1st Day Driving

Although it was not without its bumps & learning curve, I had a great 1st day of driving here in Ann Arbor. I didn't make a lot but didn't expect to since it will take at least a few times out to learn some of the ins & outs of ride/share.

BUSY SHIFT

I started my shift at a busy time, Friday afternoon, so there were lots of promotions that I inadvertently took advantage of. I had signed up to complete 3 jobs and since it was busy, the Uber app didn't make it easy for me to quit driving without canceling a requested job (something you don't want to do too much, as supposedly it keeps you from benefitting from the promotions if there is competition for them).

LONG DRIVE

So I ended up driving from about 2pm to 7pm, 5pm -7pm was what they call a "deadhead" run, however. I picked up a gentleman from a restaurant on the east side of Ann Arbor and drove him all the way to Birmingham in the nasty blustery, slow driving weather. They charged him about $80 and I received about half. I'm learning that these jobs aren't in demand by most drivers because of having to deadhead it back. I could have marked my settings to get me back to Ann Arbor loaded, but I don't pick up passengers after dark and by 6pm this time of year, it was full on night time. I was shocked that, this talkative, kind man didn't leave a tip! But I assume he probably thought I was getting more out of his $80 than I actually ended up with. Even $10 extra would have been encouraging and would have felt more worthwhile for all of the time and wear & tear on my Kia.

END MY SHIFT

At 5pm, I had actually wanted to end my shift with this final customer and return home before dark. Uber doesn't let you know where the customer is to be dropped off until you accept the drive! This is because too many drivers avoid poor sections of neighborhoods and, as I outlined in the previous paragraph, it isn't always lucrative to drive out of town in most cases unless you are lucky enough to find a rider who wants to ride back with you in your preferred direction.

SUMMARY

I learned a lot about the driving side of Uber! I was always a good tipper when I rode with Uber & Lyft, now I'm seeing how important that was. Most of my riders tipped Friday afternoon. That was nice. Tips make a difference in pay since we get the whole gratuity, but mostly it helps driver morale. At least that is how it works for me. Don't get me wrong, I love providing great service, keeping my Kia clean and comfy (I even provide water if riders are thirsty), but being appreciated with tipping is a real morale boost.