Thursday, March 28, 2024

Driving for Dollars: What You Need to Know Before You Become a Rideshare Driver.

October 3, 2016 by  
Filed under Business, Money, Opinion, Weekly Columns

Like
Like Love Haha Wow Sad Angry
21

(ThyBlackMan.com) Thinking about signing up and putting that car to use as a rideshare driver? Before shifting into gear and hitting the road, there are a few key things to know before taking the drive. You’ll be able to meet all kinds of people, while earning some extra good money on the side. Rideshare services have become one of the most popular avenues of additional income in the gig economy.

There are so many options out there in rideshare companies to become your own boss and work for one of these Transportation companies on your own time. There are varying differences in each rideshare company and a whole lot of preconditions to know about before driving.

Starting Out Tips

The majority of drivers still work full time and use ridesharing as a side gig. Only a minority of drivers works more than 40 hours a week making this their full time job. So don’t go quitting your day job just yet. Understand that each company is different. You’ll have to be at least 21 years old to work for either Lyft or Uber. If you’re 123uberdriver-blackman-2016under the age of 23 for Uber you’ll need to have a minimum of three years under your belt of driving experience.

There are different vehicle requirements in Uber as well. Different background checks are necessary depending what state or province you live in. Some may even find that they can work for multiple apps by taking on different customers who may be using each subsequent app to provide work during slow times in one app or the other.

Ridesharing is a business and needs to be treated as such. Filing taxes and keeping track of expenses can make or break a potential side job. For a lot of drivers it’s best to drive part time if they are not going to commit additional resources to treating it like a business.

Choosing a Company or More

Once you’ve decided on either one company or working for multiple ones, it’s best to keep organized and know your product. If you’ve never used the product, try an Uber promotion code that will give you a free ride and to check out the process. Drivers are usually more than happy to explain their experiences as a driver and what it takes to become one.

Many of them love what they do and see it as a great way to make some extra money by driving and getting people to where they need to be. There’s a whole list of things to take care of if you’re serious about making this an extra side business. Insurance is an important aspect as ridesharing companies offer limited liability and more insurance companies are beginning to offer their own products to drivers. Many of the rideshare companies offer similar deals so it’s smart to be insured personally covering rideshares from your individual insurance company as well.

Local Regulations

It’s good to check if you can even drive in your area of residence. For the most part most major cities allow ridesharing no problem. Nowadays local governments have been more lenient with allowing these services. It’s been difficult at first for them to regulate such companies and make sure that consumers are protected. Some states did in the beginning ban certain companies. But, a lot of this began to change when liability insurance was being offered and background checks on drivers started.

Drivers risk losing income if a company is shut down in a certain area. Luckily the major companies have made it through and there is less worry about something like this occurring now.

Automobile Integrity

Not every driver knows how much wear and tear builds up into a car using it all day. Many people only drive their car a few times a day in a stop and go environment. Rideshare drivers can be on the road all day and night. Extra miles are often going to be city miles and a lot of lingering waiting for passengers.

That’s going to mean a lot of oil changes and tire replacements. There’s also the fact that there is going to be some potential damage inside a car as well.

All of these are factors to take into consideration before taking you and your vehicle on the road to start servicing passengers. It can be a great side business, but there are factors to consider before becoming a rideshare driver.

Staff Writer; Chad Ross


Speak Your Mind

Tell us what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!