The Ultimate Guide To Being A
Rideshare Driver
First, thank you for subscribing to my e-mail list! As a welcome gift, I wanted to send you this superhelpful guide for getting started as a rideshare driver. I know a lot of you reading this may be new to
my community, but even if you're not, this guide is full of awesome content that will help
experienced drivers just as much as the newbies.
And if you ever have any questions about anything, feel free to e-mail me at
harry@therideshareguy.com. I actually read and respond to every single e-mail that I get, so if
there’s anything you want answered, just let me know!
Signing Up To Be A Rideshare Driver
I'm not sure what you've heard about being a driver, but here's the truth: it probably isn't going to
make you rich. But there is still a lot of opportunity out there if you are dedicated to becoming a
great driver.
In my mind, the best part about being a driver is the flexibility that it affords – you can literally flip
on the app at any time and turn it off whenever you want. But if you really want to maximize your
earnings, you’ll need to start thinking about when and where you drive.
The main goals of my site are to help drivers become better at what they do, have fun driving and
earn more money by working smarter, not harder. If you want to make above-average money as a
driver, then you have to be willing to put in the hours to master your craft. You cannot expect to do
the bare minimum and earn a ton of money. That’s not how life works, and it’s definitely not how
rideshare works either.
So if you're ready to hop on this journey with us, all you need is a smartphone, a car and a great
attitude (well, a great attitude isn't a requirement, but it will definitely help). Let's go!
Driving For Uber – Sign Up Bonuses
Uber is available in hundreds of cities globally, and they’ve hired hundreds of thousands of drivers in
the US. One of the most attractive parts about signing up for Uber is their sign-up bonuses. In most
cities, new drivers will receive a sign-up bonus anywhere from $25 all the way up to $1,000 after
completing a certain number of rides.
Uber doesn’t publish a list of sign-up bonuses but you can message them through the help section of
the driver app or submit an inquiry online to verify the amount and terms for your city.
If you’d like to sign up and drive with Uber using my link, you’ll get anywhere up to $1,000 (referral
link) depending on your city. Feel free to shoot me an e-mail if you have any questions or just to let
me know you used my link so I can thank you.
Retroactive Referral Bonuses: If you signed up without a promo code, you have 15 days to
retroactively add a referrer and get a sign-up bonus. If you’d like to do this, please e-mail me for
instructions.
Driving For Lyft – Sign Up Bonuses
A lot of people start driving with Uber, but sooner or later, you should consider adding Lyft. Lyft isn’t
as busy as Uber in some places but it’s always smart to have them as a back-up just in case.
Lyft doesn’t publish their sign-up bonuses but you will get a confirmation e-mail with the
amount/terms for your city as soon as you sign up using my link. You could also send Lyft a message
ahead of time if you want to know what the bonus amount is.
If you’d like to sign up and drive with Lyft using my link, you’ll get anywhere up to $1,000 (referral
link) depending on your city. Feel free to shoot me an e-maill if you have any questions or just to let
me know you used my link so I can thank you.
Latest Sign-Up Bonus Information
For all of the latest monthly sign-up bonus information, please check out our Sign-Up Bonus Page.
Need a Vehicle?
If you want to learn more about the vehicle eligibility requirements for Uber and Lyft please head to
our Uber Vehicle Marketplace.
If you don’t have a car, there are a whole host of flexible rideshare leasing options like The Uber
Xchange Program and Lyft Express Drive. We’ve also included all the various flexible rideshare
rental companies that are now available if you just want to try out driving for Uber.
Material for Beginner Drivers: Where Do I Start?
If you just found my site for the first time, you’re probably going to be a little overwhelmed. We’ve
got hundreds of articles, hours of podcasts, tons of YouTube videos and a video course. Not to
mention the fact that we’re working on new stuff every day.
So if you are a new driver, here are some of the most popular posts that may help you getting started
with ridesharing:
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5 Reasons To Start Driving With Lyft Before Uber
How To Find Free Vehicle Inspections For Uber And Lyft Drivers
Top 9 Ways To Contact Uber When You Need Help
How To Get The Best Deal With The Xchange Leasing Program On Uber
Rideshare Insurance Options For Uber And Lyft Drivers
Are Uber Drivers Allowed To Transport Minors?
Do Drivers Make More Money With Lyft Or Uber?
What To Do About The Uber Driver App Crapping Out
What Are The Best Apps To Track Your Mileage?
Here are a few episodes of our podcast which beginners can particularly benefit from:
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RSG001: What's Your Passenger Pick-Up Strategy?
RSG017: Why Baby Boomers Are Flocking To Drive For Uber and Lyft
RSG020: What It’s Like To Be A Brand New Rideshare Driver
RSG025: What’s it Like to be a Female Uber Driver? With Tiffany Hudson-Stroup
And a few YouTube videos I’ve created for beginners:
1. My Number One Piece of Advice For New Uber Drivers
2. What’s The Difference Between Lyft and Uber?
3. One Quick Tip to Boost Your Uber Driver Rating
As a new driver here are a few products/services you can really benefit from:
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Get a phone mount. I recommend the Kenu Airframe, but here’s a full list of other great
options.
Good floor mats are also a great investment. WeatherTech Floor Mats are the ones I use,
and here’s a full list of other products that you should consider.
Track all of your miles. This will save you a TON of money come tax time! Stride Drive is
a good free option if you’re on iOS, and here’s a full list of all the other mileage tracking
options.
Take a ride as a passenger. If you’ve never used Uber before, it’s important to see what
the experience is like from the customer’s point of view. And best of all, it’s free to take your
first ride with Lyft and Uber. Click here to get $20 off your first ride with Uber and click here
for free rides with Lyft.
Rideshare Insurance is important for new drivers because your personal policy could
drop you if they find out you’re driving for Uber or Lyft. Click here to go to my Rideshare
Insurance Marketplace where I compare all the insurance options by state that offer
‘rideshare insurance.’
● Maximum Ridesharing Profits video course is a first of its kind video training course
that I’ve created for new drivers. You’ll get access to dozens of high quality training videos
you won’t find anywhere else!
If you’d like to learn more about all the best tools and services for rideshare drivers, please head to
our resources page. Here are a few of my favorite products, apps and tools:
1. 11 Products That Every Rideshare Driver Should Be Carrying
2. 12 Must-Have Apps For Rideshare Drivers
3. 9 Tools, Tips & Tricks To Make Your Rideshare Life Easier
If you'd like to stay up to date on all of the latest articles, sign up for our e-mail list and join tens of
thousands of subscribers who receive daily e-mail updates whenever we publish a new post.
The RSG YouTube Channel
If you’re a fan of videos, every week we release multiple videos on the Youtube channel where we
cover questions from readers, review new products and services and go over some of the most
common scenarios and challenges drivers face.
Here are some of the most popular videos on the channel:
● My Number One Piece of Advice For New Uber Drivers
● What’s The Difference Between Lyft and Uber?
● Where Can I Download The Uber Driver Iphone And Android App?
● How to Request a Specific Uber Driver or Passenger
● How Does UberPool Pricing Work For Drivers?
● What Should You Do If A Passenger Wants To Stop At a Liquor Store?
● The Cancellation Strategy That Earns You More Than Driving
Maximum Ridesharing Profits (MRP)
All of the information on the site is 100% free, but if you’re looking for a crash course in driver
training or if you’re ready to take your ridesharing to the next level, I’ve created one of the first video
courses designed specifically for rideshare drivers.
Along with my co-instructor Brian Cole, who runs a Youtube channel for drivers, you will learn
everything from getting started on the road to more advanced topics like hunting down surge and
where to find more pick-ups. I encourage you to take a look at the course, and if you’re the type of
person who really wants to succeed and is willing to invest in your driving, I guarantee you will enjoy
this course.
Check out Maximum Ridesharing Profits today!
MRP Blog
If you’re looking for more content, we transcribe and post all of our top videos over on the MRP blog.
You can subscribe via e-mail to be notified of all the latest posts. Here’s a sampling of some of our
top posts:
How Uber Passengers Can Enter Multiple Destinations On Their Uber Ride
● Can Someone Else Ride With Me While Driving For Uber?
● How To Request A Specific Uber Driver Or Passenger
● I’ve Been Online For Hours And Haven’t Gotten An Uber Passenger Request
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The Rideshare Guy Podcast
One of my favorite parts of the site is my podcast where I get to spend time recording awesome
interviews and doing in-depth analysis into all of the most pressing issues and topics of the rideshare
world.
I’ve interviewed everyone from Uber and Lyft drivers to CEOs of rideshare start-ups and I’m always
looking for fresh and exciting people to interview.
Here are some of our most popular episodes to date:
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RSG001: What’s Your Passenger Pick-Up Strategy?
RSG003: Every Rideshare Driver's Tax Deduction Guide
RSG004: My Best Week of Rideshare Driving Ever!
RSG012: Leveraging Rideshare To Promote Your New Business
RSG024: Taking Your Rideshare Game To The Next Level With Bradley Zane
RSG035: Michael Tee on Launching The App Rideshare Timer
RSG037: What Can A Financial Blogger Learn From Doing 500 Uber Rides?
RSG038: Steven Hill On What’s Wrong With Uber
If you'd like to be notified whenever we release a new podcast, I encourage you to subscribe
in iTunes, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts.
PS - If you’d like to get a shout-out at the beginning of the podcast, help us out by leaving a 5 star
review in iTunes! 5 star reviews help us reach more people and land higher profile guests.
What's It Like To Be A Driver?
Want to know what it's like to be a driver? You've come to the right place, because I actually drive for
both major Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) (Uber and Lyft) AND I even drove for
Sidecar before they went belly up.
I usually recommend that new drivers pick just one to start with though, and if you end up liking
it, then you can sign up for more.
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A list of all of my articles about driving for Uber
A list of all of my articles about driving for Lyft
If you're having trouble deciding which company to drive for first, maybe these articles comparing
the two will help. I tend to prefer the community aspect of Lyft, but I make more money and get
more requests with Uber.
Either way, if you're serious about driving, do your due diligence and then sign up ASAP. The
process is pretty easy and if things go smoothly, you could be out there on the road within a week or
two. Once you get the hang of things, you should definitely consider driving for multiple services
since that is the best way to really maximize your income.
Resources For Drivers
One of the coolest parts about being involved in the rideshare community is all of the amazing
resources at your fingertips. We've partnered up with some of the top companies in the space,
and you can rest assured we only recommend products that we actually use and that will also provide
a ton of value!
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Stride Drive: Stride Drive is one of the top free mileage tracking apps for rideshare drivers.
Come tax time, this will be one of your biggest deductions, so it’s important you track all of
your miles!
ActiveHours: This is another service that allows you to get paid for the rides you give on
the same day, and best of all it is donation based, so you decide how much you want to pay
for the service.
YourMechanic: Dubbed the 'Uber' of auto-mechanics, YourMechanic actually sends a
mechanic to your home or business to perform everything from an oil change to new brakes
and tires. Use the code 'RSG20' and you can get $20 off your first service: that means a
regular oil change will only cost you $20! You can read our review of YourMechanic or go to
their website to get a quote and find out if they’re in your area.
MileIQ: MileIQ is a paid mileage tracker that tracks every time you drive. Later you can
categorize the trips as “Business” or “Personal”.
DailyPay: This service pays you every day that you drive for Uber and charges a very
nominal fee. This way you don’t have to wait to access the money you earned while driving.
Rideshare Timer: This Andriod app makes it easy to know when to cancel a ride and
ensure you get the cancellation fee (and doesn’t affect your acceptance/cancellation rate). It
can also auto-text passengers when you arrive or after you’ve been waiting a few minutes
which will save you time and money.
Business Cards: If you’re looking to get some premium business cards to pass out to your
clients, Palm Interactive has some great templates and designs.
Light-Up Uber Signs: Picking up passengers in crowded areas can be tough but these
light-up signs will definitely make your ride stand out!
What About Delivery?
Over the last couple years, delivery has become a very popular option for those looking to work in the
on-demand economy. Two of the biggest companies are Postmates and Doordash, and I’ve actually
signed up and done deliveries for both.
I don’t think the earning potential with delivery is as high as it is with rideshare, but it can still be
worth it to sign up in order to diversify your income. And of course, if you only have a 2 door car or a
vehicle that isn’t eligible for Uber and Lyft, you could sign up with a delivery company and start
driving today.
Driving For Postmates
Sign up to drive with Postmates using my code ‘RSG‘ (bonuses of up to $200 depending on
city)
● Get $10 off your first Postmates delivery using the code ‘m6mng’
● Learn more about what it’s like to sign up and deliver with Postmates
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Driving For DoorDash
Sign up to drive for DoorDash using my phone #: 310-428-2765 (bonuses of up to $200
depending on your city)
● Get your first delivery free with DoorDash
● Learn more about what it’s like to sign up and deliver with Doordash
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Weekly Rideshare News Roundups
If you want to stay in the know about what's going on in the world of rideshare, make sure you catch
our Weekly News Roundups. Every week, we highlight all of the top stories from the past week and
give a little commentary too.
Here's a list of all of our Rideshare Roundups.
3 Hot Topics
Since rideshare is such a new and innovative form of transportation there is always a lot going on!
We try to keep you guys up to date with our weekly round-ups, but in the meantime if you want to
catch up on all of the hot topics in rideshare, here's the latest scoop:
Insurance
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Rideshare Drivers Now Have Insurance Options
Rideshare’s Little White Lie
Episode 2: Everything You Need To Know About Uber, Lyft and Sidecar's Insurance Policy
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Could Lyft Drivers Be On The Hook For a $2,500 Deductible?
Taxes
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All Of Your Rideshare Tax Questions Answered
The Rideshare Guy Podcast Episode 3: Every Rideshare Driver’s Tax Deduction Guide
How Much Can You Make As A Driver?
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Do Drivers Make More Money With Lyft or Uber?
How Much Did I Make Driving For Lyft & Uber on a Saturday Night in the OC/LA?
My Most Lucrative Weekend of Rideshare Ever!
What's The Most You've Ever Made Off One Ride?
What's The Biggest Tip You've Ever Gotten?
Follow Us On Social Media
During the week, we share a ton of great resources, news stories and information across our social
media channels. Join tens of thousands of drivers and stay updated on everything that's going on in
the world of rideshare.
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Facebook Page: The Rideshare Guy
Follow Us on Twitter: @TheRideshareGuy
Pinterest: The Rideshare Guy
Our Staff
We really pride ourselves on producing top-notch content, and that’s the one thing that we feel sets
us apart. But it isn't just one person doing all the work! We have a diverse team with lots of different
experience, knowledge and know-how that you will learn from.
Harry Campbell
Harry is the owner and founder of The Rideshare Guy. He has quickly become one of the leading
industry experts and he is a trusted media source for all things rideshare. Harry is based out of Los
Angeles and drives for Uber, Lyft, Postmates and Doordash.
His column can be found here and you can also follow Harry on Facebook!
Christian Perea
Christian is our first full-time employee and he works on advertising and partnership in addition to
creating lots of great content. He has driven for Uber and Lyft in 3 different cities and logged over
5,000 rides.
You can find his weekly column here.
Scott Van Maldegiam
Scott is one of the first contributors we ever featured here on RSG and he brings a unique and
analytical approach to being a rideshare driver. Since he's based out of Chicago, he also helps us to
stay informed about what's going on in that side of the country. Today, he covers all things related to
rideshare insurance and works full-time for Dynamex.
You can find his column here.
John Ince
John Ince is a former Fortune reporter and Wall Street banker and based out of San Francisco. John
is one of RSG’s longest tenured writers and he has done thousands of rides as a driver for Uber and
Lyft.
You can find his weekly column here.
Jonathan Knope
Jonathan Knope is a freelance writer and rideshare driver hailing from Atlanta, GA. Over the past
two years, he's worked for many of the big names in the rideshare industry, including Uber, Lyft,
DoorDash, and Amazon Flex. John specializes in technical reviews and has done a lot of great work
on the RSG Youtube channel.
You can find his work here.
Driver’s Corner
If you’d like to hear about other drivers’ experiences on the road, check out our new column called
The Driver’s Corner. From time to time, we feature a guest post from readers just like you. So if
you’re interested in seeing what other drivers have to say, check it out ASAP!
Here are a couple popular guest posts we’ve run in the past:
The Black Car Guy: Isaac is a black car driver who wrote an inspiring post about how he
went from driving a taxi to making $10,000 a month with UberBlack. You can read his
posts here.
● The Rideshare Chick: Unlike with taxis, it’s estimated that close to 20% of rideshare
drivers are women. And since I have a budding audience of female drivers, I brought on The
Rideshare Chick to share her rideshare wisdom with us and also give us a little sneak peak
into what it's like to be a female driver. Have a look at her posts and let us know what you
think!
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If you’d like to guest post, feel free to shoot me an e-mail and we can take it from there. I’m
especially looking for unique stories or strategies that other drivers will find interesting and/or super
valuable.
Media Attention
As you are probably aware, rideshare is a very popular media topic these days. Over the past few
years, I’ve been very fortunate to be featured in several top publications and help out with countless
other stories. If you’d like to take a look at some of my media features and the stories I helped out
with, you can find them below:
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WIRED: Why Uber and Lyft Drivers Are Crazy About This Dude's Blog
New York Times: For Uber, Airbnb and Other Companies, Customer Ratings Go Both Ways
Business Insider: UBER DRIVER: This is what it feels like to be at Uber's mercy
CNET: Who's Really Taking You For An Uber Ride?
BuzzFeed: Lyft’s Ambitious, Near Impossible Attempt to Beat Uber
NPR Marketplace Tech: Silicon Tally: A bird? A plane? No, it's Crystal Meth!
Forbes: How Uber's Shady Firing Policy Could Backfire On The Company
Bloomberg (Print): Uber, Lyft Bet Big On Carpool Services
The Huffington Post: Meet ‘The Rideshare Guy’ (He Works For Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar)
VICE: This Guy Quit His Engineering Job To Run A Blog All About Uber
Thanks For Your Time
Before you go, I want to sincerely thank you for your time and I hope that you will become an active
member of our community. We encourage thoughtful comments, discussion, and if you ever have a
question, don't hesitate to e-mail me. Remember, I make sure to answer each and every single email so if you take the time to reach out, I promise I will return the favor.
When I launched this site in 2014, I had one goal in mind: to help out my fellow drivers. I started off
as a driver just like you so I know all about the countless challenges and problems that drivers face
on a daily basis. Today, The Rideshare Guy is one of the most trusted resources in the rideshare
community and I’m always looking for new ways to help drivers and provide better information.
For now, my number one priority is to build a community where drivers can learn about what it's like
to be a driver, become better drivers and earn more money by working smarter, not harder. I hope
you find rideshare as exciting as I do and you'll continue on this journey with me!
-Harry @ RSG