Driving in Wet and Wintry Conditions - Time to Prepare

With the wet and winter seasons approaching in many areas of the northern hemisphere its time to prepare to ensure your riders are dry and safe and your vehicle can handle the challenging weather conditions. Keeping riders safe and dry can be as simple as keeping an umbrella in your vehicle, an extra towel(s) under your driver's seat (and trunk) and testing your purchasing new windshield wipers if necessary. The use of rubber floor matts will not help you keep your car clean, but also help you preserve the quality of your vehicle's interior for personal use while maintaining its resale or trade-in value. For the vehicle's exterior checking the tread on your tires and frequent washing to remove salt and other wintry debris is also a must. Let's hear from other drivers regarding how they prep their vehicles for wet and wintry conditions. Send your comments to Uber Driver Best Practices.

Commuter Train and Subway Stations are ExcellentHigh Surge Pick-up Locations

Many Uber drivers live within range of commuter train lines or subway stations. During the morning rush hour commuters obviously need rides to the stations from the surrounding 10 miles radius. Likewise, for the evening rush hour commuters need rides home or to nearby restaurants, grocery stores and pharmacies. All of the above represent good medium-to-high surge opportunities for drivers. If you have the choice between multiple locations typically chose the location with the largest number of potential riders. While these trip may not necessarily be the "longest" trips based upon mileage the common surge rates more than compensate drivers for the trips' length. I would be great to hear tips from other Uber drives on this topic. Send comments to Uber Driver Best Practices. 

Airport Staging Areas - Pick-up Riders for Medium-to-Long Trips

Medium-to-large airports and nearby hotel strips are excellent locations to pick-up riders. At airports be sure to wait in the designated Staging Area and display your airport authorization sign in the front windshield of your vehicle. Most airports have clusters of medium-high end hotels near by. All are fruitful ground for rider requests. The ideal scenario is that a driver takes a passenger from city-center to the airport departures deck usually a 10-20 mile trip then moves to the Staging Area just a short distance away to briefly wait for a new rider request from the arrivals deck at the airport. While driver are not informed in advance of a rider's destination people arriving at airports typically rider another 10-20 miles away from the airport to their destination. If you can perform the driving scenario above at peak surge times all the better. This will boost your productivity and your income. Let's here from other drivers about their experiences driving to and from airports. Send comments to Uber Driver Best Practices. 

Driving Elderly and Handicapped Riders

When Uber drivers accept a rider request we do not always know what to expect upon pick-up arrival. A single rider may in fact be a group of 2-3 riders, the rider may be elderly or handicapped. Yes, we drive to earn an income, nonetheless, we need to be ready to provide extra help to those in need. An elderly person or couple may need special help getting into and out of our vehicles. Handicapped persons may likely need our physical help getting to and from our cars. And some handicapped riders may have wheel chairs which need to be folded or partially disassembled to fit into the trunk. An extra measure of compassion and patience is surely needed. These situations may not be the fastest way to boost your weekly income however we need to remember that one day this could be any of us. Other drivers, please send your suggestions to Uber Driver Best Practices.

Locating Riders at Shopping Malls and Airports

Locating riders at complex locations such as shopping malls and airports can be a challenge. Once again, reducing the 'time to pick-up' will boost your driving revenue and rider satisfaction. This is especially true in cases with non-English speaking riders and/or riders who are new to your area. Four key elements of an efficient pick-up include Phone, Pin, GPS directions and Local Knowledge. Using a combination of these resources provides both rider and driver with a better experience. Whether at large shopping malls or airpoirts always call your rider in advance to reconfirm their location by asking them which major store are they closest to or which carrier and door name-number (arrivals or departures they are at in an medium-large airport). Also inform the rider they model and color of your vehicle and tell them you will put on your flashing lights (emergency lights) when you pull up. If you cannot locate them give the rider the best opportunity to locate you. As always, we invite other Uber driver to share their tips with Uber Driver Best Practices. 

A Clean Vehicle Leads to Increased Rider Satisfaction and Ratings

Uber riders expect to be picked-up by a polite and confident driver to take them to their destination. This is the first element of a successful ride. However, do not overlook the fact that your riders also expect to be driven in a clean vehicle. So my second guideline is to take an extra five-to-ten minutes a day to quickly clean your vehicle inside and out. Removing inside dust and debris is vital. On occasion, a previous rider(s) may have left a water bottle or other undesirable items in your car. I also keep a towel in the trunk of my car to give the exterior a brief once over cleaning. With winter approaching keeping your vehicle becomes a bigger challenge. Riders to not expect perfection but they do expect that Uber drivers make an effort to keep a clean environment. Let's here from some other Uber drivers on the difference a clean vehicle makes. Send your comments to Uber Driver Best Practices. 

Loading and Unloading Riders' Luggage Will Help Increase You Driver Rating

Once in a while I hear from a rider that a prior Uber driver has not offered to load or unload their luggage. I personally believe that it is always the driver's role and responsibility. Some Uber drivers may disagree with this approach. I make many hotel pick-ups and airport drop-offs and routinely load and unload passenger luggage. This definitely gives your riders the confidence that you "care for them" and their possessions ... and that they are in good hands. When driving sub-compact car like my Toyota Corolla with 2-3 riders each with their own luggage you may have to get creative by clearing the necessary space in your trunk and/or front passenger seat. Finally, as drivers we know that "tips" are no required and yet greatly appreciated. Handling luggage just might put a few extra dollars in your pocket. Drivers, please send your comments to Uber Driver Best Practices. See you on the road!