# To me I think uber is profitable.



## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

In one month I made about 3k, in our area surge rates do help us, I'll admit that and I prob spend about 120 in gas week. So its not really that bad imo. Hope this encourages other new drivers. I must say u MUST drive smart and not tear ur car up or waste gas. It's all about the business model u have for urself.


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## Fauxknight (Aug 12, 2014)

Keep the mileage down, keep operating expenses including maintenance down and you can make some money.


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## Txchick (Nov 25, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> In one month I made about 3k, in our area surge rates do help us, I'll admit that and I prob spend about 120 in gas week. So its not really that bad imo. Hope this encourages other new drivers. I must say u MUST drive smart and not tear ur car up or waste gas. It's all about the business model u have for urself.


What market are u in? Do U drive Uber x or another platform?


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

Txchick said:


> What market are u in? Do U drive Uber x or another platform?


I drive in uber x. I typically drive other hours than most drivers r'nt willing to drive, and most of them give really big tips bc they know I am the only one out.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

Fauxknight said:


> Keep the mileage down, keep operating expenses including maintenance down and you can make some money.


I can do all of the maint. myself so that realy helps too. I also use sythetic oil and that has increased my mpg by 6 miles per gallon.


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## PHXTE (Jun 23, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> I can do all of the maint. myself so that realy helps too. *I also use sythetic oil and that has increased my mpg by 6 miles per gallon.*


Bullshit.

I do my own oil changes too with _synthetic_, and it ain't worth a 6 mpg gain. Synthetic is a better, more durable oil typically, but you're not going to notice any performance improvement out of it.

You're out of your mind.

Also, how many hours did you work to make that $3k and what were your expenses?


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

PHXTE said:


> Bullshit.
> 
> I do my own oil changes too with _synthetic_, and it ain't worth a 6 mpg gain. Synthetic is a better, more durable oil typically, but you're not going to notice any performance improvement out of it.
> 
> ...


I used semi synthetic b4 and my mpg gauge said I was only getting 24 mpg, now that I have switched to synthetic and now I'm getting 30. I was like u I didnt think I would get that much but gauges don't lie.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

Btw I worked around 50-60 hours and I already told u my expenses. Didn't u read it, in the original post? Gotta pay attn to details, just like in business.


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## Txchick (Nov 25, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> I drive in uber x. I typically drive other hours than most drivers r'nt willing to drive, and most of them give really big tips bc they know I am the only one out.


It depends what your market per mile & minimum are. Dallas/ft worth is $1.00 per mile $4.00 minimum. Surges are somewhat non existence any more. I quit driving on the last rate cuts in Jan 2015. Not profitable.


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## Txchick (Nov 25, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> In one month I made about 3k, in our area surge rates do help us, I'll admit that and I prob spend about 120 in gas week. So its not really that bad imo. Hope this encourages other new drivers. I must say u MUST drive smart and not tear ur car up or waste gas. It's all about the business model u have for urself.


Gas & changing oil are not the only expenses with driving,


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## Raider (Jul 25, 2014)

That's good, nice to see some positive thinking out there. This gig certainly isn't for everyone, if you have the right car, the right people skills, and can do your own maintenance like oil change, brakes, fluid change, wash your own car...you can make money by working the surges. I only drive busy hours and surge hours and i make a decent buck part time.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

Raider said:


> That's good, nice to see some positive thinking out there. This gig certainly isn't for everyone, if you have the right car, the right people skills, and can do your own maintenance like oil change, brakes, fluid change, wash your own car...you can make money by working the surges. I only drive busy hours and surge hours and i make a decent buck part time.


I actually bought a car wash program that I pay 31.99 for a month and if I want the inside cleaned out it only costs me 8 bucks. So to me it is well worth it. Plus its way cheaper to do it that way. This is a local company, Idk if other places around the country do this, but I thought it was a really good idea.


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## PHXTE (Jun 23, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> Btw I worked around 50-60 hours and I already told u my expenses. Didn't u read it, in the original post? Gotta pay attn to details, just like in business.


No.

You told me your gas expense. You didn't tell me *all* of your expenses, e.g. depreciation, maintenance, insurance, ancillary costs incurred because of working, car washes, etc. Those all affect your bottom line. I've got these all laid out in a spreadsheet, so I know exactly what they are for me. Do you?

Additionally, if you're going to preach to me about detail, perhaps you could indicate whether that's 50/60 hours a week, or 50-60 hours a month. I'm going to assume its per week, because I know you're not averaging $55/hr just like you didn't gain 6 mpg from changing your oil.

I'm really beginning to see the type of people Uber preys on here. Lol.


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## Ziggy (Feb 27, 2015)

Txchick said:


> Not profitable


you could become an Uber Lobbyist - https://uberpeople.net/threads/how-uber-takes-over-a-city.23896

Take Texas. In 2013, Uber had no registered lobbyists in the state. Last year, it reported 14, and so far this year, that's grown to 28 who have registered to work on Uber's behalf, with contracts that could total $420,000 to $945,000, according to the filings, more than Philip Morris and Pfizer.


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## Txchick (Nov 25, 2014)

PHXTE said:


> No.
> 
> You told me your gas expense. You didn't tell me *all* of your expenses, e.g. depreciation, maintenance, insurance, ancillary costs incurred because of working, car washes, etc. Those all affect your bottom line. I've got these all laid out in a spreadsheet, so I know exactly what they are for me. Do you?
> 
> ...


He or She did not also reveal what market they drive in also. That also effects the bottom line.


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## Txchick (Nov 25, 2014)

Ziggy said:


> you could become an Uber Lobbyist - https://uberpeople.net/threads/how-uber-takes-over-a-city.23896
> 
> Take Texas. In 2013, Uber had no registered lobbyists in the state. Last year, it reported 14, and so far this year, that's grown to 28 who have registered to work on Uber's behalf, with contracts that could total $420,000 to $945,000, according to the filings, more than Philip Morris and Pfizer.


Those 14 lobbyists did not work well for Uber this legislative session.


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## Ziggy (Feb 27, 2015)

Txchick said:


> Those 14 lobbyists did not work well for Uber this legislative session.


yeah ... but just like the weatherman ... they still got paid


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## Txchick (Nov 25, 2014)

Ziggy said:


> yeah ... but just like the weatherman ... they still got paid


I just chuckle Uber wasting money.


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## Ziggy (Feb 27, 2015)

Txchick said:


> I just chuckle Uber wasting money.


however, as a fellow Texan ... it would have been beneficial to us had HB2440 gotten signed into law ... well, now we'll have to wait until 2017 ... unless Uber can force a special session ... lol


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## UBERxGc (Feb 8, 2015)

$3000-$480 (gas) in 220 hrs a month (55x4) is $11.5 an hour before your other expenses. You might be earning some money, but it is certainly not as profitable as you made it sound.


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## Txchick (Nov 25, 2014)

Ziggy said:


> however, as a fellow Texan ... it would have been beneficial to us had HB2440 gotten signed into law ... well, now we'll have to wait until 2017 ... unless Uber can force a special session ... lol


No special session. I don't think the state is interested in creating a state agency to monitor Uber & Lyft drivers. Very few legislators sponsored that bill. I was at the hearing in Austin when the cities layed out their ordinances & why. They made their cases well.


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## Txchick (Nov 25, 2014)

UBERxGc said:


> $3000-$480 (gas) in 220 hrs a month (55x4) is $11.5 an hour before your other expenses. You might be earning some money, but it is certainly not as profitable as you made it sound.


If you notice poster is no longer posting because he can't lay out his numbers properly.


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## Ziggy (Feb 27, 2015)

Txchick said:


> I was at the hearing in Austin when the cities layed out their ordinances & why. They made their cases well.


I should have gone .. but was too busy with other things. Next time you're in ATX ... give me a holler


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## Txchick (Nov 25, 2014)

Ziggy said:


> I should have gone .. but was too busy with other things. Next time you're in ATX ... give me a holler


Right on!!


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> I can do all of the maint. myself so that realy helps too. I also use sythetic oil and that has increased my mpg by 6 miles per gallon.


Hey PB! Welcome Aboard

Are you from Perrysburg, Ohio?


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## Luberon (Nov 24, 2014)

Poster is in the honeymoon phase of ubering. What others sometimes call "naive" to put it mildly.

This thread and several others have done a little maths for the rest of us. Search for blog posts by UberHammer for more

https://uberpeople.net/threads/math-1-00-mile-7-68-per-hour-at-best.14459/


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## Txchick (Nov 25, 2014)

Luberon said:


> Poster is in the honeymoon phase of ubering. What others sometimes call "naive" to put it mildly.
> 
> This thread and several others have done a little maths for the rest of us. Search for blog posts by UberHammer for more
> 
> https://uberpeople.net/threads/math-1-00-mile-7-68-per-hour-at-best.14459/


Yep! UberHammer is the bomb at Uber costs numbers.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

PHXTE said:


> No.
> 
> You told me your gas expense. You didn't tell me *all* of your expenses, e.g. depreciation, maintenance, insurance, ancillary costs incurred because of working, car washes, etc. Those all affect your bottom line. I've got these all laid out in a spreadsheet, so I know exactly what they are for me. Do you?
> 
> ...


Why do you even drive for uber, if you don't like then go work for Mcdonald's or BK or Walmart, they are always hiring. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORK for uber. 2ndly I really don't care whether you believe me or not. I know what my numbers are, and I know I am making more than my 12.65/hr job, per week, thus it is acceptable to me, plus if it wasn't profitable I wouldn't be doing it, and finally why would anyone tell you all the details about what all their costs are? To me thats really stupid, and tbh I can't stand negative people, bc all they wanna do is complain about everything and anyone who is trying to do better than them. If you wanna look at life as being negative person then go ahead, but don't bring down other people who enjoys something they like to do.

My old job I had tons of stress and tyrannical bosses, to me this is like one of the best things I have done in my life. I admit their is down time, but it is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than working for people who don't appreciate you and gives you unrealistic goals and expects you to perform at your highest levels at all times. Which is a fallacy! Speaking of fallices, you ad hominem fallacy against me isn't warranted as you don't even know who I am, the kind of car I drive, how much I am driven to succeed you don't know a thing about me. So take you negativity elsewhere. Thank you and have a good day.


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## Luberon (Nov 24, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> I can't stand negative people, bc all they wanna do is complain about everything and anyone who is trying to do better than them.
> ... you don't even know who I am, the kind of car I drive, how much I am driven to succeed you don't know a thing about me.


I may not agree to @Pxhte 's tone but I have been around this forum long enough to see many a new driver full of positive spirits in their initial few weeks that latches on to the "negativity" on these pages only to end up eating humble pie or worse fizzling away from these pages because they come to see for themselves some of the negative things about UberX-ing.
Dont get me wrong I believe with the right approach and attitude you can work out Uber lemon into sweet lemonade. But it is not as easy as you make it sound. Many responses are trying to point out at the hidden expenses of Uber driving that may not be apparent to a novice. See these posts for some perspective:
https://uberpeople.net/threads/how-to-really-make-money-on-uberx-no-maths-involved.14799
https://uberpeople.net/xfa-blogs/uberhammer.5765/

Welcome to UP(.)net, I hope you will continue sharing with us you positive and negative experiences and importantly, take time to learn from the experience of others in the forum.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> Btw I worked around 50-60 hours and I already told u my expenses. Didn't u read it, in the original post? Gotta pay attn to details, just like in business.


I saw gas. One expense. Not expenses.


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## Just_in (Jun 29, 2014)

"If you don't like Uber why do you do it, Why Not work at.... 

Second to follow is You Don't know me. Get a life


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

Taxes will affect your bottom line more than you expect if you're Grossing as much as you say.


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## SydX (Sep 8, 2014)

But compared to Ohio's minimum wage of $8.10, thats relatively 20% better than most of he's counterparts lol...


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## ulf (Jun 13, 2015)

Not so sure about that ,considering all the cost that $ 8.10 is maybe not that bad


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## PHXTE (Jun 23, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> Why do you even drive for uber, if you don't like then go work for Mcdonald's or BK or Walmart, they are always hiring. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORK for uber. 2ndly I really don't care whether you believe me or not.


Where did I say I didn't like driving for Uber? It fits a niche for me as I can do it during hours where I would just be unproductive anyway and it puts a little bit of fun cash in my pocket. I have a pretty decent day job, so I don't depend on this for my livelihood, so maybe I'm a bit less emotionally invested in this than yourself?



> I know what my numbers are, and I know I am making more than my 12.65/hr job, per week, thus it is acceptable to me, plus if it wasn't profitable I wouldn't be doing it, and finally why would anyone tell you all the details about what all their costs are?


I'm not sure why you're so upset. I simply pointed out there are more expenses involved here than just gas and I queried you on what those are for your situation. If you're going to come on here and create a thread like this extoling the virtues of Uber, expect people to be inquisitive. I'll gladly share my expense data with anyone here. It isn't some proprietary secret.



> To me thats really stupid, and tbh I can't stand negative people, bc all they wanna do is complain about everything and anyone who is trying to do better than them. If you wanna look at life as being negative person then go ahead, but don't bring down other people who enjoys something they like to do.


Ok, buddy.

If you want to stick your head in the sand and believe the only expense your incurring here is for gas and that you're making boatloads of money, by all means. The reality is, you're working your ass off, and probably neglecting to include all of your expenses, to barely clear above minimum wage.



> My old job I had tons of stress and tyrannical bosses, to me this is like one of the best things I have done in my life. I admit their is down time, but it is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than working for people who don't appreciate you and gives you unrealistic goals and expects you to perform at your highest levels at all times. Which is a fallacy! Speaking of fallices, you ad hominem fallacy against me isn't warranted as you don't even know who I am, the kind of car I drive, how much I am driven to succeed you don't know a thing about me. So take you negativity elsewhere. Thank you and have a good day.


El oh el.

Again, I never personally attacked you. I asked you some apparently hard questions that you seem hesitant to actually answer and that, for some reason, makes me a bully. At the end of the day, as long you're happy with it, that's all that matters. I'm just trying to help you see the bigger picture here.


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## PHXTE (Jun 23, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> I used semi synthetic b4 and my mpg gauge said I was only getting 24 mpg, now that I have switched to synthetic and now I'm getting 30. I was like u I didnt think I would get that much but gauges don't lie.


I missed this little gem.

You're going off the MPG meter in your car?

Bahahahahahahahaha.

Ok, that's just as about inaccurate as it gets. Try this instead. Fill your car up and reset your trip meter. Keep track of your mileage until you fill the car up again. Take the miles you drove on your trip meter and divide it by the amount of gas in gallons you put into it when you fill it up *again*. That's a much better indicator of true MPG. Those gauges are garbage for the most part.


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## OldMillerPlace (Jun 3, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> I actually bought a car wash program that I pay 31.99 for a month and if I want the inside cleaned out it only costs me 8 bucks. So to me it is well worth it. Plus its way cheaper to do it that way. This is a local company, Idk if other places around the country do this, but I thought it was a really good idea.


I just signed on to a $19.99 monthly pass for an "exterior only" car wash. I tend to clean the inside myself anyway, and free use of their extra sucky vacuums anytime (even between washes) is nice.


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## everestsdad (Feb 24, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> In one month I made about 3k, in our area surge rates do help us, I'll admit that and I prob spend about 120 in gas week. So its not really that bad imo. Hope this encourages other new drivers. I must say u MUST drive smart and not tear ur car up or waste gas. It's all about the business model u have for urself.


So using your numbers you will pay taxes on 10.86 per hour . Not bad but you will be responsible for the self employment rate of .0765 more.
And the line about the gauges not lying and synthetic oil is wrong. Do the hard math for cost per mile. Synthetics in the US are mislabeled by most companies. You are not getting what you think you are. Do some real research on that lie.


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## Tx rides (Sep 15, 2014)

Ziggy said:


> however, as a fellow Texan ... it would have been beneficial to us had HB2440 gotten signed into law ... well, now we'll have to wait until 2017 ... unless Uber can force a special session ... lol


I love ya, Ziggy, But
I have to disagree as a fellow Texan
Even if I was not a limo owner, first this creates a need for a new agency at a state level, AND creates an extreme disadvantage for hundreds of small businesses like ours, which will definitely result in lawsuits. The agency and legal proceedings will be costly, and we will ALL pay for it. Furthermore, TX lege only meets once every two years, so it can be a DECADE before a bad regulation can be killed.


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## everestsdad (Feb 24, 2015)

I agree TX rides. If you read the bill it was tailored specifically for an Uber type business . Try this scenario. You buy a software logistics program from X for your taxi company and the software company would be required to have an one million dollar policy on your PAX. UBER's smart play would have been for more regulation thus keeping anyone else from playing the game but alas thanks for their short term greed.


On another thought. Why are taxis regulated at all? Public safety? Anyone know the history? I read it started in the Bay area.


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## Ziggy (Feb 27, 2015)

Ziggy said:


> however, as a fellow Texan ... it would have been beneficial to us had HB2440 gotten signed into law ... well, now we'll have to wait until 2017 ... unless Uber can force a special session ... lol


Tx rides ... had you followed the gist of my previous conversation with Txchick you would have detected my sarcasm ... as in previous convos I told her she could have been one of the Texas lobbyists that got $945K from Uber. *obviously, I need to work on my online sarcasm ... lol


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## JLA (Mar 26, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> I drive in uber x. I typically drive other hours than most drivers r'nt willing to drive, and *most of them give really big tips *bc they know I am the only one out.


Please tell me your secret to getting most of your PAX to tip BIG? Do you offer them blow jobs or foot massages?

I also work the odd hours and it would be a cold day in hell for most PAX here to tip. Even a buck or two appreciation would be nice. Many times I've been the only one out there and they still won't tip. Btw it's not me because I still manage mostly 5 stars. Maybe it's an Ohio thing.


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## Uber SUCKS for drivers! (Jan 1, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> In one month I made about 3k, in our area surge rates do help us, I'll admit that and I prob spend about 120 in gas week. So its not really that bad imo. Hope this encourages other new drivers. I must say u MUST drive smart and not tear ur car up or waste gas. It's all about the business model u have for urself.


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## Uber SUCKS for drivers! (Jan 1, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> Btw I worked around 50-60 hours and I already told u my expenses. Didn't u read it, in the original post? Gotta pay attn to details, just like in business.


Gee look honey ... Another "aint got no expenses but gas" guy!
Please, real total expenses on any decent car are about 4 times gas cost!
You arent making anything, you're just lying to yourself!


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## JLA (Mar 26, 2015)

Uber reminds me of a treadmill. If you closed your eyes (expenses) you might think your getting some places because your running your ass off. Then you get off and it's "hell I'm still in the same place and now my knees are shot".


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## Uber SUCKS for drivers! (Jan 1, 2015)

UBERxGc said:


> $3000-$480 (gas) in 220 hrs a month (55x4) is $11.5 an hour before your other expenses. You might be earning some money, but it is certainly not as profitable as you made it sound.


Real total hidden and deferred expenses on any decent car are about 4 times gas cost!


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## Tx rides (Sep 15, 2014)

Ziggy said:


> Tx rides ... had you followed the gist of my previous conversation with Txchick you would have detected my sarcasm ... as in previous convos I told her she could have been one of the Texas lobbyists that got $945K from Uber. *obviously, I need to work on my online sarcasm ... lol


Ahhh! Yeah I'm slow today!


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## john wick (Jun 28, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> Btw I worked around 50-60 hours and I already told u my expenses. Didn't u read it, in the original post? Gotta pay attn to details, just like in business.


I do.....maybe 30 hrs a week...i clear $500-$550 weekly. Im ok with uber as a pt job. I do postmates too and make after gas 375 weekly so in total i probably clear after gas n maintenance....800 or better so ima keep ubering on. I do wish theyd raise from .75 cent mile to 98 cent mile


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

john wick said:


> I do.....maybe 30 hrs a week...i clear $500-$550 weekly. Im ok with uber as a pt job. I do postmates too and make after gas 375 weekly so in total i probably clear after gas n maintenance....800 or better so ima keep ubering on. I do wish theyd raise from .75 cent mile to 98 cent mile


I agree John, I mean some of these people act like they are working for walmart or something. I mean it really isn't that bad as many have replied on here. I get busy and I don't feel the need to answer each and every response. But I will say the gov gives you .55 cents per mile that you drive no matter if you have a customer or not, as long as you are on the clock you can deduct that, and many other expenses. This won't be my first rodeo, and btw I rarely ever pay taxes. I just make sure I have my paperwork in a row and deduct as much as I can, even the tiniest of things. I mean I've gotten 1099's b4 it isn't rocket science. Just have to keep receipts, and read over every square inch of your tax return. I will tell you that places like H&R block will not get you what you deserve, they just want to get you in and out. But if you take your time and study the laws there are ways around to not having paying anything, depending on what you claim.

So all in all my time doesn't merit me responding to all the negativity, I know I am making a decent living and if I wasn't I wouldn't be doing it PLAIN AND SIMPLE.


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## john wick (Jun 28, 2015)

Idk where u r but in Florida we r technically employees. Soon will be hopefully getting minimum wage which i hate. I make 20-35hourly when i work from 5am-8amthen normal job.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

john wick said:


> Idk where u r but in Florida we r technically employees. Soon will be hopefully getting minimum wage which i hate. I make 20-35hourly when i work from 5am-8amthen normal job.


I am in toledo. We thankfully dont have that here


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

Oh and our milage is 1.06 and .16 per min


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## Uber SUCKS for drivers! (Jan 1, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> I agree John, I mean some of these people act like they are working for walmart or something. I mean it really isn't that bad as many have replied on here. I get busy and I don't feel the need to answer each and every response. But I will say the gov gives you .55 cents per mile that you drive no matter if you have a customer or not, as long as you are on the clock you can deduct that, and many other expenses. This won't be my first rodeo, and btw I rarely ever pay taxes. I just make sure I have my paperwork in a row and deduct as much as I can, even the tiniest of things. I mean I've gotten 1099's b4 it isn't rocket science. Just have to keep receipts, and read over every square inch of your tax return. I will tell you that places like H&R block will not get you what you deserve, they just want to get you in and out. But if you take your time and study the laws there are ways around to not having paying anything, depending on what you claim.
> 
> So all in all my time doesn't merit me responding to all the negativity, I know I am making a decent living and if I wasn't I wouldn't be doing it PLAIN AND SIMPLE.


Wow, another Travis moron. I can't believe you just said you just drive around without a paying pax because you're getting $.55 per mile. That is a tax deduction against profit that's not money that you get bonehead, and there is no profit. It is absolutely impossible to make a profit at $.75/mile, so don't say you're "making a good living". This simple math can't be argued with: Driver gets $.60 after Uber cut. You net $.30 after 50% dead miles. The total cost per mile is $.30 even on a shitty old beater, which means you breakeven and are working for free. Any decent car its $.50 and you lose $! The deposits that you get and the little bit of cash flow above gas is not profit. When the driver app says you "made" $30 in an hour you actually net about $12 of that and that's not profit that's just a loan from your car. You're not really making any money, you are just selling your car off in little pieces! Wake up!


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## UberDriverMan (Jun 29, 2015)

In the Tampa Bay area the milage was reduced from $1.20 to $.95/mile and even further with flat rate trips from beaches. My gripe is two fold - this "promotion" with lower fares comes out of our pockets and also Uber corporate touts the Uber experience as cashless - riders can jump out of the car without "fumbling for cash." 

It is mostly a cashless experience - I like not carrying $300 cash at end of a day - but those little $2 tips make a big difference when I have all these car, drinking water, mint candies expenses that Uber likes for us to supply.

I think that with Uber being 30% cheaper than regular cabs already the riders are getting a good deal. We are nicer, cleaner cars, don't smoke in our cars - why not let the riders offer a tip - LITERALLY ITS NOTHING OUT OF THE POCKET OF UBER AND MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE BY THE END OF THE TIME EACH DAY I DRIVE.


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## Uber SUCKS for drivers! (Jan 1, 2015)

john wick said:


> I do.....maybe 30 hrs a week...i clear $500-$550 weekly. Im ok with uber as a pt job. I do postmates too and make after gas 375 weekly so in total i probably clear after gas n maintenance....800 or better so ima keep ubering on. I do wish theyd raise from .75 cent mile to 98 cent mile


It is absolutely impossible to make a profit at $.75/mile, so don't say you're "making a good living". This simple math can't be argued with: Driver gets $.60 after Uber cut. You net $.30 after 50% dead miles. The total cost per mile is $.30 even on a shitty old beater, which means you breakeven and are working for free. Any decent car its $.50 and you lose $! The deposits that you get and the little bit of cash flow above gas is not profit. When the driver app says you "made" $30 in an hour you actually net about $12 of that and that's not profit that's just a loan from your car. You're not really making any money, you are just selling your car off in little pieces! Wake up!


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## itsablackmarket (May 12, 2015)

Ziggy said:


> however, as a fellow Texan ... it would have been beneficial to us had HB2440 gotten signed into law ... well, now we'll have to wait until 2017 ... unless Uber can force a special session ... lol


proof that Uber sucks at life. Anyone with any sense knew it wasn't going to pass. And for the stupidest reason too. All they had to do was include a fingerprint background check requirement. big ****ing deal.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

I wish uberpeople could allow us the ability to block people! I really don't like negative people, and I get tired of seeing their posts.

Just remember if you don't like driving for uber there are plenty of other jobs you can work for, so quite complaining and do something about it. It really is quite simple tbh.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

Oh and btw I don't drive around to drive around, morons, yeah that would be really smart to do. Uberpeople needs to do an intelligence test for some people. Oh wait thats right, we have to drive to get our riders, "oh so we can count that?", no dumbass (heavy sarcasm implied), of course you can. I mean some people on here are idiots.


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## Ziggy (Feb 27, 2015)

itsablackmarket said:


> proof that Uber sucks at life. Anyone with any sense knew it wasn't going to pass.


obviously ... you didn't read the thread either ... this was a sarcastic response to Txchick


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## Ziggy (Feb 27, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> I wish uberpeople could allow us the ability to block people


Just click on their profile name and click the Ignore link (far right) ... poof ... you'll never see their posts again


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

everestsdad said:


> I agree TX rides. If you read the bill it was tailored specifically for an Uber type business . Try this scenario. You buy a software logistics program from X for your taxi company and the software company would be required to have an one million dollar policy on your PAX. UBER's smart play would have been for more regulation thus keeping anyone else from playing the game but alas thanks for their short term greed.
> 
> On another thought. Why are taxis regulated at all? Public safety? Anyone know the history? I read it started in the Bay area.


One reason Taxis are regulated is to control numbers fighting for a finite transport cake. This helps ensures sustainable returns and standards for all stakeholders.

Having said that, the Taxi Industry worldwide HAVE gotten lazy, and operated from a monopolistic position where they felt entitled to abuse the very people who they should serve well. The Taxi industry has provided Uber with this juicy opportunity worldwide.


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## Backdash (Jan 28, 2015)

*To me I think uber is profitable.*

The OP never said he _knows_ its profitable.


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## john wick (Jun 28, 2015)

Uber SUCKS for drivers! said:


> It is absolutely impossible to make a profit at $.75/mile, so don't say you're "making a good living". This simple math can't be argued with: Driver gets $.60 after Uber cut. You net $.30 after 50% dead miles. The total cost per mile is $.30 even on a shitty old beater, which means you breakeven and are working for free. Any decent car its $.50 and you lose $! The deposits that you get and the little bit of cash flow above gas is not profit. When the driver app says you "made" $30 in an hour you actually net about $12 of that and that's not profit that's just a loan from your car. You're not really making any money, you are just selling your car off in little pieces! Wake up!


I dont have dead miles. After i drop off i nearly always have a new pass 


Uber SUCKS for drivers! said:


> It is absolutely impossible to make a profit at $.75/mile, so don't say you're "making a good living". This simple math can't be argued with: Driver gets $.60 after Uber cut. You net $.30 after 50% dead miles. The total cost per mile is $.30 even on a shitty old beater, which means you breakeven and are working for free. Any decent car its $.50 and you lose $! The deposits that you get and the little bit of cash flow above gas is not profit. When the driver app says you "made" $30 in an hour you actually net about $12 of that and that's not profit that's just a loan from your car. You're not really making any money, you are just selling your car off in little pieces! Wake up!


If ya dont like uber, get a life n find better employment. Im up from 5am til 8am doing mainly airport runs during week thats y i know that its a decent side job. Not a career. U sound bitter...u sure yr not a lyft


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## john wick (Jun 28, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> Oh and btw I don't drive around to drive around, morons, yeah that would be really smart to do. Uberpeople needs to do an intelligence test for some people. Oh wait thats right, we have to drive to get our riders, "oh so we can count that?", no dumbass (heavy sarcasm implied), of course you can. I mean some people on here are idiots.


I actually am n a good location at my home. I just wait on pings. Been here since they opened in '14 n jax


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## itsablackmarket (May 12, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> Oh and btw I don't drive around to drive around, morons, yeah that would be really smart to do. Uberpeople needs to do an intelligence test for some people. Oh wait thats right, we have to drive to get our riders, "oh so we can count that?", no dumbass (heavy sarcasm implied), of course you can. I mean some people on here are idiots.


You just called people "morons", "idiots", and "dumbass". Three ways to call someone stupid. And you're preaching about negativity in the post prior? Maybe you're the idiot.


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## mjo (Jun 2, 2015)

I knew someone who managed one of the large casino's in Las Vegas. He described gambling as a special tax for people who cannot do math. The same analogy applies here.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

Ziggy said:


> Just click on their profile name and click the Ignore link (far right) ... poof ... you'll never see their posts again


yes I am going to start using this feature alot more, bc some people well u know! lol


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

john wick said:


> I dont have dead miles. After i drop off i nearly always have a new pass
> 
> If ya dont like uber, get a life n find better employment. Im up from 5am til 8am doing mainly airport runs during week thats y i know that its a decent side job. Not a career. U sound bitter...u sure yr not a lyft


I just don't get some of these people, I really wonder if they truly drive for uber or not, by some of their replies. 2ndly I agree, I don't get why people sit here and complain about it. I mean it really is simple, you can either CHOOSE to do drive for uber or NOT CHOOSE to drive for uber. The choice clearly is up to that person. So instead of complaining do something about it. Make a choice and stick with it.


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## Megaas2000 (May 8, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> In one month I made about 3k, in our area surge rates do help us, I'll admit that and I prob spend about 120 in gas week. So its not really that bad imo. Hope this encourages other new drivers. I must say u MUST drive smart and not tear ur car up or waste gas. It's all about the business model u have for urself.


Dude you are a big fat liar. post your pay stub. UBER sucks my friend and that's the truth. You will wreck your car putting so much mileage and personal expense to make little Uber chicken scrap. I don't drive anymore because I'm no longer brain washed like you are. Good luck men and post back in 6 months and tell us if you are now an Uber millionaire.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

Megaas2000 said:


> Dude you are a big fat liar. post your pay stub. UBER sucks my friend and that's the truth. You will wreck your car putting so much mileage and personal expense to make little Uber chicken scrap. I don't drive anymore because I'm no longer brain washed like you are. Good luck men and post back in 6 months and tell us if you are now an Uber millionaire.


And this is a good reason to block people. Have a nice day sir.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

Ziggy said:


> Just click on their profile name and click the Ignore link (far right) ... poof ... you'll never see their posts again


Thanks Ziggy I am going to start using this feature alot more. Bc I don't like negativity even though at times I even lose my cool with some of these people. But I believe they have a choice, they can either choose to drive for uber or not drive for uber. That is clearly there choice, and we all have choices, if you don't like it then don't drive. It really is simple tbh. Plus I really wonder how many people are actually uber drivers and not just saying stuff.


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## Uber SUCKS for drivers! (Jan 1, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> Thanks Ziggy I am going to start using this feature alot more. Bc I don't like negativity even though at times I even lose my cool with some of these people. But I believe they have a choice, they can either choose to drive for uber or not drive for uber. That is clearly there choice, and we all have choices, if you don't like it then don't drive. It really is simple tbh. Plus I really wonder how many people are actually uber drivers and not just saying stuff.


We were all drivers when it was good, 18 months ago. We are pissed that it is now ruined, and you cant make a profit anymore. Just trying to save one new driver at a time. Eventually you will figure out ur not really making money, and ur violating/voiding ur insurance (huge risk). "I was blind ... but now I see"


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## OCBob (Jan 20, 2015)

john wick said:


> I dont have dead miles. After i drop off i nearly always have a new pass
> 
> If ya dont like uber, get a life n find better employment. Im up from 5am til 8am doing mainly airport runs during week thats y i know that its a decent side job. Not a career. U sound bitter...u sure yr not a lyft


LOL! So your next ping is coming next door to the PAX that you just dropped off? Dead miles are those miles that you drive with the app on but not getting paid. When you have a ping that is 4 miles away and you are driving towards that address, those are dead miles. You don't get paid for those. It now seems you don't even track those miles for tax purposes.


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## PHXTE (Jun 23, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> Oh and btw I don't drive around to drive around, morons, yeah that would be really smart to do. Uberpeople needs to do an intelligence test for some people. Oh wait thats right, we have to drive to get our riders, "oh so we can count that?", no dumbass (heavy sarcasm implied), of course you can. I mean some people on here are idiots.


Be careful what you wish for. I'm quite certain you'd fail such a test, Mr. "Synthetic Oil gave me a 25% increase in MPGs".

Ignorance truly is bliss.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> You can ignore them.


 Yes I just found this out today and Im actually liking that feature it is quite awesome. Lol


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

Idk about anyone else but I dont try to get other people to drive for uber, I think that would cut into my profits. So I never try to promote that. I do however try to get new riders so I can get free money, even if it is only 5 bucks per rider its not that bad.


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## Backdash (Jan 28, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> Yes I just found this out today and Im actually liking that feature it is quite awesome. Lol


Useful tool that ignore function, works great for ignoring people. Downside is it may help one ignore reality as well.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

I can't wait til this weekend, I am hoping to have a $1000.00 week. Hopefully we get surges to help this cause, without surges I'd doubt that I would make that much.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

Backdash said:


> Useful tool that ignore function, works great for ignoring people. Downside is it may help one ignore reality as well.


Yes but there are correct ways to do things and incorrect ways too.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

Osmg95 said:


> Using my Uber math, that's the same numbers I came up with. Oh, we haven't factored in vehicle depreciation yet and that silly thing called taxes. I think he might actually owe Uber money at the end of the year.  I didn't include the car washes as the point was made. Hey, if you're happy with your earnings and the hourly rate really shouldn't matter as a business owner. Unless you're looking at your opportunity costs and have another gig that pays you more per hour, it really means very little. What you deposit in the bank does.


What happens if a person never gets a new car? Where does the depreciation go? U do realize that depreciation really has to do with taxes more so than anything else, right? Personally I don't sell my cars too often I just keep repairing them and repairing them. Bc I used to be a Mechanic, the reason I got out of being a mechanic was the business side of it and health reasons. I don't like how some places would force me to try and sell stuff to customers that they don't need or didn't want. That is pretty common the industry and to do it on my own is very expensive. So yeah I like keeping my cars, if my car gets too inefficient then I'll think about buying another car. But yeah people that put on there that you need to include depreciation, that isn't true at all, that is mainly done for taxes, yes if you plan on selling your car or trading it in, it may have some effect, but your going to lose money on your car no matter what you do. A car can be 10 years old and be almost like new and only have 5,000 miles on it and it still would only be worth a couple thousand (for the ave car not collector cars). And as far as taxes go it seems to me like you didn't even read the forum, bc we have already discussed that. As far as car washes go, again it was already mentioned in the forum. Btw my time is not wasted either, I am always doing something. But hey like I said uberpeople needs to have an ACT test or something. I mean if people only want to complain and never do anything about what they are complaining about then they must like wallowing around in the mud, instead of picking up their feet and moving on.


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## PHXTE (Jun 23, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> What happens if a person never gets a new car? Where does the depreciation go? U do realize that depreciation really has to do with taxes more so than anything else, right?


Depreciation is a cost you incur, but isn't recognized until you dispose of the car. It is a very real cost and isn't just mythical thing that only exists with taxes.

For every mile you drive, your car loses value. With Uber, you're in effect taking a loan out on the value of your car. You're making money on it now for a real loss that you're going to realize later. Whether that's when you go to sell a three year old car with a million miles on it that's relatively worthless, or it prematurely reaches the point where it's not worth putting any more money into when it inevitably breaks.



> But yeah people that put on there that you need to include depreciation, that isn't true at all, that is mainly done for taxes, yes if you plan on selling your car or trading it in, it may have some effect, but your going to lose money on your car no matter what you do.


I'm not going to bother discussing this with you because you've clearly got this all figured out with your middle school education. Suffice it to say, stick to fixing cars. Accounting clearly isn't your forte.



> But hey like I said uberpeople needs to have an ACT test or something. I mean if people only want to complain and never do anything about what they are complaining about then they must like wallowing around in the mud, instead of picking up their feet and moving on.


You're the last person here that should be insulting other peoples' intelligence. You're the worst kind of stupid person. The sort that's too famn ignorant to even realize what you don't know.

I mean, ****, I don't like getting personal, but this sort of ignorance is why Uber is prospering.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

I think if ur driving a $30000 vehicle then u prob shouldn`t be driving uberx. Heck if I could afford a $30000 vehicle I wouldnt be driving for uber at all. Lol


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## ulf (Jun 13, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> I think if ur driving a $30000 vehicle then u prob shouldn`t be driving uberx. Heck if I could afford a $30000 vehicle I wouldnt be driving for uber at all. Lol


Why not?
I do airport transportation's and during off time I drive Uber as an additional income and my car was more the 30K


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## john wick (Jun 28, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> Oh and our milage is 1.06 and .16 per min


That's not horrible but 1.25$ would b acceptable


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

john wick said:


> That's not horrible but 1.25$ would b acceptable


And I think people would pay that too.


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## PHXTE (Jun 23, 2015)

ulf said:


> Why not?
> I do airport transportation's and during off time I drive Uber as an additional income and my car was more the 30K


Because you're murdering the value of your car, and more expensive cars have more value to lose through depreciation. If you're making enough doing what you're doing and you're ok with it, then it's fine, I suppose.

I do this as secondary income too, but I'm driving around a Focus worth $11k, so I'm not nearly as worried.


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> What happens if a person never gets a new car? Where does the depreciation go? U do realize that depreciation really has to do with taxes more so than anything else, right?


A car's depreciation and it's unique relation taxes exists only because taxes are assessed annually where as an asset such as a car has a useful purpose of many years.

Every asset that is used for business depreciates. When you by a $30 tank of gas, it is 100% depreciated the moment you consume the last drop of it. Because you consumed 100% of it, you can claim 100% of the $30 as a business cost for this years taxes. The government will not however allow you to claim the entire purchase amount of a car as a business cost in one tax year. They require you to claim the depreciation over multiple years, unless of course you drive that car so much in one year that you consume 100% of it's useful purpose before the year is up, and take it to the junk yard. There are exceptions to this, but you should talk to an account about those exceptions. But the idea that depreciation is a taxes thing is not true. Everything depreciates. That's why you can claim them as a cost. If you don't consume what you bought, then you still have asset value, and it's not a cost. This is why businesses are required to do inventory. It's to assess the value of what they've bought but haven't consumed yet.


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## Realityshark (Sep 22, 2014)

If you live in a market where the rates haven't been slashed to the bone, I guess you can still make money. Enjoy it while you can. I know I do, but it's getting more difficult. I have cut hours and pay substantially just to keep my profit % from dropping. The more Uber cuts rates, the less I drive. More driving = Less Profit. Very simple fact.

Uber is a small part of several revenue streams for me. I feel really bad for drivers who rely on Uber to pay bills and eat. Uber has exploited those people.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

Realityshark said:


> If you live in a market where the rates haven't been slashed to the bone, I guess you can still make money. Enjoy it while you can. I know I do, but it's getting more difficult. I have cut hours and pay substantially just to keep my profit % from dropping. The more Uber cuts rates, the less I drive. More driving = Less Profit. Very simple fact.
> 
> Uber is a small part of several revenue streams for me. I feel really bad for drivers who rely on Uber to pay bills and eat. Uber has exploited those people.


Luckily around here, the mileage rates and time per minute are still pretty reasonable, I couldn't imagine driving for .70 per mile that would be insane.


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## JMBF831 (Aug 13, 2015)

pbracing33b said:


> Luckily around here, the mileage rates and time per minute are still pretty reasonable, I couldn't imagine driving for .70 per mile that would be insane.


I can't tell if you're just trolling us


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## ApertureHour (May 8, 2015)

UberDriverMan said:


> In the Tampa Bay area the milage was reduced from $1.20 to $.95/mile and even further with flat rate trips from beaches. My gripe is two fold - this "promotion" with lower fares comes out of our pockets and also Uber corporate touts the Uber experience as cashless - riders can jump out of the car without "fumbling for cash."
> 
> It is mostly a cashless experience - I like not carrying $300 cash at end of a day - but those little $2 tips make a big difference when I have all these car, drinking water, mint candies expenses that Uber likes for us to supply.
> 
> I think that with Uber being 30% cheaper than regular cabs already the riders are getting a good deal. We are nicer, cleaner cars, don't smoke in our cars - why not let the riders offer a tip - LITERALLY ITS NOTHING OUT OF THE POCKET OF UBER AND MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE BY THE END OF THE TIME EACH DAY I DRIVE.


umm, uber is about 1/3 the price of taxis. If it was 30% cheaper, then none of us would be complaining about the rates.


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## William1964 (Jul 28, 2015)

Uber works for me.


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## Nooa (Dec 30, 2014)

Raider said:


> That's good, nice to see some positive thinking out there. This gig certainly isn't for everyone, if you have the right car, the right people skills, and can do your own maintenance like oil change, brakes, fluid change, wash your own car...you can make money by working the surges. I only drive busy hours and surge hours and i make a decent buck part time.


1st doing your own repairs is just plain dumb. This is where most of your tax deductions come from. So by doing them yourself your once again working for free. Yes you can write off the parts but the time involved is tough to write off.

2nd if you value the resale value of your car be prepared to produce actual receipts from dealers or reputable repair shops. It will increase resale by 20%.

This is a business our deductions are the only thing we have left to make money on. Lord knows @ sub $1 a mile & under 20¢ a min we aren't making money doing this.


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## ulf (Jun 13, 2015)

The problem is ,if you don't make money you don't need deductions


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## KeJorn (Oct 3, 2014)

Fauxknight said:


> Keep the mileage down, keep operating expenses including maintenance down and you can make some money.


Well duh.. THE ONLY way to make money with UberX is to keep costs down... doesn't help that with every rate cut, you have to drive more to get the same cashflow, though your income actually decreases due to additional operating costs, wear & tear, and depreciation. It's an ugly downward spiral Uber loves to keep us in.

With a Toyota Prius getting 52 mpg, that is one major step towards keeping costs down....



pbracing33b said:


> In one month I made about 3k, in our area surge rates do help us, I'll admit that and I prob spend about 120 in gas week. So its not really that bad imo. Hope this encourages other new drivers. I must say u MUST drive smart and not tear ur car up or waste gas. It's all about the business model u have for urself.


Yes I can concur with those amounts ($500-$800/week net + Uber's cut = $700-$1000 gross total fares) - surges do help get to that point faster with less driving, unfortunately relying on surges is not realistic for many.
However, that is your cashflow and you only mention one operational cost: gas ($120/week = $520/month), therefore $3K - $520 = $2480/month.
How many miles are you doing weekly? Dead miles?
How many hours are you spending online?
What are you spending weekly on maintenance / cleaning, etc? (divide cost of tires across every month/week, etc)
How many tolls do you rack up per week /month? How many of those are being reimbursed by Uber?

Sorry if this is prodding too much and I will continue to read through this thread to see if you may have already answered them. I am currently trying to refine my driving around those questions. Had what appears to be a good payout this week, but still need to see the final numbers to get a better picture.


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## Realityshark (Sep 22, 2014)

You're making money with Uber. ..great.

Why do you feel compelled to convince everyone here of your success? 

After all the rate cuts, It's obviously a losing game for the majority of people. 

You're an exception.


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## Realityshark (Sep 22, 2014)

If I had to drive 60 hours a week to make 11dollars per hour, I'd kill myself. No life there for me.


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## KeJorn (Oct 3, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> it [Uber] is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than working for people who don't appreciate you and gives you unrealistic goals and expects you to perform at your highest levels at all times.


While I agree about how much it sucks working for tyrannical bosses, etc... driving for Uber is still a mix of _"people who don't appreciate you"_ and people who do... 
That damn Uber rating system can dampen one's spirits by setting '_unrealistic goals_' and expecting us to _"perform at our highest levels at all times" _by earning a 5 star all the time - something far less in our control than Uber likes to suggest.

However, I do agree that focusing on the negative makes it very hard to enjoy your work. It can especially make it hard to actually get out and drive if you begin to dread it - in which case you either stop driving or find a new perspective.
I think I have begun to find a bit of balance in my daily driving strategies so that I minimize the negative aspects of the job. Doing so has definitely helped me to keep a more positive outlook.

The numbers do not help, but the cashflow is needed at the moment, so I am doing whatever I can to make it work.
I still see UberX as unsustainable and a temporary solution (for full-time more so than part-time) and believe UberSelect/UberXL/UberX (esp in a fleet setup) would be a more viable approach for profits and less negativity.
But I am also aware it may be like thinking the grass is greener on the other side.


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## KeJorn (Oct 3, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> And I think people would pay that too.


I have had many say they would be fine if Uber increased fares, as they value the service and would never take a taxi again due to bad experiences.
Wish Uber would listen to THOSE clients.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> Btw I worked around 50-60 hours and I already told u my expenses. Didn't u read it, in the original post? Gotta pay attn to details, just like in business.


How many miles did you drive to make $3,000?

Most uber drivers aren't capable of doing all their own maintenance, so that may be an advantage you have that others don't. However, parts, tools and supplies still cost money. And if you're not a trained mechanic, taking on major repairs will probably take a lot more of your time.

Also, what kind of car are you driving? You must also consider depreciation.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> Btw I worked around 50-60 hours and I already told u my expenses. Didn't u read it, in the original post? Gotta pay attn to details, just like in business.


No, all you told was the direct cost of fuel.

Tires, brakes, oil changes, belts, fluid top offs, battery, car washes/cleanings, other maintenance/repairs, depreciation, supplies, etc. Just because you do your own maintenance doesn't mean that you don't incur costs. Do you get your synthetic oil for free? And the oil filter? Air filter?


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> Why do you even drive for uber, if you don't like then go work for Mcdonald's or BK or Walmart, they are always hiring


Ok, can anybody tell us how many different accounts come on here and first post about how great uber is, then say that if you don't like it you can get a job at a fast food restaurant? This has to be either the same guy creating multiple accounts or it is a formula for Uber's "brand ambassadors" to follow.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> In one month I made about 3k, in our area surge rates do help us, I'll admit that and I prob spend about 120 in gas week. So its not really that bad imo. Hope this encourages other new drivers. I must say u MUST drive smart and not tear ur car up or waste gas. It's all about the business model u have for urself.


I'm going to reverse engineer this shit.

$120/week on gas. Gas is roughly $2.50/gallon (on the high end) these days? So that's 48 gallons of gas a week. I get about 18 mpg in my town car, so I'm hoping uber x is doing much better. Let's guess that it's 25 mpg (could be as high as what, 40 in a Prius?). That's 1200 miles per week. Assuming only 4 weeks in a month (it's actually more like 4.3, right?), you're driving 4,800 miles to earn that $3,000. My low expenses on my car are about 35 cents per mile. The IRS says it costs 57.5 cents per mile, but we'll just plug in 35 for now. That's a monthly expense of $1,680 on the low end, rounding everything down/in your favor.

$3,000 - $1,680 = $1,320/month BEFORE taxes.

$1,320/4 weeks = $330

$330/60 hours = $5.50/hour

Tell me more about that McDonalds/Burger King job?

UberHammer UBERxGc ...and anyone else want to check my math?


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> What happens if a person never gets a new car? Where does the depreciation go? (...) A car can be 10 years old and be almost like new and only have 5,000 miles on it and it still would only be worth a couple thousand (for the ave car not collector cars). (...) But hey like I said uberpeople needs to have an ACT test or something. I mean if people only want to complain and never do anything about what they are complaining about then they must like wallowing around in the mud, instead of picking up their feet and moving on.


If a person never gets a new car, s/he cannot continue to UberOn! You will be deactivated due to your car being too old. You cannot uber in a car greater than 10 years old.

Also, as depreciation goes down, maintenance goes up. You should know that since you're a former mechanic.

A car can be 10 years old and only have 5,000 miles on it? That means it has been sitting, rotting for a long, long time. You're a mechanic, you should know that. What happens to the fluids and fuel when it sits and sits and sits? Is that good for the car?

We are doing something about the things we complain about. We are helping to educate others about the realities of uber and how to figure out whether their "partnership" with uber is actually profitable. Just like you quit being a mechanic because you saw the companies rip customers off, we see uber doing the same thing to drivers!


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

john wick said:


> I do.....maybe 30 hrs a week...i clear $500-$550 weekly. Im ok with uber as a pt job. I do postmates too and make after gas 375 weekly so in total i probably clear after gas n maintenance....800 or better so ima keep ubering on. I do wish theyd raise from .75 cent mile to 98 cent mile


Didn't know we had postmates in Jacksonville!


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## PHXTE (Jun 23, 2015)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> I'm going to reverse engineer this shit.
> 
> $120/week on gas. Gas is roughly $2.50/gallon (on the high end) these days? So that's 48 gallons of gas a week. I get about 18 mpg in my town car, so I'm hoping uber x is doing much better. Let's guess that it's 25 mpg (could be as high as what, 40 in a Prius?). That's 1200 miles per week. Assuming only 4 weeks in a month (it's actually more like 4.3, right?), you're driving 4,800 miles to earn that $3,000. My low expenses on my car are about 35 cents per mile. The IRS says it costs 57.5 cents per mile, but we'll just plug in 35 for now. That's a monthly expense of $1,680 on the low end, rounding everything down/in your favor.
> 
> ...


And you're not including any deadhead miles either, which would further push that in your favor.


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## William1964 (Jul 28, 2015)

Can't you just make the deductions 

2 dollar a day for the tires, 
1 dollar per day brakes, 
50 cent a day for oil changes.

To be honest, if I'm spending $6000 on gas at 27.4 miles per gallon, 
I'll be driving 54800 miles at .575 cents per mile for a total deduction of $31,510. 
My expenses will only reach that amount is if something bad keeps happening.

If I remember from my messenger days, I get to deduct that amount from my total income.
I can't add the expenses to the mileage. It's either expenses or mileage.

I don't know, you tear a hole in the gas tank once a month....


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

PHXTE said:


> And you're not including any deadhead miles either, which would further push that in your favor.


Well I think the amount he's paying in gas would account for deadhead miles.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

William1964 said:


> Can't you just make the deductions
> 
> 2 dollar a day for the tires,
> 1 dollar per day brakes,
> ...


I don't know about assuming a certain fee per day. Most vehicle maintenance has a lifespan measures in mileage. For instance, tires have mileage ratings on them (I.e. 60,000 mile tires). So it's easier to break that down into a cost per mile.

As far as taxes, yes, you can deduct either the mileage or the expenses.


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## William1964 (Jul 28, 2015)

I'm certainly not against people figuring out driving expenses.
And my point is, it's not an expense until you expend.

.05 cents a day for WW Fluid
.15 cants a day for car wash
.75 per day for 1 tune up per year

If your car isn't good for 21 miles per gallon, this may not be workable for you.

If your bank balance continues dropping every week or month after all bills are paid, 
you have a more serious issue that can only be fixed with lifestyle changes.

There should be a sticky thread with a readable list of known and rare expenses to direct new members at when they ask this question...


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

William1964 said:


> I'm certainly not against people figuring out driving expenses.
> And my point is, it's not an expense until you expend.
> 
> .05 cents a day for WW Fluid
> ...


You know for a fact that tires, brakes, belts, fluids, etc., have a lifespan. That lifespan is measured in miles. You can't just account for a daily allowance because some days you may drive 0 miles, others may be 500.


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## William1964 (Jul 28, 2015)

How often does anyone do any at the exact mile it's supposed to be done? I change my oil after 80% of it's 100% lifespan. 
Certainly I can save money waiting another 10 days. I already see the life span age 2% every day.
Tires. I doubt very many people ever get 4 tires at same time at the specific mileage.

Okay what ever works for you. I'm still judging based on my debt decreasing while bank account increases. 

If debt/income reverses again here, I may have to work more hours. Until then, I'm flyin' high on Uber cash and a 785 credit score...


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## MKEUber (Aug 20, 2014)

William1964 said:


> How often does anyone do any at the exact mile it's supposed to be done? I change my oil after 80% of it's 100% lifespan.
> Certainly I can save money waiting another 10 days. I already see the life span age 2% every day.
> Tires. *I doubt very many people ever get 4 tires at same time at the specific mileage.*
> 
> ...


Huh? When I replace my tires, I replace all 4. If you properly rotate them, they will all ware the same. Are you saying people replace tires in a piecemeal fashion, one at a time? That is ridiculous and creates a very uneven driving surface.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

William1964 said:


> How often does anyone do any at the exact mile it's supposed to be done? I change my oil after 80% of it's 100% lifespan.
> Certainly I can save money waiting another 10 days. I already see the life span age 2% every day.
> Tires. I doubt very many people ever get 4 tires at same time at the specific mileage.
> 
> ...


You've got it all figured out. Good luck.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

MKEUber said:


> Huh? When I replace my tires, I replace all 4. If you properly rotate them, they will all ware the same. Are you saying people replace tires in a piecemeal fashion, one at a time? That is ridiculous and creates a very uneven driving surface.


Not true, bc if you get a flat, you could possibly just replace one tire on just the front or rear, it wouldn't be feasible to change all four when you still have good tread on them. You would only change the ones that needed to be change or the pair then you could have a full size spare.

btw I thought this thread was dead a long time ago. As long as I am making decent money per week, and my bills are getting paid. Why does it matter? I've ran a business for ten years, I know how to work the books, its not that difficult. Don't EVER let H&R block ever do your books for you, they don't know what they are doing at all, if you do your homework and take your time, you can get money back from doing your own taxes and not have to pay anything. I have done this for years, but you have to do your own homework and what works for you may not work for someone else.


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## RockinEZ (Apr 29, 2015)

In San Diego it is $1.10/mile and $0.20 per min. 
Just enough to make the illusion... but not enough to make any money long term. 
I don't understand how the Los Angeles folks make any money at their per mile rate. We pay the same for gas and it is $3.50/gal right now.


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## William1964 (Jul 28, 2015)

Luck, huh?
There's some supernatural stuff...

I have it figured out so far. I'm seeing a profit. I'm happy. 

Hoping to do this part time over the winter. Almost ready to commit to it, 
but won't be sure until I get back from Vegas November 14th.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> Not true, bc if you get a flat, you could possibly just replace one tire on just the front or rear, it wouldn't be feasible to change all four when you still have good tread on them. You would only change the ones that needed to be change or the pair then you could have a full size spare.
> 
> btw I thought this thread was dead a long time ago. As long as I am making decent money per week, and my bills are getting paid. Why does it matter? I've ran a business for ten years, I know how to work the books, its not that difficult. Don't EVER let H&R block ever do your books for you, they don't know what they are doing at all, if you do your homework and take your time, you can get money back from doing your own taxes and not have to pay anything. I have done this for years, but you have to do your own homework and what works for you may not work for someone else.


We are talking about tires wearing out. I also replace all 4 tires when I get mine done. If you go to a shop to get tires, it's usually about the same price to get 4 as it is to get 3. So even if you had replaced 1 tire due to a flat, you may as well go ahead and get a matching set when the rest of them wear out.

Also, I always use a tax service. I do not use the big corporate ones; I use an accountant who has handled our family's taxes for years. It's great because we have actually had issues with the IRS, and she handled it. (Audits are far more common when you're self-employed.) The value of the amount of time and energy it would take me to look up every rule and exception would far exceed the money I pay her. My time is worth something, too. She gets paid; I focus on my work.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> We are talking about tires wearing out. I also replace all 4 tires when I get mine done. If you go to a shop to get tires, it's usually about the same price to get 4 as it is to get 3. So even if you had replaced 1 tire due to a flat, you may as well go ahead and get a matching set when the rest of them wear out.
> 
> Also, I always use a tax service. I do not use the big corporate ones; I use an accountant who has handled our family's taxes for years. It's great because we have actually had issues with the IRS, and she handled it. (Audits are far more common when you're self-employed.) The value of the amount of time and energy it would take me to look up every rule and exception would far exceed the money I pay her. My time is worth something, too. She gets paid; I focus on my work.


So ur telling me that if you get a flat tire ur going to replace all four tires, just bc you got a flat? Ok where is the logic in that? you could spend $200 or $400, I would rather spend $200 thank you very much.


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## UberBlackDriverLA (Aug 21, 2014)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> I'm going to reverse engineer this shit.
> 
> $120/week on gas. Gas is roughly $2.50/gallon (on the high end) these days? So that's 48 gallons of gas a week. I get about 18 mpg in my town car, so I'm hoping uber x is doing much better. Let's guess that it's 25 mpg (could be as high as what, 40 in a Prius?). That's 1200 miles per week. Assuming only 4 weeks in a month (it's actually more like 4.3, right?), you're driving 4,800 miles to earn that $3,000. My low expenses on my car are about 35 cents per mile. The IRS says it costs 57.5 cents per mile, but we'll just plug in 35 for now. That's a monthly expense of $1,680 on the low end, rounding everything down/in your favor.
> 
> ...


OP says his car gets 30 mpg.... So he is not even making $5.50


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> So ur telling me that if you get a flat tire ur going to replace all four tires, just bc you got a flat? Ok where is the logic in that? you could spend $200 or $400, I would rather spend $200 thank you very much.


Re-read it.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

UberBlackDriverLA said:


> OP says his car gets 30 mpg.... So he is not even making $5.50


48 gallons x 30 mpg = 1,440 miles per week.

1,440 miles per week x 4.3 weeks (in a month) = 6,192 miles per month.

That means you'd need an oil change every month.

6,192 miles x 30 cents per mile (expenses, figuring on the low end) = $1,857.60.

$3,000 - $1,857.60 = $1,142.40/month after expenses (before taxes).

50 hours/week x 4.3 weeks in a month = 215 hours/month.

$1,142.40/215 hours = *$5.31/hour.*


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## MKEUber (Aug 20, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> Not true, bc if you get a flat, you could possibly just replace one tire on just the front or rear, it wouldn't be feasible to change all four when you still have good tread on them. You would only change the ones that needed to be change or the pair then you could have a full size spare.


I've had a couple significant flats that caused me to unexpectedly get a new tire. However, when it came time to replace the other tires I still bought 4 new ones and replaced them all, otherwise all you are doing is creating a situation where you are always just going to replace one tire at a time.

When I replace all 4 and one of them still has decent thread left I still keep that tire and use it as a replacement tire in-case I have another tire blow out. I have also sold that extra tire on Ebay before.


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## UberBlackDriverLA (Aug 21, 2014)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> 48 gallons x 30 mpg = 1,440 miles per week.
> 
> 1,440 miles per week x 4.3 weeks (in a month) = 6,192 miles per month.
> 
> ...


Did the OP mention whether the 3k was before or after Uber's cut and SRF... I'm guessing before.


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## KeJorn (Oct 3, 2014)

MKEUber said:


> I've had a couple significant flats that caused me to unexpectedly get a new tire. However, when it came time to replace the other tires I still bought 4 new ones and replaced them all, otherwise all you are doing is creating a situation where you are always just going to replace one tire at a time.
> When I replace all 4 and one of them still has decent thread left I still keep that tire and use it as a replacement tire in-case I have another tire blow out. I have also sold that extra tire on Ebay before.


I generally replace in pairs if I have a flat.
Both front or both back... keeping the good worn one as a spare or selling it.


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

KeJorn said:


> I generally replace in pairs if I have a flat.
> Both front or both back... keeping the good worn one as a spare or selling it.


Thats exactly what I was saying, who in the world has over $400 to replace all 4 tires every time you get a flat. That would just plain be silly!


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## pbracing33b (May 18, 2015)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> Re-read it.


U re-read what I was saying, and maybe u'll understand, btw if your taking your taxes to accountant then that's another additional cost, and why would I want to pay an accountant to do my taxes at the rate of a $100-200/hr when it is something that I can do very easily myself, its not that difficult, if you have decent math skills and some logic anyone can do it, its not that difficult. So to me since why in the world should I believe anything you say, when you don't even do your own taxes? That's like an oxymoron.


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## BurgerTiime (Jun 22, 2015)

You need to factor in depreciation. If you make 25k in a year but put 50k in miles. You prob took off 40% of your cars value.


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## MKEUber (Aug 20, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> Thats exactly what I was saying, who in the world has over $400 to replace all 4 tires every time you get a flat. That would just plain be silly!


I don't think anybody here said that they replace all 4 tires when they get a flat.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> U re-read what I was saying, and maybe u'll understand, btw if your taking your taxes to accountant then that's another additional cost, and why would I want to pay an accountant to do my taxes at the rate of a $100-200/hr when it is something that I can do very easily myself, its not that difficult, if you have decent math skills and some logic anyone can do it, its not that difficult. So to me since why in the world should I believe anything you say, when you don't even do your own taxes? That's like an oxymoron.


Yeah, I did 1040-EZs by myself. Now, though, my taxes are much more complex.

By your logic, why the **** would there be LLMs in tax law, since taxes are so easy and only require basic math and logic?

Please let us know when you get audited.


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## UberBlackDriverLA (Aug 21, 2014)

pbracing33b said:


> U re-read what I was saying, and maybe u'll understand, btw if your taking your taxes to accountant then that's another additional cost, and why would I want to pay an accountant to do my taxes at the rate of a $100-200/hr when it is something that I can do very easily myself, its not that difficult, if you have decent math skills and some logic anyone can do it, its not that difficult. So to me since why in the world should I believe anything you say, when you don't even do your own taxes? That's like an oxymoron.


I think you have demonstrated in this thread that you do not have "decent math skills and some logic".


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## victor34 (Feb 26, 2015)

I don't understand why everybody is trying to convince each other or justify this stupid Uber business. I tried last 5 months on the weekends on and off to make some extra money until June. (Uber X) 
I never picked up customer unless there is surge. Its my money and my car . I have a pretty nice luxury car. It is not worth to drive people for $1. For $1/mile, I always felt cheated and used therefore very rarely picked up pax with regular price. 
Uber is super smart human/computer mixture company, they are playing with people (both riders and drivers), I have seen very high demand areas but never seen surge during the demand, even though I get continuous pings map never gets red. But sometimes there is not too much demand and the map gets red and surge starts. I d rather drive dead miles than serving to Uber Company for $1 mile. I don't need money and I tried this for fun plus some extra pocket money. It is summer now and there is almost never surge pricing. I never worked Friday/Saturday nights because I hate and do not enjoy driving drunk people. I haven't been driving for last two months and i don't think i will ever drive again. 
BUT if i was unemployed and have free time while searching for a new job, probably I would drive for Uber for $10hr, for a little extra cash and a little distraction. Wouldn't put thousands of miles on my car though, max 6 hrs a day with long breaks.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

victor34 said:


> I don't understand why everybody is trying to convince each other or justify this stupid Uber business.


It's not about convincing the actual people I'm responding to; it's about providing facts to people who come on here looking for truth.


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## Michaeltheuberguy (Aug 31, 2015)

I love the positive feedback. UBER is a great side gig, if your treating it as a career well god speed. I live Charlotte and I enjoy it. I have a house being built and need the extra cash for closing cost/ moving cost. Its a huge boost to my income.


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## KeJorn (Oct 3, 2014)

Michaeltheuberguy said:


> I love the positive feedback. UBER is a great side gig, if your treating it as a career well god speed. I live Charlotte and I enjoy it. I have a house being built and need the extra cash for closing cost/ moving cost. Its a huge boost to my income.


The sad part is, technically your full time job is likely supplementing your driving and you are enjoying the tax write off (business loss) from driving for Uber and trading your vehicle's equity for immediate income. But hey, it' s all about your positive attitude and choice of perspective, right?


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## KeJorn (Oct 3, 2014)

And I can say that, because if UberX is not solvent as a stand alone business and cannot provide a liveable income by itself, then suggesting it is good when paired with a full time job, suggests your job fills in the blanks. Let's just be real about it shall we?

As some have already stated, a few years at a loss and the IRS will deem your Uber driving a hobby.


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## Michaeltheuberguy (Aug 31, 2015)

KeJorn I guess but I wouldn't do if it wasn't making me money. If you do Uber for a short-term gain it's very profitable. Now if you do it every day to make ends meet then it's not going to be. I do it because its great for my short-term goals and I don't see myself doing it past December. Then again if people are complaining about it don't drive lol.


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## KeJorn (Oct 3, 2014)

Michaeltheuberguy said:


> KeJorn I guess but I wouldn't do if it wasn't making me money. If you do Uber for a short-term gain it's very profitable. Now if you do it every day to make ends meet then it's not going to be. I do it because its great for my short-term goals and I don't see myself doing it past December. Then again if people are complaining about it don't drive lol.


Yes, you have cash flow, at the expense of something else, thus the reason it cannot stand on its own legs.

As for _"don't drive. Lol"_, that' s a pretty flippant remark. Keep in mind, some of us started when rates were livable. We have every right to complain as seasoned Uber drivers who see a problem Uber is not addressing, and impacts nearly every UberX driver not just one. If you are happy with your situation, enjoy it. Whether YOU are living in ignorance or just lucky, I could care less... But new drivers should understand the realities and make their own choice.


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## rbalaji5 (Sep 4, 2015)

if you trip charges shows $50.00 for a rider you drive
Uber will take 20% $10
Safe drive charge $1.00
You get $39.00
Less : Income tax 30% ($8.70)
Less : Gas ($5.00)
Less : Return Gas Miles ($5.00)
Car Maintenance @ 20% ($8.00)
Cell Phone - data,phone charges ($0.50)
(to charge $50 - you need drive for atleast 2 hours) 11.8
on Average you make $6.00
(considering the time, your health maintenace - this is nothing..)
Uber making more money on your car/time/gas/effort - not you..


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## KeJorn (Oct 3, 2014)

_


Michaeltheuberguy said:



KeJorn I guess but I wouldn't do if it wasn't making me money. If you do Uber for a short-term gain it's very profitable. Now if you do it every day to make ends meet then it's not going to be. I do it because its great for my short-term goals and I don't see myself doing it past December. Then again if people are complaining about it don't drive lol.

Click to expand...

For reference: http://newsroom.uber.com/dallas/2013/09/uberx-in-dallas/_
*
Rates from 11/18/13 (DFW UberX Rollout)*
Base fare: $2
*Per mile: $1.90*
Per minute: $0.30
Minimum fare: $6
Cancellation Fee: $8

During this time, Uber was luring drivers with claims of making $70-90K.
_http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-drivers-salary-90000-2014-5_
_http://nypost.com/2014/11/02/ubers-claim-of-90k-average-pay-for-drivers-is-overestimated/_

*Current (as of 8/01/15)*
Base: $1.00
*Per Mile: $0.85*
Per Minute: $0.10
Min Fare: $3.50
Cancellation Fee: $6

Now we would be lucky if we just cleared $20K.
_http://time.com/money/3678389/uber-drivers-wages/_
And that happened in just under 2 years...

*
YOU* are JUST the kind of driver Uber wants, someone who can _*stay positive*_ as they drop rates to $0.40/mile... and eventually $0.25 cents / mile because Uber thinks they should compete with the subsidized public transit system (buses, rail, etc)... while the rest of us are just negative, right?

Uber on, bro. Uber on.


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## MKEUber (Aug 20, 2014)

Michaeltheuberguy said:


> KeJorn I guess but I wouldn't do if it wasn't making me money. If you do Uber for a short-term gain it's very profitable. Now if you do it every day to make ends meet then it's not going to be. I do it because its great for my short-term goals and I don't see myself doing it past December. Then again if people are complaining about it don't drive lol.


I don't understand how it can be very profitable part time but not profitable at all full time?


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## PHXTE (Jun 23, 2015)

MKEUber said:


> I don't understand how it can be very profitable part time but not profitable at all full time?


I'd wager he means on a per hourly basis, meaning he only drives the high demand times and skips the slow times that the full timers still typically drive.


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## vice (Sep 1, 2015)

BULLSHIT


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