Rideshare drivers, protecting yourself after a car crash

For rideshare drivers, your car is your money maker. Getting into an accident –  whether you are at fault or not – is traumatic and costly. The moments following the accident are extremely important in protecting yourself, determining fault, and providing speedy return to the road. But what exactly should you do?

The very first thing is to make sure everyone is okay and no one requires immediate medical attention. If someone is injured, call 911. Furthermore, you will need to let Uber or Lyft know about the accident through the app but this does not need to happen right away.

According to the law firm Ury and Moskow, LLC., there are 10 steps to follow:

  1. Do not drive away, but do drive out of the flow of traffic if possible.
  2. Protect the scene – flares and hazard lights if you have them.
  3. Call the police – whether there are serious injuries or not.
  4. Make an accurate record of what happened, whether it is with the officer or on your own.
  5. Take a lot of pictures or video of the damage and the accident location from multiple directions
  6. Exchange information. This should include taking a photo of driver’s license, car insurance details, and contact information for all drivers, passengers as well as any witnesses. 
  7. Promptly report the accident to your insurance company.
  8. Seek medical attention even if your injuries aren’t apparent.
  9. Keep excellent records of the event.
  10. Contact an attorney as needed.

Generally speaking, you do not want to accept fault or place blame while at the scene and when everyone is still reeling from the incident. Fault should be determined after examining the evidence (videos, photographs, maps of location, etc), when you’ve had time to really understand exactly what happened. Generally the police or your insurance company will make the final decision.

Should Rideshare drivers take a defensive driving course now?

For most rideshare drivers, it’s been quite some time since we’ve picked up a driving book from the DMV. Right now could be the best time to brush up on our driving skills. With many drivers thinking about returning to rideshare, doing a DF course now would be a smart move. Whether you plan on returning to rideshare full time, part-time or not at all, taking a defensive driving course is something we can do for ourselves and our families.  

DF courses have been around for a long time but now there are more choices than ever, thanks to virtual learning. AAA offers an online option that can be completed in just 6 hours from a certified instructor. In many areas, they offer in-person classes if you are a AAA member. Be sure to check with your local office for further details.  

Taking one of these courses can remind you of some of those important laws we may have forgotten. They also include tips on how to handle road rage, drowsy driving, and more. Quite often your insurance carrier will provide a discount on your premiums for completing such a course. While carriers like Geico have their own courses available. In some states, carriers are even required to give you discounts for doing so. 

No matter who your carrier is, it is worth the time to inquire with your insurance company and complete a course. It will improve your knowledge and make you a safer driver and potentially save you mon

Gig workers need benefits

Working in the gig economy means you do not have a boss hanging over your shoulder. You have a tremendous amount of freedom, which is great. You work whenever you want, which is usually what draws people to rideshare and food delivery to name a few. However, you do give up a lot especially when it comes to benefits! 

It does not appear that companies like Lyft and Uber will be offering everyone a great benefits package anytime soon. So, are there any benefit options available for people like us?

Recently, I discovered a new company that is offering help to gig workers for a monthly charge. The company is called Kover and I have no affiliation with them but I do find that what they offer could be helpful to many. Their quoting system is based on your data that comes directly from Uber, Lyft, Amazon Flex, Instacart, Postmates, Shipt, and others. Their services include things like sick leave, health insurance, help with deactivation, record keeping, and more. One of the most interesting benefits is income replacement if you are temporarily deactivated from an app. All in all, I believe it is worth your time to check them out!

Being prepared for unexpected events in life can bring all of us some peace of mind.

Prevent being scammed out of your Instant Pay account

There’s been an uptick in a scam affecting us drivers. It may not be new but it is occurring a lot more.

Someone contacts you pretending to be Uber or Lyft. They usually start off by saying something that catches you off guard. It might start with a compliment, like, “You are one of the top 100 drivers in your area and you just earned a $500.00 bonus.” Next they ask for your email, password, and details around your security question so they can verify your identity. They will then claim that the bonus will appear in your account in the next few days.

Another example is the scammer claims that your account may have had a security breach and they need to verify your identity. They then ask for your email and password attached to your Uber/Lyft account.

Both of these attempts are geared at gaining access to your account in order to drain away your hard earned money. Once they have access, they will change your bank details, your password, and lock you out. The Rideshare Guy has a great video on these scams and more.

We need to be on our toes. Uber or Lyft will almost never call you. Do not under any circumstance give out the email attached to your rideshare account or any details concerning your security question.

Think about updating your password to your account frequently. I know it can be difficult to constantly come up with new passwords. I like to use a password manager like Lastpass and it’s free for the basic version. You have just one login and one password to remember. It will remember all subsequent logins and passwords for you and autofill them is the appropriate field. I find it extremely helpful.

Stay vigilant and stay safe.

Double parking risks and possible solutions

We’ve all done it: you pull up to the pickup location and the rider isn’t there. You are going to have to wait, so you decide to double park hoping they will be there soon.  

Double parking is a common occurrence for rideshare drivers especially in big cities. It’s true that sometimes it seems like there aren’t any other options, and I understand. When this does occur, please use your hazard lights so other drivers know to go around you – but know you may get a ticket. According to Legal Beagle the fine for double parking is $165 in Chicago, $115 in NYC, and $110 in San Francisco. We are talking about a big fine on a fare that may only be $10.00. The rider will not be paying the fine! You made the choice to double park and now you are the one stuck paying the bill.

So what are the options to avoid these fines? Start scanning the block for a spot to pull into near the pickup location before you arrive. If you find one you can text the rider to let them know where you will be waiting. I like to use a business name so the rider will have an easier time finding me. Text the rider with something like, “This is your Uber driver. I am waiting for you in front of the Subway restaurant and I have my hazard lights on.”

Please don’t be that driver who just double parks even through there is a driveway or an open space for you to pull into. We’ve all seen it and it is so frustrating for all the drivers around you. Not only that but other drivers will be laying the horn on as they pass you for blocking traffic. Your rider will wonder why you didn’t just pull into the open spot even if it was just a driveway.  

Let’s all work together and double park as few times as possible. It will help lessen the frustration of driving for everyone.

Where to pee?

Rideshare drivers have always struggled with finding a clean restroom while out on the road. Since the onset of Covid-19 those choices have dwindled dramatically. 

One option is the gas station where you fill up. They often have open restrooms but it is not a guarantee. 

The worst situation is when you have to go and there aren’t any choices at all. I’ve started carrying a product I found on Amazon called Mini Toilet. Its single use only and can be used by both men and women. After use, it zip locks closed and comes with a small garbage bag for disposal. Amazon often runs out of this one so here is another option called Coolrunner Disposal Urine bags and basically works the same. I am sure there are plenty of other similar products out there but these work great!

When this is all over, I hope we can go back to using Starbucks with locations on almost every corner. 

Are you driving for the rideshare or delivery app that pays the best?

Whether you drive rideshare or food delivery or both, making money is the end game. The difficult part is determining which option pays the best?

The Los Angeles Times posted an article back in December that discussed this very issue. They suggest that rideshare may be more profitable because so may drivers have switched to delivery.  The result has been more surge pricing being offered in many cities across the country.  

Here is the breakdown for 3 cities in California taken directly from the article:

Los Angeles

  • Average hourly pay: $17.37 for ride-hail; $16.05 for delivery
  • The best-paying app is Uber Eats, which pays 1.22% more than No. 2, Lyft.
  • Lyft pays 0.17% more than Grubhub, which pays 3.06% more than Uber, which pays 2.14% more than Amazon Flex.

San Diego

  • Average hourly pay: $17.56 for ride-hail; $18.07 for delivery
  • The best-paying app is Amazon Flex, which pays 3.69% more than No. 2, Uber Eats.
  • Uber Eats pays 2.61% more than Grubhub, which pays 5.68% more than Lyft, which pays 4.88% more than Postmates.

San Francisco

  • Average hourly pay: $19.48 for ride-hail; $15.97 for delivery
  • The best-paying app is Uber Eats, which pays 3.38% more than No. 2, Grubhub.
  • Grubhub pays 4.6% more than Amazon Flex, which pays 1.8% more than Uber, which pays 5.59% more than Lyft.

What stands out the most from the above numbers is how much pay varies from city to city and then again with each company. In order to figure out which option works best for you, will require you to keep good records of your earnings and then decide for yourself!

Next week: New Lyft program – More rides but for less money,

Are you required to notify your passengers they are being recorded?

For rideshare drivers, dash-cams play an important role in safety. Having one in your car can protect you from false liability claims when in an accident. They can also protect you from a false claim made by a rider to their rideshare platform about you.

With so much at risk, it’s easy to understand why more and more drivers are installing them in their cars. But what about your legal responsibilities when it comes to the rider’s right to privacy? According to Wiley.com’s online library, 16 states require two-party notification whenever recording. Those states are California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Washington. This means drivers need to let riders know that they are being recorded in their cars. Amazon has a lot of signage options you can use to let your riders know.

If you are currently in the market for a dash-cam, check out the July 20th blog post where we reviewed what to look for when making this purchase.

Monday: What do you look for when buying a dash camera for rideshare?

Tax prep time

2021 is finally here and with that comes hopes for a better year. Unfortunately, another thing that comes to mind is taxes. For Digital Platform workers(rideshare and food delivery drivers), 2020 was a year full of challenges and your tax return for this year will likely be challenging as well. 

The key to removing some of the stress of filing is record keeping. Your filing date this year is Thursday, April 15th, giving you 4 1/2 months to prepare. Start gathering your records now if you haven’t done so already.. 

According to Turbotax you want to have records for;

  • Car mileage accrued while driving for rideshare. This includes all of your mileage from the moment you turn on the app to when you went offline.
  • Car maintenance receipts
  • Operating expenses like your cellphone bill. (If you use this phone for both rideshare and personal use, you can only claim a portion of this expense.)
  • Business permit fees for rideshare
  • Anything you purchase for your riders like water, gum, or even cleaning supplies used to clean up after your riders.

A great tip is to have a credit card that you use specifically for all of your operating expenses.

One last thing to consider is Unemployment Insurance and any money you received from PPP. According to the US Chamber your PPP loan is not taxable even if it is forgiven but your UI is. Make sure you have this information on file.

Putting in the work now will help make 2021 a great year!

Wednesday: Dash cams…are you required to notify your passengers they are being recorded?