Gridwise blog

Want to Make More Money?

Who doesn’t, right? Well as a rideshare driver, you have more opportunities than you might realize to generate income just by driving your vehicle around … because your vehicle is valuable to advertisers. 

There are several reasons why advertisers covet your vehicle, and the fact that everybody sees it tops the list. You drive through busy city streets, across bridges and through tunnels, past big events, schools, and hospitals. Plus, you take people with you, or you deliver food and other items to their doors. 

Companies would love to have the chance to get their logos, graphics, and taglines in the public eye for even half the time your ride is visible on any given day. So, these companies have come up with what they view as a win-win situation. They get exposure by using your vehicle to carry their ads, and you get a sweet deal because they’ll pay you for the privilege.

In this article, we've rounded up the best ad-carrying options out there for drivers. Check them out and see just how much money you can make with little effort on your part.

Inside the Car

Play Octopus

Very few things catch the eyes of riders faster than video games, except maybe the chance to win cash prizes—and Play Octopus has both. You apply to get a free tablet, your customers get their games on, and you can earn up to $100 per month. 

Play Octopus pays you to make their games (and the occasional ads appearing on the tablet screen) available to your passengers. The more you encourage your pax to play, the more Play Octopus pays you. There’s also a referral program that allows you to earn bonus cash by referring other drivers.

On the Outside and On Top

Mobilads

Mobilads calls itself “America's leading rideshare car-wrap advertiser,” and they pay generously. You can get up to $500 per month for carrying their creative cargo with a full wrap on your car, and $250 for letting them cover your doors.

The company’s clients are some of the gigantic advertisers, so there are plenty of dollars coming their way. There’s one condition for drivers, though: You must be on the road for at least 40 hours per week, so you'll need to be a pretty big deal driver.

Wrapify

Sounds like ads that get wrapped around your vehicle! Wait—these are ads that get wrapped around your vehicle. Don’t worry, though, Wrapify, Inc. has figured out ways to protect the paint.

You don’t have to be a rideshare driver to sport their wraparound ads on your vehicle, but if you are, you’ll do very well. Wrapify pays by the miles you log in your car. It also monitors your location to gauge local foot traffic, adjusting payment according to how many people are likely to lay eyes on your vehicle.

You can earn up to $300 a month with Wrapify. You download the app, the company comes and puts the wrap on your car, and you’re in business. Just don’t drive it into an Uber or Lyft hub while it’s wrapped, since it could violate their policies.

Nickelytics

This ad-wrap company offers you options that allow you to limit how much of your car you’ll devote to ad space. Your choices include covering just the back windshield, partial wrap, or full wrap. Hey, just like tattoos! The company claims to have cleared its wraps with both Uber and Lyft for compliance.

As long as your vehicle is a 2010 model or newer, and you drive 30 or more miles a day, you can benefit from Nickelytics. They’re in eight markets now, and are expanding in 2020. If you’re up for that full wrap option, you can rake in up to $300 per month.

Wrapping It Up and Topping It Off

We said at the beginning of this article that you have more opportunities to make money than you might realize—and now you do realize

We also want you to remember there’s another tool that can help you make more money, and drive to where the biggest crowds will see your flashy ads and play with your video games and rock out to your music players. And that tool is ...

Gridwise!

Our app keeps you on top of local events and weather, and also tracks your mileage, so you’ll always know if you’re cutting it with your mileage quota. What’s that? You don’t have Gridwise yet? Well you can remedy that right now by downloading the Gridwise app.

You read that right. 

If an airport official cites an Uber driver for a traffic infraction, Uber pays the fine and then deducts the fine from the driver’s pay.

Most drivers don’t have a chance to defend themselves, and some have no recollection of the incidents in question. In many cases, the incidents may never have happened at all.

We certainly don’t think that’s right, and we’re pretty sure you won’t either. In this post, we’ll explain what we know about this puzzling situation by covering the issues it raises.

• The perils of airport pickups and drops
• How Uber’s deals with airports skip over due process 
• Who profits? Who pays?
• What can drivers do to stop this?

The downside of airport pickups and drops

Back before COVID consumed us (when things were normal), the average driver would say that airport runs constituted a large part of their revenues. Yet long, lucrative rides to and from the terminals don’t come without risks. 

There aren’t many drivers around who don’t have a story about getting cited, scolded, and/or yelled at by surly airport cops and dispatchers.

With no-go zones, commercial curbs, no parking areas, pedestrian-only sections, Uber decals that come unstuck, and speed limits that can be exceeded even while you ride your brakes, it is hard NOT to break some kind of rule at most airports.

So what happens when you get on the wrong side of airport protocol? In most cases, you receive a citation. If you decide to admit to the infraction, you’ll pay a fine and be done with it. If you’re absolutely sure you didn’t do anything wrong, then you go to court, tell your side of the story, and hope to get the case dismissed and the fine refunded. 

At least, that's what you’d think. But for drivers working at several airports, something different is going on… something that’s not quite on the up and up.

How Uber’s agreements with airports skip over due process

Specifically, this has happened to drivers working at LAX, San Francisco, and San Diego airports. Here’s the scenario …

Drivers mysteriously received notifications from Uber informing them that they had committed an infraction at the airport. The notification made it clear that there was no need for the driver to do anything, including mount a defense. Uber was simply letting the driver know that the citation was taken care of… and the amount of the fine would be taken from their wages.

How would you react if you got that message from Uber? At first you might think, “Oh good, Uber’s paying my fine for me.” But when you got to the part about money being taken from your pay? Your reaction would likely be anything but positive. 

Even worse, suppose you were never told about the alleged infraction in the first place? Maybe the ticket-writing official said you did something wrong, but you’re absolutely positive you didn’t… and now, the $100 you were counting on for gas money was used to pay a bogus citation.

This happened to a driver named Tedros—not just once, but multiple times. According to a July 22, 2020 article on the website VICE, he got in touch with Uber to ask why it happened. He received a response saying that per his agreement with Uber, he was responsible for all traffic citations. Since the airport sent the citation to Uber with his license number attached to it, the cost of the fine was coming out of his wages. “There was no way for me to contest the citation,” says Tedros.

After you’re done getting fired up about that, you might start to wonder what right an airport official has to issue a citation without talking to the driver, stating what the infraction was, and giving the driver a chance to appear before an impartial party in order to dispute the charge. Yeah. We wonder that too.

Who profits, who pays?

This all comes down to contractual agreements that Uber makes with airports. Airport officials are allowed to cite drivers and then send Uber the bills—and according to the VICE article, the fees collected are quite substantial. The article cites data collected by the Mobile Workers Alliance, a SoCal advocacy group that represents gig workers. The data show that at LAX alone, the Los Angeles World Airports Authority issued 11,117 citations to drivers, and collected $3.8 million dollars from drivers between 2016 and 2018. Uber, complying with their agreement with the authority, deducted the fees from drivers’ payments.

This isn’t the only way airport authorities siphon money from the rideshare business. In Los Angeles, the airport authority charges Uber drivers $4 per ride, whether the ride is a pickup or drop-off. These fees are normally paid by the passengers.

In 2018 alone, there were 8.9 million rideshare trips involving LA airports, resulting in almost $36,000,000 in fees landing back in the authority’s coffers. San Francisco charges $5 per ride, and had more than 10 million rideshare trips involving their airport facility in 2018, making their take around $50 million.

That’s a lot of dough.

Uber also profits from the airport rides. The longer distance and extended time these airport trips normally involve add up, and so do the company’s profits. And yes, drivers benefit from the airport rides they provide. However, when they receive citations, we don’t think they should be presumed guilty and have their pay docked for the fines.

To be fair, Uber and other rideshare companies pay airport authorities for the privilege of doing business. But we can easily make the case that these costs are, at least partially, passed on. 

When we examine the airport ride (and citation) dynamic closely, and answer the question we posed at the start of this section, here’s what we find:

• The airports profit
• Uber profits
• Drivers profit—and drivers pay
• Passengers pay

Where, in this dynamic, do Uber and the airports pay? We can’t seem to figure out under what circumstances that might occur.

Please understand, we’re not saying that drivers shouldn’t have to pay fines when they commit infractions. We are saying that drivers deserve the chance to defend themselves if and when they do get cited and fined. In the case of these “phantom citations,” where drivers are totally unaware of the situation, it’s even more important that they at least hear what they supposedly did wrong.

By Uber striking this deal with airports, whereby they can just admit to an infraction on a driver’s behalf and then dock the driver’s pay for the fine, they’re doing more than just being unfair. They’re actually trampling on the drivers’ rights to due process under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution. “I think it’s a due process issue; the government is taking away their money without them understanding why,” says Veena Dubal, a law professor at UC Hastings and gig economy expert.

Fortunately, this isn’t happening everywhere. VICE reporters spoke with drivers in New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, and Sacramento, who said they are able to seek legal recourse, and that Uber doesn’t automatically deduct the fine from their wages. 

What’s the situation in your city? Comment below and tell us what you know.

Can drivers stop this?

Unfortunately, there isn’t much individual drivers can do to stop Uber from taking money from your pay for fines, even if you were never informed you committed an infraction.

When you sign up to be a driver with Uber, you agree to the company’s Terms and Conditions. Yes, there is a ton of verbiage in that agreement, and we all skipped over at least some part of it. But now, read this tiny section closely. It tells you what Uber’s “rights” are with regard to tickets, citations, and other such unpleasantries. It doesn’t say much about your rights.

Deductions; Set-off​. You also agree that Fares, incentives, and any gratuities may be used to satisfy a court order of garnishment against you; to reimburse us for citations, tickets, or other administrative penalties or fines assessed by governmental entities arising from your conduct; or to reimburse us for any erroneous overpayment to you.

Yet the situation isn’t completely hopeless. There are steps drivers can take to circumvent the maddening process of Uber taking your money without your consent.

• Know the ropes. Each airport has certain rules that all drivers must follow. Don’t know yours? You’re in luck, because Gridwise has them for every major US city. Visit the Gridwise blog’s airport section for current information about the rules, boundaries and obligations that apply in your town. When you know the rules, you’re far less likely to unknowingly break them.
• Petition Uber. You can always contact Uber Support. Placing a phone call will normally initiate a written exchange that you can use as documentation. There’s a chance that they’ll listen to your side of the story, and maybe even put the money back into your account. Who knows, if enough drivers do this, maybe it will motivate Uber to change their agreements with airports. 
•  
• Get a dashcam. No matter what you say was the case at the time of an alleged infraction, it’s still a “He said, she said” situation—and without proof, it can be impossible to prove your case. Having video and audio of the exchange between you and the officer involved will add weight to your argument, and possibly settle the dispute, if you get the opportunity to contest the ticket.
• Consider legal action. While it’s probably going to cost more to secure a lawyer than it will to simply pay the fine, there are principles here worth fighting for. If you can get several drivers to create a class action, you might have some success. You may not be able to reverse fines or erase infractions, but you might get Uber to change its policy about taking money directly out of driver accounts.
• Get active with drivers’ rights groups. As situations like this arise, as well as the contractor vs. employee controversy and COVID-19 safety issues, it’s more important than ever for drivers to work together. Groups all over the world are dedicated to getting fair treatment for drivers. Join one near you, and ask what you can do, together, to stop the unfair airport fine practice.

Of all these actions, “know the ropes” is probably most important. 

Remember to consult the airport section of the Gridwise blog to discover what you need to know about driving at your airport. Also, the Uber app has information about your airport rules and regulations. You probably had to sign off on those at some point, but if you didn’t scrutinize them then, do it now.Information for rideshare and delivery drivers is what Gridwise is all about. Make sure you download the app to track your earnings, get airport arrival and departure information, weather conditions, events, and links to driver discounts and special offers. Also, make sure you catch the rest of the articles on the Gridwise blog, and super-informative videos on our YouTube channel!

COVID-19 is still here … so why is unemployment for gig workers going away?

A cursory look around your town will tell you how little things have changed since the end of March, when the COVID-19 world got geared up for its first round. 

The legislation passed at that point, the CARES Act, awarded unemployment compensation to independent contractors. The base amount was supplied by states, and supplemented by an extra payment of $600 per week from the feds.

That safety net felt rather secure for many of us … but now that July is ending in just a few days, and the supplemental payment is scheduled to end with it, what’s going to happen? We don’t know what’s in the final version of the plan, but we do know there will be changes in the unemployment picture for most drivers.

On Monday July 27 the Republicans released their ideas, and now the “sausage making” will begin. In this post we’ll tell you what we know and what we don’t know. You can rest assured that as news develops, we’ll keep you up to date on what’s going on.

Let’s look at …

• 3 things we know

#1 It will be a battle

#2 There will be pressure to cut unemployment compensation

#3 There will almost certainly be another stimulus check

• 3 things we don’t know

#1 Whether the final legislation will include federal supplements to state unemployment

#2 If drivers and other independent contractors will still be able to receive unemployment compensation

#3 Whether the two sides will come to terms in time for unemployment compensation to keep flowing

3 Things We Know

#1: It will be a battle

Before it even begins, the legislative battle looks something like a prize fight, with a contingent from each of the two major political parties in each corner. The bell indicating the start of the first round rang on July 27, when the Republican side brought out their vision of the potential legislation, The first punch, thrown by the Democrats, was a left hook to the ribs, accusing the Repubs of being manipulative by holding out for so long before releasing their ideas to the public. 

It does seem odd that they waited so long, since the provisions in the CARES Act are due to expire so soon. The Democrats have plenty of ideas about how they want the money to be spent, and they’re eager to begin the discussions.

The Republicans, because this is a Senate bill and they hold the majority, put the package together. This time it’s not totally focused on unemployment compensation or business success. To give you an idea of where they’re going, it’s called the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection, and Schools (HEALS) Act.

That title, and certainly the acronym, has a positive ring to it. It sounds like it will focus on money for the healthcare sector (testing and tracing), liability limitations that make it easier to do business (less risk of “that ride with your driver gave me COVID!” lawsuits), money for schools, and yes, some money for those of us who find cash hard to come by during this pandemic.

To be fair to Senate Republicans, there were probably other reasons for their delay aside from trying to secure a position of advantage. There were battles raging behind the scenes, and those were pretty rough. For instance, not everybody on that side of the aisle is happy about spending another trillion dollars on anything.

#2 There will be calls for less unemployment compensation

One of the most heated points of dispute was the extra $600 in unemployment benefits; specifically, that it served as a disincentive for people to go back to work. Although one could easily get defensive over such a remark, if we drivers are being honest, it would be hard to say that the benefits we collected were not more than we expected. 

Under ordinary conditions, when a person is an actual employee, only a certain percentage of the working salary is awarded in the weekly unemployment check. It was a gift for independent contractors to get unemployment benefits at all, and the $600 extra every week was really sweet.

In fact, with that additional $600 per week supplement, many of us were making more than we would have earned while working. Sure, much of what we got from those payments will probably go back to the government as taxes, but that’s another topic.

What’s important to know is this: Since the Republicans noticed that amply subsidized workers don’t get overly excited about getting back to work, they will not be including the $600 subsidy as part of the new package. 

That doesn’t mean there won’t be any supplemental payment, but it will likely be substantially less. The current Republican proposal is a $200 subsidy per week through September 30.

#3 There will probably be another stimulus check

The Republicans came out of the gate with an offer for another $1,200 stimulus check. It wound up being this amount because senators viewed it (believe it or not) as a way of keeping costs down. The President was pushing hard for a payroll tax cut and a stimulus check. The less freewheeling among the group probably figured the stimulus check would be enough for now, and easier to pass through both houses of Congress.

Remember, House Democrats passed their own bill earlier this summer, with a price tag of $3 trillion, but it was DOA in the Senate. Still, there’s a wish list left over from that bill, and the Dems will fight for it and probably win some of what they want. But not before the Battle Royale over the ultimate contents of the HEALS Act is done raging. 

Get an ample supply of popcorn, and hope they decide to “stimulate” us more … but do rest assured there will likely be a check in the picture.

3 Things We Don’t Know

There are good reasons why the process of creating legislation is likened to the art of sausage making. We probably don’t want to know everything that’s in it, and there’s a lot of “filler” that isn’t really necessary. 

It’s not our place to get into political debates about government spending, but we do want to make the point that this is a messy process. With that in mind, don’t expect the final bill to look exactly like the Republican or Democrat proposals. Rather, it will be a hybrid with components of both.

Here are a few unknown factors that have yet to be hammered out.

#1 Will the final legislation include federal supplements to state unemployment?

The House Democrats’ Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act, which was the $3 trillion bill mentioned earlier, called for aid to state and local governments. It’s true that many of these governmental jurisdictions are in fiscal troubles too deep to fathom—but there will be a big fight (“debate” is too mild for the current political climate) over whether they should be bailed out with federal taxpayer dollars.

This could play into how much money is available for unemployment compensation, especially for independent contractors. Remember that our companies, Uber, Lyft, Postmates, DoorDash, Grubhub, Instacart, and the rest are not paying into the state tax coffers—which means the states are fully subsidizing the cost of their portion of gig workers’ unemployment compensation.

If the states don’t receive additional subsidies to cover this and other costs, will they be able to keep paying us unemployment benefits? Then … if they can’t pay those bills, will the feds have to pitch in to make sure the money keeps flowing to drivers and other independent contractors, potentially with that supplemental payment?  We don’t know the answer, but it’s a question we certainly have a big interest in.

#2 Will drivers and other independent contractors still be able to receive any unemployment compensation?

This takes question #1 a bit further, considering whether states will be willing to continue compensating unemployed gig workers at all. Remember, because of COVID-19, states temporarily extended unemployment benefits to independent contractors. If they don’t get any aid from the feds, and Congress doesn’t include a supplemental payment in the HEALS Act, it will be up to the states to pay gig workers.

Right now, what’s being proposed by Republicans is that all recipients of unemployment be paid no more than 75% of their regular earnings. Will the states be able to manage that without federal assistance? 

It’s totally possible that the states will turn to our companies, pockets turned inside-out and empty, telling them they’re no longer able to foot the bill for their contractors’ lost wages. This could expedite the process of the companies considering drivers as employees, or … it could leave drivers without a source of income unless they’re willing to go back to work and risk getting COVID while earning far less money than they used to make.

#3 Will the two sides come to terms in time to keep unemployment compensation flowing?

No one can be certain about the answer to this one, but our guess is “probably.” Despite the mud-slinging and name-calling that stands in for civil discourse these days, there will most likely be some solution. 

As we mentioned, the Republicans want to extend the extra unemployment payment through September 30th, but reduce it to $200 per week. After that, there would be a payment of up to $500 that, when added to the state unemployment benefit, would be limited to 70% of lost wages. In the Democrats’ CARES bill, the amount would have stayed at $600 per week, and most likely would have continued quite a while past September 30th. 

There are other items the two sides must compromise on, including whether states, hard pressed by COVID-19 expenses and a lack of tax revenue, will get direct aid. There’s also a proposal to grant student loan relief, plus how much will be allocated for additional health care and education costs. 

Despite all the differences, both sides are motivated to do something to keep their constituents afloat despite the continued decimation of the economy and the looming uncertainty of the future. And, as it’s an election year, we can realistically look forward to a solution, signed and delivered by the time Congress disbands for (yet another!) vacation on August 4.

If they don’t, we’ll need to come up with a Plan B.

What can drivers do if unemployment compensation dries up?

Truth is, unemployment has already been drying up in certain places over the last few months. In Pennsylvania, for example, a message popped up on the weekly claim screen. It said the regulations had changed, and independent contractors would no longer be eligible for the CARES Act compensation unless they met certain conditions. 

The new requirements included: having the coronavirus, living with someone who has the virus, being in quarantine because of the virus, or having health conditions that create a high risk of catching the virus. Doctor-signed verification was necessary. This knocked many drivers back out into the streets, or wherever else they could make some money. There’s a possibility that new regulations along these lines might be more strictly enforced after the new legislation passes.

What, then, can a driver do?

Unless you’re truly at risk for getting COVID-19, you’ll have to find ways to work. If you stick with driving, and you don’t want to do rideshare, you might want to go to a pure delivery model. That would restrict the number of people with whom you’d need to interact.

If you haven’t been out to drive rideshare since March, rest assured there are protective measures in place to help drivers be somewhat safer. Drivers and passengers must wear masks; drivers have to sanitize their cars daily; and before they can even get the app to open for rides, they must verify they aren’t carrying or suffering symptoms of COVID-19.

In a recent Gridwise article, we discussed how companies are making PPE available to their drivers. They are also making some effort to ease the burden of enforcing rules on passengers. Uber recently sent this card for drivers to hang on their seats to display to their passengers.

This notice reminds riders of their responsibilities, and helps drivers who struggle to enforce these common sense practices with their passengers. Now, there’s no doubt about what the “rules” are. And we LOVE the part that says “Tip your driver”!

Following safety measures, and possibly either switching to delivery or making yours a hybrid gig, will go a long way toward getting you back in action and restoring your income.

At Gridwise, we want you to stay safe. Do what is healthiest and best for you, but we hope you’ll accept the reality that unemployment compensation isn’t going to last forever.

When you do get back into action, remember that if you download the Gridwise app, you’ll have the ultimate assistant for rideshare and delivery drivers right there with you. Get airport and event information, track your earnings and mileage, and take advantage of great perks for drivers. Also, you can click right into our amazing blog articles, and find the fast track to the always informative and entertaining Gridwise YouTube channel!

What do you plan to do if unemployment compensation can’t cut it for you anymore? Leave us your comments and pass your great ideas on to the rest of us in the Gridwise community.

“The human element was key to us. We’re not experts when it comes to advertising to gig-drivers, but Clay and the Gridwise team were!” - Gridwise Client, stealth startup

Overview

Launching a new product in the hyper-competitive insurance industry can be a daunting task, especially when your target audience is a highly specialized demographic like rideshare drivers. That’s why this insurance startup decided to work with the Gridwise team. Not only were they able to engage our network of 100k rideshare drivers, but they also benefited from our expertise to build a multi-channel campaign designed to drive long-term, bottom of the funnel success. Not just clicks.

Problem

This client had enjoyed some success working with Google and Facebook ads, but as time went on, it became harder to reach their target demographic of rideshare drivers. More and more of their ads on these networks were falling on deaf ears.

Being a startup, it was essential to maximize every advertising dollar in the targeted effort to reach rideshare drivers.

The clients were looking for solutions that would allow them to work directly with rideshare drivers, and through a Techstars listing, they learned about Gridwise. Knowing they could call and get answers to their many questions was a load off their minds.

“It was difficult for us to understand all the advertising terms we came across, so we spent about two weeks trying, on our own, to decipher what was being offered. Once we talked to the Gridwise team, the whole process got way easier than dealing with Google or Facebook.” - Gridwise Client

Strategy

It’s great that Gridwise put this client in direct contact with our targeted audience, but what’s even better is how we did it. We shared our expertise as digital marketers to help the client engage rideshare drivers and create a successful campaign. Our work together is ongoing, but even in the early stages, the results are positive.

“We noticed a huge wave of traffic coming through Gridwise after the email was sent out.” - Gridwise Client

A multi-channel advertising campaign worked well for this startup, and the custom-written email was particularly effective. The startup didn’t have the in-house resources to produce the kind of creative content that grabs eyeballs and gets to hearts and minds.

Gridwise stepped up and put together the valuable creative needed to get the clients the attention they were looking for. Right away, the conversion rate surpassed what they were getting through Google, and broke even with their results from Facebook.

The clients are looking at a blog post as one of their next steps. This would, naturally, be a potent way to get even more exposure. Using the right words in a blog post boosts SEO, giving any company a greater chance of expanding its audience at almost no cost.

“We are able to crush it from SEO through blog posts. Using these as part of your multichannel approach is going to pump up your chances for success.” - Clay Moore, Growth Lead, Gridwise

It’s this kind of advice, from a real human expert, that makes the experience of working with Gridwise superior to dealing with Google, Facebook, and other large companies that don’t give clients direct answers to their questions.

Clay has spent a great deal of time speaking with the clients regarding overall marketing strategy, often using Gridwise and its efforts to expand as an example. He shared many of the insights he had gained from his digital marketing experience.

Chief among these is to put a bigger emphasis on the creative. Gridwise helped the client to design ads and come up with taglines, crafting a more out-of-the-box approach, but there’s so much more that can be done. 

When the client noticed that response to ads was gradually dwindling over days and weeks, Clay expressed the need to switch up the creative from time to time. There’s a lot of “ad fatigue” that happens with rideshare drivers, as with all audiences. It’s important to keep sending messages that look and sound fresh and on-point.

This company would also benefit from using Gridwise app ads. The Gridwise app caters to rideshare drivers, and the client could be assured their ads would be seen by people in their target audience.

Results

“Clay and the team were able to help us with CPC, which is great.” - Gridwise Client

While this company is still in the early stages of working with Gridwise, the results are already apparent—and impressive. Conversion rates from the email Gridwise created for the client competed with Facebook and surpassed the Google ads they had placed in the past. In addition, the CPC came down to reasonable levels as a result of the work of Clay and his team.

By continuing to work directly with the experts at Gridwise, the startup will likely continue to see its numbers grow and its influence expand. The experience of working with experts who actually responded to calls for help was a new and very soothing experience for this client. 

“The Gridwise Team was amazingly responsive to our questions.” - Gridwise Client

The world of online marketing can be complex, unwieldy, and expensive. A startup like this one has to impress investors with its ability to be effective and economical. Gridwise can definitely assist in meeting these goals.

Investors also like to see numbers—good ones. Gridwise is able to assist this client and all others in tabulating results from ads through the Gridwise Dashboard. 

“The Dashboard was very straightforward. We learned more and more about it as we worked with it, too.” - Gridwise Client

Ease of use and the ability to get questions answered by a real human expert who will sit down long enough to understand your business makes working with Gridwise as easy as it is beneficial. Gridwise marketing experts know their business, and can help you drive yours.

The real power of carrying the message doesn’t always rest with the biggest brand. It can be easier and more fruitful to work with a specialized, market-specific team whose hands-on experts can help guide a company through a successful and lucrative ad campaign.

Are you ready to boost your results and get a grip on a solid population of rideshare drivers? Contact Gridwise. We’re here to help you.

“Gridwise knew exactly what options would best help us achieve our goals. Their responsiveness, transparency, and results made them one of our top two favorite partners to work with throughout Q4.”

- Senior Media Buyer

Gridwise recently worked with one of the largest providers of credit cards for retail outlets and other brands. Its history reaches back to the Great Depression, when a major retail bank was created to offer customers the ability to purchase GE appliances on a line of credit.

In 2014 the credit card provider was spun off from that bank. Now, the provider seeks to serve a variety of communities with credit cards that allow consumers to acquire the goods and services they need on a line of credit.

The credit card provider works alongside a full-service digital advertising agency that blends strategy, technology, media, and creative together to motivate audiences to action and achieve amazing results. With offices in California, Toronto, and Liverpool, England—and over fifteen years under its belt—the agency has handpicked the boldest, brightest minds in marketing, design, strategy, and analytics.

So when the credit card provider needed to execute a forward-thinking digital marketing campaign, it went to the agency. And the agency turned to Gridwise.

The Challenge

The credit card provider recently developed a product that’s perfect for individuals with high vehicle utilization (read: Uber drivers). Naturally, the provider wanted to reach as many rideshare drivers as possible. 

The agency’s Senior Media Buyer, had previously tested various paid acquisition platforms in an effort to reach drivers. All too often, the message missed the mark because the agency was unable to isolate rideshare drivers.

That changed when the Senior Media Buyer connected with Clay from Gridwise and they started discussing a potential partnership.

Our Approach

Although Gridwise is a relatively new and rapidly growing company, we understand the rideshare driver market inside and out, and are familiar with the best ways to reach this population. For the credit card campaign, the Senior Media Buyer and Clay decided a multifaceted approach would be the best way to go. 

“[We’re] especially excited to work with Gridwise because it’s a new and vibrant company. Extra enticement got tossed into the mix because Gridwise has the perfect device to reach [our] target market: an app that will be consistently accessed by people who must work with apps to conduct their business.”

- Senior Media Buyer

Strategy

The first push was an email sent to 35,000 Gridwise users. This is a tactic that rideshare drivers were already comfortable with which the Gridwise folks knew from previous campaigns. The email was partially effective, but the rest of the campaign was what made the Gridwise approach so powerful.

Gridwise knew that a blog post was the perfect placement for the credit card provider’s ad, especially a blog that informed rideshare drivers about the essentials of car maintenance.

The Senior Media Buyer was extremely impressed with how Gridwise paid attention to the client’s brand guidelines and made sure the look and feel of all the ads and banners were in sync with those guidelines.

Since Gridwise notifications are delivered via an app that drivers open multiple times on any given day, it made sense to use banner ads and in-app offers to get the right message to the right people. This was probably the most effective part of the campaign strategy, resulting in CTRs in the double digits.

Results

The Senior Media Buyer and her team produced impressive results for their client by working with Gridwise. Capturing the attention of rideshare drivers in-app provided new avenues to deliver the credit card provider’s message and showcase its brand. 

Featured promos and the promo listing were helpful. But they were not as productive as the features that only Gridwise could offer because its app serves as a nationwide delivery platform.

“Gridwise not only delivered the numbers we wanted for our client, the people were super-easy to deal with and the process was seamless. Their flexibility in working with various iterations and revisions in ad copy and blog content was amazing, gracious, and highly professional.”

- Senior Media Buyer

LaGuardia Airport (LGA) saw over 30 million visitors in 2019, making it one of the busiest airports in the Northeast. It’s a hub for American Airlines and Delta Air Lines and is one of three airports servicing New York City. LaGuardia is a massive airport, and that means massive earnings potential for rideshare drivers.

After all, those millions of passengers need rides to and from the aviation hub, right? And that’s where you come in.

LaGuardia allows Uber and Lyft vehicles at the pick-up and drop-off terminals, but before heading that way, there are a few rules you’ll want to know. To maximize earnings (and avoid a ticket), it’s important to understand how to navigate the airport, join the queue, and legitimize your vehicle. 

To help rideshare drivers be successful at LaGuardia Airport, we put together this blog post to serve as a guide. The following topics are covered: 

1. What should you do before arriving at LaGuardia Airport?
2. Do you need any permits to drive there?
3. Where is the rideshare waiting area at LaGuardia?
4. What are the passenger pick-up rules at LaGuardia?
5. What are the passenger drop-off rules at LaGuardia?
6. When is the best time to drive at LaGuardia?
7. What is the best driving strategy at LaGuardia?

Let’s dive in!

What should you do before arriving at LaGuardia Airport and entering the airport queue?

To pick up passengers at LaGuardia, you’ll need your trade dress, which (as you know) is the Lyft or Uber decal that goes on your front passenger windshield facing outward.

Uber sends out this decal when drivers sign up. If you’ve lost yours since then, there are a few easy ways to replace it. You can request that a new one be mailed to you, pick one up at your local Greenlight Hub (be wary of recent closures), or print out a temporary version at home. 

You can order a Lyft decal from your Dashboard, and print a temporary emblem to use while waiting for yours to come in the mail. 

You’ll need your Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) license before you can drive at LaGuardia. If you don’t already have your license, you can find more information by visiting the TLC website.

Where is the Uber/Lyft waiting area at LaGuardia Airport?

There are two lots where you can wait at LaGuardia: the Bowery Bay Boulevard Wait Area for Terminal A requests, and 23rd Avenue and 90th Street Wait Area for Terminal B/C/D requests.

Check out this map for more information on the staging lot locations.

At the Terminal A waiting area, matches are determined by proximity and estimated time of arrival.

Once you get to the staging Terminal B/C/D lot, you’ll automatically be entered into the airport queue. You’ll be able to check your place in line in the Lyft or Uber app. Unfortunately, if the lot is full you’ll have to leave the airport.

How should Uber and Lyft drivers pick up passengers at LaGuardia Airport?

In the 90th Street staging lot, the driver who has been waiting the longest in the staging area gets the next rider request (the Terminal A lot doesn’t have a queue, it’s just a place to wait). Make sure not to enter out of driver mode while you wait or you’ll lose your spot in line.

For Terminal A pickups, your rideshare app will show your rider’s name and pick-up location at the arrivals’ level of his or her air carrier of choice. 

For pick-ups at Terminal B, meet your rider on Level 2 of the Terminal B Garage between columns F and G. Normal pickups occur near the F column while Lyft’s Fast Match will be by the G columns.

For pickups at Terminals C and D, head to the lower level of the Delta Arrivals Road where riders will meet you in designated lanes in the pick-up area. Pick up in the Car Services Area located between Terminals C and D (Lanes L and M; stalls 1 to 3). Lyft’s Fast Match pickups will occur on either side of Island M in the Car Services Area between Terminals C and D, while all other pickups will occur in Lane L.

If you are driving for Uber, you might be navigated to a PIN area rather than matched with a specific rider. Simply proceed to the PIN-marked area, pull forward in the queue until the parking staff directs a rider to your vehicle, then meet your rider. Enter the 6-digit PIN code he or she gives you. Once the PIN is entered, your ride is ready to go.

Lyft’s Fast Match works the same way, but the code will be 4 digits rather than 6.

If you’ve ever driven at LaGuardia you know that terminal areas can be crowded. If you can't find your rider, message or call them through your app to let them know where you are.

And one more thing—while waiting for ride requests at Terminals C and D, you may receive a message directing you to head toward the terminal. While on the way, you should receive a ride request. If not, just head back to the staging area in 15 minutes and you’ll be at the front of the queue. 

How should Uber and Lyft drivers drop off passengers at LaGuardia Airport?

Fortunately, dropping off passengers at LaGuardia is easier than picking them up. Just head to the departure level at the passenger’s carrier of choice and make sure not to linger in the terminal area.

That’s it, and you’re back on the road! 

When is the best time to drive at LaGuardia Airport?

Turn to your Gridwise app for information about all arrivals and departures at LaGuardia, as well as delays and cancellations. 

Typically, midday is the best time for airport driving. Most passenger arrivals and departures occur sometime between 10:30 a.m. and noon.

With Gridwise Plus you’ll be able to see airport data 24 hours in advance, so you can lock in a solid airport strategy the night before you head out. You’ll also be able to create custom alerts for arrivals and departures. 

What are some good airport strategies?

Pick up a passenger on the way to the airport

Count on Gridwise to let you know when there’s a peak in airport departures, so you can hang around near hotels at that time to maximize your chances of an airport ride.

Do not cancel on a passenger after you’ve accepted a fare

If you do, you will be bumped to the bottom of the queue and your wait starts all over again. The good news is, if it’s a short ride some companies let you jump back in line after you’ve dropped the passenger off.

Be ready to present your waybill

A waybill is essentially a receipt of the last trip you completed. Be prepared to present this to airport officials or law enforcement while waiting for arrivals. You might also be asked by airport officials to see proof of the trip request before heading into the terminals.

Always be prepared

The fact is, you never know when law enforcement will show up. Keep your driver’s license, insurance card, and registration handy, and don’t forget to have your placard displayed.

Congrats! Now you’re all set to make some pickups and dropoffs at LaGuardia Airport. Happy driving!

Kansas City International Airport (MCI) is located in Platte County, Missouri, 15 miles from downtown Kansas City. The airport averages 340 aircraft operations per day, and in 2019 saw more than 11 million visitors.  

For rideshare drivers, that means high potential earnings. All those passengers need rides to and from the aviation hub, and that’s where you come in.

Kansas City International Airport allows Uber and Lyft vehicles at the pick-up and drop-off terminals, but before you head that way there are a few rules you’ll want to know. To maximize earnings (and avoid a fine), it’s important to understand how to navigate the airport, join the queue, and legitimize your vehicle.

To help rideshare drivers be successful at the Kansas City airport, we put together this blog post to serve as a guide. The following topics are covered: 

1. What should you do before arriving at Kansas City International Airport?
2. Do you need any permits to drive there?
3. Where is the rideshare waiting area at Kansas City International Airport?
4. What are the passenger pick-up rules at Kansas City International Airport?
5. What are the passenger drop-off rules at Kansas City International Airport?
6. When is the best time to drive at the airport?
7. What is the best driving strategy?

Let’s dive in!

What should you do before arriving at Kansas City International Airport and entering the airport queue?

To pick up passengers at Kansas City International, you’ll need your trade dress, which (as you know) is the Lyft or Uber decal that goes on your front passenger windshield facing outward. 

Uber sends out this decal when drivers sign up. If you’ve lost yours since then, there are a few easy ways to replace it. You can request that a new one be mailed to you, pick one up at your local Greenlight Hub (be wary of recent closures), or print out a temporary version at home. 

You can order a Lyft decal from your Dashboard or print a temporary emblem to use while waiting for yours to come in the mail.

Where is the Uber/Lyft waiting area at Kansas City International Airport?

The staging lot at MCI is located off of Brasilia Avenue near the Marriott Hotel. Refer to the map below for further details.

You’ll be automatically entered in the queue once you enter the lot, and you can check your place in line in the Uber or Lyft app. Unfortunately, if the lot is full you’ll have to leave the airport.

While waiting for requests, you may get a pre-match (Uber) or pre-dispatch (Lyft) message urging you to head to the pick-up terminal. While on the way, you should be matched with a rider. If not, just return to the staging lot within fifteen minutes, and you’ll be first in the queue.

How should Uber and Lyft drivers pick up passengers at Kansas City International Airport?

The driver who has been waiting the longest in the staging area gets the next rider request. 

Once you accept a request, simply head to your rider’s terminal at the curbside Arrivals level. 

Terminals B and C are located at the end of Cookingham Road. These terminals are roundabouts, so you’ll encounter Terminal C before Terminal B.

How should Uber and Lyft drivers drop off passengers at Kansas City International?

Drop-offs at the Kansas City airport are simple! Just head to Departures at the passenger’s carrier of choice.

You may receive a pick-up request in the next 60 seconds (part of a feature called Rematch) but if not, either head back to the road or to the staging lot.

When is the best time to drive at the Kansas City airport?

Turn to your Gridwise app for information about all arrivals and departures at MCI, as well as delays and cancellations. 

Typically, midday is the best time for airport driving; most passenger arrivals and departures occur sometime between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

With Gridwise Plus you’ll be able to see airport data 24 hours in advance, so you can lock in a solid airport strategy the night before you head out. You’ll also be able to create custom alerts for arrivals and departures. 

What are some good airport strategies?

Pick up a passenger on the way to the airport

Count on Gridwise to let you know when there’s a peak in airport departures, so you can hang around near hotels at that time to maximize your chances of an airport ride. 

Do not cancel on a passenger after you’ve accepted a fare

If you do, you will be bumped to the bottom of the queue and your wait starts all over again. (This also happens if you enter out of driving mode or leave the property while in the queue.) The good news is, if it’s a short ride some companies let you jump back in line after you’ve dropped the passenger off.

Always be prepared 

The fact is, you never know when law enforcement will show up. Keep your driver’s license, insurance card, and registration handy, and don’t forget to have your placard displayed. 

Have your waybill ready

Your waybill is a digital receipt of your last drive, which airport officials may occasionally ask to see. Search ‘waybill’ on Lyft or click ‘Info’ on Uber to make it appear.

Congrats! Now you’re all set to make some pick-ups and drop-offs at the Kansas City International Airport—and maybe sneak a Chiefs game in between.

The General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport (BOS), more commonly known as Boston Logan Airport, saw over 42 million visitors in 2019. A hub for Cape Air and Delta, Logan is the 16th-busiest airport in the United States and the biggest airport in New England based on passenger traffic. 

This means high potential earnings for rideshare drivers in the Boston area. After all, those millions of passengers need rides to and from the aviation hub, right? And that’s where you come in.

Boston Logan allows Uber and Lyft vehicles at the pick-up and drop-off terminals, but before heading that way, there are a few rules you’ll want to know. To maximize earnings (and avoid a fine), it’s important to understand how to navigate the airport, join the queue, and legitimize your vehicle. The rules changed recently at Boston Logan, so it’s important to have your info as up-to-date as possible.

To help rideshare drivers be successful, we put together this blog post to serve as a guide. The following topics are covered: 

1. What should you do before arriving at Boston Logan International Airport?
2. Do you need any permits to drive there?
3. Where is the rideshare waiting area at Boston Logan?
4. What are the passenger pick-up rules at Boston Logan?
5. What are the passenger drop-off rules at Boston Logan?
6. When is the best time to drive at the airport?
7. What is the best driving strategy?

Let’s dive in!

What should you do before arriving at  Boston Logan International Airport and entering the airport queue?

To pick up passengers at Boston Logan, you’ll need your trade dress, which (as you know) is the Lyft or Uber decal that goes on your front passenger windshield facing outward. Note that you’ll need both decals to drive at BOS, with the other decal on your rear passenger windshield facing outward. 

Uber sends out this decal when drivers sign up. If you’ve lost yours since then, there are a few easy ways to replace it. You can request that a new one be mailed to you, pick one up at your local Greenlight Hub (be wary of recent closures), or print out a temporary version at home. 

You can order a Lyft decal from your Dashboard, pick one up at the Boston Logan Lyft Hub, or print a temporary emblem to use while waiting for yours to come in the mail.

Before you head to Boston Logan Airport, depending on which rideshare company you drive for, you may need your Massachusetts Background Check Clearance Certificate from the Department of Public Utilities (DPU). You must have a digital or printed version of your certificate with you at all times while on airport property or risk a $500 fine. You can find some good information about that on the Lyft website, or email a question to the DPU at DPUTNCQuestions@massmail.state.ma.us. 

One more thing to know if you drive for Lyft: You’ll have to log in to your app and complete your acknowledgement of BOS rules and regulations before heading onto the road.

Where is the Uber/Lyft waiting area at Boston Logan Airport?

The staging lot at Boston Logan is located opposite the car rental lot and the Embassy Suites. Refer to the map below to see where you’ll be going.

Once you get to the staging lot, you’ll automatically be entered into the airport queue. You’ll be able to check your place in line in the Lyft or Uber app. 

Make sure not to leave the staging area or you’ll lose your place in the queue.

How should Uber and Lyft drivers pick up passengers at the Boston Logan Airport?

The driver who has been waiting the longest in the queue gets the next rider request. 

All your riders will be picked up at the Central Parking Garage no matter what their terminal. Follow the signs to find the correct pickup location as you approach the garage. 

Make sure to enter from the northeast entrance for Terminal A and E pickups, but from the northwest entrance for Terminals C and B pickups.

Also—keep an eye on the pin that the rideshare app places at the spot to meet your rider, and don’t hesitate to reach out to let him or her know that you’re on your way.

For riders who require accessibility accommodations, you are permitted to meet them at the curbside pick-up spot or drop them off at Arrivals. 

How should Uber and Lyft drivers drop off passengers at Boston Logan Airport?

Beginning December 9, 2019, all drop-offs will be at Central Parking.

However, from the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m., passengers going to Terminals A, B, and E will be allowed on the Arrivals level curbside for each terminal (Terminal C passengers are always dropped off in the garage). 

When is the best time to drive at Boston Logan airport?

Turn to your Gridwise app for information about all arrivals and departures at BOS, as well as delays and cancellations. 

Typically, midday is the best time for airport driving; most passenger arrivals and departures occur sometime between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

With Gridwise Plus you’ll be able to see airport data 24 hours in advance, so you can lock in a solid airport strategy the night before you head out. You’ll also be able to create custom alerts for arrivals and departures. 

What are some good airport strategies?

Pick up a passenger on the way to the airport

Count on Gridwise to let you know when there’s a peak in airport departures, so you can hang around near hotels at that time to maximize your chances of an airport ride. Nearby hotels include a Hyatt Regency, a Hilton, and an Embassy Suites.

Do not cancel on a passenger after you’ve accepted a fare

If you do, you will be bumped to the bottom of the queue and your wait starts all over again. (This also happens if you enter out of driving mode or leave the property while in the queue.) The good news is, if it’s a short ride some companies let you jump back in line after you’ve dropped the passenger off.

Always be prepared

The fact is, you never know when law enforcement will show up. Keep your driver’s license, insurance card, and registration handy, and don’t forget to have your placard displayed.

Congrats! Now you’re all set to make some pickups and dropoffs at Boston Logan International Airport. Happy driving!