How this Lyft driver is making her passengers smile with a Snack Box, and making extra cash while doing it Meet the Purple Mover.
The Purple Mover is a themed rideshare car driven by Ariana, who is a Lyft driver and community advocate from Detroit.
I had an opportunity to chat with her about her experiences as a driver, and it was clear that there were three things she really wanted to talk about, her awesome car, her driving strategy, and an in-car vending machine called Cargo… Mostly how awesome her car is.
“I love Purple, I’ve always loved Purple, and I have a purple car, so it just made sense to me to kind of brand myself and my car as the Purple Mover. It’s kind of a play on the People Mover that we have here in Detroit.”
I immediately understood that Ariana REALLY loves what she does and takes it seriously. Not only does she go all in with her car, but she was also the Midwest representative for Lyft’s driver first advisory council and incredibly active in the Detroit rideshare community.
She’s constantly working to help other drivers be successful both on and offline which elevated her to an advisory position with Lyft. “I would meet up with the GM of Lyft here in Detroit every month or so to talk about how drivers are feeling out on the roads and he mentioned this in-car vending machine that I should try,” says Ariana. “I was a little hesitant, but I gave it a shot.”
What is Cargo
That in-car vending machine that Lyft’s Detroit GM was referring to is a product called Cargo, which is basically that. An in-car vending machine where rideshare passengers can buy all types of goodies and necessities while enjoying their rides. A box looks just like this:
Drivers can simply sign up for the service, fill out an application, and in a few weeks, you’ll receive your Cargo vending machine and a bunch of goodies to stock it with.
Drivers can then place the Cargo box in their vehicle while driving and start making money with every order.
It’s
Ariana is one of the most cerebral drivers I’ve had a chance to speak with. She really thinks through her driving strategy before she hits the road and has found a groove that works for her.
After checking out her driving record that she posts on Instagram, I can see how successful she’s been with her strategy.
“Detroit is coming back,” says Ariana. “I drive late nights and you certainly have a BIG bar/club scene that is active until about 3:00am. So a ton of drivers frequent those areas. Not me.” Instead of focusing on these bar/club areas when she drives, Ariana focuses on driving around the outskirts of the city where there are fewer drivers around.
This means she’s not sitting around waiting for rides and tends to receive longer rides. Being the strategist that she is, Ariana had to spend some time thinking about how she could herself use Cargo to the best of her abilities. “A lot of people I hear really push the vending machine. I don’t at all, I like to let the box start a conversation” said Ariana.
A ton of drivers see something like Cargo and immediately think about the cash they can make from the vending machine directly, which can certainly be lucrative as we’ve talked to drivers that have made thousands using Cargo. However, for some drivers, being able to use it to spark an intriguing conversation can be just as valuable.
That’s how Ariana approaches the box, as a conversation starter and a way to put a smile on her passengers’ faces when she can offer them some of the rotating free snacks that are in the box.
Not only does that get folks smiling and talking (which leads to more tips and higher ratings), but she finds that a few people are making purchases organically as they start to talk and check out the free goodies. “I was taking a passenger on a longer ride a few weeks ago and she had a headache, so she bought Advil, some snacks, and a few more candies for her kids.
It ended up being about 8 items that she bought in one ride, which adds up AND makes me look like a
Is there any maintenance involved
One of the great things about Cargo is that the company takes care of almost everything, almost immediately.
They restock the machine, purchases are made through the app and your earnings deposited directly to your account, and they are VERY fast to get back to drivers whenever they have any questions or concerns. “I had a light go out in my box which is a big deal because I drive a lot at night,” explained Ariana. “They heard my issue and got me a new bulb incredibly quickly. In fact, whenever I’ve had any issues they’ve always been there and happy to help.”
For Ariana, having Cargo is as easy as adding a few snacks to her box a few times a week.
How can drivers get started
Driving with Cargo in your car is simple. Just sign up by filling out a short application, get approved, and receive your box in the mail.
Right now they are offering a $40 activation bonus to new drivers, so it’s a great time to start putting a smile on your passenger’s faces and some extra money in your pocket!
