How to Make More Money with Uber in South Africa
Have you fulfilled your obligations and taken enough rides to be eligible to get your Uber sign-on bonus?
Well done!
However, now that that has passed, you may be wondering whether there are any other methods to boost your income and earn some more cash.
Particularly for UberX drivers, hourly earnings for Uber drivers can be rather low.
Therefore, it's crucial to seize any chance you get to make additional money when Uber gives it.
Keep reading for our 7 ideas on how to enhance your profits as an Uber driver if you want to put more money in your pocket.
Track and Reduce Overheads
Uber drivers are not formally employed by the corporation; instead, they are independent contractors.
And as a result, just like any other small business, you are accountable for keeping track of and disclosing all of your spending during tax season.
You should claim as many tax deductions as you are able to in order to lessen your tax liability when the time comes to pay taxes.
To do that, keep track of your spending throughout the year.
You must pay income taxes on a quarterly basis as an independent contractor.
And you need to know how much it costs to run your business in order to know how much you owe.
Gas, car upkeep, insurance, and mileage charges are examples of typical costs.
Uber passenger snacks, bottled water, and any other items you supply to your riders might also be considered expenses.
Consider utilizing an app like SherpaShare to help you track your costs in order to make your life easier.
It greatly facilitates the process of identifying costs that might lower your taxable revenue.
You will owe the SARS (South African Revenue Services) less money the smaller your taxable income is.
Drive for Bolt at the Same Time
You need to be busy in order to earn as much money as you can, and the best way to accomplish so is to diversify your sources of income.
Don't only depend on Uber to make money for you.
Rather, enroll in Bolt as well.
Because there are more options to ride, many people drive for both ridesharing services at the same time.
When there aren't any ride requests while you're driving for Uber, you may check onto the Bolt app to see if there are any nearby.
You can only be profitable if there is a passenger in the vehicle.
You have a higher chance of keeping your backseat occupied if you use both applications at once.
Don't forget to utilize the Bolt driver incentive if you are a current Uber driver who signs up for Bolt and begins taking Bolt trips.
Similar to Uber, Bolt offers new drivers a sign-on bonus and other benefits.
Schedule Driving Times Around Surge Pricing
SURGE is a favorite term among Uber drivers.
Surge pricing takes effect when there are numerous ride requests in a certain region but insufficient drivers to meet the high demand.
It's a strategy used by Uber to increase the number of drivers in that region.
Uber adds a multiplier to the cost of the ride during Surge.
It might be 2x, 4x, 5x, etc., which implies that during Surge journeys, both drivers and passengers will pay extra.
On weekends and holidays, surge multipliers have reached double digits!
Anytime a surge occurs, you will undoubtedly earn more money if you are driving.
But in order to take full advantage of surge pricing, you must be aware of it.
A surge is not certain, but there are some critical moments when they are far more likely to happen.
You can always count on finding a lot of inebriated folks asking for a ride home on Friday and Saturday evenings, especially once the bars close.
There's a considerable possibility you'll encounter a late-night Surge if you travel through a heavily populated downtown region with plenty of pubs or clubs.
Furthermore, during the morning and evening rush hours, surges are more likely to occur.
Everyone wants to get to work or home between the hours of 6 and 9 in the morning and 5 and 7 in the evening.
If you are driving at certain times, you might be able to see a surge.
When significant events, like athletic competitions and concerts, conclude, surge pricing often follows.
Make sure you arrive at the right place before the event concludes by being aware of the events that are taking place in your city.
If you're fortunate, you'll be one of the first motorists to catch the Surge and could be able to grab more than one ride at the multiplier.
The greatest time to schedule your week as a full-time rideshare driver is during these busy Surge periods.
Drive if traffic is heavy, when it's moving slowly, take a break.
Your downtime should be between the time bars shut and the start of morning rush hour, and again between morning and evening rushes.
The goal is to drive as much as you can during the Surge.
Refer Friends
If you can get a few friends to sign up as drivers with Uber, you may get paid as a referral. Uber is constantly seeking for new drivers.
Uber drivers receive a referral code, which they may use to recruit new drivers and make some additional cash.
When registering, the new driver will input your referral code.
They must finish a predetermined number of rides.
Both the new driver and the driver who suggested them receive bonuses after completing the required number of trips.
Tell your friends that you have a referral code whenever you speak to them about wanting to drive for Uber.
Both parties benefit, and it's a terrific opportunity for them to get some additional money.
Most of the time, a buddy will gladly use your code if they were going to join up anyhow.
You may print your referral code on business cards if you truly want to maximize its use.
Passengers can access the cards if you leave them in your car.
If they have a buddy who is interested in driving for Uber or if they too are considering it, they may decide to pick one up.
Additionally, you may post your referral code on your social media profiles.
It will be visible to everyone in this manner.
Just be careful not to pay to boost the article because it is against Uber's policies.
Go Beyond and Above
Your income will significantly improve if you can collect some tips, and the best way to do so is to go above and beyond for each and every client.
The ideal method for receiving five-star reviews is also this.
Keep water and food in your car at all times.
It's a terrific way to win over your passengers and a great way to get a tip if you provide them anything as basic as a bottle of water.
Prepare phone chargers.
Low battery-life passengers would certainly enjoy it.
Your clients will be far more likely to leave you a tip if you have chargers for Apple and Android phones on hand.
Make sure your vehicle is tidy.
Nobody likes to go around in a dirty automobile or a car that has a musty cigarette smell.
Keep smoking out of your automobile.
Use a clean, fresh-smelling air freshener.
Speak to a passenger if you're having problems finding them.
Call or phone your rider if you can't find them to find out where they are.
Just be sure to use a hands-free device to avoid being pulled over for texting and driving by law enforcement.
It should go without saying that you should be amiable if you wish to receive a gratuity.
Be courteous, talk to others but be aware of your boundaries.
Some travelers like conversing, some don't.
You may wish to talk throughout the travel in some circumstances, but it's usually preferable to stay silent until you get at your destination.
Check for Weekly Promotions
Uber offers several opportunities to get additional money than sign-up bonuses.
They frequently provide weekly incentives to drivers who fulfill a certain set of requirements.
Uber Quest is the company's method of making driving more enjoyable.
Typically, a quest will ask you to ride X number of rides in X amount of time.
If you complete the necessary number of rides within the allotted period, you'll receive a big bonus.
This is another another method through which Uber encourages drivers to work harder and finish more journeys in a specific city or at a specific time of day.
The Uber Boost is an additional well-liked offer.
Although it differs from surge pricing, the idea is the same.
You can make a boost that is two times or more the standard fare if you labor during peak hours in featured regions.
If the surge fare is greater, you will pay the surge fare since surge pricing takes precedence over boost pricing.
It might be challenging to use Uber Quest and Uber Boost as part-time drivers, but it is definitely worth it if you absolutely need the extra money.
Drive for Uber Eats When There are no Rides
As we previously indicated, a fantastic method to raise your hourly pay is to diversify your revenue by working through multiple delivery and driving applications.
Additionally, it makes sense to drive for Uber Eats if you currently drive for Uber.
It's really simple for current Uber drivers to join up for Uber Eats.
If you are qualified to work for one service, you are also qualified to work for the other because the driver criteria and vehicle requirements are identical.
You must download both of the different platforms' corresponding applications to your phone in order to go back and forth between them.
If there are no more ride requests coming in, turn to the Uber Eats app to check if there are any delivery orders.
If you work during the day, this can significantly boost your income.
Most folks are at work and don't require transportation during lunch hours.
They are far more likely to place delivery orders for food.
Additionally, you might be able to get a few larger orders with office and commercial delivery.
You'll make more money if the order is more expensive.
Particularly for UberX drivers who work at the lowest level of service, the hourly wages for Uber drivers may be rather low.
However, this does not imply that ridesharing cannot be profitable.
If you plan your shifts well, you may really earn a good living that is far over the minimum wage.
Drive most of the time during surge pricing in urban areas.
Work at morning and nighttime peak times.
When the bars are shutting on Friday and Saturday evenings, drive home late.
Additionally, be aware of local events so you may benefit from major occasions like concerts and sports games.
Potential new drivers should know your referral code.
You'll get a bonus once they finish a set number of rides.
Additionally, you may keep receiving benefits for each new driver you hire.
To manage your spending and cut costs, use an app like SherpaShare.
This will make it very simple to maximize your tax deductions and lower your tax obligations.
while driving for Uber Eats or Bolt.
Have one or two additional applications available that you may switch between when Uber is busy to keep yourself occupied while driving.
Take advantage of weekly tasks and boosting promos.
If you finish a specific number of rides within a specific length of time, you can increase your pay per ride or receive a bonus at the conclusion of your shift.
The most important thing is to go above and above for your clients.
Bringing in fantastic tips is the simplest method to increase your income!
