I started Uber 4 days ago. I’m not making the money that I was told to expect by other drivers, but I’m still learning.
I’m going all over the west half the state here. One observation is that my beloved city here is a worse dump than I thought, the streets are in very bad shape all over, everywhere, and most of us here are poor or of modest means. But the people are what makes my home town meaningful.
New Haven is quite a bit like NYC, much more than I expected, in so many ways.
The people I meet are so diverse and that diversity is what makes America great, honest to God. Blessed souls with amazing stories. If you don’t understand diversity, you won’t hack this job. One young lady I met was from Madagascar, she was very pretty and really really nice.
I met a street lawyer who told me about his hard efforts to help poor drug addicts and how, black or not, he grew up much like a white kid, watching PBS and learning about the world. Race is a lie, we are ONE race, the human race. Honest go God, all these people are marvelous and amazing souls.
I have seen rich neighborhoods with neighbors with dogs talking to other neighbors, massive crouds of people crossing streets, bizarre streets that are horrible to navigate. What an experience. I’m blown away. The pay sucks terribly, but the people make it worth it, that and having wheels.
I may have extreme anxiety, but I’m rising to the occasion, I’m braver than I thought.
Sadly, driving 12 hours will eat up my guitar time and I miss playing through my amp. In order to make money, I’m going to have to work 7 days a week, maybe not always full days though.
The rental and added insurance is a little less than 400 dollars. I was given a Kia midsize. One thing that I can say about this car is it is more comfy than my sisters very good Honday SUV. The rental lady told me she would take care of me, and she did!
The work is a little terrifying, imagine your worst traffic nightmares, but I’m already getting used to it.
Folks I’m going to plead with you: If you are in the USA, for Heaven’s sake, tip your drivers, deliverers AND transporters. They earn less than you think and even if they aren’t likeable, they are probably amazing souls if you give them a chance.
Some riders don’t want to talk and are a bit gruff, but I don’t mind, they are carrying weight inside and I get it.
The tips are what makes this job at least mean a small something. I might only earn 3-400 a week after costs, and that is working very long hours, but consider that I am paying for a car and insurance so add that into where one earns.
Be good to your drivers. Understand them and pray for them.
