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Why do you drive for low pay?

4K views 34 replies 21 participants last post by  Leo1983 
#1 ·
Haven't driven in months thought I'd give it a try today results 5 hours $58 130+ miles added to car filled gas before I started and after I finished used $11 total after gas $47 for 5 hours do you just do so you can report lose to IRS LOL
 
#3 · (Edited)
Wish you could of fore warned my neighbor down the street about the low pay before he signed up.
He hated his old full time job so he quit to give Uber a try full time.

He bought a brand new Ford Edge. $32995. I saw the sticker on it. Bought a light up Uber sign that attaches on top . Bought an Uber hat and shirt to wear as well. . Proud as a peacock he told people his new job is "Operating a business out of his Car" as a "Professional Uber Driver" . Very dedicated at .85 a mile, .11 a minute.

I finally ran into Mr. "Professional Uber Driver' this morning and asked how it was going. Disappointment in the lack of tips and gas a major expense were 2 gripes right away. Didn't realize he would be picking up so many unfriendly people from bad areas as well. Still accepts every ride request even at long distances because it's the "right thing to do" even if not very profitable. Thinks he "might get in trouble" with Uber if he don't.

I asked him based on his dozens and dozens of spread sheets and stacks of paper work if they are showing him even making a profit . He kind of got mad and avoided the question. I didn't push it.

Neighbor down the street who knows him said he is thinking of returning to his old job he hated .But just on a part time basis . For now.. Same tired old story about another who drank too freely of the Uber Kool Aid.
 
#5 ·
Wish you could of fore warned my neighbor down the street about the low pay before he signed up.
He hated his old full time job so he quit to give Uber a try full time.

He bought a brand new Ford Edge. $32995. I saw the sticker on it
His problem wasn't as much that he tried Uber full time... the problem was that he spent about ten times too much on a car to do it with!
 
#19 ·
Not really.

Is it the toughest work in the area? No. But to sit on your arse for more then 40 hrs...I don't know how y'all do it. It's one of the reasons I loathe a desk job but the one I got now let's me stand when I want to and sit when I want to. It's fairly hard for some but pretty easy for me (just tedious with the paperwork, esp when I'm picking up slack for other people). I guess that's why my bf teases me that it's a glorified secretary job. And yes, I make more then 50k not including benefits like the occasional catered lunch, unlimited snacks and gym membership.

Drivers have to drive a lot, even if they're only chasing surges and doing x or above...to get to the 50k a year mark. And that's not counting the expenses (depreciation, gas, insurance, health care, etc).

And if he's from the Bay Area, San Jose specifically, the rent is horrific. He might be better off moving to Chicago and being an uber driver there living in the suburbs then the bay area.
U just said it in your statement. U are allowed to stand when u want to. So can I. Plus can smoke when I want to and take as many breaks as I want. And you right rent and expenses are cheaper here in Chicago than the west coast.

I hope he at least got the 7 seater XL for that price. I'm retiring my 07 Odyssey in December and my next XL will be 7 or 8 years old, clean and with under 80,000 miles. $10,000 should do it.

At that rate you won't show any taxable income at all. It's mathematically impossible after deducting your 53.5 cents per mile, unless 90% of your miles are paid. Any city that considers zero taxable income as a job is going to be sorry when every full time driver qualifies for every welfare benefit ever invented whether they work 10 hours per week or 80.

Sure, it's made up. Uber and Lyft wouldn't exist if new drivers weren't falling for their fake earnings claims every day. Half the Ubers on the road are late model expensive cars even in markets like Orlando where the mileage rate is .65 before Uber's cut. Guys quit and new guys take their place.
Those earning rates are definitely not fake in my market and a lot of others.
 
#20 ·
I'll forward your opinion to him. That is if he exists. We're meeting up this Fri morn comparing notes over coffee after both driving the morning rush. Whoever does best dollar wise buys. If what you say is true and he doesn't exist then i guess I'll be talking to a wall and buying for myself. .You heard about Uber possibly putting Phantom cars on the map for whatever reason. His must be one of those.
It's funny your post refers to him as just a "neighbor up the street." And you "finally ran into him one day."

Yet now your breakfast buddies...

Lol you guys are too easy....
 
#24 ·
Some areas pay as little as..

71c (53c)
http://uberestimate.com/prices/Orlando/
11c (8c) per minute

VS
1.29 (.96) per mile? is this correct for Boston?
20c (15) per minute
http://uberestimate.com/prices/Boston/

So some markets are getting as little as 55% what you are getting per mile and aren't in as busy markets as Boston is, with more empty time and more deadheading around.

So.. rough guess... with Orlando rates in 5 hours you would have mad about $55-60 give or take.


So yes.. bad area your 100% correct. Some markets are just 100% crap areas to work, you are correct.
 
#28 ·
Those aren't reasons. You're working for free. Get any minimum wage job and you will have given yourself a 100% raise
I actually make a profit, although it may be less than minimum wage, I believe it is within a couple of dollars either way.

If you are unemployable you can't keep a minimum wage job, so the fact that you could make more is irrelevant.

Minimum wage jobs tend to be extremely hard work, and you have to be able to punch a clock on time each day, and get along at least somewhat well with bosses.
 
#29 ·
I don't know man here in California there are so many easy minimum wage jobs. Mostly doing retail tasks (airhead work) they pay $12 an hr and full time gets benefits which equals to $6 an hr value. If you add retirement into the aspect it's even more. Plus if you get sick your lights won't be turned off.
If you get fired you will have a little extra to get you through the tough job search process. God forbit you hurt yourself on the job you won't have to pay a $1000 deductible.
And so so many other beautiful socialist safety net we have here don't apply to a rideshare driver. Because we are considered independent contractors.
The most dangerous thing a human being can do is drive. And we do it for a living. And on top of that we get paid less than Timmy down the street mowing lawns?! Wtf seriously you're injesting 26 x the polution in the air.
And people still drive. Wow this in itself is enough to lose faith in humanity.
Fun fact. A full time driver injests enough carcinogens to be considered a pack a day smoker.
So what happened to this generation? You are slaves and you're fighting to prove that you're not. Unite and fight the powers that be. Take your voices back. The census Bureau says a lower middle class person living in Los Angeles has to make minimum $33 an hour to be considered lower middle class.
How many of you make $33 an hr?? And how many of you think you're middle class ($75 hr minimum)??
Well you're not. You're poor. Either deal with it or march. I say.
Wow I need to sleep.
 
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