Halloween can be lots of fun, and it’s also a great time for gig drivers to make more money. With haunting going on for several days at a stretch, parties, parades, and other events will attract lots of business for rideshare and delivery drivers. You can probably go out as usual and still make a little more than you normally do, but why settle for that?
In this post, we’ll tell you how to make Halloween gig driving as rewarding as it is fun. We’ll talk safety, strategy, and how to earn bigger tips. Here’s how we’ll lay it out:
- getting in on the fun with Lyft or Uber on Halloween
- delivery tricks to earn you treats
- knowing where to drive and when
- staying safe and keeping clean
Getting in on the fun with Lyft or Uber on Halloween
You might not be a huge Halloween person, but a whole lot of your customers are. From parents with small ones who want to keep them dry and safe on the way to school events to hardcore party people who dive into the Halloween holiday spirit headfirst, you’re bound to come across a lot of passengers during this super busy week.
Since so many will be super excited about this spooky season, the way you approach your gig could make them extra generous and appreciative. Here are a few pieces of sound Lyft and Uber driver advice:
- Remain professional. Always greet your passengers as you would at any other time, and stay away from getting overly dramatic about acting like a scary zombie, axe murderer, or vampire, especially with young kids in the car.
- Dress up with discernment. If you decide to dress up, keep it to common sense costume choices. Make sure your face is recognizable, and avoid makeup, clothing, or props that make seeing clearly or moving freely while driving difficult. If you don’t want to get too wildly creative, you can always put together a Lyft or Uber driver Halloween costume! Slap a sign on your chest that says “Scary good driver” and you’re good to go.
- Offer treats. Even jaded business travelers on the way to the airport might enjoy a sweet Halloween treat. Put a smile on passengers’ faces by ensuring your offerings are in their original wrappings, so they can feel safe eating them. You might want to offer bottled water, too. All that sugar can make all goblins, big and small, mighty thirsty.
- Present your Halloween playlist. You’ll want to do this carefully, of course, but a subtly crafted sequence of songs appropriate to the season will make you stand out with your passengers, who’ll just have to tip you for your great musical taste.
- Decorate your car. A temporary Halloween wrap for the exterior or some subtle orange and white lights on the interior could make yours the car they all want to be in when they celebrate their Lyft or Uber Halloween holiday.
Delivery tricks to earn you treats
It would be sad for delivery drivers to be left out of Halloween fun, so here are some things Dashers, Uber Eats, Instacart, Shipt, and Grubhub drivers can do to share in the festive spirit.
- Dress up, but keep it subtle. As a delivery driver, you’re going to have to move fast and be able to see where you’re going, even when you’re not piloting your car. Pay special attention to footwear, and if your company wants you to wear their branded hat or shirt, don’t let your costume cover it up.
- Carry treats for restaurant workers. You might see these people more than once a week, or you might only have one encounter with them ever. In either case, offering them a little something will keep them cheerier, and get you better ratings from the restaurant.
- Follow the Halloween spirit. If the restaurant workers or customers seem to be celebrating, it’s fine to chime in with a spooky comment or funny quip. But if it looks like the people you’re dealing with have no idea there’s anything special about this time of year, just act like you always do, with friendliness, grace, and professionalism.
- Make your delivery bags say “boo!” Customers might get a kick out of the way you put a few lights, some stickers, or spider webbing on the outside of your thermal bag or carrying crate. Just make sure none of that stuff comes close enough to contaminate the food.
- Tread lightly through backyard Halloween displays. So many people get extremely serious about decorating their yards with blow-up ghosts, gravestones, skeletons, and witches. What’s fun the rest of the day can be downright treacherous for delivery drivers. A headlamp or other means of shining light on what’s under foot might be called for, so you don’t hurt yourself or destroy a well-thought-out ghoulish (and garish) display.
Knowing where to drive and when
Keeping track of Halloween events can be tricky. That’s why you’re so lucky to have Gridwise. It’s not just the best mileage tracking app out there. Use the Gridwise events calendar to see where the parades, shows, scare houses, and public parties are. Having this info at your fingertips will make it easy to put together a winning Lyft or Uber driving strategy—but Gridwise has even more to offer.
Gridwise features Where to Drive and When to Drive give you real-time data on where drivers are making the most in your neighborhood. Studying the patterns in these features will tip you off as to when the peak passenger and delivery traffic is humming, and where you can go to find the most business. With Gridwise, you get all this and a free mileage tracker, too!
You may also pay attention to where and when schools are letting out around Halloween. Many parents will hope to see their little superheroes, princesses, and mermaids march at their school parade but be wary about driving with all that glitter, facepaint, and fake blood in their high-end SUVs. That’s when they’ll call you, so you’ll need to take some measures to look out for little ones, stay safe, and protect your own car, both inside and out.
Staying safe and keeping clean
The truth about Halloween is that it can be fun, but there are hidden dangers and inconveniences you’ll want to beware of. Consider these tips for keeping yourself and your passengers safe, and for preventing damage to your vehicle.
- Identify your passengers and delivery customers. Dress some people in a costume, and they can get downright silly, and sometimes. even dangerous. Don’t be shy about asking a passenger who appears somewhat sketchy to remove their mask so you can make sure you’re picking up the right person. Same goes for delivery. The word “trick” is very popular this time of year, and there could be a masked imposter hoping to pilfer that awesome spread of wings, burgers, and fries you’re carrying.
- Use in-app phone safety features. In case someone is acting out a Halloween stalker movie, you won’t want to become their prey. Your app most likely includes features that let a friend or family member follow your trips and know your whereabouts, and will let you contact emergency services with one swipe or tap. Get familiar with these features, and use them. It’s better to be overcautious than to find yourself in some real trouble.
- Demand full visibility. The chowderhead in your backseat dressed up in a giant lobster costume might be cute and creative, but if the oversized claws are blocking your view, you’ll need to ask that they come off till the ride is over.
- Look everywhere. Halloween is a very exciting time, particularly for children. Drive slowly and carefully, looking in as many directions as possible for people who might walk right in front of or behind your car. Make sure your lights are on at all times, even in the daytime. This really does help people notice there’s a car in their vicinity.
- Carry daycare equipment for drunks. For many of the party-prone among us, Halloween is a huge opportunity to tie on more than a costume. Carry sick bags, a roll or two of paper towels, cleaning solution, and plastic garbage bags to take care of any spills or “upheavals” that might occur. Sparkling bottled water could be convenient to have on hand at times like this, too. And remember, if they make a mess, your passengers have to pay to clean it up. Make a claim with your company to cover detailing costs.
- Try a tarp. This sounds somewhat extreme, but if you’re creative, you can turn a protective seat cover into an enticing Halloween decoration for your car. You’ll want this not just for the messes mentioned above. Glitter, face paint, green slime, and other costume components might look fabulous on your customers, but when they get ground into your upholstery, it’s not such a great look.
- Choose parking spots carefully. This one is mainly for delivery drivers, but even rideshare drivers stopping for a quick bevvy or a bio break have to park somewhere. Remember that people still use Halloween as an excuse to soap windows and smash pumpkins. Avoid parking where they might be able to make this mischief with your car.
- Keep your cool. Even if you see a clan of kids TP-ing your pine trees when you come in from a long night, try to remember Halloween is all about the fun of being just a little bit naughty. That thing about everybody being “nice” all the time is for a totally different holiday.
Enjoy your Halloween driving, and may you avoid tricks and get many tips! Be sure to bring Gridwise along for the ride to track your awesome earnings during this spooky holiday time!
