Uber Rider Etiquette
Three rules you should follow as a rider that often go unsaid.
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The other morning I woke up three and a half hours late. Then I had to walk to the train a mile away because the bus was too far away, so that I could walk to the train quicker than the bus could get me there. After which I waited for said train for about 40 minutes before I realized that waiting anymore was ridiculous so I checked the price on an Uber to work from there. It was $36 so I got it.
Put where you’re going in the notes.
When I got in the car he asked if I was going to Jersey.
You hear a lot of people who don’t drive for Uber saying drivers shouldn’t accept rides for prices that aren’t worth it for them. Ignoring that a little bit of money per hour is better than zero dollars per hour when you have bills to pay, I learned that drivers don’t get to know the destination for the rider until they pick them up. They don’t even get to decide if the price is worth the trip.
So, as a standard rule, if you’re going pretty far from the pickup, be courteous and let the driver know in the notes so they actually have the chance to decide if it’s worth it.
Put in your notes if you have a million packages.
The first rider to join me was a woman waiting outside a store. She came up to the car carrying three large bags, piled them up in the back seat next to me, and proceeded to go back for more. She came back with a medium box and went to sit up front. Do you think she paid for two seats? She didn’t.
The driver politely directed her to put some of her stuff in the trunk and sit in the back because he has another rider. Then the next rider came with a lot of baggage as well.
That driver has more patience than me. I would’ve cancelled their rides. If you are booking a shared ride, consider your baggage. If you reserve one seat, you should be sitting in one seat. Otherwise, book a private ride.
Tip 20%.
This is obviously requisite on a safe ride with a courteous driver. When I was a kid, the standard tip for a cab ride was 10%. If you’re taking a rideshare, like Uber or Lyft, you really should be tipping 15–20%.
First, consider that your driver keeps 70% of your fee. Then, they have gas and tolls to pay. On top of that, they have to put aside money for filing their independent contractor taxes at the end of the year. We all take Uber because it’s cheaper than a regular cab, while the cab driver has to put more money into the job, too.
Drivers deserve a pleasant experience as much as you do. So remember: if you’re going far, put it in the notes; if you plan to take up more than one seat, book them, or get a private ride altogether; and tip at least 15%, preferably 20.
