Tips For Making The Most With Uber: Best Time To Drive Uber

Uber managed to single-handedly revolutionize the taxi industry, to the extent that some municipalities have even drafted by-laws protecting traditional taxi companies. Since Uber provides superior service at a fraction of the cost of standard taxi services, it is no wonder that they can’t compete.

While low cost may be excellent for the end user, it is less than ideal for Uber drivers. If you are looking to start driving for Uber and you want to maximize your profits, there are a few things that you can do. Today, we will be going over one of the best ways to ensure that your uber driving is lucrative.

Regardless of whether you are a veteran Uber driver, or if you are just starting out, you will want to ensure that you drive at the best possible times. If you are new to driving for Uber, you may be wondering exactly why you need to pick the right time to be an Uber driver.

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Why is it Crucial to Choose the Right Time to Drive for Uber?

So why exactly should you take so much care when picking the best time to be an Uber driver? There are a few reasons, but in the end, you will find that it boils down to a single one: the number of passengers that will be available at any given time.

More passengers means more profits, but there is more to take into account than just the sheer volume of passengers that will be available.

When looking for the ideal time to be an Uber driver, you will also want to prioritize short, lucrative trips. Shorter trips tend to make you more money since your initial fee as a driver is higher than the rate that you get for the distance/time that you have to drive.

If you are looking to make the most money as an Uber driver, you will want to pick a time that has a large volume of potential customers who will likely be searching for short hops around. A more substantial number of short trips also lets you fulfill Uber quests, where you need a certain amount of rides in a period of time.

The main reason that you will make more money from Uber when there are more clients has surprisingly little to do with the availability of people who want to ride. You will typically be able to find a passenger with ease, as long as it isn’t in the dead of night on a weekday.

You will want to find the best time to drive for Uber so that you may take advantage of their surge times. A surge time is a period during which prices are increased due to high demand in a specific area. If you are transporting passengers in a surge area, you will be likely to make more money.

The surge system exists to ensure that there will always be enough Uber drivers to meet the demand of customers, and it does a relatively good job of that. If you want to make a significant profit as an Uber driver, you will need to take advantage of surge times whenever it is possible.

Quests can help increase your income as a driver, but the most critical thing to look for in the best time to drive for Uber is a large number of potential passengers. Now that we have explained the importance of choosing the best time to Uber, let’s get into the actual times that you will want to work.

Location is Everything

Of course, there is no single best time to drive for Uber, since different drivers live in various places. The best time to drive for Uber in a city may be the worst time to drive for them when you live in a smaller town. You will want to consider where you live when deciding on the ideal time to drive.

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If you live relatively close to an airport, for example, you will find that you can make good money ferrying passengers to the airport during the early hours of the morning. With a bit of experience, you will be able to gauge the best times to drive to get riders to their departing flights.

While your location is crucial, you will find that there are a few times that are ideal regardless of where you live, so let’s get right into it.

Rush Hour

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If you can handle the traffic, you may want to drive during rush hour, as surge prices are not uncommon at these times. Evening rush hour will usually persist from 4 PM to 7 PM, but it can sometimes last all the way until 9 PM, depending on the job that your rider works.

Surge prices are frequent during rush hour since fewer drivers will want to deal with the hassle of traffic, but there will still be a significant number of potential riders since they will need to get home. Rush hour is ideal for more patient Uber drivers, but it can make you a decent amount of money.

Friday and Saturday Nights

Most Uber drivers agree that the most profitable time to be a driver is during the peak hours for nightlife. Keep in mind that the best time for revenue doesn’t necessarily make it the most enjoyable time to be a driver. Driving for Uber during partying hours takes a driver with patience.

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Surge prices are so common during Fridays and Saturdays at night since there will be so many people going out and drinking. Taking an Uber is one of the best ways to avoid the risks associated with drunk driving, so you will find that the demand for Uber drivers spikes sharply during these times.

Of course, there are some disadvantages to driving at this time. At the beginning of the night, things should start off relatively pleasantly since most of your passengers will be sober and in control of their faculties. As the night goes on, things will get progressively worse, however.

When you reach the point in the night when people start going home (anywhere from 1 AM to 3 AM), you will find that your passengers will begin to get a little rowdier. Driving during these times means that you may have to deal with some potential messages and some customers that are less than polite.

If you are relatively thick-skinned and you don’t mind having to clean up your car every once in a while, you will find that driving during nightlife hours can make you the most money. Since many drivers don’t want to deal with the trouble of driving during these hours, there is almost a guaranteed surge.

Sports Events

Another common surge time is during sporting events like baseball or football games. There will likely be a large number of fans trying to get to and from the stadium, especially if they want to enjoy some beers during the game. Sports events will typically result in a surge, but it depends on your city and your team’s popularity.

If your team isn’t selling out their seats, it isn’t likely that there will be a significant surge during their games, but if we are talking about a franchise, a surge will be much more likely. While sports fans may get a little loud, you won’t have to deal with as much trouble as you would during nightlife hours.

Concerts

Driving for Uber before a concert is another great way to nearly guarantee a surge. As with sports events, people like to drink before and during concerts, so they will likely need a taxi. Even if your passengers aren’t drinkers, some people don’t want to deal with the hassle of finding parking during a concert.

You will find that concert crowds will depend on the type of music that is being played. Your passengers will consist of everything from excited teenagers all the way to heavy metal fans dressed in black. In our experience, concert crowds tend to be raucous but bearable.

A Warning About Surge Times

While these times are all ideal for making good money, you will have to be prepared for your driver rating to suffer a little bit. When riders are paying more money for a ride, it is likely that they will be more critical of their driver, even if that criticism ends up being unwarranted.

If you are willing to trade some stars on your driver rating for better money, driving solely during surge times is the best way to operate. Keep in mind that Uber is implementing an algorithm to ensure that ratings are a little more fair during surge times, so they will likely start contributing less to your overall score.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many different times when you can drive for Uber and expect a more hefty payout than usual. We hope that we have been able to help you find the info that you needed.