destination in the middle of the night is perhaps already a little loony to start with.


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## AverageJoe (Jul 4, 2017)

Yesterday on the clock for 5 hours, made $34. 

Luckily I got $31 In tips (One guy gave me a $20 bill). 

I agree with op, my city is often flooded with drivers. Takes too long to get a ping.


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## MyOwnUber (Oct 12, 2017)

As you of course know, Uber has implemented an 180 campaign of sorts to change their image. Actually, after putting up with 8 months of doing this part-time, I am 90% doubtful. If you read my recent posts elsewhere, they are of October 2017 in deep legal trouble. I have read studies done by economists focused on Uber driver income, and it is pathetic. Uber's unethical behavior and business practices have hurt Uber. I make it a point to tell those 90% of the decent passengers that I have to use Lyft instead because it is simply more on the up and up. It pays to educate your riders as to the crappiness of Uber. I'm regularly asked by riders how long I've been doing Uber, and I tell them honestly it's not worth it, and I tell them the details as to why. There is actually a big part of me that wants Uber to go Under.  Why? Because I actually think they won't change their ways. Safety of the "partner" and rider is the least of their concerns. They are probably as crooked as Wells Fargo. Let's see what happens regarding the 5 legal probes here in the U.S. that Uber is facing.


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## Urbanappalachian (Dec 11, 2016)

OP's thread title make it sound like it's a heroin addiction ("don't even start"). LOL. In fact, he's right, driving some oddballs can be enticing/addicting at times, at least you're making some money. Consider this job a past time instead of sitting around watching pro-test football as your past time!


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## El Cemento (Apr 25, 2017)

Interesting. I gave up on Uber 3 months ago, and this update appeared in my inbox. 
I don't miss it after reading my earlier posts. Life is so much better now.
Man, what a stressful gig that was. All that risk for absolutely stinkin peanuts. When Grant Nelson was murdered, I lost my heart for it. Our society is too bonkers for this kind of random risk. Especially when the company offers zero for protection. 
If you really do the math and consider your time as having value, generally you pay Uber to risk your life with rude strangers. Ugh.
I'm not going back and I can't recommend it. Though I will from time to time take an Uber ride. And I always tip my drivers.
Good luck, be safe, prepare an exit strategy now, and arm yourself with defensive weapons. I recommend at least the gel streaming pepper spray and a claw hammer under your seat, interior dash cam and one touch 911 on your phone. Screw Uber's policies regarding weapons. Your life is worth more than any job.
Be safe and get out as fast as you can.


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## 2Cents (Jul 18, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> There will never "be too little drivers". Every year in America another 4 million people become 21 years old. Taking into consideration the exponential growth of ignorance with our youth over the past 20 years then one can only assume that a very large percentage of that 4 million will be stupid enough to become Uber drivers.


Let them. Since Millenials do not know what the word gratuity means they can all take these looser fares that don't generate a profit. I should return the favor by ordering a ride and not tip them.


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## Uberdriver2710 (Jul 15, 2015)

at some point Uber will 'poop' you out!

enjoy being digested!


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## ShinyAndChrome (Aug 18, 2017)

El Cemento said:


> Interesting. I gave up on Uber 3 months ago, and this update appeared in my inbox.
> I don't miss it after reading my earlier posts. Life is so much better now.
> Man, what a stressful gig that was. All that risk for absolutely stinkin peanuts. When Grant Nelson was murdered, I lost my heart for it. Our society is too bonkers for this kind of random risk. Especially when the company offers zero for protection.
> If you really do the math and consider your time as having value, generally you pay Uber to risk your life with rude strangers. Ugh.
> ...


I broadly agree with what you wrote. I've been steadily cutting my hours back since August. Partly that's because it coincides with hunting season ramping up, but when I think about the passengers I've had and the fact I make $9-14 hour/net (less daylight, more drunk hours), which is less than my regular job, and yet I have to expose myself to huge personal risk (insurance sucks under rideshare, random passengers could accuse me of crimes, driving in general is dangerous, etc.) I'm definitely losing my appetite for it.

I still firmly believe this would pay better if the average driver wasn't so downright ignorant about what it costs them to drive. The fact they are allows uber and lyft to both pay very little money, but drivers focus on the "gross" and not the net, and they keep driving for less than they're really making.

The basic calculus is:

1) Uber is not a reasonable full time job. Sucks for so many reasons for that.
2) If you have a job and use uber as a part-time thing, odds are you make more money on your normal job, and do you really need the hassle of a side-job that pays very little and exposes you to massive risk?

In my case I drive to work, make good money, I engage with people I know on a daily basis. Uber has me driving around in traffic, making a small fraction of that pay, and engaging with people I do not know, and often in high-crime areas.

My personal insurance is $500 deductible. But when doing lyft the deductible is $2500. That's *200 hours of net profits of lyft driving just to cover the deductible if I have an accident while in phase 2 or 3*. That's @&#(ing bonkers. The truly stupid thing about that is if I had an accident while driving Lyft, I couldn't possibly cover the deductible with money I made doing lyft. I'd have to cover it with money I make at my real job. That's very silly.

Back in the day uber could net a person over $20/hour (it can in a couple o markets now but generally the national average is $10-13/hour net). That changes the picture a bit.


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## Urbanappalachian (Dec 11, 2016)

The gig was never meant to be a full time gig but more of a convenience gig. If convenience is what you seek, you can make money off this kind of job at your pace and at your convenience!


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