Last Updated on March 9, 2021 by Filip Poutintsev
Now and again, we all are faced with awful occasions, where we need to quickly make way to a meeting, an exam, a gathering, but are at a loss of transport. A very normal issue faced by more than half of the population – you, me and everybody else.
With each app getting introduced in the Google Play Store and IOS every once in a while, Uber, a ride-sharing app got introduced too to make our transportation convenient and comfortable.
Gone are those days when we would be astonished hearing the name of Uber on TV ads or the Internet because now Uber is available in over 60 countries and 400 cities worldwide and is growing month by month. It is very convenient to call rides both in times of emergencies and regular use.
UBER – Introduction
To passengers, Uber is as same as taxis, and to drivers, it is fundamentally a referral administration. The Android, IOS, and Window Phone App associates riders with drivers utilizing their phone’s GPS abilities, telling both parties each other’s location and not giving a chance to wonder when the ride will actually show up.
Likewise, tech organizations additionally process all payments included, charging the passenger’s credit card, taking a cut for itself (which ranges from 5% to 20%) and directly depositing the remaining money into the driver’s account, all in the background and completely cashless. However, there is also an option of paying via cash.
History of UBER
Uber’s story started in Paris in 2008. Two friends, Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp were going to the Leweb, a yearly tech conference. Both men had sold startups they co-founded for a large sum in the year 2007.
Rumor has it that the idea of Uber was generated one winter night during the conference when the pair couldn’t find the taxi. In the beginning, a thought was for a timeshare limo service that could be requested by means of an application.
After the conference, the entrepreneurs headed out in their own direction, yet when Camp came back to San Francisco, he was still focused on the thought and bought the domain name ubercab.com.
Since the time UBER came into the scene, the business of renting or leasing a car has experienced a significant dent in their market share.
Pros and Cons of Driving For Uber
Driving for Uber poses many advantages. It has changed the way of transporting people as it reaches your doorstep. It provides low-cost transportation with the convenience. But have we ever given a thought on how advantageous it could be to become a Uber driver?
Do Uber drivers have as many benefits as the passengers? If you had not given any thoughts to it yet and now you want to know, keep reading this article.
Like any job, Uber driving has its own benefits and drawbacks. If by any chance, you are thinking about a side hustle to earn some extra cash, here are the pros and cons of being an Uber driver. You can determine the weight and worth of the different considerations.
Pros of Driving for UBER
1. The Flexibility of Working Hours
When you become a driver for Uber, you get to be in charge of the schedule that you keep. There is the flexibility of the working hours. You can work as much or as little as you want when it is optimal for your situation.
It is up to you to determine where you want to drive when you want to drive and how long you can earn money each day. The phone/application can be turned on at any time to work and turned off just as easy.
2. Immediate Payment
It sure feels great to get your earnings deposited into your account toward the finish of your driving period or even in between if you have at any rate $5 in income. The cash will be in your account in no time, yet there is a 50-cents charge for each time you request instant pay regardless of the dollar sum.
Another practical solution choice that acquires no charges, is to have your profit saved into your checking or investment account on Tuesday for the easier week’s income at someplace.
3. Extra Income
Want to earn a little extra money on the side without negotiating the current schedule? If you have a car, a smartphone and a clean driving record, driving for Uber could be a good side hustle for you.
However, where you live, after expenses and depreciation of your car could be the factor of how much you will be able to earn exactly.
4. Get to Meet New People
There are individuals utilizing Uber around for a wide range of reasons. You may discover there is a general demographic; however, you will encounter a wide range of individuals of any age utilizing Uber to get around. Each individual that gets in the driver-vehicle makes an open door for social interaction. If you appreciate meeting new people consistently, driving for Uber will engage you.
5. Get to See New Places
Driving for Uber can let you discover places you probably had never reached despite being around the town since people need to go around various locations that you might necessarily have not reached.
5. Earn Tips
Very few earning jobs offer the potential of getting tips and driving for Uber is one of them. You do get tips, but it is not consistent. Your passengers can tip you in cash or via the Uber app.
6. Surge Pricing
Despite the fact that getting a surge ride (an exponentially increased) can be tricky, it can likewise be worthwhile.
Especially for big events and holidays, surge can make the riders fare generally costly and the drivers move much progressively beneficial for the paycheck. Drivers get 80% of the fare, regardless of the price.
Cons of Driving for Uber
1. Work on Odd Hours
While some cab drivers are able to take off public holidays such as Bank Holidays, Uber drivers may not be quite so fortunate; particularly those that use Uber to supplement their primary income. Bank Holidays and late nights at weekends can be the most profitable hours to work for Uber drivers.
2. Risky at Times
Driving late around evening time for Uber can bring about you crashing into some possibly hazardous zones and neighborhoods. You’ll be set up to manage inconsiderate, alcoholic and even forceful travelers.
3. The Changing Terms and Conditions
At the point when you decide to drive for Uber, you should keep up-to-date on all of the terms and conditions which govern your agreement. There are a lot of rules that cover the rewards, expenses, and fares that happens with each ride, and those guidelines can change at any minute. On the off chance that you are not continually checking on the updates that come through, at that point you could wind up disregarding the principles inadvertently and losing your capacity to serve as a driver through the application.
4. Time Consuming
Despite the fact that it is simpler to turn into a Uber driver compared to driving for a taxi organization, there are still some time limitations that must be considered. Your vehicle must qualify for you to become a driver.
When your vehicle qualifies, your protection approach should likewise qualify. Drivers must be able to confirm a clean criminal record, a clean driving record, and pay for an upfront vehicle inspection fee. It, for the most part, takes around fourteen days to turn into an Uber driver, however, in certain urban communities, that time allotment can be diminished.
5. Insurance
You can be dropped by your personal auto-insurer if found to be transporting passengers without a rideshare endorsement. This is a complicated issue that is not explained well by Uber.
6. Wear and Tear on Car
Drivers are accountable for all car expenses. This can add up to significant added depreciation and maintenance/repairs on a vehicle.
7. Ineffective Rating System
Customers rate a driver 1 to 5 stars, and unfortunately for drivers, a 4-star average is failing and being terminated. Sometimes, passengers tend to rate drivers as per their mood which is very unfair for the drivers.
Conclusion
Whether Uber is worth it, it eventually relies most considerably on your own financial circumstances and career goals. For some drivers, Uber might represent a lucrative opportunity. For others, Uber might make for an overall frustrating experience; it can be difficult for those inexperienced in the profession to know which verge of the spectrum to anticipate.
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