# Strategy is the only way to survive in Rideshare



## SurgeMasterMN (Sep 10, 2016)

Knowing your area inside and out, the best times to work and having the right vehicle (for your target niche) is the only way to survive in the Rideshare Business going forward. A lot has changed from a few years ago when all u had to do was turn on your app. Driving less and placing yourself in strategic locations at certain times is the only way to make $$$ currently. If we as drivers do not have a daily plan we cannot survive and keep the vehicle from burning out in 1.5 years.


Study Your Area - What are the best times to work each day of the week? What location will get you the longest ride? What are the back roads to get you back to the hotzone fast?


Vehicle Choice - What is your market or niche? Finding a vehicle that can cross mutiple categories that pay better then X will enable you to drive less and allow you to maintain your vehicle twice or three times it’s normal life rather then just driving just X or Reg Lyft.


Fuel Efficiency - This is key and can save you a ton of money each year just by your choice of your vehicle. Buying 3 years off new and selling in 2-3 years will give u the best return on your vehicle.


What is everyone elses suggestions for driving going forward?


----------



## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

Those are some good ones!

I'd add: it's better to find a honey hole where you wait several minutes for longer trips than do back to back minimum fares in downtown driving. It's easier on your car.


----------



## jgiun1 (Oct 16, 2017)

SurgeMasterMN said:


> Knowing your area inside and out, the best times to work and having the right vehicle (for your target niche) is the only way to survive in the Rideshare Business going forward. A lot has changed from a few years ago when all u had to do was turn on your app. Driving less and placing yourself in strategic locations at certain times is the only way to make $$$ currently. If we as drivers do not have a daily plan we cannot survive and keep the vehicle from burning out in 1.5 years.
> 
> Study Your Area - What are the best times to work each day of the week? What location will get you the longest ride? What are the back roads to get you back to the hotzone fast?
> 
> ...


Yes....I agree to everthing you stated above.

Thing that sucks, espically during weekday events, the new app and the 75% of drivers with no strategy, flock to the little busier here arrows Uber provides on app, but it's well before the events are letting out (usually the couple stragglers leaving events early)

I used to be a surfer on the outside of a surge cloud and never went in to the event traffic. Even that strategy is getting bad, because there's either no surge or a very small color.

I still think strategies from the past won't work today with all the saturation in markets and lyft/Uber tactic messages making newbies think they have to accept every ride. This by far has been the strangest year with noobs. I never seen so many dummies sitting by an event online.....lol


----------



## vtcomics (Oct 9, 2018)

MadTownUberD said:


> Those are some good ones!
> 
> I'd add: it's better to find a honey hole where you wait several minutes for longer trips than do back to back minimum fares in downtown driving. It's easier on your car.


What arw some examples of a honey hole?? Hotels? Airport? Something else??


----------



## SurgeMasterMN (Sep 10, 2016)

jgiun1 said:


> Yes....I agree to everthing you stated above.
> 
> Thing that sucks, espically during weekday events, the new app and the 75% of drivers with no strategy, flock to the little busier here arrows Uber provides on app, but it's well before the events are letting out (usually the couple stragglers leaving events early)
> 
> ...


Very true...it does seem to be ever changing in our quest to find the perfect strategy. It is a lot like a puzzle finding the right elements to generate cash flow. One tip I have been picking up is when u do get a short ride to a location far from the airport. Example group of 4 people with luggage going 5 miles from their hotel to the office. Ask then if they need a ride to the airport later. Confirm a cell number then have them text you when they are ready show up do the ping in the vehicle and you are on your way. These trips usually result in a long ride (generally during rush hour) and a good tip because of the rapport you built with the customer. If it goes really well have them contact u next time they are in town for all their transportation needs.

Ahhh yes the noobs...


----------



## jgiun1 (Oct 16, 2017)

I would have to say....Ubers way to get back at the cherry pickers was this new app. I'll always be a 100% cherry picker until the day I get deactivated. There's times when the surge zones get bigger after events, then I pop online and get 3-4 reguests around surge with no surge on my end. Then 3 to 5 inside event zone and the rate is WAY lower than posted on app.....cherry picking nightmare 2018.

One thing I never did and won't ever...call the Pax and ask where they're going too...that's total cheese ball material there.

It's almost like Uber had a huge list of driver annoyances to them, and pretty much did em in on the app.


----------



## Christinebitg (Jun 29, 2018)

jgiun1 said:


> One thing I never did and won't ever...call the Pax and ask where they're going too...that's total cheese ball material there.


I agree with that. Call it whatever you want, but it's still a slimey move in my opinion.

C


----------



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

vtcomics said:


> What arw some examples of a honey hole?? Hotels? Airport? Something else??


Walmarts.


----------



## oldfart (Dec 22, 2017)

vtcomics said:


> What arw some examples of a honey hole?? Hotels? Airport? Something else??


For me, its the airport My life centers around the airport> My ideal day is to pick up a ride from home to the airport.. Then before the first incoming flight of the day, drive 25 miles away to sit at a lot near a luxury hotel in a neighborhood of high priced homes and high rise condos

I may have to take a short ride or two to a golf course or restaurant or an off site meeting, but I can usually count on an airport run. Then depending on the queue at the airport Ill either sit there or return to the hotel lot



SurgeMasterMN said:


> Very true...it does seem to be ever changing in our quest to find the perfect strategy. It is a lot like a puzzle finding the right elements to generate cash flow. One tip I have been picking up is when u do get a short ride to a location far from the airport. Example group of 4 people with luggage going 5 miles from their hotel to the office. Ask then if they need a ride to the airport later. Confirm a cell number then have them text you when they are ready show up do the ping in the vehicle and you are on your way. These trips usually result in a long ride (generally during rush hour) and a good tip because of the rapport you built with the customer. If it goes really well have them contact u next time they are in town for all their transportation needs.
> 
> Ahhh yes the noobs...


Id agree, develop repeat or better yet, regular customers and schedule rides

If Im at a certain 7/11 at a certain time I almost always get a $15 ride taking one of the people that live in a nearby apartment complex to work


----------



## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

vtcomics said:


> What arw some examples of a honey hole?? Hotels? Airport? Something else??


Some are straightforward, some are not. One of my best honey holes is a certain gas station parking lot which gets me a lot of trips to the airport in the morning while avoiding the dreaded University students. Another one of my favorites is a McDonalds parking lot due to its proximity to several hotels. You really have to experiment with different spots at different times to see what works in your area.


----------



## Seamus (Jun 21, 2018)

Agree 100%, Strategy is the only way left to make any money. The over saturation of ants that are willing to drive at a loss, and also willing to go 25 minutes to a pickup, has dried up surges and many past honey pots are now filled with ants.

Strategy has always been the way to maximize your generated revenue. However, now the strategy must change very often as the environment changes rapidly. Adapt quickly or join the 96% who leave!

The only way this ever gets any better is IF the day ever comes where they can't continue to get new ants to replace the old ants that give up.

I need to get 2 more years out of this gig. It gets tougher to keep doing it.


----------



## dctcmn (Sep 21, 2017)

Great post as always, SurgeMasterMN.



SurgeMasterMN said:


> Buying 3 years off new and selling in 2-3 years will give u the best return on your vehicle.
> 
> What is everyone elses suggestions for driving going forward?


This is the only thing I disagree with. Using a fully depreciated vehicle until it ages out or dies is the best return on our investment, unless you're driving in a market that has strong demand for black, lux, etc.

*My suggestions:*

1. Know your numbers and track them over time. Google has a free spreadsheet that has all of the basic functionality of Excel. At minimum, have a few key performance indicators (gross & net revenue per mile, gross & net revenue per hour, total operational cost per mile, etc) that tell you how your day or week went. This helps me from getting too excited during the good times and too down during the lean times. It also tells me if experimental strategies are working or not and, based on previous year's numbers, what to expect every season.

2. Experiment until you form a strategy that works for you, then work the heck out of that strategy. Drill down and pay attention to the tendencies of the dispatch algorithm and how people move around town during the times you are driving. People are just cattle and on the whole, they tend migrate to the same places at the same times everyday.

3. Have a process. Once you find a working strategy, repeat it over and over again only changing it to fine tune the process or respond to changing conditions. This is how you identify the behaviors that the dispatch software rewards and punishes.

4. The best way to maximize tips is to put on a performance. You need to entice people to tip or to tip the maximum amount. Having a clean car and giving a safe, comfortable ride is not enough to entice people to tip, but a dirty car and uncomfortable ride will keep them from tipping. You also need to give people a compelling reason to put their money in your pocket. This is always your second or third job to pay for your college, your kid's college, your/your partner's/your kid's/your parents' medical bills (kid's medical bills is the real winner here). Sure, not everyone wants to talk and you just let them go and don't waste much effort. However, whenever someone asks me "_So how long have you been driving for Uber/Lyft?_" I know I can launch into a scripted story that has a good chance of ending in a tip.


----------



## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

dctcmn said:


> Great post as always, SurgeMasterMN.
> 
> This is the only thing I disagree with. Using a fully depreciated vehicle until it ages out or dies is the best return on our investment, unless you're driving in a market that has strong demand for black, lux, etc.
> 
> ...


I agree with everything except the part where it looked like you were encouraging inventing stories to get tips. I don't mind emphasizing the reality of the bill I have to pay if people ask why I do this but I'm not going to flat out lie.

I especially agree with the spreadsheet part. My spreadsheet rocks and adjusts total cost per mile based on not only fuel economy but estimated increased wear and tear on the car due to City driving.


----------



## dctcmn (Sep 21, 2017)

MadTownUberD said:


> I agree with everything except the part where it looked like you were encouraging inventing stories to get tips. I don't mind emphasizing the reality of the bill I have to pay if people ask why I do this but I'm not going to flat out lie.
> 
> I especially agree with the spreadsheet part. My spreadsheet rocks and adjusts total cost per mile based on not only fuel economy but estimated increased wear and tear on the car due to City driving.


I respect your position, but I don't feel it's appropriate for the passenger to ask any personal questions of the driver. It's not appropriate to do that with anyone else in life, so why with us? I don't ask my waiter how long they've been serving, why they're serving, where they live, where they grew up, if they have kids, if they have another job or any of the other inappropriate things that pax ask us.

"_So is this your full time gig?_" is an insulting and completely inappropriate question to ask anyone. At that point, the passenger is asking me to entertain them while piloting a 2 ton killing machine and trying not to kill us both-- so I give them what they want and become an entertainer. I'd love to tell them to eff off, shut up and just sit their ass in the seat from point A to point B. I despise the fact that pax view us as their in-flight entertainment, but if that's the way it's gonna be, then I'll profit from it.

So yeah, I lie to the pax. I do it all of the time when they make ridiculous demands of me. I do it when they ask me to make extra stops. I do it when they ask if I have an aux cord (bro). I do it when they ask me if they can vape in the car. I do it when they demand that I entertain them by asking me overly personal questions. If the livestock want to be entertained, I'll entertain them if I think they'll pay me for it.


----------



## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

dctcmn said:


> I respect your position, but I don't feel it's appropriate for the passenger to ask any personal questions of the driver. It's not appropriate to do that with anyone else in life, so why with us? I don't ask my waiter how long they've been serving, why they're serving, where they live, where they grew up, if they have kids, if they have another job or any of the other inappropriate things that pax ask us.
> 
> "_So is this your full time gig?_" is an insulting and completely inappropriate question to ask anyone. At that point, the passenger is asking me to entertain them while piloting a 2 ton killing machine and trying not to kill us both-- so I give them what they want and become an entertainer. I'd love to tell them to eff off, shut up and just sit their ass in the seat from point A to point B. I despise the fact that pax view us as their in-flight entertainment, but if that's the way it's gonna be, then I'll profit from it.
> 
> So yeah, I lie to the pax. I do it all of the time when they make ridiculous demands of me. I do it when they ask me to make extra stops. I do it when they ask if I have an aux cord (bro). I do it when they ask me if they can vape in the car. I do it when they demand that I entertain them by asking me overly personal questions. If the livestock want to be entertained, I'll entertain them if I think they'll pay me for it.


Interesting. Maybe someday when I'm well into 4.98 territory (currently at 4.97) I'll have the guts to ask why they think "do you do this full time?" is an appropriate question.


----------



## Kurt Halfyard (Dec 13, 2017)

MadTownUberD said:


> I agree with everything except the part where it looked like you were encouraging inventing stories to get tips. I don't mind emphasizing the reality of the bill I have to pay if people ask why I do this but I'm not going to flat out lie.


I do pretty well with tips. My strategy is simply to be very conversational. Living in a very, very diverse city, and being able to talk intelligently about specifics of peoples motherland-culture (holidays, events, geography, weather movie stars/films) is a surefire way to get tips. But here is the secret sauce: I don't NEED the tips, so I can be very natural about how I talk to people. I honestly like short conversations with strangers about various things, so it comes honestly/naturally.

I do believe any savvy PAX (the passengers inclined, or with means to tip, btw) can spot a driver giving a script/lie for a tip.


----------



## dctcmn (Sep 21, 2017)

Kurt Halfyard said:


> I do pretty well with tips. My strategy is simply to be very conversational. Living in a very, very diverse city, and being able to talk intelligently about specifics of peoples motherland-culture (holidays, events, geography, weather movie stars/films) is a surefire way to get tips. But here is the secret sauce: I don't NEED the tips, so I can be very natural about how I talk to people. I honestly like short conversations with strangers about various things, so it comes honestly/naturally.
> 
> I do believe any savvy PAX (the passengers inclined, or with means to tip, btw) can spot a driver giving a script/lie for a tip.


I typically earn 17-23% of my weekly gross fares in tips. My goal is to boost that to 20-25%+, but I seem to max out at my current numbers. So sure, SOME pax might see through it and if they do, then that's the cost of doing business. All I need is a decent percentage to not see through it and I'm coming out ahead.

All things being equal (gender, age, race, attractiveness), I haven't read about too many drivers doing better 20% of gross fares in tips. Maybe you're doing better than that, and I'm always looking for practical ways to increase tips. If I find a way that gets me more than 17-23%, I adopt that way.


----------



## Kurt Halfyard (Dec 13, 2017)

dctcmn said:


> I typically earn 17-23% of my weekly gross fares in tips. My goal is to boost that to 20-25%+, but I seem to max out at my current numbers. So sure, SOME pax might see through it and if they do, then that's the cost of doing business. All I need is a decent percentage to not see through it and I'm coming out ahead.
> 
> All things being equal (gender, age, race, attractiveness), I haven't read about too many drivers doing better 20% of gross fares in tips. Maybe you're doing better than that, and I'm always looking for practical ways to increase tips. If I find a way that gets me more than 17-23%, I adopt that way.


Whoa. That is next level stuff. If I hit 8-10% of Gross I'm pretty Happy. Usually I hover between 6-7%.


----------



## vtcomics (Oct 9, 2018)

dctcmn said:


> Great post as always, SurgeMasterMN.
> 
> This is the only thing I disagree with. Using a fully depreciated vehicle until it ages out or dies is the best return on our investment, unless you're driving in a market that has strong demand for black, lux, etc.
> 
> ...


Buying a fully depreciated vehicle can be a huge risk; you may end up spending more in repairs than you would making car payments! If you do get lucky and buy the elderly woman's 2012 Camry or Prius with only 20k miles on it then big time kudos and it's a major home run. People just need to make sure they're not buying a literal POS.


----------



## oldfart (Dec 22, 2017)

There are two things you are aiming for with your strategy. 1) increasing income and 2) minimizing expenses

So to maximize income that means aiming for the longer interstate highway rides. (We get paid more for miles than minutes so 80mph with a passenger is my target ) that’s why my airport strategy 

Now it comes to how do we minimize expenses. The two biggest expenses no matter what you drive are fuel and the car itself. So for me, at least until it’s time to buy a new car my fuel strategy is to minimize dead miles which means, with some exceptions, work where the ride takes you. 

Regarding the expenses I always thought that the cheapest car to buy is the one you already own so I will run this one until it won’t run anymore. I started with a used car with 70000 miles worth about $18000 and I hope that it goes 3 years (200000 more miles) if I get that out of it that means my car expense is $6000 a year or about 9 cents a mile. So the question becomes what to buy when I buy a new car to reduce that expense

As I see it 3 choices (I used to think just 2 choices) 1) replace what I have, with another $18000 used car good for another 3 years or $18000 miles. 2) buy a really well used car for about $6000 and hope it lasts a year. My new #3 is what is mentioned in a post above. Buy a slightly used car and drive it a year or so and sell it for no less than $6000 less than what I paid for it. So as I see it $500 a month or 9 cents a mile is my car expense no matter what 

Bottom line with the car is to maintain that expense (call it depreciation) at less than 10 cents a mile. 

Here’s why I like the idea of buying a nearly new car and selling it within a year. I currently drive an XL and although only about 25% of my rides are XL the extra 50% I get for those rides is important to me. My thinking is that I’d like a Lux SUV for the higher fares. It dosent really make any difference what I pay for the car as long as I can sell it in a year for about $6000 less than what I paid for it. And the bonus of a car like a Black Suburban or something like it, is that I will have to get insured and permitted as a “vehicle for hire” and I’ll be able to do private cash rides. Which goes to my first goal which is to increase income 


So that’s a lot of words to try to explain what is still pretty fuzzy thinking on my part. I hope I explained myself well enough to be understood


----------



## vtcomics (Oct 9, 2018)

KhosrowshahiUber said:


> OR, u can invest in yourself & ur future and learn a marketable skill that will Secure gainful employment with benefits.
> 
> Low skill low wage gigs are purposeless & a slow train to destitution.
> As far as uber and lyft are concerned you're a disposable nonemployee. Is that the life u want?


For those of us that are retired and drawing Social Security it's actually a good fit. Tool around town a few hours here and there to snag a few hundred extra bucks a week after expenses. Perfect.


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

SurgeMasterMN said:


> Knowing your area inside and out, the best times to work and having the right vehicle (for your target niche) is the only way to survive in the Rideshare Business going forward. A lot has changed from a few years ago when all u had to do was turn on your app. Driving less and placing yourself in strategic locations at certain times is the only way to make $$$ currently. If we as drivers do not have a daily plan we cannot survive and keep the vehicle from burning out in 1.5 years.
> 
> Study Your Area - What are the best times to work each day of the week? What location will get you the longest ride? What are the back roads to get you back to the hotzone fast?
> 
> ...


Been there.
Done that.
Uber gave away all my hard earned data to new ants.


----------



## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

vtcomics said:


> Buying a fully depreciated vehicle can be a huge risk; you may end up spending more in repairs than you would making car payments! If you do get lucky and buy the elderly woman's 2012 Camry or Prius with only 20k miles on it then big time kudos and it's a major home run. People just need to make sure they're not buying a literal POS.


In August 2017 I bought a 2006 sonata for $3000 which I just sold for $1500 a few weeks ago after spending about $7000 fixing it. So ya, I would agree with you.

$8500 over about 30,000 this equates to about $0.28/mile is non gas costs. Adding gas brings this up to about $0.35-0.40/mile. Not horrible, but I could have done better.


----------



## Christinebitg (Jun 29, 2018)

dctcmn said:


> I don't feel it's appropriate for the passenger to ask any personal questions of the driver.


Whether it's appropriate or not, they'll ask. And just like if someone asks you an illegal question during a job interview, you want to have the right answer queued up, not quibble about if they should have asked you.



dctcmn said:


> I don't ask my waiter how long they've been serving, why they're serving, where they live, where they grew up, if they have kids, if they have another job or any of the other inappropriate things


No, but you might if you were locked in a room with that waiter for 30 minutes or an hour.

You're probably not located here in Texas where I am. Down here, that personal stuff is just a way of making small talk. And that's here in Houston, the largest city in Texas.

Christine


----------



## UberBeemer (Oct 23, 2015)

SurgeMasterMN said:


> Fuel Efficiency -


Fuel prices are key. Particularly if a ride takes you out of your usual area. GasBuddy is a driver's friend. It finds lowest prices closest to your location.


----------



## Homelesshenry (May 2, 2017)

oldfart said:


> There are two things you are aiming for with your strategy. 1) increasing income and 2) minimizing expenses
> 
> So to maximize income that means aiming for the longer interstate highway rides. (We get paid more for miles than minutes so 80mph with a passenger is my target ) that's why my airport strategy
> 
> ...


Old fart, always look forward to reading your threads. Wisdom from experience. Thanks


----------



## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

Homelesshenry said:


> Old fart, always look forward to reading your threads. Wisdom from experience. Thanks


Agreed, let's give respect to our more "seasoned" brethren, even if we don't always agree with them. That's what a civilized society does.


----------



## dctcmn (Sep 21, 2017)

MadTownUberD said:


> In August 2017 I bought a 2006 sonata for $3000 which I just sold for $1500 a few weeks ago after spending about $7000 fixing it. So ya, I would agree with you.
> 
> $8500 over about 30,000 this equates to about $0.28/mile is non gas costs. Adding gas brings this up to about $0.35-0.40/mile. Not horrible, but I could have done better.


Putting $7000 into a vehicle that's worth $1500 if it's running perfectly is quite frankly a horrible business decision. I respect you and your opinions, but there must have been some extenuating circumstances that went into you making that decision. Otherwise it simply makes no sense.

Still, your example illustrates my point. If you bought a $3,000 car and drove it for 30,000 miles and junked it, your cost of ownership (just ownership, not cost of operation), would have been 10 cents per mile. That's still financially better than just about anyone driving a new/newer car. It wasn't a mistake to buy and use a $3,000 car, it was a mistake to repair it.

That's the option that driving an old car gives you-- the option to junk it and walk away. You don't have that with a newer vehicle. You're stuck with it. So if market conditions change, or your life conditions change, you can walk.



vtcomics said:


> Buying a fully depreciated vehicle can be a huge risk; you may end up spending more in repairs than you would making car payments! If you do get lucky and buy the elderly woman's 2012 Camry or Prius with only 20k miles on it then big time kudos and it's a major home run. People just need to make sure they're not buying a literal POS.


Sure, but look at MadTownUberD's situation. If he would have junked the Sonata when he should have, he would have only paid 10 cents per mile for it. Most newer vehicles, non-luxury vehicles depreciate at a higher rate than that. Luxury vehicles have an even more rapid depreciation schedule.

I've bought vehicles for $3,ooo and driven them for 150-200k miles before. I've bought $3,000 vehicles and driven them for 20,000 miles, too. So sure, you're gonna win some and lose some, but on the whole, if you know what to look for, you'll come out much further ahead with fully depreciated vehicle.

If you're driving ride share full time (and that's the strategy I'm addressing-- not part time, weekend driving), your vehicle is a commodity that you are selling one mile at a time. Nothing more.


----------



## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

dctcmn said:


> Putting $7000 into a vehicle that's worth $1500 if it's running perfectly is quite frankly a horrible business decision. I respect you and your opinions, but there must have been some extenuating circumstances that went into you making that decision. Otherwise it simply makes no sense.
> 
> Still, your example illustrates my point. If you bought a $3,000 car and drove it for 30,000 miles and junked it, your cost of ownership (just ownership, not cost of operation), would have been 10 cents per mile. That's still financially better than just about anyone driving a new/newer car. It wasn't a mistake to buy and use a $3,000 car, it was a mistake to repair it.
> 
> ...


The problem is with each successive repair I kept telling myself "I'll junk it after this repair" *and* I had the ulterior motive of keeping miles off my BMW *and* I didn't want to deal with wife criticism if I went and got another car right away. A lot more complex than my post made it appear.

By your rationale I should have junked it seconds after buying it...it needed brake work and A/C repair right away. But yes you're right, I held on too long. Should have driven it for 1 winter then sold it when the weather got too warm for no A/C.


----------



## dctcmn (Sep 21, 2017)

MadTownUberD said:


> The problem is with each successive repair I kept telling myself "I'll junk it after this repair" *and* I had the ulterior motive of keeping miles off my BMW *and* I didn't want to deal with wife criticism if I went and got another car right away. A lot more complex than my post made it appear.
> 
> By your rationale I should have junked it seconds after buying it...it needed brake work and A/C repair right away. But yes you're right, I held on too long. Should have driven it for 1 winter then sold it when the weather got too warm for no A/C.


Got it. Thanks for the response. Yeah, evaluating the prospective car is a big part of it. I tend to walk away at the sign of anything I can't easily diagnose and fix on my own.

I guess this is also strategy, but I think it's really important to be able to do your own brakes (and other preventative maintenance and minor repairs). For me, it's the difference between spending ~$100 doing brakes myself and spending $500+ to have a shop do it.


----------



## 105398 (Aug 28, 2016)

Some people enjoy hot air balloon rides. Hot air balloons follow the wind and land miles away in a country field. How would the hot air balloon passengers get back to town? Perfect ride-share opportunity awaits!

Thus I recommend following hot air balloons way out into the county, far far away for the city, where you have passengers ready for a ride back into the city.

*edit: If you do UberXL you can help take the basket back as well.


----------



## vtcomics (Oct 9, 2018)

UberBeemer said:


> Fuel prices are key. Particularly if a ride takes you out of your usual area. GasBuddy is a driver's friend. It finds lowest prices closest to your location.


And with oil dropping 25% in just 1 month we had darn well better see a substantial drop in gas prices. After the usual 10 day lag. Bunch of THIEVES



dctcmn said:


> Got it. Thanks for the response. Yeah, evaluating the prospective car is a big part of it. I tend to walk away at the sign of anything I can't easily diagnose and fix on my own.
> 
> I guess this is also strategy, but I think it's really important to be able to do your own brakes (and other preventative maintenance and minor repairs). For me, it's the difference between spending ~$100 doing brakes myself and spending $500+ to have a shop do it.


Teach me!


----------



## Chibry (Oct 5, 2018)

dctcmn said:


> Great post as always, SurgeMasterMN.
> 
> I disagree with buying a fully depreciated vehicle. You can buy a new vehicle (nothing crazy expensive), use the actual expense method for your taxes, take the depreciation on the new car and gas and car loan and a lot more to offset your rideshare income. If you use the right depreciation method you will end up with a loss. And if you have a w-2 job, you can offset that loss against the W-2 income. So you make say $15 gross an hour driving, operate at a loss and pay no taxes effectively getting $10 an hour. Then if you have excess losses, offset against W-2 which will effectively increase your $15 an hour depending how much you get paid in your W-2 job.
> 
> ...


----------



## goneubering (Aug 17, 2017)

Kurt Halfyard said:


> I do pretty well with tips. My strategy is simply to be very conversational. Living in a very, very diverse city, and being able to talk intelligently about specifics of peoples motherland-culture (holidays, events, geography, weather movie stars/films) is a surefire way to get tips. But here is the secret sauce: I don't NEED the tips, so I can be very natural about how I talk to people. I honestly like short conversations with strangers about various things, so it comes honestly/naturally.
> 
> I do believe any savvy PAX (the passengers inclined, or with means to tip, btw) can spot a driver giving a script/lie for a tip.


I like your style.


----------



## Chibry (Oct 5, 2018)

I'm an accounting geek. Think out of the box. Track expenses using the Actual Expense Method. With a new car you'll probably end up with a loss the first couple of years if you use the right depreciation method. If you have a W-2 job, the loss can offset your wages. Say your W-2 wages are $10,000. You have a business loss of $5,0o0 so your taxable W-2 income is reduced by $5,000. Say you're taxes at 15%. the $5,000 reduced W-2 income is a savings of $750 ($5,000 * .15). So $750 more in your rideshare earnings. It's worth getting a good accountant if you have a W-2 and do a lot of driving. That's my input. Driving strategies are great also of course.


----------



## Christinebitg (Jun 29, 2018)

vtcomics said:


> And with oil dropping 25% in just 1 month we had darn well better see a substantial drop in gas prices. After the usual 10 day lag. Bunch of THIEVES


If you think you're getting taken advantage of, pony up $80 and buy yourself a little piece of ExxonMobil. It's not like there's a secret handshake required for making that purchase.

Christine


----------



## touberornottouber (Aug 12, 2016)

The problem is when there are too many drivers you find an area and then the other drivers find it too and you are surrounded by ants. Finding a nice area doesn't really work if you are surrounded by ants.


----------



## unadhesived (Jul 7, 2017)

Your strategy no matter how advanced it becomes, is being entered into the algorithm. Uber does not want people with strategies, the algorithm will steal your strategy, homogenize it, and assign a hundred idiots to work the exact same pattern you are working. However the more advanced your strategy the longer the A.I will take to implement it and hand it off to the Happy stupid people that have to get rides too. Besides they are more compliant and easier to get along with.


----------



## TDR (Oct 15, 2017)

SurgeMasterMN said:


> Knowing your area inside and out, the best times to work and having the right vehicle (for your target niche) is the only way to survive in the Rideshare Business going forward. A lot has changed from a few years ago when all u had to do was turn on your app. Driving less and placing yourself in strategic locations at certain times is the only way to make $$$ currently. If we as drivers do not have a daily plan we cannot survive and keep the vehicle from burning out in 1.5 years.
> 
> Study Your Area - What are the best times to work each day of the week? What location will get you the longest ride? What are the back roads to get you back to the hotzone fast?
> 
> ...


Ride share is casino. There no strategy. Drive when comfortable, go home when tired. That simple !!!



touberornottouber said:


> The problem is when there are too many drivers you find an area and then the other drivers find it too and you are surrounded by ants. Finding a nice area doesn't really work if you are surrounded by ants.


Can be surrounded by ants and get lucky!!!


----------



## New2This (Dec 27, 2015)

My strategy is using the hell out of DF. DF used strategically can net you lucrative rides. I give VERY few non-DF rides. Until we got Charlotte Surge here I was averaging $30+/trip.

I don't call and screen except at big events at FedEx Field, a local stadium. That place is such a shitshow for staging you HAVE to screen to get something worthwhile. I'm not staging and waiting for a $25 ride.

These days Shuffling has to be part of your strategy.


----------



## Ziplock (Sep 20, 2017)

I drive early morning before my full time job. I drive before work after work and weekends. I keep my focus on my per hour rate. I constantly switch up where I drive. So I'm never allowing myself to get or be comfortable in any one area. Really like all the good advice on this thread.


----------



## Ziplock (Sep 20, 2017)

Ps. Don't let the negativity of others bring you down. What works for others is not the holy way or only way. They yell scream call you a liar Etc. But even with the changes you can still make almost 30/hr


----------



## Uber_Yota_916 (May 1, 2017)

Buying a 3 year old car is terrible advice. Buy something that has three years left on the platform. Do not pay more than 5 or 6 thousand for it at the most. 

Driving a new car is trading your vehicle.equity for $$$$. Awful advice.


----------



## vtcomics (Oct 9, 2018)

New2This said:


> My strategy is using the hell out of DF. DF used strategically can net you lucrative rides. I give VERY few non-DF rides. Until we got Charlotte Surge here I was averaging $30+/trip.
> 
> I don't call and screen except at big events at FedEx Field, a local stadium. That place is such a shitshow for staging you HAVE to screen to get something worthwhile. I'm not staging and waiting for a $25 ride.
> 
> These days Shuffling has to be part of your strategy.


Seeing we're only allowed a couple DF's per day.....how can you give very few non -DF rides??? Or is there something I am missing (oh most probably!). What is meant by "shuffling"? I know that's sounds dumb but I am a noob after all. Is a shuffle simply another term for not accepting a ping?

P.s. How about ZEKE last night??!!


----------



## seymour (Apr 20, 2018)

vtcomics said:


> Seeing we're only allowed a couple DF's per day.....how can you give very few non -DF rides??? Or is there something I am missing (oh most probably!). What is meant by "shuffling"? I know that's sounds dumb but I am a noob after all. Is a shuffle simply another term for not accepting a ping?
> 
> P.s. How about ZEKE last night??!!


Shuffling - means asking beforehand where the pax is headed and shuffling off to the next driver so you can shuffle on to the next pax.


----------



## vtcomics (Oct 9, 2018)

seymour said:


> Shuffling - means asking beforehand where the pax is headed and shuffling off to the next driver so you can shuffle on to the next pax.


Wow I had no idea we could do that! Without repercussions? Can/do these passengers ever complain to Uber/Lyft if we do this? When do you ask the pax; a call before you arrive or ask them upon arrival? How do you phrase it to the pax?


----------



## seymour (Apr 20, 2018)

vtcomics said:


> Wow I had no idea we could do that! Without repercussions? Can/do these passengers ever complain to Uber/Lyft if we do this? When do you ask the pax; a call before you arrive or ask them upon arrival? How do you phrase it to the pax?


I've never done it but many do. You could be waiting on them and send them a text or ask on the phone or in person. Happens alot according to pax I interact with. Apparently, no repercussions if you don't do it often but deactivation if you do it frequently.


----------



## SamuelB (Aug 29, 2018)

I'm in the dilemma of getting ready to buy a new car. I currently drive a 2003 Toyota Avalon with 115,000 miles. Pax frequently compliment me on how nice my car is, how well taken care of it is, and how comfortable it is. Since it is 15 year old this should be the last year I can use it for Uber. The guy at the hub said I should be able to push it until February. Not sure of when/if Uber will inactivate it. I have so far saved $9500 and plan to have at least $12,000 by the first of the year. I am leaning towards Prius but I am really having a hard time balancing out comfort/appearance/year/mileage/cost as I am monitoring what's available. I really fear getting something that ends up needing a bunch of maintenance/repairs. I am hoping that over the next two months I will start to solidify more exactly what it is I want.


----------



## goneubering (Aug 17, 2017)

vtcomics said:


> Seeing we're only allowed a couple DF's per day.....how can you give very few non -DF rides??? Or is there something I am missing (oh most probably!). What is meant by "shuffling"? I know that's sounds dumb but I am a noob after all. Is a shuffle simply another term for not accepting a ping?
> 
> P.s. How about ZEKE last night??!!


https://uberpeople.net/threads/shuffling-is-spreading.228575/


----------



## vtcomics (Oct 9, 2018)

goneubering said:


> https://uberpeople.net/threads/shuffling-is-spreading.228575/


Thanks for the link. I'm still trying to grasp the concept; the driver accepts a ping then cancels because the pax isn't there when the driver arrives? Or does the cancelation occur even before arrival sometimes? Is the goal just the cancel fee or something else? Don't all of these cancelations impact the driver at some point?

Just this last weekend I figured out the pin placement and GPS end of trip location are oftentimes different. Might account for some of the damn 4's I've received the last few weeks. Plus reading some of the posts in that link I understand not every pax uses the pin; in which case I should follow GPS final destination? Oh the trials of the noob.....


----------



## Christinebitg (Jun 29, 2018)

vtcomics said:


> Is the goal just the cancel fee or something else?


As far as I can tell, the goal is the cancellation fee, plus getting rid of less desirable trips.

In my opinion, it's a slimeball move, since it's not being truthful. Some others think that it's appropriate.

Christine


----------



## oldfart (Dec 22, 2017)

Uber_Yota_916 said:


> Buying a 3 year old car is terrible advice. Buy something that has three years left on the platform. Do not pay more than 5 or 6 thousand for it at the most.
> 
> Driving a new car is trading your vehicle.equity for $$$$. Awful advice.


I don't think anyone suggested buying a new car. 3 years old is hardly new

But Driving an old car is also trading your vehicle for dollars. And don't forget your time. A more complete statement would be we trade equity in our cars and our time for dollars

The question is how much equity and how much time for how much money.?


----------



## seymour (Apr 20, 2018)

vtcomics said:


> Thanks for the link. I'm still trying to grasp the concept; the driver accepts a ping then cancels because the pax isn't there when the driver arrives? Or does the cancelation occur even before arrival sometimes? Is the goal just the cancel fee or something else? Don't all of these cancelations impact the driver at some point?
> 
> Just this last weekend I figured out the pin placement and GPS end of trip location are oftentimes different. Might account for some of the damn 4's I've received the last few weeks. Plus reading some of the posts in that link I understand not every pax uses the pin; in which case I should follow GPS final destination? Oh the trials of the noob.....


I cancel frequently if the pax hasn't arrived. If I am stuck near a busy intersection and blocking traffic during rush hour I am counting the seconds or if I have pool pax already in the car and the 2nd or 3rd pax is nowhere in sight I will cancel after 2min. Occasionally I will accept a ride while on a ride only to realize after completing the current ride that the next pax is to be picked up across a bridge or in heavy traffic going the opposite way I am traveling. I have never cancelled upon realizing where the destination is.


----------



## Immoralized (Nov 7, 2017)

Getting a car that going to clock out within 3 or 2 years is the best bang 4 ur buck. The key is just having it check over by a competent mechanic before you buy it. Two or three years is probably the most anyone is going to be working for Uber anyways.


----------



## Julescase (Mar 29, 2017)

MadTownUberD said:


> Agreed, let's give respect to our more "seasoned" brethren, even if we don't always agree with them. That's what a civilized society does.


Absolutely !! We all need to respect our more seasoned members of society and keep in mind we will be in their situation sooner or later.

oldfart isn't really "old" by any means. He seems sharper than 99% of the people on this site, regardless of their chronological age.

sadly many folks in younger generations seem to forget to treat older folks like the gems they are. We're all getting to the same place and ideally once we get to those years we'll be treated with the respect and kindness we provide the older folks amongst us right now (meaning people need to be respectful or they'll get no respect later, lol.)


----------



## oldfart (Dec 22, 2017)

Julescase said:


> Absolutely !! We all need to respect our more seasoned members of society and keep in mind we will be in their situation sooner or later.
> 
> oldfart isn't really "old" by any means. He seems sharper than 99% of the people on this site, regardless of their chronological age.
> 
> sadly many folks in younger generations seem to forget to treat older folks like the gems they are. We're all getting to the same place and ideally once we get to those years we'll be treated with the respect and kindness we provide the older folks amongst us right now (meaning people need to be respectful or they'll get no respect later, lol.)


The thing to understand is that you get what you give.


----------



## Juggalo9er (Dec 7, 2017)

jgiun1 said:


> Yes....I agree to everthing you stated above.
> 
> Thing that sucks, espically during weekday events, the new app and the 75% of drivers with no strategy, flock to the little busier here arrows Uber provides on app, but it's well before the events are letting out (usually the couple stragglers leaving events early)
> 
> ...


Not only sitting so close, but accepting base rides


----------



## dryverjohn (Jun 3, 2018)

My strategy is multiple platforms, we had a snowstorm here and I didn't work for 3 days. My Lyft and Uber earnings were bad $350 combined, using other platforms and doing same day delivery and being on call for other platforms saved me with $ for being santa and bringing best buy mostly, some macy's, gifts direct to consumer. My Uber rides were all cherry picked surge rides, Lyft was DF runs, while doing delivery. Being dynamic and changing and doing any gig available. After Christmas, same day delivery will die off, but its easy money right now, so I turn off Lyft and Uber and chase the money.


----------



## vtcomics (Oct 9, 2018)

dryverjohn said:


> My strategy is multiple platforms, we had a snowstorm here and I didn't work for 3 days. My Lyft and Uber earnings were bad $350 combined, using other platforms and doing same day delivery and being on call for other platforms saved me with $ for being santa and bringing best buy mostly, some macy's, gifts direct to consumer. My Uber rides were all cherry picked surge rides, Lyft was DF runs, while doing delivery. Being dynamic and changing and doing any gig available. After Christmas, same day delivery will die off, but its easy money right now, so I turn off Lyft and Uber and chase the money.


Who do you recommend for delivery opportunities?


----------



## dryverjohn (Jun 3, 2018)

vtcomics said:


> Who do you recommend for delivery opportunities?


Grubhub pays an hourly rate, while waiting for deliveries. So does Deliv. Deliv cuts the pay to 1/2 when sitting at home doing nothing, but GH pays full amount. You need to schedule blocks you will work and getting hours can be tough.


----------



## NoDay (Jul 25, 2017)

jgiun1 said:


> Yes....I agree to everthing you stated above.
> 
> I used to be a surfer on the outside of a surge cloud and never went in to the event traffic. Even that strategy is getting bad, because there's either no surge or a very small color.


This is the truth here too. There was a time you could be fishing from outside the surge and get great hooks. Now...not possible (aside from pure luck).


----------



## uberpaxi (Nov 9, 2018)

dctcmn said:


> I respect your position, but I don't feel it's appropriate for the passenger to ask any personal questions of the driver. It's not appropriate to do that with anyone else in life, so why with us? I don't ask my waiter how long they've been serving, why they're serving, where they live, where they grew up, if they have kids, if they have another job or any of the other inappropriate things that pax ask us.
> 
> "_So is this your full time gig?_" is an insulting and completely inappropriate question to ask anyone. At that point, the passenger is asking me to entertain them while piloting a 2 ton killing machine and trying not to kill us both-- so I give them what they want and become an entertainer. I'd love to tell them to eff off, shut up and just sit their ass in the seat from point A to point B. I despise the fact that pax view us as their in-flight entertainment, but if that's the way it's gonna be, then I'll profit from it.
> 
> So yeah, I lie to the pax. I do it all of the time when they make ridiculous demands of me. I do it when they ask me to make extra stops. I do it when they ask if I have an aux cord (bro). I do it when they ask me if they can vape in the car. I do it when they demand that I entertain them by asking me overly personal questions. If the livestock want to be entertained, I'll entertain them if I think they'll pay me for it.


The talkers almost always tip me, bring on the talk ill tell em mostly everything. Lighten up the mood and youll earn more  IMO. If i notice they dont want to talk be quiet and they tip too though. They find out I have two kids, working extra to pay for christmas and the ac in my wife's car is broken, all true I dont make stuff up. I get about 15% in tips. Yes, i have 3 charger cables, usb-c/android/iphone, people love that and it costs like 20$ for the cables total. Why not give them a reason to say you gave gold service? Its the little things that earn the extra $$ imo


----------



## acescracked7 (Jun 20, 2018)

I agree that strategy is the key to success, but those days are gone. Uber does not want any drivers to have any advantages over other drivers. Plus when there are little to no rides and way too many drivers, strategy is irrelevant.


----------



## dctcmn (Sep 21, 2017)

uberpaxi said:


> The talkers almost always tip me, bring on the talk ill tell em mostly everything. Lighten up the mood and youll earn more  IMO. If i notice they dont want to talk be quiet and they tip too though. They find out I have two kids, working extra to pay for christmas and the ac in my wife's car is broken, all true I dont make stuff up. I get about 15% in tips. Yes, i have 3 charger cables, usb-c/android/iphone, people love that and it costs like 20$ for the cables total. Why not give them a reason to say you gave gold service? Its the little things that earn the extra $$ imo


I'm already making more than 15% in tips. I think I already posted screenshots in this thread of 17-23% of my gross fares just for in app tips-- so not counting cash tips.

People don't tip for the reasons you stated, they tip for the same reason that they throw the homeless guy a buck or two-- not because they care about the homeless guy-- it's so that they can feel better about themselves.


----------

