The Ultimate Guide To Everything You Need To Know To Qualify To Drive For Uber
How Do I Drive For Uber?
Anyone can sign up to drive for Uber if they meet the requirements.
Many drivers say they like working for UBER is because it provides individuals with the ability to set their own schedules, meet new people, and make money using their own vehicle.
Maybe you don’t have your own vehicle. There are still options for you to sign up. On the application, you would just mark the checkbox ‘Need a Car.’
The information below will walk you through the Uber application process and what to expect once you submit your Uber application.
If you are thinking about starting an Uber application to drive with UBER, you will need a car and a mobile phone with a data plan. If you don’t have a car, Uber has options (discussed further below) for leasing or renting one.
If you are interested in driving for Uber, their online Uber application is found on their website at www.uber.com. Before starting your Uber application, browse the information below to make sure the process goes smoothly.
Uber Driver Application
Uber allows you to choose when and how often you drive. Their main website allows you to apply online quickly and easily. Before beginning your Uber application, make sure you have a few key documents on hand.
Required Documents To Drive For UBER
- State driver‘s license
- Proof of insurance (both your name and vehicle must be listed)
- Vehicle state inspection form (not required in all states)
- Vehicle Registration
Once on the Uber website, you will fill out a quick online form indicating if you have a car or if you will need one (information about renting or leasing a car from Uber is at the bottom of this article).
You will need to provide an email address and a password for your account. This email address will remain on file even if you become an inactive driver(this happens after 30 days of inactivity); make sure you have regular access to the email address you provide.
Once you create your account, you will provide additional personal information that Uber will use to complete your driving record and background check. Uber completes these checks to ensure rider safety. If you have a concern about the results of your screenings, you may contact Uber support.
Uber Partners App
After creating your account on the Uber website, you will be prompted to download the Uber Partners App for your mobile phone. This mobile app is different from the one that Uber riders use. It will connect directly with your preferred navigation application when accepting rides (google maps is preferred).
Source: //transloc.com/transloc-and-uber-partner-to-pioneer-a-new-standard-in-public-transit/
The Uber Partners app allows you to view surge areas (color coded based on demand and fare prices). It also allows you to accept or decline ride requests. You must run the app the entire time you are driving for Uber in your car. Only turn on the app when you are ready to accept rides, and close the app when you are ready to stop accepting rides for the day.
Once you have downloaded the Uber Partner App, you can either upload photos of your key documents using the website or on your mobile phone. If you have questions about your Uber application or problems while filling out the online form and uploading documents, you can contact Uber Support via email (in-app) or via phone. Local Uber support numbers vary by state and are provided on the website using your location. Uber support team members typically respond to emails within a few hours.
Once you have uploaded your documents, you will be able to upload a picture of yourself that potential riders will see when the app offers them a ride. Take a well-lit photo of yourself in your driver‘s seat during the daytime for best results.
Requirements: Minimum Age, Car Features, and Experience Needed to Drive for Uber
Do I Quality To Drive For UBER?
There are just a few age and experience requirements for who can become an Uber driver. You must be:
- At least 21 years of age
- 1 year of driving experience if over 23
- 3 years of driving experience if under 23
- Possession of a valid driver‘s license
Does My Car Qualify?
Vehicles used for Uber must have four doors.
Additional requirements for vehicle age and condition vary by state, but most states require cars be 10 years old or newer, in good working condition, and with no cosmetic damage. Some states will require you to have your car inspected, but Uber has many partners that will complete this inspection for you free of charge.
Uber Shift Information
Your Uber account will provide suggestions on how to manage your time as an Uber Driver. While you can drive when you want, Uber does use surge pricing which many drivers take advantage of to make the most of their driving time.
Some controversy has arisen regarding limiting how many hours per day drivers can drive. Some major cities limit ridesharing, taxi and limo drivers to 12 hours of driving time per day. This is to prevent driving fatigue and delayed reaction time.
The number of cities enforcing this rule is expected to increase in the coming months as concerns of driver safety are on the rise. At the current time, Uber has not released an official statement regarding daily driving limits. They do, however, offer in-app incentives for completing a certain number of trips per week and referring new drivers to complete the Uber application.
How Much Do Uber Drivers Make?
The Uber website states, “the more you drive, the more you make“. The actual model that Uber uses to determine rates will be discussed below.
Uber pays weekly via direct deposit and has recently partnered with Instant Pay which will transfer your pay automatically to your bank account anytime.
Image Source: //www.ridester.com/how-much-do-uber-drivers-make/
When thinking about how much you might make while driving for Uber, keep in mind that prices depend on your area and will fluctuate depending on surge pricing availability. Surges usually occur during sporting events, peak hours (10pm-2am) and morning rush hour (6am-10am), but they may occur any time that demand for drivers suddenly increases. The
The application will alert you while you are driving of a nearby surge. Major cities tend to surge more often than suburban areas, but a surge may occur anywhere that more drivers are needed than are currently signed on.
Driving for Uber is great for college students that need a side job while going to school or for people that work part time and need a little extra cash.
How Does Uber Determine Fares?
Fares are calculated based on how far and how long each trip takes to complete. This means that riders pay per mile, per minute, plus a booking fee for each ride. Each city pays different rates per minute/per mile. You can visit uber.com/cities to see fares for each city and vehicle type.
Here are some examples from Uber‘s website regarding fares (booking fees are usually $1-2 and are added at the end of the fare):
Los Angeles – $0.15 per minute and $0.90 per mile
San Francisco – $0.22 per minute and $1.15 per mile
Chicago – $0.20 per minute and $0.90 per mile
For example, if you accept a 10-mile ride in Los Angeles that takes 20 minutes and the booking fee is $1.25, the rider will pay $3.00 + $9.00 + $1.25 for that ride for a total fare of $13.25. If that area surges, the per mile and per minute rate will go up, as can the booking fee, which will increase the fare for that ride.
Other Careers with Uber
Uber offers a variety of career options beyond driving. Their website lists the following employment categories with positions updated daily throughout the United States and around the world:
- Business and Sales
- Communications
- Design
- Engineering
- Financing and Accounting
- Global Community Operations
- Legal
- Marketing
- Operations and Launch
- People Operations
- Product
- Public Policy
- Rental and Leasing
- Safety and Security
- University
If you see a position you are interested in, you will complete a full application through Uber‘s website. This application will require a resume, letter of interest, and personal information for a background check authorization. Uber is known to hire from within its driver pool for some operational positions, so it‘s never a bad idea to keep an eye on their careers page.
Basic Tips for Applying to Drive with Uber
The Uber application process is simple and straightforward. For the application, there is no interview, cover letter or resume to submit. Once all vehicle and driver documents are submitted, Uber initiates a background check and a driving record check. Once those checks come back approved, you can expect to receive approval to drive within 7 days or less.
Once approved, sign into the Uber Partners App to let riders know you are available. The app will notify you when you have your first ride request. The app provides a video series that will walk you through your first few trips as a driver. These videos also discuss various scenarios you may run into as an Uber driver.
Benefits of Driving For Uber
There are many benefits to driving for Uber. The ability to set your own schedule attracts most applicants to the Uber application. Uber makes every effort to support their drivers in the event of a driver versus rider dispute. Drivers are compensated for tolls, long trips, and any damage to their vehicle due to a rider’s negligence. For example, if someone is sick in your vehicle, Uber will cover the cost to have the car cleaned.
Uber provides its own insurance coverage in the event of an accident if the Uber Partners App was running during the time of the accident. The Uber support team is responsive to driver emails within hours to resolve issues with riders or the mobile app as quickly as possible.
Uber now has partnerships with major U.S. airports. This allows drivers to pick up and drop off riders at airports. You must enter a queue to pick up from airports. You can choose this option in the Uber Partners app.
Some of the top locations to drive uber:
According to hyrecar.com, here are some of the best cities to drive an uber in:
Washington DC, San Francisco, Seattle, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago and more…
Obviously, these are all big cities, so if you live in one, it’s a no brainer to become a driver. Many people ditch their cars and rely on chauffeurs or taxi cabs to get them to where they need to go.
Find out what other cities are best for UBER here: hyrecar.com/blog/best-uber-cities
Frequently Asked Uber Driver Questions
Below you will find some common questions about the Uber application and driving for Uber.
Is Driving For Uber Safe?
Uber makes many efforts to ensure driver safety. Drivers should make sure to run the Uber Partners App during rides to enable GPS tracking of your vehicle in case of an emergency. Uber advises all drivers to pull over and end a trip immediately should they feel unsafe at any time during a ride.
Uber uses a two-way review system where riders rate the drivers and drivers rate their riders. If either party rates the other with a score of 1, that driver and rider will not be matched again.
Do I Need Special Insurance to Drive For Uber?
Uber has its own insurance entity that covers drivers while the Uber Partners app is running. Drivers do need to have personal insurance that meets the minimum insurance requirements in their state.
Will the Uber Partners App Use All My Cell Phone Data?
The Uber Partners application uses about 3GB of data or less per month on average. Uber encourages drivers to explore unlimited data options with their mobile data provider.
Most cell phone plans from Verizon and AT&T have fairly inexpensive unlimited plans.
What If I Don’t Have a Car?
Uber does rent cars to drivers for a weekly fee, comparable to what Zipcar charges. They now offer vehicle leasing options, subject to credit approval. Rental or leased cars from Uber and their vehicle partners will require a specific level of car insurance from specific companies depending on the vehicle and dealer.
Is Driving For Uber Worth It?
If you decide to be an Uber driver and treat it like a real job, your outcome will be what you make of it. Because you choose your schedule, that determines how much money you make and how many drives you have in a given day. Obviously, the more drives you have, the more money you make. Uber does take a cut of the ride price, so you definitely would want to make more than one drive in a day to make it worth your while.
Driving an Uber XL or Uber black car, you can make more money than driving an Uber X, just because of the quality and pricing difference between the types of rides offered by Uber.
To drive an Uber XL or Uber black car, you need to meet even more specific requirements and you will need to have a certain kind of car as well.
Also, depending on the city you live in or complete drives in, it could make a difference as to how much you make as well. If you‘re super motivated and want to earn money and meet new people, being an uber driver is definitely worth it.
Uber vs. Lyft: Which One Is Better?
Based on my personal experience and by reading various reviews online, many people (including myself) prefer uber to lyft as a consumer. I‘ve found that many uber drivers are nicer and their cars are cleaner. I think it has something to do with uber‘s rules, regulations and requirements. They hold themselves to a high standard, which is why I think many people prefer them to taxi cabs and lyft drivers.
Because of uber being preferred on the consumer side, there is most likely more business and more potential for you to earn a living as an uber driver.
Why Should I Become An UBER Driver?
- Driving for Uber allows you to be your own boss.
- You can control when you work, where you work, and even when you get paid.
If you don’t find an interest in being a chauffeur, you can explore their corporate positions as well. They may have other positions that match your skill set and interest.
- If you drive for Uber, you have freedom and flexibility to work as you please.
- The Uber application is simple and user-friendly for potential drivers.
- You will know the results of your application in a matter of days.
If you are ready for a new career that allows you to work for yourself while meeting new and interesting people every day, then filling out the Uber driver application is a great first step.
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