# Driving Weekend Nights



## Chandler (Jan 26, 2015)

I did some reading on the forums and did not see a thread specifically about the topic I would like to discuss, so here we go. 

I'll be as brief as possible, but here is a quick background: I have a steady full-time job working at a law firm in Houston, TX and would like to earn some extra side money on the weekends. I have several years experience driving clients and attorneys around so this seems like a side job right up my alley. I am currently leasing a brand new 2015 Honda Civic with less than 2,000 miles right now. 

I would like to make the most amount of money possible with the time I invest, and it occurred to me that it could be very profitable to focus on the niche of driving weekend nights. This is pure speculation, so I would like to know if this is or is not the case from the experienced drivers. Since I live in a major metropolitan area I'm hoping this could be a great gig with plenty of action. Here are a few questions I have on my mind to get the conversation started:

Are intoxicated people awesome or terrible clientele? I think they would tip better and rate consistently high, is this true? 
Is the market for driving nights better than days?
How much could I bring home in one "shift"?
What are your experiences?


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

The drunker the better. If they've mixed beer with hard liquor.... JACKPOT!!!!


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## Chandler (Jan 26, 2015)

UberHammer said:


> The drunker the better. If they've mixed beer with hard liquor.... JACKPOT!!!!


I hope you're not being sarcastic lol, how many trips could I get from 9pm - 3am?


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## No-tippers-suck (Oct 20, 2014)

I personally can't recommend it any more.
with the recent fares only Uber makes money around 27% in average and the "people" get home for cheap.

If we as driver make money depends.. I have a 6cyl. Mercedes and calculated that I make less profit than the 0.56 cents per mile after expenses so I quit after New Years Eve.

I read that you are working in a law firm so I assume that you for sure are able to use a calculator and will do the math and track your expenses very well.

I would suggest to check if there is a sign up Bonus sometimes Uber offers up to $500 even after just a single completed ride..
If yes, take the welcome money and work a few hours, a few days and make your own experience.
Maybe it works fine for you maybe not. But if there is any "welcome money" take it and don't feel ashamed.

They took it from the drivers so there might be even a cent that was taken from me. 

Just keep two things in mind brother:

- DO KEEP TRACK note the miles you drive and compare them with the income.. keep also track of the hours you drive.
- DO NOT even worry about your ratings.. if people try to mess with you rather kick them out of your car than playing the Uber slave being worried loosing his job..

I did so and left Uber with a 4.86 rating which in fact means nothing at all.. 
If you have bad luck, you drive bad apples and they will rate you bad, no matter how nice you are.

If you're lucky, you drive nice friendly people and will have a good time..


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## Chandler (Jan 26, 2015)

No-tippers-suck said:


> I personally can't recommend it any more.
> with the recent fares only Uber makes money around 27% in average and the "people" get home for cheap.
> 
> If we as driver make money depends.. I have a 6cyl. Mercedes and calculated that I make less profit than the 0.56 cents per mile after expenses so I quit after New Years Eve.
> ...


Thanks for the thoughtful reply. In response to your assumption, yes I will make good use of my calculator and I planned on keeping track of everything on a spreadsheet. You mentioned you left Uber, do you drive for another organization or are you out of the game completely?


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

Chandler said:


> I hope you're not being sarcastic lol, how many trips could I get from 9pm - 3am?


42


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## Amsoil Uber Connect (Jan 14, 2015)

Say Hi to the Pakistanie fellow that pick us from Houston AP and took us to the Cruise ships in Galveston. I couldn't believe it cost us $170 for that trip two years ago. But he did buy us a six pack and after a couple beers in, I didn't give a shit anymore, just glad to get to the Hotel. We did see him after the cruise and waved as was picking up some others.

I'd be careful and not make that spread sheet to detailed. "You might not like what you find." Planet of the Apes ending.


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## No-tippers-suck (Oct 20, 2014)

I didn't delete my App still in case the fares ever go back up significantly but I don't drive for Lyft as well.
I had all three Apps, Sidecar first but they sucked the most, then Lyft and Uber.

Uber was the busiest, so if you sign up for Uber and Lyft your setup is fine.

I started my own business and do vehicle signage, full car wraps and window tints.
If anyone in the LA/OC/IE needs a wrap or tint I'll be happy for sure..

I wrapped my car (will try to post some pictures here if you like to see..


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## Uberman8263 (Jan 11, 2015)

Chandler said:


> I did some reading on the forums and did not see a thread specifically about the topic I would like to discuss, so here we go.
> 
> I'll be as brief as possible, but here is a quick background: I have a steady full-time job working at a law firm in Houston, TX and would like to earn some extra side money on the weekends. I have several years experience driving clients and attorneys around so this seems like a side job right up my alley. I am currently leasing a brand new 2015 Honda Civic with less than 2,000 miles right now.
> 
> ...


Drunks 


Chandler said:


> I did some reading on the forums and did not see a thread specifically about the topic I would like to discuss, so here we go.
> 
> I'll be as brief as possible, but here is a quick background: I have a steady full-time job working at a law firm in Houston, TX and would like to earn some extra side money on the weekends. I have several years experience driving clients and attorneys around so this seems like a side job right up my alley. I am currently leasing a brand new 2015 Honda Civic with less than 2,000 miles right now.
> 
> ...


Drunks are your best customers. They curse at you, they puck and vomit in your car. After one night they we'll make you realize the insanity of what your doing.


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## No-tippers-suck (Oct 20, 2014)

Here you can still see my UBER logo on the hood.. I was a totally motivated Uberdriver.. then they messed up the fares. 









And this is how it looks so far.. not finished yet, still need to wrap the bumpers and put my ads on..
wanted it to look like a fighter jet to get attention. Will do mobile tinting, this way I don't need a place.


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## Chandler (Jan 26, 2015)

No-tippers-suck said:


> I didn't delete my App still in case the fares ever go back up significantly but I don't drive for Lyft as well.
> I had all three Apps, Sidecar first but they sucked the most, then Lyft and Uber.
> 
> Uber was the busiest, so if you sign up for Uber and Lyft your setup is fine.
> ...


Good stuff, thanks for the honest advice man. I'm glad to hear you started your own business, I'm working on getting capital together so I can start to make some moves of my own. You're doing great work so far, that fighter jet idea is totally different I like it! I wish you the best of luck, working for yourself is the only way to go imo.



Uberman8263 said:


> Drunks
> Drunks are your best customers. They curse at you, they puck and vomit in your car. After one night they we'll make you realize the insanity of what your doing.


As a young hustler I'm willing to do whatever it takes and put up with any b.s. if the money is right. I'm great at building rapport with people, and I believe I will be able to handle any situation. I recently read a post discussing puking in the car (which I imagine is my biggest concern working weekend nights) where RideshareGuru suggested neoprene seat covers and weathertech floor mats. I would even buy a small bucket to keep inside the vehicle if it's that bad. Also in that thread Chris Dee talks about literally making double the money so I can't help but investigate this opportunity. I'm more afraid of regret than failure.


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## Txchick (Nov 25, 2014)

No-tippers-suck said:


> Here you can still see my UBER logo on the hood.. I was a totally motivated Uberdriver.. then they messed up the fares.
> View attachment 4257
> 
> 
> ...


Awesome work!!


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## TidyVet (Dec 27, 2014)

Hi Chandler, I drive in Boston from 4 pm - 3 am, four nights a weeks. Weekday nights I earn approx $13/hour (after gas).
Friday/Saturday nights, I earn $20/hour (after gas). I drive a 2008 minivan with 100k miles on it, so my depreciation costs are virtually nill. My wife and I own a cleaning business doing approx $8500/month in revenue with 4 employees so I do have a business/analytical background which I think is what you're looking for.

FYI, you can't drive a Honda Civic with Uber (even a brand new one), it's not on the available vehicle list. (at least from what I saw online).

Your greatest detriment is that you have leased a brand new car, the depreciation of the miles on that new car are probably going to not make it worth it. You could do a KBB test, your current car, and then add 3000 miles, you get the idea. Plus, if you go over the mileage, you will be penalized (prob .20/mile, check your paperwork)

In answer to your other questions...

Are intoxicated people awesome or terrible clientele? I think they would tip better and rate consistently high, is this true? 
Nobody tips, just accept that off the bat. It says right on the app "Tipping Not Required" I get tipped approx 3% of gross, earn approx $700/week, get tipped approx $20/week. Someone will eventually puke inside/or on your car, it won't be pretty.

Is the market for driving nights better than days?
You have to drive nights, don't even bother with days. 9 pm - 3 am is THE most profitable time to drive for Uber. Weekend days are pretty good, but probably 20% lower then weekend nights. M-F daytime is garbage, the forums are filled with disgruntled Uber drivers waiting 3 hours for a ping. People are at work they don't need a ride.

How much could I bring home in one "shift"?
Most I ever took home (after gas) was $220, but that was an 11 hour shift.

What are your experiences?
If you are going to do this, do it ASAP, because they will continue to cut fares until they take the company public. Also, background checks in Boston take approx 3 months to go through now.


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## No-tippers-suck (Oct 20, 2014)

thanks you both for the compliments about my work !
I guess I'm not allowed to "advertise" here without paying the owner of this really valued forum.
Maybe if I make a few bucks I will ask to have some paid banners, but right now I can't afford it.

I must say I am not new to the wrap business had this type of biz in Germany where I came from and we do quality work..
Here I saw some really excellent jobs but also a lot of lazy work..

My idea to get attention back in Germany was this :










And I was doing things like this: 










I hope I don't get in trouble with "admin" 
I mean this advertisement was back in Germany so it's not soliciting here in the forum, right ?


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

Chandler said:


> As a young hustler I'm willing to do whatever it takes and put up with any b.s. if the money is right. I'm great at building rapport with people, and I believe I will be able to handle any situation. I recently read a post discussing puking in the car (which I imagine is my biggest concern working weekend nights) where RideshareGuru suggested neoprene seat covers and weathertech floor mats. I would even buy a small bucket to keep inside the vehicle if it's that bad. Also in that thread Chris Dee talks about literally making double the money so I can't help but investigate this opportunity. I'm more afraid of regret than failure.


You ain't gonna make SQUAT at Uber's std. rate of $1.10 a mile in Houston, K?

Just run the math. $1.10 X .80 (Uber's cut) = 88 CENTS per paid mile.

NOW you are not going to get paid for every mile you run. You'll run 1 to 2 miles for every mile you are paid. Using the better case scenario, 1 paid mile to 1 unpaid, divide then Ubers rate of 88 CENTS per mile in half to derive what you'll actually get, which is 44 CENTS per mile.

The IRS allows 57 cents per mile for costs. So the math here is 'how much PROFIT are you going to make?'

The answer is: NOTHING.

The 'only' reason to even bother with Uber is for SURGE RATES for which you might actually be able to make a profit, for those pay rates. Which can be both erratic and rare depending on your market. You might sit around all night in your car waiting for a few minutes of surge and catch maybe a ride or 2. The balance of the drive time will be a PUBLIC DONATION on your part.

Knock yerself out. There's plenty of takers to drive for nothing til they figure it out.

Oh, and since you work in the legal field, don't forget to call your insurance company to tell them that you are driving a livery service with your personal vehicle. I'm sure they will be delighted to hear that you are taking on more risk.


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## SDUberdriver (Nov 11, 2014)

TidyVet said:


> Hi Chandler, I drive in Boston from 4 pm - 3 am, four nights a weeks. Weekday nights I earn approx $13/hour (after gas).
> Friday/Saturday nights, I earn $20/hour (after gas). I drive a 2008 minivan with 100k miles on it, so my depreciation costs are virtually nill. My wife and I own a cleaning business doing approx $8500/month in revenue with 4 employees so I do have a business/analytical background which I think is what you're looking for.
> 
> FYI, you can't drive a Honda Civic with Uber (even a brand new one), it's not on the available vehicle list. (at least from what I saw online).
> ...


@TidyVet here are the vehicle requirements for Uberx

Vehicle must be 2005 or newer with 4 doors. So why wouldn't his Honda Civic qualify?


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## TidyVet (Dec 27, 2014)

Just remember, Building a signage business has NOTHING to do with being good at signage. You have to be great at signage to "run" a signage business.

But, to BUILD the business you need


scrurbscrud said:


> You ain't gonna make SQUAT at Uber's std. rate of $1.10 a mile in Houston, K?
> 
> Just run the math. $1.10 X .80 (Uber's cut) = 88 CENTS per paid mile.
> 
> ...


Why would I run 1 to 2 miles for every mile I drive? You know you are supposed to STOP after you drop PAX off? You just drop them off, pull up 10 feet, and wait for the next ping.

Maybe that's why you are making NOTHING. But yes, surge rates are bomb.


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

TidyVet said:


> Just remember, Building a signage business has NOTHING to do with being good at signage. You have to be great at signage to "run" a signage business.
> 
> But, to BUILD the business you need
> 
> ...


Dead miles?! I ain't got no dead miles.

zzz


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## nutzareus (Oct 28, 2014)

TidyVet said:


> Why would I run 1 to 2 miles for every mile I drive? You know you are supposed to STOP after you drop PAX off? You just drop them off, pull up 10 feet, and wait for the next ping.
> 
> .


Why would seasoned veterans lie to you about dead miles? I no longer drive evenings and weekends, only in the early morning before my regular desk job. You will end up driving double the miles Uber pays you. You need to drive miles to get to your next passenger most likely. Just try it and you'll be surprised how much "dead miles" you accumulate.


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## TidyVet (Dec 27, 2014)

I have, I don't do 2X dead miles. Most blue-collar, long-term employees are BAD at their jobs, "Rise to the highest level of incompetence" so a seasoned veteran's opinion means little. I drive evenings and never have to drive more than 3 mins for a ping. However, my acceptance rate is currently 78%, I'm picky about my rides.


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## UberEksman (Jan 11, 2015)

Hey no tippers email me your number cause I will need a tint soon and I can promote your biz to my passengers and insurance clients, thanks bro.


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## jsixis (Dec 14, 2014)

TidyVet said:


> Just remember, Building a signage business has NOTHING to do with being good at signage. You have to be great at signage to "run" a signage business.
> 
> But, to BUILD the business you need
> 
> ...


lol you stay there the passenger will be calling the cops


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

Chandler said:


> I did some reading on the forums and did not see a thread specifically about the topic I would like to discuss, so here we go.
> 
> I'll be as brief as possible, but here is a quick background: I have a steady full-time job working at a law firm in Houston, TX and would like to earn some extra side money on the weekends. I have several years experience driving clients and attorneys around so this seems like a side job right up my alley. I am currently leasing a brand new 2015 Honda Civic with less than 2,000 miles right now.
> 
> ...


Are you sure your lease will allow you to be an Uber driver?

I quit driving at 1PM to avoid the bar rush ( I start at 3pm to try and make up for it ). Note, some of the best money is earned between 1am - 3am so cutting out at 1am like I do is a loss of about $50 or more, but for me, it's not worth the hassle of driving severely drunk people -- most are okay, but some aren't. Some people are rude, not many, but just enough that you are going to hate the bar rush.
Some will climb into your car with a soda and no lid on the soda, and stain your seats.
they['ll ask to stop an a fast food, and make you wait in line which cuts into income, eat in your car and make a mess.
About once or twice a year, you'll encounter a puker -- I carry trash bags in the pouches in back of the seats. Listen for indications of queezy rider, "can you roll down the window? " groaning noises, stuff like that. don't trust them if they say they are alright. IF you think you got a puker, MAKE him or her hold the trash bag to their face, or evict them. How do I get them to do this? I tell them Uber will charge them $250 if they puke. That does the trick, every time.

Ive driven taxis and Ubers total 10 years, and Ive always done better at night. Primary reason, longer trips, can pick up and drop faster owing to less traffic.
But these factors will vary depending on the demographics and logistics of your city.

When I started, I cleared ( after gas ) $250 per night on friday saturday, now it's half owing to rates cut in half. This is why I'm thinking of quitting as soon as I am able. You gotta understand, IRS deduction is 57.5 cents per mile, and a lot of that is depreciation. You won't feel it right away, but in time, you will, it's a real cost.

When the rate was $1.65 per mile, if I drove 10 hours, I often grossed $35o on Friday, $350 on Saturday and $250 on Sunday and just as often over $400. I don't see much surging these days. I saw a lot more when I started, Probably too many drivers, the reason, now.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

TidyVet said:


> I have, I don't do 2X dead miles. Most blue-collar, long-term employees are BAD at their jobs, "Rise to the highest level of incompetence" so a seasoned veteran's opinion means little. I drive evenings and never have to drive more than 3 mins for a ping. However, my acceptance rate is currently 78%, I'm picky about my rides.


In a busy urban area, paid miles is hgher than out in the suburbs. they way to be sure about paid miles is to add up your trip miles and compare it to total miles driven, and I keep track of both. In my city, depending on your style of driving ( I like to work a certain area, so I am always deadheading back to it ), so my paid miles are around 50%. If you stop wherever you drop, and wait for a nearby trip, your paid miles are going to be a lot better. But, for me, there are some places i just don't like to pick up, areas with a lotta snotty fratboys, or young MBA types on the prowl like the beach area and downtown is a real hassle, these I can do without., so I go back to the area where I like the people. ( mostly north and south park ) and the logistics of the place.


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## jo5eph (Jul 14, 2014)

Try lyft instead. But everything else everybody has mentioned is the same. 

You will get pukers about 2-4 times a year. Im guessing more now with the lower class clients you will be picking up because of the lower rates.

Keep track of all your miles.

Dont waste your time with water and snacks. Just more for you to clean up.

Always check your back seats after you drop off every client. Then rate them.


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## brikosig (Dec 16, 2014)

Boston driver here........
After 10 pm most people have been drinking but 90% of them are kool. 
After 11:30/12:00 - 99.9% of pax have been drinking.... 70% of them have a nice social buzz on..... 20% are shitfaced and slurring noticeably.... 10% are wrecked and on the verge of hurling. All the pukers I've had have made it to the street (or in the puke bags) and I DO Mean the steet....I don't pull over to the sidewalk.... I stop in the middle of the street to hold up the traffic so they embarrass themselves.
If I pick up a group of drunks I say hello... small talk.... then ask them if anyone's on the edge of throwing up. They ALWAYS say no, I respond with. "Great... it gets expensive when a pax pukes in an uber, it's an automatic $250 charge on your credit card, (yea-I lie and they're clueless). Then I close with, "Oh, by the way.... if you puke in my nice car I DON'T clean it up..... The puker does... and if he can't then all of you will!! ...and because I will have taken a picture of it... i'll still get the $250."

I get a lot of "Yes Sir(s)" after saying that. ........ though I'm a very friendly person.....I'm older with a sort of Tony Soprano look and attitude.... so people don't tend to get "feisty" with me.

Also.....all of the puker's I've had have been women.... even though I drink myself I HATE the stench of a bunch of drunks. I never knew how bad a drunk person smells until I started ubering. 

PUT SOME ZIPLOC BAGS IN YOUR CAR FOR PUKERS. .... i've had a couple of people use them.


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