# How to UberX for PROFIT!



## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

This is a thread for ideas and not a, know all, be all, book. I see so much misinformation on both sides of the aisle. I want to talk about how you CAN profit from UberX in most areas and maximize those profits.

I will give you my take. If you can improve on it, have at it.

1) Do NOT UberX with a nice car. It's a profit killer. My mini-van is valued by KBB at $5,000 in the highest resale value and people rave about it. Expensive cars lose value faster, cost more in regular maintenance, cost more in taxes, can't be bought cash, and cost WAY more to insure.

2) Do NOT finance unless you absolutely have to and get a loan you can pay off early with no penalties. A good UberX can be bought with cash or, if you're in a bad spot and no one can help you, save for your next one and pay cash. Loans are profit killers.

3) Join a carwash monthly club with free vacuums. You DO need to vacuum daily unless you just don't want to impress. I always look thinking maybe I don't need to, and I always do. People track stuff and it's about to get worse with winter. I pay less than $1 a day for a vacuum and full wash with tire shine. I also wash the car every day.

4) Use synthetic oil. The mileage between changes and lowered maintenance costs are amazing.

5) Shop for gas. The difference can be huge over a year. Waze will help you with this and so will many websites.

6) Realize this is YOUR business, even if it's part time. Lower costs and increase profits in everything you do. I increase profits MASSIVELY by providing extras for my pax. You need to see if that works in your area. Here, even though I carry many arrogant self-absorbed people from the East and West coast, it works. My tips are probably at the top of the scale from what I see here.

7) Take good care of your car. Low tire pressure, not doing maintenance, can kill you MPG.

8) Drive your car for profit. No jackrabbit starts. Don't speed. Be careful and intentional. You don't want to replace a tire because you hit a curb. Drive smooooooooth, people love it. No extremes that make them look forward wondering why you are doing what you are doing. Slow in the curve. Slow down well before the curve. MISS potholes smoothly. If you have to react quickly, apologize and explain it. Sorry everyone, a cat jumped out or that dude cut me off.

9) Work the surge, don't let it work you, ever. If you run to a surge you are just killing the surge for someone else. Stay where you are or move to the place that will surge when all the morons chase the surge. I get surges all the time when I'm in the island of no surge and no demand because I am patient. I KNOW the pax are here, I KNOW the Uber lemmings will run to the surge. Just sit, sing to a song, call a friend, it will surge here because I know my market and that the other drivers will chase.

10) Use your tax benefits. For me and my situation, I can actually deduct enough costs to lower my entire household income to a lower tax bracket. That's a massive savings in taxes. It's not just a "writeoff". There are actually times when your family can make more for the year by earning just a little less because the bracket drop will pay it all back and more.

Take it or leave it. Add to it or criticize my points. Many UberX drivers are disappointed because they just want fast money from an easy gig. It doesn't work that way in this world.


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## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

RamzFanz said:


> This is a thread for ideas and not a, know all, be all, book. I see so much misinformation on both sides of the aisle. I want to talk about how you CAN profit from UberX in most areas and maximize those profits.
> 
> I will give you my take. If you can improve on it, have at it.
> 
> ...


POST # 1/RamzFanz : Very Nice job
here, Bran'New
Well-Known ! You COULD get a Chuckle
with "That CAT just cut me off!"....or get
the PAX hopelessly confused... after the
Swervy Curvy Pothole Avoidance.

Congratulations.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

Casuale Haberdasher said:


> POST # 1/@RamzFanz:Very Nice job
> here, Bran'New
> Well-Known ! You COULD get a Chuckle
> with "That CAT just cut me off!"....or get
> ...


I finally realise why people find you intriguing. I used to have a friend that was a low talker. I could never hear him. I have bad hearing and we worked and played in high volume environments, and he well knew this. But I wanted to hear him because when I took the effort, it was always worth it, just like you.

I still wanted to punch him in the face for intentionally low talking, but the payoff was worth the effort, just barely.

I kind of still want to punch him in the face because he heard my offerings loud and clear as a gift to him which improved his life, a lot, and he still intentionally held back his gifts because he felt it made people pay attention. That was his explanation. It pissed me off.

After that I mumbled to him and made him learn new words. Like a wizard.

This dude was brilliant and only the people who didn't nod and smile knew it. Which meant he went nowhere with his brilliance. Last I saw him, probably 10-12 inferior people had been promoted above him. He also lost a multitude of friends and women because they didn't like the game.

Thank you sir for the compliment. It took me a while to uncover it, but I do appreciate it.


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## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

RamzFanz said:


> I finally realise why people find you intriguing. I used to have a friend that was a low talker. I could never hear him. I have bad hearing we worked and played in high volume environments, and he well knew this. But I wanted to hear him because when I took the effort, it was always worth it, just like you.
> 
> I still wanted to punch him in the face for intentionally low talking, but the payoff was worth the effort, just barely.
> 
> ...


POST # 3/RamzFanz: Thank You for
your Candor.
I strive to be as "straightahead" [jazz
terminology] as possible, but many times my Posts/Replies are intended for a pre-cious few Readers in the Audience.....on purpose. Sydney Uber compared me
with English Writer John Donne...for 
being Obtuse to the point of Cryptic!
I don't intend for it to be "low talking
on purpose".

I'm sorry that too many Members have done the "Once flumoxed, forever Ignore", but my #s say that it's a Decreasing Mino-rity. At the Point where I reached Well-Known my Approval Rating was @35% 
and I had a Couple of Followers. Now,
I'm at 92% with 30 Members following.

Again, Thank You for the Meaningful
Constructive Criticism.....................C.H.


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## uberparadise (Aug 2, 2015)

RamzFanz said:


> This is a thread for ideas and not a, know all, be all, book. I see so much misinformation on both sides of the aisle. I want to talk about how you CAN profit from UberX in most areas and maximize those profits.
> 
> I will give you my take. If you can improve on it, have at it.
> 
> ...


Best advice is don't ever start driving for this corporate gorilla. Uber they don't care about any driver. Riders they will bend over backwards for!


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## SECOTIME (Sep 18, 2015)

Sounds like good veteran advice. Give us more!


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## Coachman (Sep 22, 2015)

uberparadise said:


> Uber they don't care about any driver. Riders they will bend over backwards for!


You don't have to have this explained to you, do you?


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## DieselkW (Jul 21, 2015)

Don't chase the cheapest gas either!! Know what it costs you in fuel to drive a mile. I'll make it easy numbers for you, consider a 10 gallon fill up:

Station A: $2.10 per gallon close by
Station B: $2.00 per gallon ten miles away

Let's say you get 20 miles per gallon, so it costs you ten cents a mile to drive your car. (fuel only)
If you drive to Station B to save ten cents a gallon and buy ten gallons you "saved" a dollar, but it cost you a dollar in fuel to get there, and now you're ten miles away from where you started.

If you drive back to the Station A neighborhood, you've just spent a dollar trying to save ten cents a gallon.


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## Jose_A (Jul 5, 2015)

I only fill up at one gas station. It's currently at $2.09, the cheapest gas station in the DMV area, and it happens to be the third closest gas station to my house and right on the way to DC.


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## Socaldriverguy (Sep 23, 2015)

RamzFanz said:


> This is a thread for ideas and not a, know all, be all, book. I see so much misinformation on both sides of the aisle. I want to talk about how you CAN profit from UberX in most areas and maximize those profits.
> 
> I will give you my take. If you can improve on it, have at it.
> 
> ...


I agree completely. The other thing is to be patient. I park outside a Starbucks and mooch off their wifi until I get a ping. Driving around looking for pings just wastes gas and time.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

DieselkW said:


> Don't chase the cheapest gas either!! Know what it costs you in fuel to drive a mile. I'll make it easy numbers for you, consider a 10 gallon fill up:
> 
> Station A: $2.10 per gallon close by
> Station B: $2.00 per gallon ten miles away
> ...


True, you have to be smart. I fill up when I'm near a cheap station, I don't drive to it.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

uberparadise said:


> Best advice is don't ever start driving for this corporate gorilla. Uber they don't care about any driver. Riders they will bend over backwards for!


There is an entire complaint area of this web site.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

Socaldriverguy said:


> I agree completely. The other thing is to be patient. I park outside a Starbucks and mooch off their wifi until I get a ping. Driving around looking for pings just wastes gas and time.


Yep. I don't sit much but when I do, I have spots I know all over that have free wifi.


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## SibeRescueBrian (May 10, 2015)

RamzFanz said:


> There is an entire complaint area of this web site.


Also accurate: This entire website is a complaint area


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## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

SibeRescueBrian said:


> Also accurate: This entire website is a complaint area


POST #:14/SibeRescueBrian: Here's a
NewsFlash for YOU!

☆ ☆YOUR DOG WOULD RATHER ☆ ☆ 
..................GO FOR A WALK!...................

Mentoring Bison: Who's a GOOD DOG ?


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## SibeRescueBrian (May 10, 2015)

Casuale Haberdasher said:


> POST #:14/SibeRescueBrian: Here's a
> NewsFlash for YOU!
> 
> ☆ ☆YOUR DOG WOULD RATHER ☆ ☆
> ...


Being a Siberian Husky, he'd actually rather pull a sled, but since there's no snow just yet, your assessment about his preference for a walk is accurate. We Sibe-lovers have a saying that "a tired Husky is a good Husky."

Good Dog: Grateful for Mentoring Bison


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## XUberMike (Aug 2, 2015)

RamzFanz said:


> I finally realise why people find you intriguing. I used to have a friend that was a low talker. I could never hear him. I have bad hearing and we worked and played in high volume environments, and he well knew this. But I wanted to hear him because when I took the effort, it was always worth it, just like you.
> 
> I still wanted to punch him in the face for intentionally low talking, but the payoff was worth the effort, just barely.
> 
> ...


It's nice, we all can agree to disagree on thangs and can still get along...


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## XUberMike (Aug 2, 2015)

Ya'all can go to hell with your $2 gas. Come on out to Socal and pay $2.75 to $2.85 a gallon


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## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

Socaldriverguy said:


> I agree completely. The other thing is to be patient. I park outside a Starbucks and mooch off their wifi until I get a ping. Driving around looking for pings just wastes gas and time.


POST # 10/Socaldriverguy: "Ahoy!" &
Welcome to the UP.
Net Forums from Unusually Overcast
Marco Island, on Florida'sWildSSWCoast

Back in a Simpler, less Rate Cutty Time,
[pre-Mid Jan] a Former Notable and my
Dearest Mentor Worcester Sauce, who
Wielded Words like a Scalpel, would
"roost", in his AllBlack Jaguar X-Type,
outside of a [presumably] Shrewsbury,
MA. "Regal Burger" [the preferred Ground
Bovine Vendor in MetroWestachusetts] for 
Food/Sparkling Rest Facilities & Fi of Wi 
while waiting out that week's "Guarantee
Game."

Whilst ensconced he'd Daily provide
Eager Readers with his "latest surgical
results" amid the oohs and ahhs of the
Appreciative Audience. Despite being
the ONLY UPNFer to Survive Two War-
nings... AND... Two Bans... AND... return
to Threadstart, his Final Posting was over-
shadowed by the Disruptive Brouhaha
caused by chi1cabby 's Premature Announcement of
Retirement on the 15th of April. Sigh.

Bison suggested a Milk Carton Campaign
for Central MA. Alas, with only a 45
year old "A Clockwork Orange" Avatar
to go on, sightings of Sasquatch have
been MORE frequent than that of The
Inimitable Worcester Sauce .

Just a Lil' UPNF History for those that
find these Tidbits to be Kernals of
Knowledge that Round Out their
Autodidactical Experience here.

Bison: Lighting candles on 1st Fridays.


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## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

XUberMike said:


> Ya'all can go to hell with your $2 gas. Come on out to Socal and pay $2.75 to $2.85 a gallon


POST # 18/@UberXMike: N O ! Hell will
be gas for You
at $4.75 - $5.25/gallon again. Oil Co.s 
will "manufacture" a "crisis" over Isis.

Heartless Dick Cheney cackling wildly.
Halliburton/KB&R:

"Kellogg, Brown and Root..........'Rooting'
around......'To$$ing TaxPayer$' $alad'....
without the ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Vinagrette!"

Bison: Cheney...Old School AntiChrist.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

XUberMike said:


> Ya'all can go to hell with your $2 gas. Come on out to Socal and pay $2.75 to $2.85 a gallon


Socialism has its costs.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

volksie said:


> The only way to profit from UberX is to add the L.


The only way to profit from UberX is to add the smarts and the tip.


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## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

SibeRescueBrian said:


> Being a Siberian Husky, he'd actually rather pull a sled, but since there's no snow just yet, your assessment about his preference for a walk is accurate. We Sibe-lovers have a saying that "a tired Husky is a good Husky."
> 
> Good Dog: Grateful for Mentoring Bison


POST # 16/SibeRescueBrian: "Sir 
Pulls-a-lot" would
have RELISHED last Winter in Greater
Novaya Bostonia. You...not so much.

Bison shovelling snow ?
People stop and "selfie".


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## XUberMike (Aug 2, 2015)

volksie said:


> The only way to profit from UberX is to add the L.


So not true


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## negeorgia (Feb 1, 2015)

I agree with your assessments.... I would only add never borrow for a car and I drive in a cashless no tip city.


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## XUberMike (Aug 2, 2015)

volksie said:


> True! I prove it weekly with XL dollars per mile compared to X. Even when I have dead miles it's a winner. Please, don't get into the math, hourly, blah blah. It works for me, that's all that matters. PS ; I like the riders better too!


I don't do math I do 25/30 hours a week @ $800-$1000 in my pocket in a car that gets 35 mpg and cost me 11K. As for my pax they are great as I never work past 11pm.

I'll put it up against any XL


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## merkurfan (Jul 20, 2015)

Casuale Haberdasher said:


> POST #:14/SibeRescueBrian: Here's a
> NewsFlash for YOU!
> 
> ☆ ☆YOUR DOG WOULD RATHER ☆ ☆
> ...


Just for future reference.. Mine NEVER wants to go for a walk  He's more like me.. sit on the couch and nap.


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## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

merkurfan said:


> Just for future reference.. Mine NEVER wants to go for a walk  He's more like me.. sit on the couch and nap.


POST # 30/merkurfan:.......... WHOA !
Fred
Bassett needs his nails TRIMMED.


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## merkurfan (Jul 20, 2015)

Casuale Haberdasher said:


> POST # 30/merkurfan:.......... WHOA !
> Fred
> Bassett needs his nails TRIMMED.


Thats the only time he wakes up and becomes a rabid pit bull... The vet sedates him to trim them.


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## Uber-Doober (Dec 16, 2014)

DieselkW said:


> Don't chase the cheapest gas either!! Know what it costs you in fuel to drive a mile. I'll make it easy numbers for you, consider a 10 gallon fill up:
> 
> Station A: $2.10 per gallon close by
> Station B: $2.00 per gallon ten miles away
> ...


^^^
Sounds just like what I used to do.... drive 7 miles out of the way to go to a gas station that sells gas for 3¢ a gallon less.
I'm also famous for driving miles with the low fuel light/chime flashing/boinging away looking for a cheaper station.


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## merkurfan (Jul 20, 2015)

Uber-Doober said:


> ^^^
> Sounds just like what I used to do.... drive 7 miles out of the way to go to a gas station that sells gas for 3¢ a gallon less.
> I'm also famous for driving miles with the low fuel light/chime flashing/boinging away looking for a cheaper station.


now they have apps that are pretty good at giving you the lowest price in town.. around 1/4 I check the app and see if I can find my way to that area.. normally I have no problem doing so. I drive so much for my real job that I have both a costco and sams membership. both pay for themselves in fuel savings and then some every year.


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## Simon (Jan 4, 2015)

RamzFanz said:


> I finally realise why people find you intriguing. I used to have a friend that was a low talker. I could never hear him. I have bad hearing and we worked and played in high volume environments, and he well knew this. But I wanted to hear him because when I took the effort, it was always worth it, just like you.
> 
> I still wanted to punch him in the face for intentionally low talking, but the payoff was worth the effort, just barely.
> 
> ...


I wish he would just stop... I just scroll past his posts. Takes too much energy to read he agrees with Post#3


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## IckyDoody (Sep 18, 2015)

Drive a car that costs $.20 a mile or less to drive. If gas prices are $2.75 then you will need a car that: gets 35 mpg city, is worth 5k or less, will likely last 100k more miles without major (******, engine, hybrid battery) mechanical failure.

That will net you maybe 15 per hour if you can cherry pick the best 35 hours of the week (true net, not this 'earnings equals net' or 'earnings minus gas costs equals net' bullshit).


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## CantThrowCantCatch (Sep 17, 2015)

Something that I do that can help ppl out is previewing the route, you can do this in Google Maps. Either before you start to drive or at the first red light. Sometimes the navigation won't always take you the quickest route or you may have a route with multiple quick turns. It helps especially me when i'm driving at night or in an unfamiliar part of town.


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## nooneyouknowof (Sep 28, 2015)

XUberMike said:


> I don't do math I do 25/30 hours a week @ $800-$1000 in my pocket in a car that gets 35 mpg and cost me 11K. As for my pax they are great as I never work past 11pm.
> 
> I'll put it up against any XL


Come on, $1,000 take home in 30 hours? That would mean you're driving nearly 1,000 miles in 30 hours, or about 30 miles per hour. Do you have PAX in the car 90% + of the time? If so, how!?


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## XUberMike (Aug 2, 2015)

nooneyouknowof said:


> Come on, $1,000 take home in 30 hours? That would mean you're driving nearly 1,000 miles in 30 hours, or about 30 miles per hour. Do you have PAX in the car 90% + of the time? If so, how!?


I look for long trips 30+ miles in light to medium traffic which net me $45-$60 an hour ($1.00 a mile.) The time (.18 cents a minute) covers covers Uber commission.

When I'm not logging distance trips I go where I know a surge will occur and make a 10 mile trip pay like 20 miles.

I probably have a bit more time (off clock) & miles than some (but no job I ever had paid me to drive to work anyway) getting to where I want to go for good rides but a few hours a week is well worth it. Plus my Uber hour report has hours on the clock that I'm running personal errands so it all evens out.

My average trip is right around $30 and that average has about 2/3 $5 cancellations a week. BTW I never email about unpaid cancellations if they show up fine but I never waste my time looking for one nor trying to get one I believe I'm owed as I don't clock watch. I wait what I feel a fair time and then I cancel "no charge" (unless I know its been 5 minutes and PAX dicked me around) and move on. If I get a $5 ok if not ok as well.


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## DieselkW (Jul 21, 2015)

I call bovine feces on this claim of $1000/30 hours none of them after midnight. SoCal rates are 18¢ a minute and $1 a mile. Your net is 80¢ a mile and 14.4¢ a minute.

Let's "do math".

To make $800 @ 80¢ a mile, you would have to have a passenger in your car for 1000 miles. Now, to get to that $1000 number, how long does it take to make the other $200 @ 14.4¢ a minute? About 24 hours, if you "do the math".

So, is it possible to "do 25/30 a week" and make a thousand dollars net?

You would have to average 41mph for each trip.
You would have to be with a passenger for 24 of those 30 hours or 80% of your available time.
You would have to drive 1000 miles a week, with a passenger, not including pickup miles and dead miles after drop off.

Or drive only surges.


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## XUberMike (Aug 2, 2015)

DieselkW said:


> I call bovine feces on this claim of $1000/30 hours none of them after midnight. SoCal rates are 18¢ a minute and $1 a mile. Your net is 80¢ a mile and 14.4¢ a minute.
> 
> Let's "do math".
> 
> ...


 I don't work for a buck a mile. Half my trips are $1.50 to $2.25 or more a mile.

You do all the math you want and feel free to call BS, don't bother me a bit.


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## SECOTIME (Sep 18, 2015)

I love reading the ones where people say they "look for the fares going the longest distance". Where is this list of choices?


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## IckyDoody (Sep 18, 2015)

I would guess Xmike knows what he's doing, he's not picking up people at target or starbucks. He's probably knows exactly where the likely long fares originate. He probably knows great spots all across so-cal. With that said, I would also guess that this '30' hours is what shows on his weekly summary and that he's probably spending 50 plus actual hours at this endeavor. He's not tracking the time he spends with the rider app on, waiting for the surge. He's not tracking the time it takes him to deadhead out of Hollywood hills, the valley, long beach or Manhattan beach. Clearly, from his vague statement 'a few hours', he's not tracking time at all.

With that said, I'm not knocking him. He's probably very good at what he does. In contrast, it takes me 65 hours to accumulate $1000 in 'earnings'. I track my hours though. In that respect we are not playing on a level field. Not that it's a competition.


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## FlDriver (Oct 16, 2015)

uberparadise said:


> Best advice is don't ever start driving for this corporate gorilla. Uber they don't care about any driver. Riders they will bend over backwards for!


So why are you on a forum for drivers if you don't like it?


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## Lepke (Oct 24, 2014)

RamzFanz said:


> This is a thread for ideas and not a, know all, be all, book. I see so much misinformation on both sides of the aisle. I want to talk about how you CAN profit from UberX in most areas and maximize those profits.
> 
> I will give you my take. If you can improve on it, have at it.
> 
> ...


Outstanding advice.
I give similar advice to friends and newbies. I also firmly believe that if you're going to drive rideshare, keep your expenses as low as possible.

I do have questions regarding tips and the extras you provide. 
Do you keep a tip/candy jar?
What type of snacks do you keep on hand, if you are providing snacks?
Do you provide water? 
Do you keep phone chargers?

When I carry snack and water, people have no problem taking these refreshments but still don't tip. If i put out Starbursts people clean me out and still no tip. 
Please enlighten me on your method. Any "tips" you can share will be welcome.


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## Nick781 (Dec 7, 2014)

One time I was in a part of town I didn't know and I hit a bump and two girls went flying up one hit her head on the top... all I did was chuckle like a little school girl..


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## DieselkW (Jul 21, 2015)

Lepke said:


> I do have questions regarding tips and the extras you provide.
> Do you keep a tip/candy jar?
> What type of snacks do you keep on hand, if you are providing snacks?
> Do you provide water?
> Do you keep phone chargers?


You can do all or none or anything in between. Uber passengers have been told that tipping is not required and they intend to stick to that "rule". The only way to get them to tip is to let them know that tipping is required for services above and beyond picking up at the pin and delivering to destination.

Pax: "Hey, are these power bars for riders?"
Me: "Those are for good riders"
Pax: "Am I a good rider?"
Me: "I don't know, you haven't tipped me yet" If they want to adamantly adhere to the Uber no tipping religion, they are not welcome to my generosity.

snacks, water, chargers are all extra services above what UberX rates are paying drivers. You want more than a clean car to take you to your destination?, crack open your wallet.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

SECOTIME said:


> I love reading the ones where people say they "look for the fares going the longest distance". Where is this list of choices?


The choice is in knowing your city. I know certain business districts with hotels that are a sweet fare to the airport. Most fares from there in the morning are to the airport. I know the rich suburbanites go to sports games downtown and big concerts downtown.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

Lepke said:


> Outstanding advice.
> I give similar advice to friends and newbies. I also firmly believe that if you're going to drive rideshare, keep your expenses as low as possible.
> 
> I do have questions regarding tips and the extras you provide.
> ...


I have gum, mints, water, medicines (out of site), phone cables, etc. I get tipped more often than not. Keep in mind I try to work crowds that are older and not the college crowd. I'm a full service guy, all I don't do is open doors. I vacuum and wash my van every day and use air cleaners and febreeze.

I don't think tips are all about freebies. I think it's more my great attitude.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

DieselkW said:


> You can do all or none or anything in between. Uber passengers have been told that tipping is not required and they intend to stick to that "rule". The only way to get them to tip is to let them know that tipping is required for services above and beyond picking up at the pin and delivering to destination.
> 
> Pax: "Hey, are these power bars for riders?"
> Me: "Those are for good riders"
> ...


Terrible advice. My first tip tonight was $5. That pays for my freebies for days if not a week.

I was not tipped much before I got serious about service. Now I get tipped all the time.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

XUberMike said:


> Ya'all can go to hell with your $2 gas. Come on out to Socal and pay $2.75 to $2.85 a gallon


We're now at $1.85.


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## RockinEZ (Apr 29, 2015)

I start out my day in affluent neighborhoods that have large houses spaced far apart. On my drive into town I pass through several. I stop for 10 minutes. If no ping, I move to the next. I usually get someone to pay for me to go to the airport or beach area.

Keep your app on even if you are not driving. If you see a surge, write it down. After a week or two you will know where surges will be before they happen. 

I know when the local amusement parks close. If I am near by I always pull into the parking lot and usually get a ping.

The hotel areas are good in my city. I cruse through Hotel Circle when I am local.

Restaurant row is good for me in several parts of town at the right time of day. If I am there I loiter for a while during the time of day folks are finishing dinner. Brunch is good on weekends.

I check "What is happening" in my city on Google. I put myself near concerts and other venues at closing time. Live theaters provide good long rides. Sporting events are good also. We have a ball park and a stadium. I go when the games get out if I am local.

I park near the zoo and the local museums at closing time if I am local.

I avoid the college districts. Short rides and bad pax.

Same for downtown. I avoid the party areas unless another pax takes me there. I hate super drunk pax, and often skip a ride if the pax is too drunk. I don't want feet on my dash, or barf in my back seat.

The various court houses are good at the right time. Many people take Uber to jury duty. I drop by if I am near at the right time of day.

Low income neighborhoods are good for rides. People there can't afford cars, or if they have one, DUIs.

Military bases at end of the shift are good for me.

Those and a few other tricks keep me going in a low surge city.

I would appreciate any other tricks you may have discovered.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

RockinEZ said:


> I start out my day in affluent neighborhoods that have large houses spaced far apart. On my drive into town I pass through several. I stop for 10 minutes. If no ping, I move to the next. I usually get someone to pay for me to go to the airport or beach area.
> 
> Keep your app on even if you are not driving. If you see a surge, write it down. After a week or two you will know where surges will be before they happen.
> 
> ...


These are all great.

Randomness will hurt your numbers. I know when Taylor swift lets out of a concert, I'm hauling people to the suburbs. Same with country concerts.

I like the live theater point...I'm adding that to my list.


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## RockinEZ (Apr 29, 2015)

RamzFanz said:


> These are all great.
> 
> Randomness will hurt your numbers. I know when Taylor swift lets out of a concert, I'm hauling people to the suburbs. Same with country concerts.
> 
> I like the live theater point...I'm adding that to my list.


I like to have options for most times of the day in various parts of town. 
I keep a printed list of options for when I get fuzz brained and need a reminder of where I should be.


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## DieselkW (Jul 21, 2015)

RamzFanz said:


> Terrible advice. My first tip tonight was $5. That pays for my freebies for days if not a week.


Wow, that's a lot of blood from a stone. My first tip this morning was $8 cash on an $11 Lyft, no power bar - just a fast pickup, clean car, good conversation, and on time drop off.

Lyft passengers tip about 12% of my Lyft income.
Same driver, same car, same attitude - same smile when I tell them "I don't know, you haven't tipped me yet".. it's all in the delivery.

Uber tips are 1% of my Uber payments. Maybe 5 hours west of Indy are a bunch of better Uber pax, but here they're tighter than a frog's as$.


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## SECOTIME (Sep 18, 2015)

Yea on Monday mornings I creep around the Hotel district in Altamonte and almost always get a surge trip to the airport.


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## UberXTampa (Nov 20, 2014)

Jose_A said:


> I only fill up at one gas station. It's currently at $2.09, the cheapest gas station in the DMV area, and it happens to be the third closest gas station to my house and right on the way to DC.


I also fill up at 1 gas station only and it is a Shell. I prefer shell gas to others. Has been like that for several years now.


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## SECOTIME (Sep 18, 2015)

I'm a shell gas only type too. If not, BP.


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## UberXTampa (Nov 20, 2014)

RamzFanz said:


> The only way to profit from UberX is to add the smarts and the tip.


I have a paid off Prius, my cost basis is very low, I detail the car myself, car wash once a week .... I believe I am able to add the smarts but tips are not satisfactory with Uber pax. It is less than 10% of teh pax. With Lyft, even people I take to their minimum wage jobs tip me because tipping is convenient. I regularly get 60% of my pax tip me with Lyft.

With Uber, it is very rare... 
With dashboard ratings always at 4.88-4.91 range. Uber needs to enable the tip in the app or else, it is an uphill battle. Very frustrating.


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## UberXTampa (Nov 20, 2014)

RamzFanz said:


> I have gum, mints, water, medicines (out of site), phone cables, etc. I get tipped more often than not. Keep in mind I try to work crowds that are older and not the college crowd. I'm a full service guy, all I don't do is open doors. I vacuum and wash my van every day and use air cleaners and febreeze.
> 
> I don't think tips are all about freebies. I think it's more my great attitude.





RamzFanz said:


> I try to work crowds that are older and not the college crowd


OK! this explains it all. I have good luck getting tips with older crowds as well. these are the guys that have class and ability to spend money. college kids are in financial trouble and poor. you cannot squeeze them for money. They don't have it.


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## UberXTampa (Nov 20, 2014)

SECOTIME said:


> I'm a shell gas only type too. If not, BP.


I am still protesting BP since the oil spill. I have never used them since.


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## DieselkW (Jul 21, 2015)

UberXTampa said:


> I am still protesting BP since the oil spill. I have never used them since.


I'm still protesting Exxon since their oil spill, and will continue to do so until I bring them to their knees economically. In other words, forever.


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## XUberMike (Aug 2, 2015)

With what Uber pays me I can't protest anybody. I have to go where gas is the cheapest, right now it's Costco.


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## dfmars01 (Nov 4, 2015)

I drive in Las Vegas, and gas here can vary as much as $0.30 from one side of the street to another. The Gas Buddy app is my best friend, because regardless of what part of town I can find the cheapest gas in the immediate area. Makes me feel good to pass the station that is 2.89 on my way to the one that is 2.59 right around the corner. 

I don't mind short trips as long as I can stay busy doing them. The base fare that is charged at pickup can really skew your per-mile income upwards.


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