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As a rideshare driver, understanding the ins and outs of DC sports stadiums and arenas can help you to capitalize on surge pricing and ultimately bring in more money at the end of the day.

While the large DC venues like FedEx Field, Nationals Park, RFK Stadium, and the Verizon Center that host thousands of people may seem like an easy way to find passengers, big events can often be an enigma for many rideshare drivers. See, with major events like concerts or a Washington Redskins game, The Rideshare Guy explains that it can become difficult to locate passengers as thousands of people drunkenly attempt to locate their drivers.

What’s even more frustrating for rideshare drivers is the number of potential customers that will request a driver from the middle of the Verizon Center, for example. The Wizards just claimed victory and in all of the excitement, people will request a driver right then and there. Of course, they expect you to predict where they will exit from the venue and to arrive there promptly in order to escort them to the after party. Plus, with all of the other drivers hoping to profit from the crowds at DC sports stadiums and arenas, there’s bound to be traffic. Quite honestly, this can all lead to a headache if you don’t have the right strategy in place.

To make driving passengers to and from DC sports stadiums and arenas less of a headache and more profitable, we’ve outlined some simple tips you can follow during your next drive:

1. Take advantage of tailgating and pre-game functions that will start a few hours before the game.Redskins fans, along with most other sports fans, enjoy a cold beer and good barbecue to kick off their game day. During the pregame hours, rides will originate from a wider area with people trying to get closer to the game. Many potential clients will be coming from house parties, bars, hotels, and popular areas. Even though the demand is more spread out, you can still use this time to make some extra money.
2. Use the Gridwise app to receive real-time alerts on game updates and end times.Upon downloading the Gridwise app, you’ll be able to easily navigate the Events and End time Updates feature in the bottom menu of the app. This feature lists all local events along with their start/end times and a status that tells you if the event is in progress. Plus, this feature can notify you if a game goes into overtime, for example, giving you the opportunity to squeeze in a few extra rides before heading to the stadium or arena. By monitoring this list, you can be ready at the pickup spot before the event actually ends.
3. Determine if your service has designated pickup locations.Another aspect of being ready to pick up your passengers outside DC sports stadiums and arenas is to determine if your service has designated pickup locations. Uber offers tips for drivers on how to beat the traffic at popular DC venues, including the Verizon Center, FedEx Field, and Nationals Park. For example, since Uber has partnered with the Washington Redskins to make it easy to catch a ride to and from games at FedExField, there are specific locations called Uber Zones for all dropoffs and pickups to occur. This makes it easier for both the driver and the rider because the areas are clearly marked and easy to locate. Similarly, Uber has suggested pickup points for the Verizon Center and Nationals Park.
4. Call your passengers to coordinate your exit strategy.It is not recommended to wait at the entrance before the event ends. While you will benefit from the surge priced trip, you may become trapped by the flood of pedestrians exiting the event. Try to park a few blocks away in an area where you will still get a request from the stadium or arena, but where you can avoid much of the traffic. Then, once you have arrived at your pickup position, call your client to coordinate your exit strategy. This is crucial because people will often make a request and then start walking away from the event, which can lead to confusion. By calling your potential passengers, you can figure out their current location and coordinate the best place for pickup.

Along with implementing these tips for your drives to and from DC sports stadiums and arenas, it’s always important to remain calm, patient, and flexible amidst the chaos of these large events. You’ll most likely have to deal with passengers that have been drinking, which can make communication a challenge. Try to be patient and remember that if a ride falls through there will still be a plethora of other riders exiting the game and searching for a driver.

Plus, by using the Gridwise platform you can have an edge over the competition by staying updated on the game’s end time along with real-time traffic and weather alerts.

Download the Gridwise app to get ready for gameday and start making your drives to and from DC sports stadiums and arenas more profitable!

As rideshare increases in popularity around the globe, more and more people are getting involved as drivers. Those folks who meet the rideshare driving qualifications can get started pretty quickly. Due to the low barriers to entry, many different types of people decide to take on this line of work. Drivers start working with Uber, Lyft, Curb, Via etc. from any and all possible backgrounds.

Each rideshare driver exhibits a persona that reflects their level of experience and the scope of their work. These aren’t exclusive in any way, but for the most part rideshare drivers typically fall into one of these 4 categories:

Know-It-All

You might think that being a know-it-all is associated with being annoying or bothersome in some way. But in this case, the know-it-alls are the people who are literally the most knowledgeable. These are the rideshare drivers who have spent a significant amount of time as a professional driver.

Most are veteran drivers who have spent 3 years or more driving professionally before moving into working rideshare. Former taxi drivers also fit into this rideshare description if they’ve switched over to driving for Uber/Lyft/other TNCs. These drivers are efficient and completely capable when seeking the information they need to make a drive.

For some professional drivers, this became a chance for a brand new start. There are options now for people who are trying to breach the ridesharing industry, and further opportunities for those who are experienced and have their CDL. Those ex-taxi drivers who choose to venture into the world of rideshare come in already fully prepared with all of the tools. They are disciplined in their approach to driving and are essentially experts in their craft.

In Transition

Not all full-time drivers are created equal. While there are a number of drivers who chose this life from the get go, many come to it from another career. These people might have gone through a rough patch in their career and need a reset. Others were simply tired of the work they were doing before and looking for a fresh opportunity or change of pace.

Either way, the rideshare industry has full-on created an avenue for the people who come into driving from doing something else. These newly minted Uber and Lyft partners see driving as an opportunity to start their own business. The amount they earn is entirely up to them as a rideshare contractor, so they end up working as many or as few hours as they need. To earn a living from it, full-time drivers (including in transition drivers) typically drive over 40 hours a week.

Supplemental

When their main gig isn’t enough to keep them afloat financially, people seek out other means to bring in extra cash. Or, if they’re looking for a bit of spending cash or travel money, driving for a rideshare TNC could be an attractive option. Outside their regular work hours, folks take the free time they would have had and turn it into money by driving. They may be creative types relying on freelance work to satisfy their creative thirst, while others might work at a restaurant/bar or another nighttime establishment. Extra income from driving is just as viable an option as any other.

Rideshare drivers seeking supplemental income are in the business either because they need to be or because they like the freedoms that come with supplemental income earned at their own pace. There will always be folks who truly enjoy the work, but often, driving is just a means to an end. That’s nobody’s fault; the need for a sustainable income is universal. Everyone has something that they need to support, whether it’s a family, a dog or a lifestyle.

Part-time drivers may work in the rideshare industry because they need the flexibility. Freelancers, entrepreneurs, and all sorts of creatives work best without a stringent 9-5 sort of job. In this way, setting a personally-optimized schedule for supplemental income allows people to do things they couldn’t otherwise accomplish in restricted time frames.

Pin Money

These people don’t really need the money. They work as a rideshare driver to make pocket change and have a little extra cash flow. They may drive a few hours each week whenever they decide to make the time. Since their livelihood isn’t affected by how much they drive, pin money rideshare drivers work without real obligations and may not project any sense of urgency.

Reliability is not the mantra with pin money drivers. They tend to be fickle, changing their level of commitment based on whether they feel a “need” for the money at the moment. For these part-time drivers, their freedom to decide when and where to drive is more important than having a set schedule.There’s also some element of preparation that you tend to miss with these Uber and Lyft drivers. Since this income is disposable to the driver, the work they do requires less strategy and considerably less effort (as is the nature of a side job).

Which one of these categories do you fall under? Let us know in the comments below!

Rideshare services and companies hold Pittsburgh to a certain standard. Uber chose this city to become the flagship for testing its innovative self-driving car, and even poached a number of Carnegie Mellon University robotics PhD students to work for Uber. With the industry frontrunners taking an invested interest in the city, Pittsburgh is a key location for professional and casual drivers seeking work.

As the rideshare driver population continues to increase and new innovations appear, it’s more important than ever that regulations follow suit. Many of the same rules and issues from other cities also apply to drivers in Pittsburgh.

Basic Vehicle Requirements in Pittsburgh

The vehicle requirements vary only slightly between the two major services Uber and Lyft, with the majority of the difference being the required age for your rideshare car. The vehicle age could also vary according to the city you’re working in. For Pittsburgh:

Uber

Lyft

zTrip

Model Year 2006 or Newer (hybrids 2004 or newer)Model Year 2007 or NewerVehicle is Provided4-door car or minivan4-door car, 5-8 seats (including driver)Taxicab or 4-door black sedanGood condition with no cosmetic damage Vehicle maintenance includedPass vehicle inspectionPass DMV check and background checkPass DMV check and background checkDriver’s License Required (>21 years old)Driver’s License Required (>21 years old)Driver’s License Required (>21 years old)Current official (or temporary) registrationCurrent official (or temporary) registrationCurrent official (or temporary) registrationState/locally-accepted vehicle insuranceState/locally-accepted vehicle insuranceState/locally-accepted vehicle insuranceNo commercial branding  

Legislative Regulations (according to the Public Vehicle-for-hire Innovation Act)

For a time, both Lyft and Uber were deemed illegal by the state of Pennsylvania and asked to pay fines as reparations. In an ongoing fight to remedy this, Uber and Lyft operate under a two-year experimental license agreement granted by the Public Utility Commission. For current legislation (from PIT rules in the above Innovation Act):

Disclaimer – this is not a comprehensive list of rules and regulations, but is an aggregate created for simplicity and is subject to change in the upcoming years.

• Privately owned vehicles may be used for public transportation, so long as the drivers are notified electronically or through an app.
• Along the same lines, rideshare drivers may not pick up passengers that hail them from the street.
• Rideshare drivers with companies such as Uber and Lyft may not solicit fares at taxi stands specified for Pittsburgh taxi services.
• If there is suspicion of illegal street hailing, the rideshare operator must provide law enforcement with access to their electronic trip records.
• Background checks and minimal levels of insurance are required for all drivers before they begin driving for the TNC (transportation network company).
• Companies must provide passengers with photographic access of the vehicle driver and the vehicle license plate before pickup.
• Drivers must successfully pass a criminal background check, sex offender database check, and driver history check.
• App-based services must provide primary insurance coverage of minimum $50,000 per person per accident, with up to $100,000 available to all and $25,000 available for property damage
• A private rideshare vehicle operator may affiliate with more than one rideshare service (unless specified by the company)

PIT (Pittsburgh International Airport) Regulations

As a rideshare driver in Pittsburgh, you’re likely going to make a few trips to and from the airport (unless you specifically choose to avoid these rides). So that you don’t make any mistakes or jeopardize the integrity of the ride, here’s a combined set of rules described by both Uber and Lyft:

• All ride pickups happen at the specified “Uber Loading Zone.” Without halting or disrupting any traffic, head toward Door 4 of the commercial curb to the designated area. Be courteous and pull up to the furthest available space to allow other drivers the opportunity for easy access to a space.
• To wait for a ride, you must do so in the designated Cell Phone Lot staging area. If the lot is full, then you can’t wait around and need to leave the property. Note also that parking is only free for an hour, so adjust your driver schedule accordingly.
• Drivers are required to display the TNC trade dress on the passenger side of your windshield
• Rider cancellations do not affect your place in line through Lyft. Driver cancellations, however, take you off of the queue and back to the end of the line. The Same rule applies for leaving the airport property, missing a passenger request, or going offline on the app.
• The queue works on a first come first served basis. The driver who has been in line the longest is also the one who will be given the next available ride.

Driving professionally is an acquired skill. With rideshare industry breakouts like Uber and Lyft, it is now easier than ever to get started. Gone is the need for a CDL or in-depth driver training. Owning a new-enough vehicle affords you the chance to earn a living from driving. Just because it’s that easy to get started, doesn’t mean it’s as easy to do well. Anything worth doing is worth doing well; driving for a rideshare company requires some forethought in order to be great. The best rideshare drivers have some of the same shared qualities, which include the following:

They Know the Best Way Around

The best DC rideshare drivers know what roads to take and which ones are best avoided. Congestion is so bad that most of the infrastructure projects strive to make travel bearable rather than creating actual improvements. A driver’s experience living in the city gives insight into the roads that most frequently give the worst traffic headaches.

Within the city borders, the Key Bridge has the highest congestion index, with typical speeds of only about 8 miles per hour. Depending on the time of day, the Southeast Freeway could have traffic just as bad. Commuter roads like the Chain Bridge and New York Avenue tend to build up during the morning and evening rushes. Understanding when traffic will get in the way of rideshare driving and steering clear of these roads is a good strategy.

During busy travel seasons, such as the summer or during elections, it's best to avoid I-95 when possible. The parkway almost always backs up on Friday afternoons and Monday mornings, so great drivers will steer clear especially during those times. They will consider alternate routes if they need to leave the city via I-295.

You can actually use Gridwise for up to date traffic & road conditions around Washington DC. With the easy-to-use alerts tab, you can immediately familiarize yourself with what the roads look like in your driving radius.

They Strategically Plan Ahead of Local Events

Navigating a city becomes markedly different when taking large crowds into consideration.

Redskins home games can bring in an average of about 78,000 people. Although the numbers aren’t the same across all major sports in DC, the idea here is that there are a lot of people centralized in one place. Other events with large volumes of people (although likely not all have as high attendance) include bar crawls, food/music festivals and public city events like parades.

Many of the folks who live within the DC metro area use ridesharing to go to and from stadiums and events. With so much local traffic already, great DC rideshare drivers know when to arrive at events and what the best departure strategies are. They keep up-to-date with any scheduling changes that might occur, such as game delays or overtime (see Identifying Hotspots: Knowing Where and When to Drive to learn how to use Gridwise for event tracking).

Use Gridwise to centralize all of the event information into one convenient app. That way, you won’t waste any time waiting when you could be driving! It’s highly efficient and will typically generate more money for you in the long run.

They Provide Great Customer Service

In some of these more populated and metropolitan U.S. cities, people can come across as somewhat rude to one another. It’s not as much a personality tic as it is a consequence of the fast-paced lifestyle. Everyone has somewhere to be and everyone else is in their way.

While Washington DC certainly has its fair share of rude passengers, it also has a number of happy-go-lucky riders who are easy to work with. The best drivers know how to cater to any sort of rider who comes into their vehicle. This isn’t to say that a driver must always go above and beyond to please a customer. It may be more appropriate to leave the passenger alone rather than speaking to them or trying to help. The best DC rideshare drivers read their situations well and choose what they do accordingly.

Always try to be as helpful as you can. Holding doors open, placing luggage in the trunk, and greeting passengers promptly can go a long way.

They Keep Up with Current Events

There's always something noteworthy happening in the nation’s capital. It’s literally where the country’s politicians work. From Capitol Hill to the White House, there’s a lot of relevant news and information flying around DC. At the very least, this information is a great way to spark conversation. A great driver will interact appropriately with their passengers.

If politics are not of interest, just being knowledgeable in current media is incredibly useful. Not only does it provide information useful to your day-to-day, but it also provides avenues to be a more well-rounded driver. The more you know about what’s happening locally and in the country, the easier it is to tailor your drives to the customer’s needs.

What other traits can you think of for great rideshare drivers that aren’t already on the list? Write us a comment below.

Utilizing a GPS navigation service is essential when it comes to being a successful rideshare driver. Even for drivers who were born and raised in the city where they find passengers can benefit from the new technology and features offered by many navigation services.

While Uber does provide its drivers with in-app navigation, this mapping system has been described as “severely lacking when compared to these two third party options.” Subsequently, drivers usually choose between the two biggest players in the field of third-party navigation apps: Google Maps and Waze. 

Lifehacker shares that Google Maps is more akin to a traditional map whereas Waze is a turn-by-turn navigation app that focuses on a social network where drivers provide the traffic information.

Interestingly, Google purchased Waze back in 2013 for $1.1 billion, but has kept the two apps completely separate. Both have different functions and capabilities, which leads some drivers to prefer one app over the other. Thus, the debate has been created between Google Maps vs Waze. So which should you use as a rideshare driver?

Google Maps vs. Waze: How do the apps differ?

First, the two apps differ in how they calculate the best route based on the driver’s destination, although they both use real-time traffic data.

Google obtains its real-time traffic data through road sensors and speed data from drivers using the app. On the other hand, Waze relies on its users (like you and me) to provide information based on what is witnessed on the road during daily commutes.

The Waze app allows users to report accidents, police activity, and other obstructions by placing a pin exactly where the incident was seen. This gives other drivers the heads up so they can find alternative routes in order to avoid the traffic. With Google Maps, however, there are limited route customization options, which include avoiding tolls, highways, and ferries.

When it comes to navigation options, Google Maps provides information for driving, biking, walking, and using public transportation, while Waze is solely for driving.

How Google Maps can benefit a Rideshare Driver

When it comes down to navigation and interface, makeuseof.com describes Google Maps as “the cleanest and most professional” out of all the navigation apps currently available. The article continues by saying, “The interface is minimal, routes are easy to set up and navigate, and it’s quite intuitive to use.”

The minimal interface of Google Maps presents traffic data in three easy-to-read colors: green (cars are moving), yellow (traffic is starting to slow), and red (you’re going to be stuck here for a while). Additionally, users also find Google Maps less distracting than Waze because it is free from advertising. Conversely, Waze has quite a few ways of trying to grab your attention with an ad, such as businesses pinned with logos and banners that pop up while you’re at a red light.

If your goal is to have the least amount of distractions while driving, Google Maps takes the cake over Waze.

How Waze can benefit a Rideshare Driver

Waze has many unique features for drivers that can help save time and money. In addition to the turn-by-turn navigation, Waze offers “reports” on traffic jams, police sightings, crashes or hazards on route, map chat, saved locations, and gas prices. 

Out of those reports, one that can particularly help rideshare drivers to save some money is the gas price report, which enables you to quickly search for the cheapest gas on a route. We all know that even ten cents extra per gallon can add up over time, so being able to easily locate the cheapest gas is ideal for rideshare drivers. Or if you use a different gas type (i.e. Midgrade, Premium, Diesel), the app lets you store your preferred gas type.

Additionally, the reports for traffic jams, construction zones, crashes, and hazards in the road (like those potholes the size of small children) can be updated by any user. Although Google has similar real-time traffic updates, makeuseof.com describes Waze as more aggressive and explains that, “Google Maps will try to take the fastest path using main roads, Waze won’t hesitate to take you through back routes. As such, driving with Waze can be a bit hectic, but it often saves more time than Google Maps.” For rideshare drivers, saving time means improved efficiency, and thus, the potential for making a greater profit.

Which app should you use as a rideshare driver?

When comparing Google Maps and Waze, it’s clear that each app has unique features and perks on top of the real-time road information that both provide. What’s not so clear, however, is which is better for rideshare drivers. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and what kind of navigation experience you’re looking for. If you can’t decide between the two, don’t worry, here at Gridwise we give you the ability to use either one!

Let us know which navigation app you prefer, and why, in the comments section below.

Everyone has to start somewhere. Within the ridesharing economy, anyone who meets the baseline qualifications can start earning money through driving. Additionally, driving for Uber, Lyft, or any other transportation network company (TNC) can be something you decide to do on a whim. You may have jumped right into the ridesharing business without any prior experience or true knowledge of what you were getting into. There isn’t an in-depth orientation; there isn’t any real training. You could easily start this new job and suddenly be bogged down; as rookie mistakes can cause you to earn less-than-spectacular reviews or below par earnings. Just the same, there are lessons you can learn ahead of time that would make your life as a driver that much easier. If you’d like to avoid making some of the classic mistakes that rookie drivers make, let’s go ahead and talk about 5 tips/tricks to get you started as a new rideshare driver.

Have Patience

Recognize that, even if you’ve been driving for many years, driving professionally is its own skill. You’re thrown into the fire quickly, so it may be helpful to keep things simple as you start to get the hang of rideshare driving.

Learn your best practices for driving by completing a bunch of drives. Do not be afraid to let a passenger know that you’re new to the practice; they’re more likely to be forgiving of any mistakes you might make. Understand that, depending on when you choose to drive, customers could be either drunk enough to puke or tired enough to spill coffee all over the back seat. You’ll know, after your first few drives, what to keep with you as you move around. Drive often and reflect on what works for you and what doesn’t.

Don’t Chase Surges

The biggest rookie mistake that drivers make is to chase down surges. Although it may seem like a better idea in the short run because of the higher multipliers, chasing down surge prices will lead to disappointment if there’s no strategy involved. When you sporadically chase surges, it’s possible that the multiplier will disappear as you arrive. TNC surge algorithms are dynamically changing each minute, so chasing multipliers one-by-one isn’t going to help you earn money.

This isn’t to say that surges aren’t good for making you money; they’re clearly more worthwhile financially than driving without surges. However, instead of chasing them, you should plan ahead and position yourself in areas where surges are likely to occur during a given time frame. This strategy maximizes your time by putting you in the right place at the right time to boost your earnings in the long run.

Plan Out Your Drives

The best rideshare drivers have an outline of what they’re doing in advance. One of the most eye-catching benefits of rideshare driving is having the ability to set your own schedule. It’s best to know when your best and worst times to drive are so that you can plan around anything else you have going on in your life.

Some people plan just a few hours in advance. Every city is different, so it’s important that you know when traffic is heavy and when surge prices are at their peaks.

Others take the time to plan a bit further ahead. Platforms like our own Gridwise centralize the information you need to be a successful driver into one location, with useful information like road conditions, airport demand, and event information. Taking the time to know where and when you’ll be driving saves you both money and time in the long run.

Join Driver Communities

Drivers who communicate with one another usually have the upper hand over a driver who is isolated from other drivers. By leveraging the power of the crowd, you can learn at a quicker pace and have a better pulse for what is going on in the city.

Join Facebook groups and other online communities. There are over 150 driver groups nationwide on Facebook, including both US groups and city-specific groups. Text groups in apps like whats app and groupme can also prove useful to new and veteran rideshare drivers alike. Walkie Talkie apps like zello and voxer work well to actively put drivers in contact with one another in real time. Online forums such as uber people are a great place to seek answers to most of your rideshare questions. You should also engage with some blogs and vlogs, including the rideshare guy, the simple driver and our very own blog at Gridwise.

Invest in Your Phone

Your phone is your one-stop shop for everything rideshare. In fact, outside of the face-to-face, you get with your customers inside of the car, every other interaction you’re a part of during your drives is connected to your phone.

Everything that has to do with your phone has to be set up optimally for driving. First off, ensure that your phone is reliable. It’s part of your job to have a communication channel open, so poor equipment can result in issues that you really can’t afford to have happen. Your drives become considerably easier if you have a phone mount for your dashboard or your windshield. You have full visibility of what’s happening on the road, on the GPS and on your driver resources. Invest in a phone charger; a dead phone battery is a nightmare when you’re in the middle of a pickup. Have everything you need to drive successfully at the ready.

Keep Your Vehicle as Clean as Possible

A clean car goes a long way. Riders expect the vehicle they ping to be basically pristine, or at least close to. Hold yourself to a certain standard of cleanliness when handling your rideshare vehicle. Don’t roll out of bed and into your vehicle looking like a mess. Give your riders the comfort of knowing that they’re working with a professional. If there’s trash left on your floor, pick it up as soon as you have the time and throw it away.

Keep the interior of your car spotless. That means wiping down the door interiors and windows (outside and inside) as well as vacuuming the seats and floors. Get regular car washes to keep the exterior of your vehicle presentable. During the winter months, when city streets are covered in snow and salt, riders may be more forgiving of a slightly dirty exterior. Don’t let that make you lazy, though! Have your vehicle’s cleanliness be a priority during the hours when you’re driving.

Have any more tips? Talk to us in the comments section!

The vehicle you choose to drive as a rideshare driver can make a world of difference in your day-to-day work. Depending on the luxury rideshare service and the clientele that you choose to work with, your vehicle needs to be tailored to the work. Certain vehicles are better than others in terms of fuel efficiency and profitability. On the other hand, luxury passengers may require larger, spacious cars just for the prestige. There are many reasons why you might have chosen to drive for a transportation network company (TNC), so it’s important to keep certain considerations in mind when choosing your working vehicle.

If You’re Just Getting into the Business

When you’re starting out fresh as a part-time rideshare driver, you have a host of options. You can use your own current personal vehicle, depending on whether or not they are compliant with the regulations for the rideshare company you’re contracted under. To be an UberX driver in most cities, your car needs to be a 4-door vehicle that is at least 2002 or newer in order to qualify (the requirements change from city to city). For Lyft, the requirements are more stringent at 2005 or newer (again, this may vary in other cities). Other restrictions also apply, such as being above the age of 21 and riding with a Lyft mentor to train you on becoming a full-fledged driver.

If you’re looking to commit yourself to driving full-time as a rideshare driver, then perhaps you should consider buying a new vehicle. While any new 4-door vehicle would fulfill your needs, it’s useful to entertain the idea of purchasing a hybrid vehicle. The premier vehicle for rideshare drivers is the Toyota Prius, primarily because of its 51 MPG EPA rating. Other popular hybrid vehicles include the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Toyota Camry hybrid, Volkswagen Jetta hybrid and Subaru XV crosstrek hybrid.

If you’re simply not interested in owning a hybrid car, most of the vehicles listed above are great 4-door sedans without the hybrid sensibilities. Sportiness doesn’t necessarily need to go by the wayside to become a rideshare driver. You could easily pick affordable vehicles like a Honda Civic or a Toyota Corolla and make great use of them without losing too much on fuel efficiency. It’s really up to you to determine what sort of car you’d like to drive, so find something that works for you and fits your driver personality best.

Not at all interested in owning your own vehicle for rideshare? No worries! Try leasing a vehicle instead. It takes a lot of the maintenance pressure off of you if you can maintain within a set mileage per year. Uber even has their own program for leasing called Xchange Leasing, which works with local dealerships to offer special rates to rideshare drivers (including eliminating the mileage caps).

If You’re Looking to Drive Multiple Passengers

The most important and straightforward consideration, in this case, is that you’ll need a larger vehicle. With UberXL (or alternatively Lyft Plus) your vehicle needs to be able to seat at least 6 passengers, although you don’t necessarily need to fill up all of the seats every time you give a ride.

Whether you’re in a smaller vehicle or in a larger vehicle, be prepared to receive pings from rideshare carpooling if you’re signed up with Uber and/or Lyft. Although you cannot pick up more than 2 passengers at a time, you will likely need to lend your time to rideshare carpooling as time moves forward. Larger vehicles like a Nissan Quest or a Honda Odyssey with more space are prime selections for carpooling services, so be advised and ready to take on many passengers.

Another consideration is that you can choose what types of drives to take if you drive for Uber XL or Uber Plus. That is, you can choose to accept exclusively XL or Plus rides, rather than having to receive pings from UberX or plain Lyft. This gives you better control over your own driving and makes the choice of vehicle that much simpler.

If You’re a Luxury Driver

Only the cream of the crop have the opportunity to drive for UberBlack or Lyft Premier. Not only does your car or SUV have to be pristine, but you also need to maintain a high average rating just to keep the luxury driver status. If your own personal vehicle is a Jaguar, Lexus, BMW, or something similar, then definitely consider providing rides through the luxury service rideshare options. You’ll need sharp black leather interior in the case of UberBlack, so make sure your vehicle and your driving capabilities are up to the standards of your TNC.

If You’re Used To Driving a Taxi

If you’re used to driving a yellow cab, then, by all means, keep it around! There are plenty of professional drivers with CDLs who wish to continue driving the vehicles that they are used to. Rideshare companies like Ztrip and Curb allow you to continue to drive your taxi using an on-demand mobile platform. Technology options for current taxi drivers are out there and vary from city to city. Experiment with a few (including Gridwise) to see what works best for you.

Have any thoughts on rideshare vehicles? Talk to us about them in the comments section

Ridesharing started off with the concept of actually driving shared vehicles. The initial idea was that you, the owner of a vehicle in good standing, could essentially lend your vehicle out through a transportation network company (TNC) and have its use shared through the TNC’s services. Companies like Uber and Sidecar pioneered the accessibility of peer-to-peer car rides via the bubbling sharing economy. The more that people were able to share vehicles, the fewer vehicles would be on the road. Fewer vehicles means fewer greenhouse gas emissions and less congestion on the extremely dense metropolitan DC roads. Furthermore, those who take advantage of carsharing and ridesourcing opportunities find themselves spending considerably less on travel and end up using more public transportation.

In this day and age of awareness and conscientiousness about environmental impact, consumers in the sharing economy rely on bikesharing, carsharing and ridesharing via apps to get around. One of the ridesharing trends to surface within the last few years is carpooling via TNCs. Although carpooling itself is not new, the idea of using rideshare services as a means for a carpool commute is recent. Now, if you drive for rideshare companies in DC and in markets all across the country, you’ll have the opportunity to be a part of this new transportation development.

Let’s examine the different avenues available for rideshare carpooling in Washington DC to figure out both the benefits and disadvantages:

uberPOOL

As Uber’s premier carpooling service, uberPOOL came onto the scene in DC shortly after its San Francisco launch in late 2014. Potential passengers select uberPOOL on the Uber app. You, the driver, then end up picking up multiple passengers for similarly-distanced destinations. A maximum of two passengers can be picked up from the same location at once, but you can pick up as many passengers as can comfortably sit in your vehicle.

Pros: Drivers using uberPOOL spend considerably less dead time between rides. That means that you spend as much time as possible on the road actually driving folks from one place to the next, rather than waiting for the next ping. In essence, you’re getting paid for transporting a rider to their destination while you’re driving to the next pickup location. That’s payment for travel to and from passengers!

Cons: uberPOOL works with some glaring flaws.

For one, refusing to pick up passengers who selected uberPOOL could result in your app being locked out for 4-15 minutes. Since the coverage area for uberPOOL in DC extends from the District through to the airports, it’s extremely difficult to avoid being hailed for one of these shared rides. Not only does the mandatory pause halt driver momentum, but it is essentially a slap on the wrist for opting out of a service that you didn’t necessarily sign up for.

In addition, rideshare drivers who participate in uberPOOL generate fewer profits from the carpooling rides. The wages are significantly lower for rideshare carpooling in comparison to regular rides. Drivers also end up spending more time stopping to pick up new passengers, which ultimately reduces the time they spend on the road actually earning money.

Lyft Line

As is common practice between Uber and Lyft, Lyft provided Lyft Line services as direct competition to uberPOOL. The services provided from drivers through Lyft Line are similar to uberPOOL. Drivers are still allowed to pick up only two passengers at one location to ensure that there is enough space in the vehicle. A notable difference is in the ride request system for passengers, but that would rarely affect the driver. Although Lyft has a smaller pool of users than Uber at the moment, their share of rideshare passengers is steadily increasing.

Pros: Since Lyft is trying to grow their user base to be competitive with Uber, the company works to subsidize the rides for passengers and increase the pay for drivers. The base charge to passengers is less, but drivers make a few cents more per mile and in base fees with Lyft Line.

Cons: The smaller user base is certainly a negative point when comparing Lyft Line to the nearly-identical Uber service. Drivers are much less likely to get that second passenger than they would be with uberPOOL. Outside of the current market, Lyft’s trajectory as a company has it expanding considerably in the near future in response to Uber’s recent public favor. If you don’t mind the fewer passengers to start, sticking with Lyft could prove beneficial in the long haul.

Via

Similarly to both uberPOOL and Lyft Line, this New York-based ride-sharing app has been taking hold of some of the market share for commute drivers in DC. Via essentially makes you, the driver, work as a small public transit car, moving along popular commuter lines like the Red Line. It only operates from 6am-10am and from 4pm-8pm, but commuters are now provided with a safe, comfortable and affordable alternative to the Metro within district limits.

Pros: You get guaranteed rates when you drive for Via. The payout for Via during rush hour is considerably higher than with most other rideshare apps. Since the folks who use the app are professionals and business people on their commutes, the customer interactions are easier and generally happier. The commission is also lower than that of both Uber and Lyft, meaning you keep a lot more of the money you earn while driving.

Cons: You still don’t have the sheer number of users that Uber does. Other than that, you do not have the flexibility to drive whenever you’d like as you would with other rideshare services.

Have any opinions on uberPOOL, Lyft Line or Via? Let us know with a comment!