Cars & Transportation Are you an Uber driver?

[Bunk Moreland]

Giving serious consideration to signing up to UberX to make a bit of extra cash in my spare time. I only realised recently how flexible Uber are, in that you just work when you want to. It's also becoming extremely popular in Adelaide and they are always looking for new drivers.

The driver also gets 80% of the fare (after a small fee of less than 2 bucks is taken away), and if you're heading into the city or whatever, why not pick someone up along the way and make cash out of it? You (and the passengers) are also covered by Uber in case of an accident, which was the first thing I wanted to double check before signing up.

Anyone in here already an Uber driver?

My car is a bit of a sanctuary for me... windows up, A/C on, music or a podcast, coffee or a cold drink or something... I don't want some stranger in there.

 

[Scotland]

The only way I could see being an Uber driver as worthwhile would be if you were willing to drive at peak times (i.e. late Fri/Sat nights) when the fares are up. If you did it 9-5 Monday to Friday I doubt it would be lucrative.

 

[Lemma]

I know of people who, while working, will take an Uber fare on the way to the city for a meeting, not a bad way to double dip.

How do you ensure that the passenger is going the same direction as you? I thought Uber drivers don't find out the destination until they pick you up

 

[Brad Goodman]

I could see it working OK as a second income for spare time you aren't doing anything else with, but I sure wouldn't rely on it an a primary source.

 

[freebloke]

I tried uber for kicks.

Basically, if you commute to work in a car, you can pick an option to say - pick up rides as long as I get home by 7-30 instead on reaching by 6-30. Same thing for reaching work in the morning. So, uber just lets you pick people up for that thing. It's mindless and easy and gives me an incentive to keep my car clean. The car needs to be less than 10 years old and the driver above 21. That's about it.

It's not worth it as a second job. But good for that 1 hour you can spare while commuting from work. I think it works out to be be 30 dollars per hour after uber fees but before paying GST, insurance and fuel for non peak fare. So, a bit like a supermarket job, but it is flexible coz you can switch on / off any time you like.

 

[rdhopkins2]

I'd be surprised if you are earning $30 an hour after Uber fees (but before income tax, GST, petrol, insurance etc).

 

[JG22]

No

 

[Carl Hooper]

Ok

 

[MrNatural]

I've been driving for Uber for about 5-6 months now.
Generally i only do it Friday-Saturday nights and during other peak times such as public holidays.
I started doing it to earn a bit of extra $ while the mrs is off work after the birth of our first bub.
I actually don't mind it.
If i do around 10-12 hours on a weekend i usually pocket anywhere between $3-400.
I haven't equated what the vehicle costs or tax implications are, but this was the best option i had to earn the extra $.

 

[kickazz]

I've been driving for Uber for about 5-6 months now.
Generally i only do it Friday-Saturday nights and during other peak times such as public holidays.
I started doing it to earn a bit of extra $ while the mrs is off work after the birth of our first bub.
I actually don't mind it.
If i do around 10-12 hours on a weekend i usually pocket anywhere between $3-400.
I haven't equated what the vehicle costs or tax implications are, but this was the best option i had to earn the extra $.

RACV website can give you a good guide as to what it costs you per km, based on fuel, Tues, servicing, depreciation. Not sure if any of that would be tax deductible.

Also i more you just posted in the car insurance thread - did you have to get special insurance to cover commercial use of your car? Always been curious about that.

 

[MrNatural]

RACV website can give you a good guide as to what it costs you per km, based on fuel, Tues, servicing, depreciation. Not sure if any of that would be tax deductible.

Also i more you just posted in the car insurance thread - did you have to get special insurance to cover commercial use of your car? Always been curious about that.

You got a link to the guide?
No i didn't get insurance to cover ride share...risky i know.
In the event of an accident I'm not sure how they would know?

 

[kickazz]

You got a link to the guide?
No i didn't get insurance to cover ride share...risky i know.
In the event of an accident I'm not sure how they would know?

https://www.racv.com.au/on-the-road/buying-a-car.html#operatingcosts

How would they know? I guess when it comes time to make a claim, they'll ask if you were doing private or business, so you'll need to lie. That's fine i suppose, but if you get busted then you may be in legal trouble.

How would you get busted? I'm not sure, but would they be able to find out if you were registered with uber somehow? Would another party or witnesswit an accident identify to your insurer that you had a passenger at the time? Would they then want to know who that was?

 

[Smoooothy]

my insurance covers being an uber driver for an extra 4 bucks a month

 

[BACCS]

my insurance covers being an uber driver for an extra 4 bucks a month

I'm still in the process of signing up, but my insurance company told me I could drive up to 36 hours a week with Uber before it's classified as a 'commercial vehicle'.

 

[GreyCrow]

I know a guy down south here that has 4 cars.

 

[MrNatural]

I'm still in the process of signing up, but my insurance company told me I could drive up to 36 hours a week with Uber before it's classified as a 'commercial vehicle'.

Was that in the fine print somewhere also?

 

[Ahern2Boof]

Anyone else still driving for Uber?

About to come into a quiet patch of work between October and December so am looking for a way to boost my income during that time. I could apply for a normal 9-5 job but it would only be for two months and I doubt anyone would hire me knowing that.

Is Uber driving worth it? Personally I love driving, it calms me, and I like meeting new people, so I feel like I would enjoy it, but only if I was getting enough money out of it to meet my mortgage repayments.

 

[Smoooothy]

Anyone else still driving for Uber?

About to come into a quiet patch of work between October and December so am looking for a way to boost my income during that time. I could apply for a normal 9-5 job but it would only be for two months and I doubt anyone would hire me knowing that.

Is Uber driving worth it? Personally I love driving, it calms me, and I like meeting new people, so I feel like I would enjoy it, but only if I was getting enough money out of it to meet my mortgage repayments.

yep, still a driver

I wouldn't do it as a full time job, there not enough money in it. from what I can gather, during the week you could make $300-400 weekdays in the 12 hour period you're allowed to drive, and weekends maybe a couple hundred more than that. The downside is that you need to pay GST on that, and then pay income tax too and then obviously things like fuel, maintenance to your car etc

if you're doing it to supplement your income, its better than working a servo or in a pub etc.

Friday and Saturday nights are usually very busy. weekdays not so much except for the hour or so after work, and maybe the hour or 2 before work

December, while I haven't done one yet, I would imagine would be very lucrative. lots of xmas parties

also, drunk people - you WILL get your car thrown up in at some stage. happened to me twice in the 5 months I've been driving

my advice - do it. its a fun and easy way to make money if you don't mind driving around and like chatting with people

 

[CheapCharlie]

You got a link to the guide?
No i didn't get insurance to cover ride share...risky i know.
In the event of an accident I'm not sure how they would know?

If you had one of your passengers injured in the accident...

 

[Thegibbsgamble]

The irony of being killed in a car accident driving someone around who lost thier license for speeding or drink driving

 

[Restricted Free Agent]

Speaking of Uber has anyone heard of Darren Levy?

 

[mr bagcroft]

yep, still a driver

I wouldn't do it as a full time job, there not enough money in it. from what I can gather, during the week you could make $300-400 weekdays in the 12 hour period you're allowed to drive, and weekends maybe a couple hundred more than that. The downside is that you need to pay GST on that, and then pay income tax too and then obviously things like fuel, maintenance to your car etc

if you're doing it to supplement your income, its better than working a servo or in a pub etc.

Friday and Saturday nights are usually very busy. weekdays not so much except for the hour or so after work, and maybe the hour or 2 before work

December, while I haven't done one yet, I would imagine would be very lucrative. lots of xmas parties

also, drunk people - you WILL get your car thrown up in at some stage. happened to me twice in the 5 months I've been driving

my advice - do it. its a fun and easy way to make money if you don't mind driving around and like chatting with people

I generally dont like people.
I certainly ****ing hate, HATE "chatting".
And if some campaigner threw up in my car Id probably exit them whilst in motion.
I guess its not for me.

 

[Mofra]

Also i more you just posted in the car insurance thread - did you have to get special insurance to cover commercial use of your car? Always been curious about that.

This would depend on the predominant use of the car I'd imagine - I have a weekend side gig as an entertainer that I need to drive to and from and my recent insurance quote there was an option to nominate if you use your car for predominantly personal purposes and occasional work purposes (excluding freight).

BTW I sub-contract via an ABN so claim a heap of car-related expenses against those earnings. Not sure if driving for Uber/Ola/Taxify can be treated the same way.

 

[Taylor]

This would depend on the predominant use of the car I'd imagine - I have a weekend side gig as an entertainer that I need to drive to and from and my recent insurance quote there was an option to nominate if you use your car for predominantly personal purposes and occasional work purposes (excluding freight).

BTW I sub-contract via an ABN so claim a heap of car-related expenses against those earnings. Not sure if driving for Uber/Ola/Taxify can be treated the same way.

That would offset that PAYG income from the agency, not like it matters if the bulk of the income is cash in hand for extra shows while at the party but it all helps.

 

[Smoooothy]

BTW I sub-contract via an ABN so claim a heap of car-related expenses against those earnings. Not sure if driving for Uber/Ola/Taxify can be treated the same way.

they are