r/uberdrivers Jun 17 '24

Welcome to r/uberdrivers - FAQ and Community Guide

70 Upvotes

Before asking a question, make sure to read this guide and use reddit search to see if your question was already asked. If you have anything you'd recommend to add to this guide leave a comment below.

What does Pax mean? Common terms on this sub explained

Pax: Short for Passenger.

Ping: The noise the app makes when drivers receive a pickup request.

Fare: The fee a rider is charged.

Fair: Fare, spelled wrong.

Surge: Uber occasionally up-charges riders during times of increased demand. The Surge is a multiplier of the base fare rate.

SRF: "Safe Rider Fee", now known as the "Booking Fee". This is the $1-3 fee that Uber adds to every fare to ccover insurance, app fees, etc.

What are the requirements to be an uber driver?

An in-state license is required. Have at least one year of licensed driving experience in the US (3 years if you are under 25 years old) Use an eligible 4-door vehicle

All vehicles being used for rides on the Uber app must meet the following minimum requirements:

  • Must have 4 doors and be able to transport a minimum of 4 passengers
  • Vehicle model must be 16years old or newer
  • Title cannot be salvaged, reconstructed, or rebuilt
  • Rental vehicles, except those from an approved Uber rental car partner are not permitted
  • Cannot have any cosmetic damage, missing pieces, or commercial branding

Should you choose to drive a vehicle you do not personally own, you must have permission from then vehicle owner and be listed as an insured driver on the vehicle’s insurance policy. Please note that Uber cannot allow a vehicle onto the platform if the driver’s name is not on the insurance document.

If your vehicle does not match the requirements above, you may still be able to use your vehicle for deliveries on the Uber app.

Is this fulltime job?

Driving with Uber offers a flexible earning opportunity. It's a great alternative to full-time driver jobs, part-time driver jobs, or other part-time gigs, temp jobs, or seasonal employment.

How do I do my first ride?

Download and install the driver app, and hit "Go Online". Once you get a request (a "ping"), you can hit 'Navigate' to be taken to the rider's pickup location. When you're sure you have arrived, flip back over to the Uber app and hit 'Arrived'. The passenger (PAX) will be notified of your arrival, though it's also nice to text them - to let them know what type of car you're in (though they see this on their app, not everyone looks) and to confirm that they're actually where their pin was placed. When they get in the car, hit 'Begin Trip'. If they haven't entered their destination, you can enter it - then hit 'Navigate' again and you will be routed there. At the end of the trip, hit 'End Trip', rate your passenger, and you'll be placed back online ready to pick up another PAX!

What are the safety features for uber drivers?

Emergency assistance button

You can use the in-app Emergency Button to call authorities to get help if you need it. The app displays your location and trip details, so you can quickly share them with emergency services.

24/7 incident support

Uber customer associates trained in incident response are available around the clock.

Follow My Ride

Friends and family can follow your route and will know as soon as you arrive.

2-way ratings

Your feedback matters. Low-rated trips are logged, and users may be removed to protect the Uber community.

Phone anonymization

If you need to contact your rider through the app, your phone number may stay private.

GPS tracking

All Uber trips are tracked from start to finish, so there’s a record of your trip if something happens.

RideCheck

Using sensors and GPS data, RideCheck can help detect if a trip goes unusually off-course or a possible crash has occurred. If the app alerts us to such events, we’ll check in on you and offer resources to get help.

Contact Safety Agent

You can connect with an ADT Safety Agent via phone call or text on every trip. Just tap the safety shield icon and select Contact safety agent.

Audio Recording

If you feel uncomfortable, you can record the audio of the trip within the app. Just tap the blue shield to open your Safety Toolkit and access the Record Audio option.

Emergency help if you need it

If you ever need urgent help when riding with the Uber app, you can contact 911 using the in-app Emergency Button in the Safety Toolkit.

The app will show your live location, vehicle information, and license plate number, which you can quickly share with the emergency dispatcher so they can send help faster. And in a growing number of US cities, this information is automatically provided to the dispatcher.

Does Uber help in event of an accident?

When you earn with a transportation network company (TNC), referred to here as ridesharing, many states require extra—and costly—insurance.

Uber maintains this insurance on your behalf. What’s covered depends on factors such as who was at fault; whether you were offline, online, en route, or on-trip; and your personal insurance policy.

Offline coverage:

Your personal auto insurance covers you while you’re offline. You must maintain personal automobile insurance at mandatory minimum limits and provide proof of your insurance to drive and deliver with a vehicle with Uber.

Coverage to repair your car when you’re en route to or on a trip is contingent on your personal insurance including comprehensive and collision coverage.

Coverage when online and available for a trip

Accidents happen. Suppose you’re at fault and another person gets hurt or their vehicle gets damaged. In that case, our third-party liability insurance covers the cost of injuries or damage in at least the following amounts:

-$50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for injuries

-$25,000 in property damage per accident

Depending on the law of your state, Uber may maintain extra coverage for you and your riders, including one or more of the following:

Coverage for you and your riders for injuries in a hit-and-run or an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver

Personal injury protection, including medical expenses and lost wages for you and your riders, no matter who’s at fault

Medical payments coverage for you and your riders, no matter who’s at fault.

Coverage when en route or on a trip

Uber maintains some of the most comprehensive insurance for ridesharing and deliveries, including:

-Insurance that covers at least $1,000,000 for property damage and injuries to riders and third parties involved in an accident where you’re at fault

Insurance that covers the cost to repair your car, up to the actual cash value, with a $2,500 deductible, contingent on your personal insurance including comprehensive and collision coverage. This extra insurance maintained by Uber protects your car, no matter who’s at fault, if you maintain comprehensive and collision coverage on your own vehicle.

In most US states, you can also purchase Optional Injury Protection to cover your additional medical expenses if you’re hurt in an accident. This insurance offering, pioneered by Uber, is designed specifically for drivers.

Depending on the law of your state, Uber may maintain extra coverage for you and your riders, including one or more of the following:

-Coverage for you and your riders for injuries in a hit-and-run or an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver

Personal injury protection, including medical expenses and lost wages for you and your riders, no matter who’s at fault

Medical payments coverage for you and your riders, no matter who’s at fault

Is being an uber driver worth it?

Recent reports from Uber state that "the vast majority of drivers are satisfied" and that "as of last quarter, drivers in the US were making about $33 per utilized hour" before expenses.

Its for you to decide if its worth it for you personally, volume and earnings will vary greatly between markets. Drivers as independant contractors are also responsible for all expenses which have been rising fast when drivers pay has stayed stagnant.

There are many direct and hidden costs associated with being an uber driver. To start with, You are responsible for tracking your own miles, profits and losses, as well as expenses such as gas, repairs, washes, and so on.

In addition, no one but you is responsible for ensuring you are earning enough. You need to be aware at what rate you are making enough for it to be worth it.


r/uberdrivers 3h ago

What the fuck do drivers expect from passengers?

38 Upvotes

I get in the car. Say hello to the driver. And I proceed to look down at my phone in silence for the entire ride. When the ride is over, I say bye or safe travels and I’m on my way. My rating was a 4.89 last week. It’s now a 4.86 after a week of trips to work. I’m paying for a service, not to ride in someone’s car to talk to them and be their friend. What are you guys expecting??? I rate these idiots 5 stars and tip $5-10 no matter what even if I’m sweating my ass off because they aren’t used to running the AC in the Middle East. Looks like everyone is gonna get 3 stars max with no tip from now on


r/uberdrivers 5h ago

Useless feature

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15 Upvotes

This has to be the most useless feature I've ever seen on the app, yeahh im landing the helicopter 🚁 is Uber really paying developers to come out with this stupid ideas? Smh


r/uberdrivers 8h ago

Uber Executives Completely Out Of Touch With Reality

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25 Upvotes

It seems sometimes the more money these people have the dumber they are. I can see them lobbying to try and make car ownership harder and more expensive. The way this corporation nation works. They want everyone to be controlled slaves.


r/uberdrivers 7h ago

Waymo Robotaxis Are 'Replacing Human Workers': Uber and Lyft Workers Demand a Transition Fund

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14 Upvotes

r/uberdrivers 9h ago

Small victory today on Lyft

15 Upvotes

So, I had a pick up near my house on the way towards my full time job. Took me 10 min off the highway, no big deal.

Do the drop off and get another ping to right back to the highway. Giant win.

Pull up, and pax starts walking out and stops in the foyer playing on his phone, then stwps out of view. I assume he is punching out, again, no biggie.

As he opens the door to exit, I get notification of a newly added stop. I immediately lock the doors and start pulling out of the parking spot. He approaches the car, i crack the window and tell him I dont do stops, and drive off.

A min later he cancels, I get a cancel fee plus a $1 wayfinding fee since he added a stop.

Perhaps this is a good lesson for these entitled pax who add the last minute stop.


r/uberdrivers 2h ago

Heads up, if you’re an EV driver in their service area!

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3 Upvotes

Turning off notifications on this one.

The Memorial Day one made people mad for some reason. 😂😂😂


r/uberdrivers 21h ago

The end of the driver’s license: Uber exec calls car ownership ‘the most inefficient asset’ and says no one will need one in 15 to 20 years (Fortune)

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75 Upvotes

r/uberdrivers 3h ago

Uber has nothing but contempt for drivers.

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2 Upvotes

Uber thought this was a valid pickup

Uber recorded the ride request and it's completion just BEFORE this.

Uber recorded the ride request and it's cancellation (and fee payment) just AFTER this.

Yet, Uber CS says this ride request is not available in their system yet; updates can take up to 48 hours.


r/uberdrivers 21m ago

Forced to watch the three minute video about accommodating people with disabilities… the video and subtitles were in French.

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Upvotes

You couldn’t just skip through it and now I think I’m dumber for having watched it.


r/uberdrivers 24m ago

Are ford broncos, Jetour T2s eligible for uber?

Upvotes

Couldn’t find a clear answer on their website


r/uberdrivers 4h ago

Make it make sense...

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2 Upvotes

The app was a mess last night... I went over 1 hour without a ping in downtown Denver, Cherry Creek, and Broadway. My heat map was totally blank! Then I get a Trip Radar for a short trip paying nearly $5/mile that I am right next to. I don't get the trip. The next ping I get is the same price to drive 20 miles to the sticks at 12:30am.

Was everyone just chasing their "24-hour Quest" or was my app actually broken last night?


r/uberdrivers 8h ago

chill out uber

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4 Upvotes

Uber needs to chill out spitting all this money at us. SMH
bundle package. this shit crazy… accept!
lol nah hell nah!


r/uberdrivers 5h ago

Have you guys been scammed on Uber before?

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2 Upvotes

They ask you call a number in the message to circumnavigate Uber. Happened to me before where they would tell me I’m being investigated yada yada. Then they try to tell you you’re getting a $100 credit for your time and they try to get you to withdrawal your funds onto a card they give you. I literally ALMOST fell for it until I questioned why I would withdrawal my funds.. they became aggressive and threaten to suspend my account. That’s when I knew it wasn’t Uber

Anyways, I knew better the second time and I simply waited for the timer to hit 5 mins and I cancelled. Please be careful if you go to pick up a customer and they don’t answer when you call asking you to call another number

DONT FALL VICTIM!


r/uberdrivers 9h ago

Uber stealing funds?

4 Upvotes

Have you ever completed a trip, pay out says everything is the same as the agreement but the amount actual sent to your Uber account was less than the amount on your finished trips?
Well that’s happened to me 3 times in two weeks, twice yesterday. I wait an extra 5 minutes so it increased my $6 ride to 8$, which triggered “under review” that’s fine, but why did they send the $8 over and “review” the $10 tip? lol aren’t we 100% entitled to tips? 2nd ride- was for $28 but I only received $21 or it, no tip, not under review… just straight $7 dollar less, no explanation. What can I do now ? The mobile chat has continued to say a specialist will write me in chat, but I’ve literally waited over 10 days and yesterday I was told a specialist would write me and they never did, I called customer support again today and once again “ we’re going to have a specialist message you in the chat “ PLEASEEE HELPP


r/uberdrivers 13h ago

The one that got away...

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8 Upvotes

Not just 130$ for a 90 mile ride but a 90 mile ride along the PCH ending in Santa Barbara at a time of day where I'd almost certainly get a ride to drive back along the PCH returning to LA.

I didn't have the range. If I had it to do over again I would have accepted and sent a note that we'd need to stop for 20 minutes along the way in Santa Monica at a charger but would cancel on my end if they didn't want to wait. I've charged twice late night with PAX's in the car and neither PAX were bothered, they were just happy to get a driver in the middle of the night.


r/uberdrivers 2h ago

Is this a joke? lmao $1.50 return?

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1 Upvotes

This has to be a fucking joke… right…? right? $1.50… so $3.50 for 20 minutes for what would have been $10 for more like 12-15 minutes…


r/uberdrivers 6h ago

Uber seems to be playing with tip money again.

3 Upvotes

Sunday early morning auto cash out, Uber takes what is in my holding. Zero Balance is left. A couple hrs later I get two more tips from the previous week. Ok all normal, then Monday morning I start Ubering still showing the two tip balances, then I get my first ride I complete I get paid it shows that ride amount correctly but that would normally be added to my running ballence. Only the only money showing now is that one ride I just finished. My previous ballence show the tips that came after auto pay disappeared no trace. But I can see the rides and tips in the driving map history only the tips are gone… 🥹


r/uberdrivers 12h ago

Wow. What a POS company.

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6 Upvotes

r/uberdrivers 1d ago

The 4am trick does work 😮

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139 Upvotes

First time starting at 4am and back home before 10. That was amazing. Take a small break and head back out! The Phoenix area has to be the best place to Uber


r/uberdrivers 22h ago

Huh??

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27 Upvotes

I decided to read the fine print on the $2500 lump sum payment for loss of vehicle use due to damage on a trip. It doesn't include car repairs or medical bills (not that I expected it to).

But I've seen some debates on here regarding Uber providing their own brand of insurance. I know in my market, my Uber insurance is through Progressive, so I never believed they were licensed agents.

The first snd last sentences totally contradict themselves, am I right, or am I missing something?


r/uberdrivers 12h ago

Is a 2$ tip reasonable for 3.5 miles?

4 Upvotes

I uber every day to and from work. I live about 3.5 miles away.

I used to tip $5 per ride, but realized that it really added up and that I was paying $50 per week in tips alone. So, I changed it to 2 dollars per ride.

What is the general consensus for drivers? Is that reasonable? Too little? Idk.


r/uberdrivers 10h ago

2 Hour Delivery 60 Miles $22 Pay

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4 Upvotes

Nearly 2 hour delivery 80 miles round trip for only $22 XD


r/uberdrivers 4h ago

How does Uber rental and filling taxes work?

1 Upvotes

So this is my first year renting a car from Uber (3rd party app called Kinto), and I assume they will be sending out an annual tax document to me for the 2026 taxes. I'm curious to know, once I filled my taxes, will I still pay back alot? Estimate? And have you ever rented a vehicle, how much did you pay back when filing your taxes?


r/uberdrivers 18h ago

"Your star rating is low and your account is at risk" 4.98 rating...

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10 Upvotes

So, I got a message in my inbox a few hours ago that my star rating was low and account at risk etc, I also see it in a brown box when I go to check my ratings. No change, actually my rating has gone up as an older 1 star came off in favor of more new 5 star ratings. I called support and they said others have reported this tonight as well, so IDK if this is something going around as an error sent out or ?? but it definitely was not something I was expecting nor happy to see.

anyone else seeing this recently?