Guidance from an Uber/Lyft driver

So I drive Uber/Lyft (primarily Uber) as a side gig, mostly in the Disney/Universal area. I have over 1,000 trips and a 4.99 rating on Uber, and a 5.0 rating with Lyft. So, I’d like to think I know what I’m doing! That said, I know a lot of people have maybe never used the service before, or even if you have, maybe not in the Disney area, so here are a couple of tips that I hope will be helpful to make for a more enjoyable trip based on things I’ve observed from tourists.

1) Please do not request a ride until you and your ENTIRE party are waiting at the pickup location. There are a lot of drivers in the tourist area, you often will not be waiting long (especially, at say, park closing time). If we’re not moving with a passenger somewhere, we’re not making money, so many drivers will not wait -if you’re not there, we will cancel and take another ride versus waiting 2-5 minutes minimum that the service wants because the waiting fee isn’t worth it.

2) Make sure you’re in the correct pickup location. Lyft and Uber drivers can only pick up from designated pickup spots at the parks and Disney Springs. And speaking of Disney Springs, there are two pickup/drop off locations - one on the Westside, and one by the Marketplace. The apps are dumb, and may show you both. Be sure to choose the correct one, because I cannot tell you the amount of times I’ve been sent to one location and a guest is at the other.

3) Make sure you have all of your items/children when you exit the vehicle. I realize guests are often tired and/or in a hurry when they exit my vehicle, but I don’t necessarily have time to check seats and the floor as I am often going ride to ride with little or no downtime (especially this time of year). People have left packages, cell phones and clothing in the vehicle. If I find something later and it has to be returned, Uber and Lyft will charge you a return fee. And yes, I once had passengers leave their child in the 3rd row of my SUV. The child had fallen asleep and they completely forgot about them as they ran toward their resort. Luckily I had gotten out to check for something, saw the child, and stopped the parents.

4) I don’t know if selecting a driver with a car seat is an option in the apps or not but most Uber/Lyft drivers do not have car seats and we cannot (or shouldn’t$ take children who require a car seat. I drove 15 minutes the other night to a pick up location only to find a mother with a child in a stroller less than a year old. When I told them I could not drive them and they had to cancel the ride they got upset with me, but please understand I am not going to jeopardize safety much less my license for a few dollars. I don’t care if other drivers do it, it’s not safe or legal. Plan accordingly or make other arrangements.

5) You’re not getting in my car with an open container. That cup might actually have water in it, but I’m not taking the chance. Please understand and leave it when you enter.

6) Please be courteous and think of me and future passengers, and don’t eat in my car or leave your garbage. If you leave a mess all over my seats or floor or a sticky mess from that bowl of ice cream you bought right before you called for an Uber, the next passengers will then see and experience that, and it’s not fair to them. Everyone deserves an enjoyable ride in a clean vehicle. Finish your food and drinks before entering.

7) Surge pricing is a thing - during peak times like major holidays, bad weather, etc., you’re going to pay more on the app. You can sometimes offset this slightly by altering your pickup location (eg, instead of being picked up at Epcot, walk to Beach Club) but it’s still going to be higher than usual. Drivers don’t set the prices, and in fact, we can’t see when we accept trips what a customer has paid. As an aside, most passengers assume the bulk of the fee they pay goes to the drivers- it does not, it goes to Uber/Lyft.

8) If you’re already en route to your destination and need to add a stop, please ask first before adding it in the app. I might already have another ride waiting behind you or have a reservation I need to get to, and adding a stop could delay that.

9) When a driver accepts your ride, we may be in the middle of another trip that we are completing first, so it may appear we’re headed in the opposite direction from you. No need to message and/or call telling us we’re headed the wrong way. We just haven’t started your trip! I don’t know if all drivers do this, but I always send a quick message letting passengers know I’m on my way to them once I start.

10) If you are hot, cold, want a particular music station on, whatever - please let me know. Yes, it’s a part-time gig for me, but I want it to be comfortable for you! I can’t know if something is bothering you or you need something if you don’t say anything.

11) Please shut the door when exiting the vehicle (again, people are tired or excited and forget), but please, please, I’m begging, don’t slam them! It happens far too often and it’s like nails on a chalkboard.

12) Finally, don’t try and scam the system by giving an underserved negative rating to your driver and/or accusing your driver of something that didn’t happen just to try and get out of paying. Disney and Universal are expensive, the Uber and Lyft apps have gotten more expensive for riders the last couple of years but that’s out of your driver’s control. I absolutely love meeting guests from out of town and have had some amazing conversations with people. And even though it’s a part-time gig for me, it’s still a job. For other drivers, they’re actually trying to make a living doing it. False accusations and negative ratings for no reason can result in drivers being booted off the app. And while I definitely would agree there are probably some that need to be, most are just trying to meet expenses.