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I started as a passenger a couple of years ago, because I hated taking taxis in Los Angeles. I started off with Lyft [an Uber competitor].
Then I decided to drive for Lyft because I love driving and talking to people, and my day job means spending a lot of time online indoors. Uber then offered a $500 (£350) bonus to any Lyft driver who would come and work for them. I took that deal, and that's one way Uber has been smart -- it also has a free-ride promotional deal for first-time passengers of up to $30 (£19.80).
In 2014, rates went so far down, and there was so much buzz, that people who had heard of Uber but hadn't used it just ended up using it. Growth is the number-one priority for Uber. But as it lowers prices it needs more drivers for the increased passenger volume it needs if it wants to make an IPO. The goal is getting rid of your car. UberPOOL is probably the first step it has made towards really reaching this. Before that it was essentially a glorified taxi app.
Uber will never admit it is a glorified taxi app because that would mean the drivers would have to get commercial insurance. That would scare off drivers like me -- I don't want to deal with all those regulations. That means no one at Uber HQ can drive for the company as they're employees -- which means that there's a huge disconnect between the drivers' experience and the managers' experience within the company.
It's lowering its prices significantly and telling drivers lower rates mean more money because more people will be taking Uber, but not a single driver is earning more than they were nine months ago. Uber can say what it likes – the drivers know better. Because we're contractors, Uber can't tell us that we can't drive for Lyft, which most drivers prefer, because Lyft takes better care of you. With Uber, you're not part of the company, but it's the biggest game in town.
Uber fills the peak demand that taxis can't -- Friday night. My rule is: follow the alcohol. When people are out drinking, that's when they use Uber. If I could make the same money on Friday morning I would, but I can't.
Driving for Uber full-time is not a job I'd want to do -- they continually drop rates. But the future is going to be multiple income streams. Companies are going to be hiring and firing based on surges in demand by season or even day. Don't put all your eggs into one basket as an employee.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
