# Any of you Uber using a truck?



## Risky Business (Jul 19, 2018)

Wondering if it's at all worth driving my Chevy Colorodo crew cab (21/25 mpg).
If you guys drive an suv or truck is it strictly for uber XL or do you guys do uberx/ubereats as well?


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## Uber's Guber (Oct 22, 2017)

Risky Business said:


> Wondering if it's at all worth driving my Chevy Colorodo crew cab (21/25 mpg).
> If you guys drive an suv or truck is it strictly for uber XL or do you guys do uberx/ubereats as well?


I seen quite a few ants try it, but this is an X market. They flame out in 2 or 3 weeks, never to be seen again.


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## woodywho (Sep 4, 2017)

Uber's Guber said:


> I seen quite a few ants try it, but this is an X market. They flame out in 2 or 3 weeks, never to be seen again.


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## HotUberMess (Feb 25, 2018)

Risky Business said:


> Wondering if it's at all worth driving my Chevy Colorodo crew cab (21/25 mpg).
> If you guys drive an suv or truck is it strictly for uber XL or do you guys do uberx/ubereats as well?


1000 times, no. Buy a $5000 used Prius. But even then it's not really "worth it", as it will take you a long time to make that $5000 back.


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## Skepticaldriver (Mar 5, 2017)

Risky Business said:


> Wondering if it's at all worth driving my Chevy Colorodo crew cab (21/25 mpg).
> If you guys drive an suv or truck is it strictly for uber XL or do you guys do uberx/ubereats as well?


There was someone in the bay using an older 350/3500 diesel. Really robust truck. But... too good for the fares garnered.


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## Jufkii (Sep 17, 2015)

Risky Business said:


> Wondering if it's at all worth driving my Chevy Colorodo crew cab (21/25 mpg).
> If you guys drive an suv or truck is it strictly for uber XL or do you guys do uberx/ubereats as well?


My first ride as an Uber passenger was in a Chevy Silverado. The driver was fairly new but claimed he was making "good money" already at this new gig. And gas apparently was his only expense. If he could make "good money" with his Silverado then perhaps you could as well with your Colorado.


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## RideshareGentrification (Apr 10, 2018)

That mileage is doable for UberX you car won't qualify for UberXL as XL you have to have a total of 7 seatbelts including driver in the car . I started this out in a BMW 335i (twin turbo inline 6 awd) that only got 20mpg and required premium so I was spending a lot more than even guys driving just about any truck or suv for gas not to mention maintenance . Gas is pretty cheap right now if it were to get over $3.50 again I think you'd start eating into profits . It's also important to manage your dead miles in a vehicle that doesn't get amazing mileage .

I think using the car you have is the best way to start doing uber and see if it's working for you . People often freak out over the difference in gas price you'll be eating about $50 in profit if you drive 4k miles a month compared to a car that is getting 40mpg , yeah that adds up to over $200 a month in extra gas so that could potential offset the price of a cheaper a car that's your uber only car (don't forget to factor in depreciation and maintenance your tires are going to be a little more than a Camry , Civic or Pirus) 
I only drove my BMW full time for about 8 weeks before I went out and bought an Uber only vehicle the savings in gas and maintenance paid the small car payment , insurance and then some having the extra car .


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## clayinaustin (Jul 11, 2018)

I drive my 2017 Chevy Silverado. The pax love it. It gets me the 5-stars, and I just amuse and entertain for the tips.

Yes, at 16MPG, gas is a major expense. But, (with tips) I average around $20 an hour, so it's a good use of my free time.

Good luck!


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## uberlife2018 (Jul 16, 2018)

Risky Business said:


> Wondering if it's at all worth driving my Chevy Colorodo crew cab (21/25 mpg).
> If you guys drive an suv or truck is it strictly for uber XL or do you guys do uberx/ubereats as well?


I have a Yukon and I do UberX and uberXL
I basically run club shuttles on the club night!


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

No truck qualifies for XL.


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## bsliv (Mar 1, 2016)

clayinaustin said:


> I drive my 2017 Chevy Silverado. The pax love it. It gets me the 5-stars, and I just amuse and entertain for the tips.
> 
> Yes, at 16MPG, gas is a major expense. But, (with tips) I average around $20 an hour, so it's a good use of my free time.
> 
> Good luck!


Do you know your cost to drive that beast? Driving a low gas mileage vehicle isn't good. Driving a new vehicle isn't good. Driving an expensive vehicle isn't good. I did a quick analysis of a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD LT. Driven for 5 years at 15k per year, with typical financing, personal insurance, taxes, maintenance, depreciation, and typical repairs comes to $0.80 per mile. The first year is a killer due to depreciation.

If its a personal vehicle too, financing, insurance and taxes shouldn't be included as costs and it brings the cost to drive a mile down to $0.55. If half your miles are dead miles, you need to gross $1.10 per mile to break even. If you average 20 mph, your cost per hour are $11. If you average 30 mph, your cost per hour is $16.50.

A cheap econobox is about half that cost to drive. You could increase your net by $5.50 up to $8.25 per hour. But it would take you a very long time to pay off the econobox. And maybe you don't need or want the Silverado to last 10 or 20 years. And maybe you don't need or want an extra car in your garage.

Depreciation during the first year and 15,000 miles is over $9,000. If you eliminate the first year and accept that financing, insurance and taxes are a personal and not a business expense, it brings the cost to drive down closer to $0.30 per mile. At 16 mpg and $3.20/gal, $0.20 a mile is gasoline cost alone.


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## Pfestus (Feb 9, 2018)

I started out driving my Nissan Frontier 4 door pickup, which would be about the same size as the OP's Colorado. Single Pax, and couples were OK with it as long as they were not too large. The back seat is cramped, and I had several unhappy passengers squeezed in back there. I earned some low ratings with the truck. So I decided to get a more appropriate Uber car. I sold a BMW Z3 and got enough for it to buy a used 2005 Lexus ES 330. It makes a great Uber car, and I get a lot of compliments on it. In the Nissan I got 15 mpg, and in the Lexus I'm getting 20 mpg.


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## Roadrunner 750 (Jul 23, 2018)

I used a 2014 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercrew until March. You can make it work for X, but even though the 3.5L Ecoboost does do well for gas mileage, city driving in Orlando saw 12mpg. Those twin turbos will feed more air when they spool up, but fuel injectors inject more fuel. Every other traffic light does this.

First, everyone running Honda’s, Toyota’s, Nissans, Kia’s, Mazda’s, etc...you guys can keep your gas pedals pinned all day long and still turn in 30+mpg..if I did that in the F150, I’d be out of gas in about 19 minutes, and that’s 36 gallons.

If you are using an mpg-unfriendly vehicle, my advice is to “breathe” on that gas pedal, you can make your fuel go further.

I saw between 19-22 mpg average when I ran my F150 for Uber. I’m in an Expedition now. Also, one of my most popular compliments was how much room was in the rear seat area (Ford redesigned the Supercrew with more rear passenger area in ‘09). 

My advice, use what you have until you can get into something more Uber-friendly...but you’ll surprise a few riders having the “Truck” because there’s not many out there doing Uber or Lyft. In this case, enjoy being one of the..,

“Few and the Proud”.


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## Kodyhead (May 26, 2015)

I read everywhere and read about some drivers who feel they get downrated because it's a pick up truck. Some are very nice but there is a negative view on them from some people and if you do it, I would recommend buying a small step stool for short old people


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## Roadrunner 750 (Jul 23, 2018)

My truck had step bars, and those did help. Had Uber allowed trucks to be Select in my area (Orlando), it would have qualified as it had leather interior.

Like Kody said, it would be a good idea to keep a step stool handy if the truck doesn’t have step bars equipped.


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## clayinaustin (Jul 11, 2018)

In Austin (Texas) the truck gets 5-stars all by itself. People here love it!


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## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

I use my Nissan Frontier here in Denver, there are probably 3 dozen pickups in this market, supposedly the F150 Platinum will qualify for select on Uber. Only recently have I seen someone using a new style Colorado or Canyon while doing it. You'll burn more gas, I get about 16 around town, generally about 300 miles to a tank, if you track your fuel on apps like fuelly.com you'll see what your cost per mile is for gas, I've fluctuated between $.14 and $.16 in the 3 yrs I've done this. My total cost per mile for fuel and expenses is around $.29 cpm.

I do not do Ubereats, only regular Lyft and Uber X.


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## FXService (Oct 8, 2017)

Roadrunner 750 said:


> My truck had step bars, and those did help. Had Uber allowed trucks to be Select in my area (Orlando), it would have qualified as it had leather interior.
> 
> Like Kody said, it would be a good idea to keep a step stool handy if the truck doesn't have step bars equipped.


In Phoenix someone had a GMC 3500 Denali. Lyft let them do Lux Black with it. Lol


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## Dr. Doug (Sep 11, 2017)

Yes, Ram 2500 Diesel.


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## Bbonez (Aug 10, 2018)

I saw a few trucks at the mid state fair two weeks ago in Paso Robles. The 1st Saturday of the fair you could have been driving a hummer H2 SUT and at 10 MPG you would still of had a good night, I had an 8 mile trip over $100(after 20 cash tip). Other then rare occasions like that I would only use a truck if your in DF/DM to and from locations you need to go to anyway.


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## RickGnVa (Feb 12, 2018)

Pfestus said:


> I started out driving my Nissan Frontier 4 door pickup, which would be about the same size as the OP's Colorado. Single Pax, and couples were OK with it as long as they were not too large. The back seat is cramped, and I had several unhappy passengers squeezed in back there. I earned some low ratings with the truck. So I decided to get a more appropriate Uber car. I sold a BMW Z3 and got enough for it to buy a used 2005 Lexus ES 330. It makes a great Uber car, and I get a lot of compliments on it. In the Nissan I got 15 mpg, and in the Lexus I'm getting 20 mpg.


I drive a 15 Frontier CC too sometimes. I always put the front passenger seat up to give the rear passenger as much room as I can. Never got downrated for seat space that I know of, hell it's got as much space as any small ant car much less a Prius. Usually get compliments and get more tips in my truck than my wife's Rogue. Most people in DC have never ridden in a truck and say they got a kick out of it. Go figure... WRT gas, it is what it is. I'm driving Fubar to pay off debt and it won't be forever...


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## Moore887 (Dec 11, 2015)

The biggest fear I would have about using a truck (and I've even had this situation twice in a month with my Kia sedona) is the difficulty that older or heavier people have getting in and out.


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## RickGnVa (Feb 12, 2018)

Moore887 said:


> The biggest fear I would have about using a truck (and I've even had this situation twice in a month with my Kia sedona) is the difficulty that older or heavier people have getting in and out.


Yeah that's s an issue but it would be the same for SUVs that don't have running boards.

I've had some older/bigger folks grumble but I win them over with my "charming wit" amd they leave happy riders and a few tip.... I've always given them the option to cancel without charging them because I'm not a total dick. basically you can't please everyone and in the thousand or so rides in my truck I've only had maybe 5 have issues. It's really non-issue overall. Also, it's a damn Uber, not black car service....


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