How to be an Uber driver: tips for extra income

Everyone wants to earn a little extra money to help make ends meet, right? This is the reality for most Brazilians these days. And to help you earn that extra income and end the month in the black, there are plenty of options: and one of them is being an Uber driver.

What is Uber?

Considering how long the company has been operating in Brazil and how popular the service has become, it is hard to find someone who is unfamiliar with Uber. Present in the lives of Brazilians since 2014, Uber is a private transportation company through an app.

Initially arriving in capitals and large urban centers, the proposal to offer more ease and practicality – at a very attractive price – to the user when getting around made Uber popular, allowing the service to quickly reach thousands of Brazilian cities.

CONTINUE

How does it work?

The user opens the application and enters the address of where they want to go.

The application starts searching for nearby drivers who can carry out the trip.

When connecting with the driver, the user has access to the name, license plate and model of the car that the selected driver is driving, in addition to being able to track the route in real time through the app.

After the driver meets the user at the indicated location, the ride to the final destination begins.

After disembarking, the driver and passenger rate each other using the app using a rating from 1 to 5 stars.

Despite offering the option of paying in cash, payment for the vast majority of trips is made directly through the app, ensuring greater security for the user and the driver.

IMPORTANT: Ratings are extremely important for a driver's work routine. The ideal is to always keep the average rating high. Drivers with good ratings tend to be recommended for better/more profitable rides, while drivers with an average rating below 4.6 may be suspended – or even banned – from the app.

And the same can happen with passengers who are poorly rated by several drivers.

What are Uber's categories?

Nowadays, the services offered by Uber are divided into several subcategories. This makes it easier to choose and helps to better meet user demands. The main categories are:

UberX: trips with more affordable prices, ideal for everyday life.
Uber Pool/Together: shared trips for users with similar destinations.
Uber Comfort: travel in newer cars, offering a premium experience for the passenger.
Uber Flash: ideal for those who need to send personal items/articles without leaving home.

What are the requirements to register?

Prioritizing the safety of those who use the service, some documents are required to register as a driver, such as:

CNH (National Driver's License with the observation EAR (Exercises Remunerated Activity),
Certificate of Background – State Secretariat
Vehicle Registration and Licensing Certificate (CRLV)

After your documentation is approved, the team will contact you. You will then be free to race and earn extra money.

To better understand the procedure, visit the website from Uber.

CONTINUE

What are the advantages of being an Uber driver?

Set your own hours and work routine

One of the great attractions of this category is freedom. Unlike a conventional job – with a boss and fixed working hours – Uber drivers are responsible for their own schedule, and can start and end their work routine whenever they see fit!

Earn money anytime, anywhere

The freedom to define your working hours also allows you to work wherever and whenever you want. For example: when making a trip from Osasco/SP to São Paulo, the driver can choose to spend the day making trips in the capital of São Paulo – where the flow of passengers never stops – and return home whenever he or she sees fit.

How much can I earn?

This is a factor that can vary a lot. The workload and the size of the city where you work are two important factors in the final result. A driver who works 8 hours a day, from Monday to Friday in a large urban center (like São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro) tends to earn more money.

According to Uber, drivers earn, on average, R$20.00 per hour worked and payment is usually made weekly.

Since a good portion of Uber drivers do these trips in their spare time as a way to earn extra income, this amount makes a difference in the budget at the end of the month.

A very important tip for those who want to start doing rides in their free time is to pay attention to peak times, when the demand for app drivers is highest. Take a look:

Monday to Thursday: from 7am to 9am, 12pm to 1pm and 5pm to 7pm.
Friday: from 7am to 9am, 12pm to 1pm and from 5pm onwards.
Saturday: from 12pm to 1pm and from 5pm onwards.
Sunday: all day. Give preference to the morning and evening periods.

Another tactic often used by drivers is to always be close to central regions, commercial areas (such as shopping malls and shopping centers) and shows/events in your city, as the flow of passengers is usually greater in these locations.

Is it really worth being a ride-sharing driver?

It's not hard to find drivers who started working for Uber in their spare time to earn a second income, and after a while, they realized that the profits from driving for the app are greater than their main income. This can be a very interesting path for those who have free time and want to make some extra money!