Driving for Uber in the Washinton DC area
By: Francis Drada
Tags: Driving Uber In Dc, Uber Driver, Driving Uber, Uber, Uber In Dc

Find your ideal route and stay away from the interstate. There are many routes out there and you’ll figure it out on your own; don’t trust the chatter from other blogs and/or advice from other drivers. Seriously, why would I give you my ideal route? Yes, DC is a small but profitable area. But where to go and at what time is something you need to figure out yourself. All hours of the day and everyday is ideal, but it’s where you need to be. If you’re daring, Southeast DC (east of the Annacostia River) is a gem and a power surge, but it’s also, well, let’s just say there’s a reason why Uber pays good money for you to pick up riders there. Personally, I’ve driven people to their destination that lead me east of the river, but once I dropped them off safely, I turn the app off and drive out as fast as I can. Coincidentally, most cities and counties have their “danger zones” as well, so be cognizant of it. Trust you gut. Safety first.

Your Car

Take good care of your car. Watch your speed and acceleration; mind the sharp turns; be wary of sudden brakes; get monthly, yes monthly oil changes (or least every six weeks). Your car will take a beating, that’s inevitable, but the amount of maintenance is determined on how you drive that money maker of yours. As for tires, start buying them used. I’ve had to change three tires in the last three years due to severe punctures and wear plus four more for having objects (screws and nails) in them. If they’re small objects, get them plugged, but for the large screws, replace the tire. Used tires go for about $35–$45.

Ridesharing will not make you rich. In my first year, I was fortunate to just be making money and getting by; now, I’m glad to be a smart veteran driver because it’s a great resource for a second income.

Accidents

I’ve had one; fortunately, I didn’t have a rider inside. I backed into a post that simply scratched the side of my driver-side door with no dents, but that’s it. I’m safe driver, I’m careful when I have people in my car; this means I let people cut me off; I only drive 5 miles above the speed limit and let others zoom by me. Riders have said they can feel when a driver is cruising way above the speed limit and it makes them uncomfortable. The rider’s safety and comfort is paramount above your ability to weave around traffic, and don’t think you’re doing them a favor pretending to be Mad Max. Remember, these people Just Met You.

Many will tell you to stay put and wait for a fare to happen; why waste your gas driving around looking for a fare, right? Although this may sound like good advice, there’s a good chance you’re in an area where you’ll lose precious time and money waiting for a fare. Think of this task just like fishing; go where there are fishes. There are places, even is DC, that is a dead-zone for fares — like upper Northwest. Avoid these “dead-zones” like the plague. Find yourself a route that you will normally get fares because people will rather call for Uber than drive or take public transportation. In DC, that’s almost anywhere; find your comfort route, because some routes may get you fares, but they’re not exactly comfortable. You’re comfort-zone will be your own, so I’ll leave that up to you.

The Rider’s Rating

The rider’s ratings weren’t important to me during my first year ridesharing. To be honest, some people I’ve picked up seemed shady at first, but they ended up being polite and it made me wonder how the hell they have a 4.55 rating. During my first year, I picked up everyone with no regards to their rating. By doing this, I’ve come across my share of eccentric people; some were amusing, others were odd, and a very few were downright scary. And because of these scary people, I now will no longer accept anyone under 4.75. By the way, the lowest rating I’ve ever seen was a 3.40; how a person could get that rating without being kicked out of Uber’s platform still puzzles me. But money is money, I guess.

How safe is driving for Uber? Of the 5000+ riders I’ve had, I would say about 50 were scary, but none of them ever wanted me to stop ridesharing. The odds of you ever getting robbed is low, but as the rule says, it’s never zero. To drop the odds even lower, here are some suggestions: although the pandemic took them away, avoid Uber Pool. Being honest, I prefer picking up people who can afford to get from A to B without the need to share a backseat with others so they can save 25%. Pool users will also try to cheat you by asking you to take them right to the door; this is due to Pool Express where it’s a corner street to corner street. They’ll meet you at a corner street for a pick up, but they’ll ask you to take them all the way to there destination, saving them the two or three blocks walk and an keeping the $2 that should be yours. Speaking of corner street pick up, I’m very weary of picking normal rides from a street corner. An house address is safe, of course. Businesses are safe too, but I’m hesitant picking people up at a 7–11 or a fast food restaurant, although I do it sometimes, and mostly during the day.

These other things may seem a little bit in the side of paranoia, but it’s better to be safe than sorry: When picking up a rider, I tend to position my car toward a route where there is a direct/straight exit. This means that I don’t park and wait for a passenger where my car is pointed towards a sidewalk (ie in a parking spot) or toward a dead end. Again, I’ve never been in a position where I needed to quick get-away, but I don’t want to place car in a situation where I can’t. I would also suggest using blind-spot mirrors that attaches to the two side mirrors. Not only does it help while driving, it also helps seeing people walking up to your vehicle. And speaking of seeing people walking up to your vehicle, Do Not lose focus of your environment; always know whats going on around you. Many car-jacking reports occur when people are basically in a car that is not moving, and most reports state that the driver did not see people approaching their car because they were distracted with other thing inside. The last two unfortunate DC Metropolitan crime reports involving ridesharing were car-jackings. And both occurred in the areas where I try to avoid (Northeast and Southeast DC).

My scariest ride started at a Burger King. The rider got inside while speaking on his phone to his brother and discussing about a car the rider’s brother had just stolen. The ride involved two stops: the first stop was at a shady part of town, and the next stop was a 20 minute ride to another town. For my safety, I left after dropping off the rider at the first stop, then I called and left a text message to the company to explain why I left. Uber understood. They really care about you; therefore, report everything and document, document document.

Sometimes I believe people treat you in the same way you treat them; treat people respectfully, and you’ll get it in return. Also, be very moderate on your beliefs and opinions when a conversation strikes. Some will have an opposite point of view on any topic, but you must remember that the ride is simply about getting them to their destination safely. Your job is not to change their mind nor have them understand your point of view. In all honestly, 85% of the riders simply want to get to their destination without a sound from you. If you’re placed in a conversation, be polite, be agreeable, and be kind. If they leave your car and you’ve given them a reason to smile, believe me, you’ll receive an extra dollar or two in the fare.

The Driver’s Rating

As a driver, your rating is only from the previous 500 rides; therefore, my 4.96 rating you see above are only from my last 500 of 5000 rides. I believe the rider rating is important because: 1. Riders see this and judge you from it, 2. Uber is better with those who treat their customers appropriately. This mostly deals with problems you have with fares or with riders. I’ve been told that I’ve been favored because of my driver rating and 5-star count. and 3. Although I can’t prove it, I believe I get more requests because of my higher rating. Overall, driver rating becomes a habit, and just like your character, you become what you practice. If you’re polite, well-mannered, diplomatic, tolerant, and, of course, a safe driver, then Uber will add more to your income. However, if you’re a “know-it-all,” boisterous, self-centered, and take risks in driving, then the moment you reach the 4.6 rating, Uber will remove you from their platform and you’ll have to jump though a string of hoops for them to even consider talking to you.

Music

I would say 33% of the time riders have their pods and listen on their device. Most are simply on their device during the trip; here, I believe the choice of music is key in keeping them comfortable and keeping the sound of traffic from their minds. Therefore, NEVER, Never, never play something on the radio because it’s what YOU like. There are many stations of the radio that can please the demography of the metropolitan area; here are two stations that I believe can be of help: 94.7, “The Drive” plays mostly 80s music that are upbeat. There other is WETA, 90.9 plays great classical music with no commercials. I get a lot of compliments from riders because I have classical music on the radio. It pleasing to the ear and very calming. I use WETA so often that I’ve actually made a sustained monthly donation to the station. A fellow driver stated that they will actually ask riders if they have a preference; I don’t believe that this is a good idea because it’s prompting a conversation with the rider. I believe most riders just want you to take them to their destination without a sound from you. And remember, this ride is not about you, it’s about them. If they want to talk to you, they’ll ask a question. If they don’t like the music you’re playing, they’ll ask if you could change the station. Be cordial.

The Airports

The two major airports in the area are Dulles and Regan National and both can be lucrative or a complete waste of time and money; let me explain: first, the big money maker or an excruciating time waster, Dulles International Airport. The pros for getting fares in Dulles is many people travel internationally through Dulles, and these people live in Arlington, DC, or Montgomery County, MD. Just getting out of the toll-road will cost the rider $14. Then add between $8 to $15 dollars to the destination and you’ve got yourself a money-making-system. At least that’s what I believed in the beginning. The truth is the con of this system; unfortunately, there are a few cons with airport pickups. Allow me to continue: 1. Time — Obviously, you won’t be the only one waiting for a ride. Each of the airports have a waiting area for the ridesharing companies and your phone will be given a queue that states the amount of drivers who are ahead of you. During peak arrival time, it really doesn’t matter if you’re 6th in line or 106, you’ll have a wait time of about 10–20 minutes. Problem 1 is other drivers know these times and will arrive early to get ahead in line. I’ve arrived 30 mins early once and found myself 100th in line; that’s a 50 minute wait for a ride. So, is it worth it? I once thought,”Hey, why not? Wait 50 minutes for a $25 fare, that beats driving around town for an hour earning those $25 from three or four rides.” But here comes Problem 2 — Not all rides head towards Arlington, DC, or Bethesda. Some will go to Sterling or Fairfax, which means you just waited 50 minutes for a $10-$15 fare. Other factors include the amount of arrivals to the actual rideshare users; at best I think it’s 10–15%, and at worst it’s 5%. This means that if there are 1000 passenger arrivals at Dulles during a peak hour, expect 100 airline passengers that will need a ride; if you’re 100 in line, that extra 20–30 minutes wait might or might not get you a fare because at worst only 50 passengers may want a ride. By the way, you’re probably wondering how I know the amount of passengers arriving and the peak hours?