Considering Driving for Uber, Lyft, or other service? A driver tells his experience

You want to drive for Uber or Lyft...

So, you're considering starting to drive for Uber, Lyft, or one of the myriad other sharing economy services. You're a bit nervous, and you're not sure what to expect or how to proceed. You're not even sure if your car qualifies.

I'm here to help. I started driving for Lyft in June 2015, and moved to Uber shortly thereafter. I can only tell you my experience driving in Seattle (hereafter known as the People's Republic of Seattle or PRS). I suspect it's fairly similar to driving in other large cities.

Here are some common questions I see on many forums.

Does my car qualify for Uber or Lyft?

Chances are, if your car is 2002 or newer, in good condition, and can seat 4 passengers plus the driver, you probably qualify for some kind of driving with Uber or Lyft. Depending on your vehicle age, gas mileage, and condition you may be limited to certain types of services.

Another important thing to note is your car must be in good condition, no damage or safety issues, and have current plates and insurance. You will be required to get your car inspected, so make sure your car is clean and in good condition before you take it for inspection. You will need your insurance and registration, both of which must have YOUR NAME on them.

Some cities place gas mileage restrictions on drivers. For example, here in PRS (Seattle), you cannot pickup from the airport unless your car gets at least 45 MPG. You can drive anywhere else in the city with lower MPG, but it wouldn't surprise me if PRS expanded the restriction to the entire city.

For specific examples of city requirements and restrictions for Lyft and Uber, see the following links:
Uber Driver and Vehicle Requirements
Lyft Driver and Vehicle Requirements

What is the minimum driver age for Lyft and Uber?

Generally speaking, you have to be 21, and have a clean driving record to drive for Uber or Lyft. They might overlook some blemishes on your driving record, but not the big ones (DWI, DUI, reckless driving, hit & run, etc.). The only thing you can do is apply and see. The worst they can do is say no.

Some cities have higher age restrictions. See the links above for city-by-city and state-by-state restrictions.

How long does it take to get approved?

This really depends on how badly they need drivers in a given area. I was approved for Seattle Lyft in 3 days. When I got around to applying for Uber, it took a couple weeks.

What do I need to apply?

You need the following documents to apply:

• Valid Driver License in the state you're applying for
• Valid Vehicle Registration with your name on it
• Valid Insurance with your name on it
• A car that meets the minimum requirements and can pass an inspection
• Photos of you and your car
• An email address
• An android or iphone to setup the driver app
• Ability to pass a background check

What happens after I apply?

They will do a background check and pull your driving history (multi-state). Once approved, you'll get an email with instructions to take your car in for an inspection.

For the Inspection: Clean out your car. I mean clean it. It should be clean as though it were being sold. Don't have a bunch of stuff in the trunk. Keep only the bare necessities (jack, lug wrench, etc.), and they should be segregated off to a small corner. If they roll around while you drive, consider getting a small net to hold everything in place. Make sure there is enough room in the trunk to put 2 big suitcases. Not on top of everything. The suitcases must be able to lay flat on the floor of the trunk.

Make sure you vacuum out the car, and clean any dirt or stickiness. Basically, the car should look as it would at a used car dealership. Do a detail job, or get a detail job done. I cannot stress this enough. Your car must be clean clean clean. Take your driver license, registration, and insurance with you to the inspection. Your insurance and registration must have YOUR NAME on them. Not your parent's name or a company name. Your name can be listed along with someone else, but these documents must have your name or they will not be accepted. When you arrive, they will do a detailed inspection, which will look at the cleanliness, mechanical condition, and appearance of your vehicle. They will let you know if you need to fix anything before you can drive. Whatever they say, you'll have to get it reinspected after you fix the items on the list.

Uber and Lyft have different inspection processes, so you'll have to be flexible.

In most cities, you can start driving once you're approved and pass your inspection. Some cities place additional requirements, but they usually aren't required immediately. For example: in Seattle, we're required to take an online defensive driving course and get a certificate. It takes about an hour, and it's free. PRS also requires us to register for a rideshare license, but it takes them like 6 months to issue it. We're still allowed to drive in the mean time.

What are the insurance requirements for Lyft and Uber?

Uber and Lyft have similar insurance requirements. When you have a passenger in your car, Uber and Lyft have really strong insurance that covers you, your car, and your passenger up to $1 million. The same policy covers you when you're on your way to pick up a passenger. When you're logged in waiting for a ping, your own insurance covers you and your car. Even with a passenger, I believe your own insurance is on the hook first. Important Note: Many insurance companies have been known to cancel policies and deny claims if they learn you are doing rideshare. The cheapest proper rideshare policy I could find was $1200 every 6 months through Allstate. I have excellent credit and a perfect driving record.

I did find a reasonable alternative to a "proper" rideshare insurance policy. MetroMile. MetroMile is a per-mile insurance company, and it is way cheaper than "proper" rideshare insurance. Once your MetroMile account is linked with your Uber account, they deduct the miles you drive for Uber. That means you don't have to pay the per-mile insurance rate on miles you drive for Uber. There are some drawbacks to MetroMile though, so keep them in mind:

Issues with MetroMile:

1. You can only drive for Uber. If you drive for Lyft or any other sharing economy service, you'll be paying the per-mile rate.
2. If you have an accident while driving for a non-Uber service, MetroMile could cancel your policy.
3. Road trips are out of the question because you'll be paying the per-mile rate, which could get very expensive.
4. Even a trip to the grocery store will cost you the per-mile rate.

I pay 8.7 cents per mile for my MetroMile insurance, with a base rate of $69 per month. I did the cost-benefit analysis in the following way:

I was paying $200 per month for an Allstate rideshare policy. The difference between $200 (Allstate) and the MetroMile base rate was $131 per month. At 8.7 cents per mile, I could drive 1500 miles outside Uber before MetroMile becomes uncompetitive. I average around 500 miles per month outside Uber, so my bill comes to around $113.00 per month. That's $69 for the base rate, and 0.087 x 500.

You can certainly take on the risk of having a regular insurance policy. I have too much to lose, so I went with MetroMile. Sadly, that meant I had to stop driving for Lyft.

How much can I earn driving for Uber and Lyft?

The advertised rates for both services is around $35 per hour. That's not what you'll be making. Depending on the hours you drive and your location, you can earn $10-$25 per hour on average. One hour you can have two airport trips and make $70, and the next you can have 4 short "down the road" trips and make $15. If you drive only in the middle of the day (9 AM to 3 PM), you'll probably only make around $10 per hour. If you drive during the morning and afternoon commutes, you can make closer to $40 per hour. If you work the bar rush hours on the weekend, you can make even more.

It all depends on your availability and location. If you live in the suburbs, you can make fairly good money during commute times in the morning and afternoon, but it's totally dead in between. If you live downtown in a major metro area, you'll get a fairly steady stream of short rides all day long.

If you've found this information useful, consider using the following links to sign up. I'll make a little money, and you'll get a signup bonus. The signup bonuses are based on your location and current promotions.

Sign Up to Drive for Uber

Sign Up to Drive for Lyft

Check back soon for more posts about ridesharing. Good luck!