Ridesharing with companies like Uber and Lyft is the hot new way to make a little extra cash or, if you want to, go full time as a career. Either way, there are things you should do to be successful.
Being a successful rideshare driver takes a lot of work, but if you know what to do and follow through, then there is no doubt that you can make as much money as you want. The riders are out there, you just need to be the driver they need!
Find the right car
Your car is literally your livelihood when you are a rideshare driver: no car, no money. But choosing the right car can be tricky.
Sure, you want a car that’s reliable and gets good gas mileage, but you also want to stand out from the other drivers. Many drivers opt for smaller, fuel-efficient cars. This is fine, but after a while, they all start to look the same.
To stand out, think about purchasing a car like a Chrysler 300 that will make riders remember you. This way, you can build a clientele that appreciates your style and business sense.
Of course, only purchase a car you can afford. Don’t break the bank before you even start or you may find yourself low on money all the time.
Think of it as a business
If you want to be successful, you cannot think about ridesharing as a job; you must think about it as a business. With a job, you go to work, put in hours, take care of your responsibilities and go home. With a business, you need to think about every possible way that you can make more money more consistently.
You should think of yourself as the CEO, always finding new and novel ways to rake in cash. Every driver provides water and snacks to their clients: what can you do differently to make the customer happy? How can you get more clients? Should you hand out business cards or just rely on great reviews? Are you maximizing your routes or can you do more?
Always think about ways to make your business better and before you know it, you will be making more money.
Take advantage of surge pricing
Surge pricing is a feature that you should definitely take advantage of. During peak hours — rush hour, 2 a.m. on a Saturday night when the bars are closing — prices can double, triple or go even higher and you should make sure to be a part of it.
Every other driver, though, knows this as well. One way to take advantage of surge pricing is to log out of the app 10 minutes before you anticipate a surge and then log back in when it starts. This will help you avoid accepting a regular fare just minutes before the surge and missing out. As a rideshare driver, try to do everything you can to maximize your profits.
This post was written by Adam Hamilton. Adam has an entrepreneurial mindset and is over over-flowing with business ideas and ways that people he encounter to could improve their services. He writes about starting a business, his articles appearing at numerous business and startup blogs.