Becoming a rideshare driver and running your own business on wheels offers numerous advantages, the biggest one being the flexibility it comes with — you decide your working schedule, you can take some time off whenever you feel like it, and you can do extra work for a higher income. However, you’re also the one responsible for the success and profit of your ridesharing business.  

If you treat it as a hobby, it will get paid like a hobby, but if you’re interested in pursuing a long-term career in ridesharing, it’s essential to take your business seriously for the results to meet your expectations.  

Here are some tips for creating and growing a successful, profitable, on-demand business. 

1. Offer quality service 

As part of the service industry, the quality of your service will determine the success of your business. Taking your passengers from point A to point B safely it’s your main priority, but putting effort into making each ride a pleasant and distinct experience will make a difference.  

TIP: Try to establish a contact with your passenger the minute they set foot in your car. Watch their behaviour, how they talk, and if they carry any specific items.

This will help you identify their needs and see if they’re up to chat or would enjoy a quiet ride instead.  

Passengers tend to skip rating their driver unless they want to share a very bad or good experience. Your customers have expectations, and things like dirty cars, bad hygiene or lack of manners will instantly put them off. Always keep your car clean, don’t eat or drink with a passenger on board, take a proper lunch break instead, and help your passenger with their luggage, even if it doesn’t seem heavy. These are the small details that will draw more 5-star ratings and tips. 

2. Put customer safety first 

Even if your service was flawless in terms of courtesy and communication, if your passenger feels unsafe at any point because of your driving, you probably won’t get a 5-star rating or a tip for that ride. Passengers put their trust in you when getting into your car, and they expect to get a safe and smooth ride in exchange.  

Adopting a defensive driving style will keep you and your passengers safe and you’ll avoid unnecessary expenses by paying fines.

TIP: Don’t speed up even if a passenger specifically asks you to, explain to him that arriving safely at the destination is more important for both of you than running a little late.   

The responsibility of a smooth ride experience falls exclusively on your shoulders, so your physical and mental state are important to consider. Take regular breaks, don’t force yourself to work more than you can and don’t drive while tired. Try to avoid distractions, don’t play loud music in your car and have a headset for phone calls.  

3. Be flexible about your working hours 

One of the biggest perks of being a rideshare driver is choosing your working hours. However, you might need to compromise and be flexible about your working schedule if you want a more profitable business. To determine the best hours to work, it’s important to understand the peaks and lows of rideshare demand. For example, airport demands might be high between 4:00 am and 8:00 am. During the weekdays, there are two high-demand periods, between 7:00 am and 10:00 am and 4:00 pm until 10:00 pm. It’s also a smart move to work Friday and Saturday nights and mostly anytime during the weekend.  

However, there’s no ideal recipe for success. To find out the most profitable timetable for your business, you need to test the waters for a few months and decide which hours work best for you, considering traffic and surge pricing.  

Even if it’s tempting to stay one or two extra hours than you initially decided, don’t make a habit and ensure you’re taking enough time off. Don’t mix up your driving hours with time spent with family or friends, and make sure you get enough rest.  

4. Build a driving strategy 

Sometimes, it pays more to work smart, not hard. To make your ridesharing business more profitable without compromising your spare time and well-being, it’s important to have a driving strategy. Here are some tips to consider when planning your rideshare driving strategy. 

• Plan ahead and know your work area well enough to position yourself for surge rides. 
• Get on multiple apps and switch between them when the ride demand is low. 
• Before accepting an airport trip, see if it’s worth it, considering the airport fees you’ll need to pay. 
• Surge pricing comes with heavy traffic, so don’t go for surge rides if it takes too long to complete them.  
• Choose the best navigation app for your needs and take advantage of its smart route-planning features.  

5. Make sure to have a perfect car for ridesharing 

You can’t hit the road without a reliable partner, and for rideshare drivers, that partner is their car. Before choosing a car to drive for Uber, make sure it meets all the Uber car requirements and offers the best performance and value for money. For rideshare cars, leather seats, luxurious interiors, or plenty of horsepower aren’t as important as fuel efficiency, space and comfort.  

TIP: Look for a car that’s frugal on fuel, comfortable, has plenty of legroom both in the front and rear, offers enough boot space, is easy to drive and park, and is cheap to maintain.

EVs have become very popular among rideshare drivers in London because they tick all these boxes. Your expenses as a rideshare driver will reduce significantly by switching to an EV — electricity is more affordable than petrol, fewer moving parts need to be changed periodically, so the maintenance costs are lower, you’re exempt from paying the Congestion Charge, ULEZ charge, road tax and even EV parking for some London boroughs.  

How can Splend help? 

If you want to spend less time dealing with admin and paperwork and more time driving, joining a car subscription plan is the ideal choice. 

At Splend, we help on-demand drivers access brand-new EV models with our all-inclusive car subscription plans, Flexi and Flexi own.

Our plans cover everything rideshare drivers need to get on the road — car paperwork, PHV insurance cover, servicing, regular maintenance, 24/7 roadside assistance, and replacement car in case of an accident.  

We also value performance and progress, so our team is there to help drivers succeed in everything they do. We offer dedicated support from day one, and help you make a driving strategy and become a more profitable and successful rideshare driver.  

About Splend

We enable people to make money by driving. Our vision is a future where every on-demand driver can be successful.

We are car subscription specialists. Don’t take our word for it—drivers rate us excellent on Trustpilot. We can set you up with a brand-new or new-model car on our Flexi own plan, plus we provide the training and support you need to become an Uber driver that’s more profitable, safer, and fulfilled.

Drop by our London Hub at 393 Edgware Road Cricklewood, London, email us, or say hello on 0333 016 4331