If order to help pay for the new van we got last month, I
have become an Uber driver. I took my first run last Friday, thinking it would
be a busy night to pick up party-goers and whatnot. It turns out I took the
same number of riders in less time Sunday night. I was out again last night and
got my first long haul, driving an hour away from my house. I prefer the local
rides, in areas I mostly know. The long ride lead to me driving shorter trips
in a town I didn’t know. I made decent money, but it was a long night. Last
night was the first time nearly all of my riders were chatty. My first night
hardly anyone spoke to me and it was a very strange experience. I picked up two
couples who clearly had a little too much to drink. They were loud and
rambunctious and it was strange to sit quietly and not participate in the revelry.
I’ve had a few people (at least one per night) who choose to ride upfront with
me. They usually tend to be the chatty ones. I had one man suggest I carry a
gun and a woman suggest I get pepper spray. I don’t feel unsafe. I suppose
there could be a time I do, but if I drive around afraid I should probably not
be doing it. It is convenient to
coordinate with Primero’s schedule, tuck the kids in bed and log onto the app
when I choose. I have a set amount I want to earn per week and thus far I have
exceeded it. The first few nights it was exhilarating to be out of the house
alone at night. Last night was the first night it felt grueling, mostly because
I was uncomfortable being so far from home. The sense of not knowing what kind
of ride I might get is nerve-wracking because I worry about having to take a
very long ride. I’m not sure if there is a way for me to limit that, but maybe
I will learn as I go. The rider I took the farthest is a woman originally from
Africa. She wanted to be able to hire me, without Uber, to drive her to work.
She is a late-night nurse at a hospital. I gave her my number but I don’t think
I want to make that drive on a regular basis. I am working towards a goal of 30
rides, which would earn me an additional $30 from Uber. And that’s the story of
my side hustle….
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