# Ask the Uber Driver **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 2, 2014, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685 "2014-03-02T18:16:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/21 "2014-03-03T00:13:46Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > You may want to look into Uber’s coverage more closely. Do they offer a high enough level of coverage? I’d want to get in writing from your carrier what they’ll cover you for. Most carriers will not cover you for commercial use of your own vehicle. My vehicle is already insured for commercial use due to my business, just not for passenger transport. Uber carries a million for us while on a call. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/22 "2014-03-03T00:21:51Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Are you assigned to calls, or do you pick the ones you want? Call are assigned by location I can decline a call but if I am expected to accept at least 90% of assigned calls. If I reject excessive amounts of calls my rating is penalized unless the rider has a 3.2 or lower rating. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/23 "2014-03-03T00:25:54Z")
Maybe I missed this, but are you Uber or Uber X? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/24 "2014-03-03T00:26:44Z")
> [@DataX](#): > > Is this how it works (but opposite) from your end? > Can you see people more than 30 minutes away? Dont think I have ever seen a call with more than a 25 min eta even those in my experience tend to cancel and try again hoping for faster response. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/25 "2014-03-03T00:27:46Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > Maybe I missed this, but are you Uber or Uber X? They only offer X here ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/26 "2014-03-03T00:30:59Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > What happens if someone damages your car on one of these rides? Puke, blood, or other bodily fluids on your seats? [http://support.uber.com/entries/22351432-Cleaning-Fees](http://support.uber.com/entries/22351432-Cleaning-Fees) ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/27 "2014-03-03T02:01:38Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > Last night $168 +$17 in tips 7pm-2am after ubers cut ($33) and gas ($34) $118 for 7 hours of a really easy job. Any idea if that’s a typical take, or how that compares to a typical taxi job? How do taxes work? I hope Uber helps with logging, although I guess tracking gas is on your own. Maybe it’s not much of an issue if this is only an occasional thing. I don’t think I’ll be signing up as a driver these days, but that is good money compared to some of my early jobs. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/28 "2014-03-03T02:13:43Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > Any idea if that’s a typical take, or how that compares to a typical taxi job? > > How do taxes work? I hope Uber helps with logging, although I guess tracking gas is on your own. Maybe it’s not much of an issue if this is only an occasional thing. > > I don’t think I’ll be signing up as a driver these days, but that is good money compared to some of my early jobs. No clue how it compares to normal taxi work, we have detailed reports available online including gross and net fares and mileage so part of my mileage is even documented. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/29 "2014-03-03T02:28:47Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > What happens if someone damages your car on one of these rides? Puke, blood, or other bodily fluids on your seats? Vomit is what I’d be worried about, especially since, as you said, many of the pickups were from bars. So the news about the cleaning fees is good. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/30 "2014-03-03T15:20:56Z")
So the other night when you netted $118 over 7 hours, how many miles did you put on your car? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/31 "2014-03-03T15:55:39Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > So the other night when you netted $118 over 7 hours, how many miles did you put on your car? About 80. Would have shaved off about 10 of that if I had not taken the last call (who was a no show) as it was pretty much on the opposite end of the universe from me. If the customer cancels more than 5 min after requesting ride they get charged a $5 cancel fee so at least I broke even on gas. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/32 "2014-03-03T16:07:49Z")
How much discretion do you have on who you let in your car? If you go pick up a group that’s extremely drunk or rowdy, can you say, “thanks, but no thanks”? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/33 "2014-03-03T16:20:47Z")
Interestingly enough I took on this side job not so much to augment my income as to fix up my truck. Like any 8 year old vehicle with 160k miles, its got about a dozen annoying little things wrong with it and about half a dozen long term maintenance things that tend to get drug out like transmission and brake fluid changes, air conditioning needs some help, a dead dashboard light that makes it hard to use the radio at night… I am basically doing this to have my uber checks fix up my truck which is a 2006 honda ridgeline. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/34 "2014-03-03T16:58:08Z")
A key advantage seems to be that you can chose when you work. We’re having a snow day here in DC today. The taxi drivers here are paying to sit around with no fares. I am also interested in the above question re: refusing pickups. My understanding is that one aspect of taxi regulation is to prevent discrimination, which has been a big problem in some areas. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/35 "2014-03-03T17:13:08Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > How much discretion do you have on who you let in your car? If you go pick up a group that’s extremely drunk or rowdy, can you say, “thanks, but no thanks”? Thats an interesting question as a driver cancelling without an approved cause affects our rating. If someone really creeped me out I would take the hit…if they were rowdy to the point of concern for damage to my vehicle or not being able to safely drive…same deal. I am never “forced” to take a call, but making a habit of it will dramatically reduce my rating and thus my continued employment. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/36 "2014-03-03T17:31:17Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > A key advantage seems to be that you can chose when you work. We’re having a snow day here in DC today. The taxi drivers here are paying to sit around with no fares. They have a scheduling system that we use where we can sign up for 4 hour “shifts” and they guarantee we will do at least $12/hr in fares or uber will make up the difference. There are a limited number of those shifts available but so far when I have been on a shift I have always exceeded the “guarantee”. From what I have seen looking at the available cars, some of these guys are staging at home waiting for calls so I could see where covering the slow times might get you a nice little check sitting at home watching tv or even sleeping. I have a spot I tend to use as my standby location due to freeway access and as a midpoint between two bar/club heavy areas. We do not have to be on a “shift” to work, only for the guaranteed money. ---
**Author:** ![andrewm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c57346/32.png) [@andrewm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewm)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/37 "2014-03-03T18:34:27Z")
1099 or W-2? ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/38 "2014-03-03T19:04:28Z")
> [@andrewm](#): > > 1099 or W-2? It’s got to be 1099. He chooses when to work, can refuse an assignment, and uses and is responsible for maintenance of equipment he owns himself. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/39 "2014-03-03T19:22:38Z")
Are there rules about what kind of vehicle is acceptable for you to use? Might you have been turned down if you had something tiny like a Smart Car, or some 15 year old rust bucket? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685/40 "2014-03-03T20:08:12Z")
> [@Gus\_Gusterson](#): > > It’s got to be 1099. He chooses when to work, can refuse an assignment, and uses and is responsible for maintenance of equipment he owns himself. all of us are 1099. I believe there are 1-2 full time uber employees here locally who are facilitating the launch and acting as a local point of contact, but there is no office or anything like that at this point. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-uber-driver/682685.md?page=3)