The Rideshare Guide: Everything You Need to Know about Driving for Uber, Lyft, and Other Ridesharing Companies

by Harry Campbell

Overview

Let “The Rideshare Guy” help you make more money in the gig economy from Lyft and Uber!

In less than five years, ridesharing has grown from nonexistence into a billion dollar industry. Uber now has two million drivers in the United States, Lyft has seven hundred thousand, and both show no signs of slowing down. Despite the large number of drivers, Uber and Lyft provide little in the way of help for new drivers, who complain that there is a lack of guidance when starting out.

Harry Campbell, founder and director of The Rideshare Guy blog and podcast and a driver himself, can help. The Rideshare Guide offers a comprehensive and engaging handbook for current and prospective rideshare drivers. Learn how to:

• How to get started as a driver.
• What it’s like to give your first ride.
• Decide between Uber and Lyft
• Maximize passengers and profits
• Maintain a five-star rating
• Keep safe and interact appropriately with passengers
• Navigate legal matters and tax codes
• How to maximize your profits.
• And more!

Campbell explains these and much more, also including funny, shocking, and bizarre tales from the road. Whether you are thinking about becoming a driver or a veteran wondering about UberPool and tax help, The Rideshare Guide by the Rideshare Guy has the answers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781510735316
Publisher:	Skyhorse
Publication date:	04/24/2018
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Harry Campbell is the founder, editor, and director of TheRideshareGuy.com, which has become the industry's leading resource for drivers. Its blog, podcast, and YouTube tutorials reach hundreds of thousands of users per month, and continue to provide a voice for drivers. Campbell has been featured in New York Times, Forbes, CNET, WIRED, the LA Times, the Huffington Post, and many other media outlets for his work. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction: Why drive for Uber or Lyft? xi

Chapter 1 What's it really like to be a rideshare driver? 1

How much you'll make as a rideshare driver 2

What your expenses will look like 4

Why Uber and Lyft are the most flexible jobs in the world 5

Getting your Uber and Lyft sign-up bonuses! 7

Uber and Lyft driver requirements 10

Leasing or renting rideshare vehicles 13

The downsides of being a rideshare driver 13

Chapter 2 How do I get started as a driver? 16

Choosing Uber or Lyft to start 18

All the different levels of Uber (UberX, UberPOOL, UberXL, UberSelect) 22

UberX in New York City 24

The first two products you'll need to buy as a rideshare driver 25

Tracking your miles 28

Accidents and why you'll want rideshare insurance 29

Getting in touch with Uber or Lyft for support 32

Chapter 3 What's it like to give your first ride? 35

My number one tip for new drivers 37

First ride checklist 38

Accepting ride requests 40

Conducting the ride 42

Ending the ride 44

How fares are calculated 44

App and phone troubleshooting 47

Chapter 4 How can you become a five-star driver? 48

How the ratings system actually works 49

What matters most for high ratings 50

Know your area's top landmarks and the basics 51

Tips and how to get them 52

Here are some more products and services that can help you as a driver 54

Chapter 5 How do I maximize my profits? 57

When you should drive 58

Experiment with new times and places 65

Bonuses, incentives, and more! 65

Lyft Tower Driver Bonus 71

Driving for both Uber and Lyft 72

Ignoring rides to boost your bottom line 74

Long rides 77

Chapter 6 How should I deal with difficult passengers and challenging situations? 78

Be the captain of your own ship 79

Dash cams can help 81

What to do when sh&% hits the fan 82

Handling lost or left behind items 84

Service animals 86

Pukers 87

Most passengers are very pleasant 90

Chapter 7 Where can I find driver support, community, and resources? 92

How to get in contact with Uber and Lyft 93

How to connect with other rideshare drivers 97

The best online blogs and YouTubers to follow 100

Chapter 8 What does it take to be an independent contractor? (Including taxes!) 104

Managing your hours 105

Understanding your income and your expenses 106

Accounting software, tips, and tricks 109

Getting your rideshare taxes done right 112

Tax advice for drivers who work for both Uber and Lyft 116

Mileage deduction 116

Other deductions 119

How most drivers file their taxes 120

Estimated taxes 120

Frequently asked rideshare tax questions 121

Chapter 9 How can you diversify your rideshare income? 123

Taking your game to the next level 124

Driving for Uber's commercial platforms 126

Earning driver and passenger referral bonuses 128

Third-party companies that help drivers earn more 129

Other money-making opportunities for drivers 132

Networking is the name of the game 133

How to respectfully push your side hustle 134

Chapter 10 What does the future look like for rideshare drivers? 136

There's a lot of turnover with Uber and Lyft drivers 137

Worries about self-driving cars 140

Other rideshare companies to keep an eye on 142

Adding food and/or package delivery services 143

Delivering for Amazon Flex 146

Conclusion 147

Appendix 149

Index 151

About the Author 158

Editorial Reviews

"Few people are as familiar with the ins-and-outs of rideshare driving as Harry. His deep understanding of what it's like to get behind the wheel as a rideshare driver combined with his passion for helping others make him a valuable resource for folks who want to get even more out of their experience driving with Uber."
—Rachel Holt, Uber VP and Regional General Manager, US & Canada

"A guide every driver should have in their glovebox, from one of Lyft’s earliest pioneers. Harry shares all the tips that have made him successful — not only as a driver, but as a trusted entrepreneur."
—Laura Copeland, Lyft’s Head of Driver Communications

"Becoming a rideshare driver can serve as a pathway to freedom, or it can be just another part-time job. Harry's book shows you the difference—read it and take your game to the next level."—Chris Guillebeau, New York Times bestselling author of Side Hustle and The $100 Startup

"Companies like Uber and Lyft offer exciting opportunities for drivers, along with plenty of risks. No one is better suited to help them navigate this difficult terrain than the Rideshare Guy, Harry Campbell. This book is indispensable reading."
—Brad Stone, author of The Upstarts: Uber, Airbnb, and the Battle for the New Silicon Valley

“An impressively comprehensive book, I highly recommend it to all drivers, seasoned or brand-new. It’s a one-stop shop for everything you need to know about becoming a rideshare driver and maximizing your income.”
—Randy Shear, Uber Man

"In the rideshare business, only one name comes to my mind—Harry Campbell, the man that inspired me to enter this exciting market. His blog became my rideshare bible and very quickly I climbed the rideshare ranks applying his genius."
—Torsten Kunert, Rideshare Professor

“The best comprehensive guide for any Rideshare driver.”
—Calvin Hill, The Simple Driver ***

“My experience working with Skyhorse is always a positive collaboration. The editors are first-rate professionals, and my books receive top-shelf treatment. I truly appreciate our working relationship and hope it continues for years to come.”
–David Fischer, author

"Few people are as familiar with the ins-and-outs of rideshare driving as Harry. His deep understanding of what it's like to get behind the wheel as a rideshare driver combined with his passion for helping others make him a valuable resource for folks who want to get even more out of their experience driving with Uber."
—Rachel Holt, Uber VP and Regional General Manager, US & Canada

"A guide every driver should have in their glovebox, from one of Lyft’s earliest pioneers. Harry shares all the tips that have made him successful — not only as a driver, but as a trusted entrepreneur."
—Laura Copeland, Lyft’s Head of Driver Communications

"Becoming a rideshare driver can serve as a pathway to freedom, or it can be just another part-time job. Harry's book shows you the difference—read it and take your game to the next level."—Chris Guillebeau, New York Times bestselling author of Side Hustle and The $100 Startup

"Companies like Uber and Lyft offer exciting opportunities for drivers, along with plenty of risks. No one is better suited to help them navigate this difficult terrain than the Rideshare Guy, Harry Campbell. This book is indispensable reading."
—Brad Stone, author of The Upstarts: Uber, Airbnb, and the Battle for the New Silicon Valley

“An impressively comprehensive book, I highly recommend it to all drivers, seasoned or brand-new. It’s a one-stop shop for everything you need to know about becoming a rideshare driver and maximizing your income.”
—Randy Shear, Uber Man

"In the rideshare business, only one name comes to my mind—Harry Campbell, the man that inspired me to enter this exciting market. His blog became my rideshare bible and very quickly I climbed the rideshare ranks applying his genius."
—Torsten Kunert, Rideshare Professor

“The best comprehensive guide for any Rideshare driver.”
—Calvin Hill, The Simple Driver ***

“My experience working with Skyhorse is always a positive collaboration. The editors are first-rate professionals, and my books receive top-shelf treatment. I truly appreciate our working relationship and hope it continues for years to come.”
–David Fischer, author

From the Publisher