What is it like to be an Uber driver? I get asked this question every week. Here you will find out what I go through as an independent contractor in this field. I will share stories about riders, other drivers and my experience as an Uber driver in Nashville, Tenn.

Please keep in mind – everyone is an Uber driver and all have their own experiences and stories to share. This is all based on MY experience. If you want to share comments or stories, please keep it positive, friendly and professional. Please keep in mind, this is based on my personal experience.

Scroll on down and see what is happening in the world of Uber in Nashville!

I was asked several times about the strike that was taking place by Uber drivers. Nashville, Tenn., was not one of the cities participating. However, plenty of drivers were thinking there would be a shortage. This caused for a substantial increase of drivers on the road in Nashville that day. 

I don’t really have much of an opinion on the strike. Except for one. It won’t make a difference. Not enough drivers will stop participating to make that much of a difference in the bottom line of Uber for a few hours. I heard on the radio, Uber drivers in Atlanta, GA were participating in the strike. Someone who drives for Uber called the Bert Show, based in Atlanta, regarding the strike. She stated there were drivers looking for other Uber drivers who were working and they would target and egg their car.

Here is the deal, IT WILL NOT CHANGE ANYTHING. That is simply the reality. Uber is making money no matter what, therefore, they do not care about the drivers. They know the drivers help to make them their money, but there will always be an abundance of drivers. There will always be someone new trying it, someone who needs to pay bills, someone willing to do the dance.

A strike for a few hours will not change the way Uber operates. It is very unlikely drivers will ever be employees. They have figured out a system that works with drivers as Independent Contractors. The reality is, if the person taking on the role as an Uber driver does not like it, they are welcome to quit. This is why there is a high turn over with Uber drivers. People get frustrated and give up. A strike will not change the dynamic of this company nor will it change how they manage their independent contractor staff. They have the upper hand, and those of us who are drivers are hamsters on the wheel going around and around. 

My app pings indicating to me that I have a ride to go pick up. I pulled into the required Rideshare pickup area at the airport and see my rider walking over to me. We get his luggage loaded I verify where he’s going and we are on our way.

On our way down the interstate my rider makes a comment how he feels it’s weird being back in civilization. He then goes to tell me how he and his buddy were on a long bike ride the past weekend. They rode from Philadelphia to DC and along the way they were able to see wildlife that you would not normally see in an urban setting.

He shared how they startled a fox that hopped out onto the trail in front of them. They saw deer, a variety of birds and were surrounded by the sounds of water flowing in the quiet of nature.

On the last day he checked the weather app and realize is going to be cold and rainy and it was time to pack up camp and to get moving. On their way it was raining it was about 40 degrees and they’re cold and miserable and they got to a point where they knew they just need to pull over, get out of the rain and have a snack. To their surprise they came along a row they came along a road took a left heading into what they thought would be a quiet Park area. Instead what they came across was a parking lot full of cars. As a bite further they came across an old Civil War camp set up with the canvas tents. As a road past these tents that came along attend that was facing them and inside were four men making breakfast over a fire consisting of eggs bacon and coffee.

I ask, “Did they share any with you?”
“No, they didn’t.”
“Well that was a very nice of them.”

“But,” my rider continued, “as we went up the hill we came across other men dressed in Civil War attire and they directed us to go up this hill where we would find people making breakfast and if we want to purchase Civil War garments they would be for sale up ahead!” They rode their bikes onward in the direction they were pointed and there was an area where breakfast was being made and people all around dressed in Civil War reenactment attire. He said it was the most odd thing to be standing there eating breakfast in normal clothes and surrounded by all these people who are so affectionate for the history of the Civil War.

He shared how this bike trip consisted of running into all sorts of random people. At one point a gentleman came out of the woods out of nowhere wearing camouflage and they discovered his name was Dale. Dale was out picking wild mushrooms and they were talking to him and they all came along and shared with them some restaurant recommendations. Dale said go up further and you’ll come across a place name Bill’s. Really good food and they’ll take care of you.

The night before they ran into their new Civil War reenactment friends they were getting ready to bed down for the night and setting up camp when a man out of nowhere popped up, crossed alongside their camp area and disappeared again into the woods. He didn’t say anything, he didn’t stop to look around, he just gave off this creepy vibe. My rider told one of his buddies that guy was probably going to go call his friends and come back for them later.

I chimed in and said “that dude doesn’t have a phone! He went door-to-door to go get his buddies to come back for you.”

He laughed and said, “you’re probably right, I didn’t sleep at all that night.”

All in all with my last ride of the day we had a joyful conversation about his fun and interesting bike riding adventure with his buddies. It’s amazing what can happen when a person will get off their couch and go explore the outdoors. You never know who you will run into and you never know what you might encounter. At the end of the day it can always be a great memory and give you an interesting story.

After a long day of driving, I pick up what would be one of my last ride of the day. I am realizing as we are going along to his destination I am not going to make my necessary Financial goal for the day. I am feeling sad, deflated, and discouraged as trying to make up what I could not make today. I am relight realizing I am not going to make what I needed to financial goal today. This makes me feel disappointed in the day.

This normally wouldn’t be a big deal, however, I only have two days left of the work week. To try and make up what was not made today is not necessarily possible. 

We arrived at the gentlemen’s location and I proceeded to get out to assist with unloading the luggage as I try to do with each and every Rider. I don’t always help to load the luggage due to past experience of getting injured lifting luggage that was too heavy for me. However, I am able to use gravity in my favor and I usually can unload luggage with ease. I said that the man’s luggage down gently onto the ground and I proceeded to get out his very nice brief bag. As I go to hand it to him he genuinely says to me wow, that really was the best Uber ride I have ever taken, thank you. In that moment of feeling completely deflated was lifted, his genuine compliment was needed.

The reality is, driving for this company is often a thankless job. To make any kind of decent money one needs to put in long hours just about every single day. It becomes tiring and exhausting but, for me there’s hope that it will help me take my life to a new and better level. As I work towards my goals.

Having someone deliver me such a genuine compliment really helped make what what was a discouraging day it’s you feeling uplifted.

I will acknowledge that even though for the most part I do try, not every single ride gets 100% of my best. There are times when all I have to give is 50% and I honestly do mean to do a good job, however, that often is not good enough for most people. To have someone acknowledge that I did a good job really helps make doing this particular work worthwhile. Do you have someone telling me it was a safe and relaxing ride really helps me feel like I did a good job. As simple as that may be, and I hear many stories from Rider about drivers who were not safe, who were careless, who were Reckless, and inconsiderate, it makes me want to continue to try and do a good job.

This career is not long-term for me. But I do have the hope that I can do the best that I can do and it will be appreciated by those who I try to carefully and quickly get to their end destination.

Even though I came up short financially for my daily goal for a Friday, at least I know my effort to do a good job was appreciated by one of my riders.

It makes a difference when a rider does not know their specific location to where they need to go. A rider cannot assume that the driver will know where a rider is going IF the rider does not know themselves, where-they-are-going.

Uber drivers need an end destination, and it is helpful when it is correct. If it is not correct, then it falls onto the rider, not the driver for not knowing how to get the rider where they need to go. For the most part I know Nashville, Tenn., very well. Depending upon the address, or where the rider needs to go I can get them to their end destination. Yet, there are times when a rider does not put in the correct address and some how that becomes ‘my fault’.

For example, I picked up a gentleman from the airport and he has in the app an address on 1st Avenue South. On 1st Avenue South in Nashville, Tenn., consists of few places and they are: a hostel, one restaurant, a large apartment complex and an apartment complex of airbnb’s and long term renters. The address is not coming up correctly on the map and I am confused as the man is dressed too professionally to be going where the map is showing me. As we head down, what would become quickly realized the wrong street, the man began to get uneasy. We had pulled into the outside of a Section 8 housing neighborhood, and this is not a safe neighborhood in Nashville. 

The man begins to tell me this is not correct as we make our way out of the neighborhood. He is confused as he is absolutely certain he put in the correct address. I think he is maybe wanting to go to the new apartment complex on 1st Avenue South. In a demanding voice he tells me that he is not going to an apartment, he is going to a business. 

I take a turn to get us directly onto 1st Avenue South and immediately he voices his concern. He asks “Is this 1st Avenue South?” by this time I am getting irritated as I do not know where he wants to go. I tell him yes and to look at the street sign, where in large lettering it states ‘1st Avenue South’. He then tells me to turn right into an area that is only allowed by city workers and he gets frustrated with me when I tell him I cannot turn into that area. The man continues to tell me we need to go over the bridge and then turn right. Following his instructions, I take a street called, Korean Vets Blvd that goes over the Cumberland River (a large river that goes through downtown Nashville). As we cross it he interrupts the call he is now on to tell me to turn right. 

We turn onto S 2nd Street, I now have an idea of where he needs to go. This is on the east side of the river and the streets are named differently. We wind our way around the downtown industrial area, we pull up to a street called, ‘Davidson’, and he tells me to turn left. As I begin to turn left he yells at me to turn right. I adjust the steering and we turn right. I can see the street sign about a quarter a mile down, it is 700 S 1st Street, his correct end destination. However, it is not the 700 1st Avenue South, he put into the app. 

Part of me wants to point out the difference between the two addresses. Unfortunately, he is in a heated discussion on the phone, irritated with me and it simply is not the time to point out his error. Instead, I end the ride, pull away until he can’t see into my car and I give him a low rating.

Please, when putting in the address into the Uber or Lyft app, have an idea of where you are going. Driver’s realize the app and technology is not perfect, but it helps when the rider can help us get them as close as possible to their end destination. 

Traveling can be filled with stress and anxiety. A small step in preparation can help eliminate these unfortunate situations. A low rating

All drivers will eventually get a low rating that affects our overall rating. That is just how it works.

However, it is frustrating to know that low rating is going to happen due to an unfortunate situation. For example, I picked up a couple at a local Vietnamese restaurant. I verify the address off 5th S Street. I drive to that location and they tell me this is not the correct apartment. As we are now in the middle of section 8 housing I assumed this was not right before they told me and turned around. I’m drive down the street and they see apartments and tell me the apartments ahead are where they need to go.

I pull up and ask if this part of the complex where they want to be dropped off. The man tells me again this is not correct. I pull off the street and into the parking lot. He asks me gruffly if I know where this particular address is located. I tell him that I know Nashville very well, but I do not know every individual address.

It is uncomfortable and frustrating to have the feeling it is my fault I do not know where this rider is going. As I can see he is looking down at his phone he says, “is there more than one 5th South street?”

“There is 5th avenues South, 5th avenue north and 5th S street and N 5th street.” I reply to him as patiently as I can, but now I have a rider waiting for me and a frustrated passenger who does not know where they are going. It is simple, a rider has to know their end destination, we cannot guess where people want to go with little information to help us. A lot of know are area where we drive well, but if the rider does not have an end address, it makes it challenging to help them.

“Well, obviously we are not from here.” He has a pissed look on his face and looks back down on his phone. He tells me he is right across the street from the Bridgestone arena. I tell him that is not possible as there are no apartments on that part of Broadway. He further gets upset with me and says that he can see the arena directly across the street from where he is staying. As calmly as I can I explain the layout of Broadway. “The Bridgestone arena is on the corner of 5th Ave S & Broadway. Across the street is Rippy’s, then it is Tootsie’s, Legends and a construction site. There are no apartments on that area of the street.

As I am trying to figure out what to do, and I have another ride waiting, he tells me he is at the corner of 5th and Korean Vets Blvd. I begin to drive in that direction knowing this is still not accurate. The corner of 5th Ave S & Korean Vets Blvd is a hotel, a convention center, a parking lot and a hotel under construction. Not wanting to upset him further I just drive.

We cross over 4th Ave S & I share with him the layout to hoping it will help him gain his bearings. I turn left onto 5th Ave S & he says, “There, that is where I’m staying. You can let us out anywhere.”

“Well, I cannot drop you off in this construction, and that officer will give me a ticket for dropping you off in the street. I will be glad to drop you off in front of the apt.”

“Fine, whatever you need to do. Isn’t this 5th?”

I point to my phone and communicate that he put in 5th S Street and we are on 5th Avenue South. His face now looks even more pissed and they get out of the car.

I am not sure how someone is able to blame their driver for not taking them to the correct location when they do not know where they are going. My recommendation for travelers, put the address on a sticky note, an index card and your phone. Then the address of where you need to go is available.

I did this when I traveled to Chicago and knew I would be taking an Uber. I had a note in my phone and on a sticky note for the address of the hotel and Navy Pier. That way I would not be stressing over trying to remember the addresses in an unfamiliar city.

I was dinged by the passenger on this ride and that is fine. After giving close to 6,000 rides I am use to it. I also know that bad rating will fall off and my overall score will go up. This is the drawback to their system, the rider was upset at me because they did not know where they are going. Yes, I was also frustrated because the lack of knowledge. No one is perfect, all we can do is our best to help people get to their destinations. 

I’m at a light and I hear this man’s voice saying, “Uber!…Uber!…Uuuuuberrr! Hey, Hey, Uber!”

I realize it is the truck driver next to me, and I roll down the window.
“You pick up at the truck stop?” says the cowboy hat wearing trucker in a big rig in the lane to my right.
I laugh, “Yeah, most of us do.”
“Can you pick me up in 15 minutes?”
“That isn’t how it works”, I look up and see my light changed, “You have to use the app!” and I point to my cell phone on the dash.
“Oh”…
The light changed and I drive away.

Uber drivers always, (at least we are suppose to) use the app. It keeps everyone safe. It allows the rider to be tracked so there is something to show where they were picked up and where they were dropped off. It allows everyone to be accountable. It also keeps everyone safe.
Who knows what this man had in mind, maybe he simply needed a ride. Maybe there were other intentions, either way, I headed onto I-40 and on my way to pick up my next ride.

It is comical, after doing this for as long I have to find out the different ideas people still have about Uber. This is primarily with people who do not have Uber in their particular area of residency. I welcome questions on how to work the app, how to find the best spot to be picked up or dropped off. Questions about what the rider will experience are also welcome. But, the reality is this, Uber and Lyft have become a fantastic way for us to travel short and long distances with comfort and ease. I don’t want to see a world without Uber.

Before I get into sharing this particular story about a rider, let me state one quick disclaimer.

95% of the riders I take down to Broadway are tourists. It is not automatically assumed I am taking someone to work down there. However, there are certain locations where I pick people up and a way that people dress that will indicate to me they are not a tourist. In this particular case, I should have known this was someone who lived here. Especially considering I picked this individual up at NES – the local utility company on Church street. But, I have picked up people from here who are on business and want to go downtown before they leave town.

With that said…

I get a ‘ping’ (that is what we call the sound, our phone makes, and action of receiving a notice for a ride. The address shows me where I am going to go, NES on Church Street. I pull up and I see someone come out of the door, hold up a phone and walk to the car. Now, I have learned from people who do not verify their name, that I have to verify the name. This man would not say his name, and by the time he did verify it he seemed annoyed. I verify the address, Park Palace a bar that just closed two weeks ago. In case this is a tourist hoping to hit up this fun hot spot on Broadway I say, “Are you trying to get down on Broadway? because that place is now closed.”

He snaps at me in a gruff tone, “I promise you that place is still there! I am going to Nudies, like it says on my shirt.” (I never saw his shirt, we are not even allowed a photo of the person we are picking up).

Irritated by this attitude I shut down conversation, “Sorry, sir, I did not see your shirt.”  **Now a little info about me. I was not raised in the south and there are two reasons I will say ‘Sir’ or ‘Ma’am’. The number one reason why it will come out of my mouth, I am pissed and not happy about how I am being treated. Two, I truly want to show genuine respect in a situation where I am receiving assistance or help. Today, was the first reason.

I remained quiet during the next few blocks, he asks me to pull over at a specific spot. He politely says ‘thank you’ and I return the ‘thank you’. Maybe he was having a bad day, but to bite my head off just because of a comment regarding a bar that is closed, no thank you. I don’t give less than five stars very often, but today it was three stars for this employee of Nudies.