This is why I will NEVER take an UberX or Lyft Economy ride again!

Here’s the deal. You may of heard the old saying, “You get what you pay for”. This can not be further from the truth when it comes to Uber and Lyft.

Generally speaking, the more someone feels financially secured, the happier they are. Uber and Lyft drivers are human and experience the same emotions as everyone else. Being overworked like an UberX driver, will make you irritable and grouchy. A common consensus among UberX drivers are “I don’t get paid enough to help with luggage” – That just shows the level of customer service that is being provided. (or lack thereof).

If you remember the days when all of your Uber drivers were happy, guess what? 5 years ago, UberX drivers were getting paid the same as the Lyft Lux/UberSelect drivers of today. Drivers are not paid the same hourly, but work on a percentage of the fare. How much you pay, is a direct correlation to what they get paid.

• UberX, Lyft Economy are the cheapest options you will see. These are good for quick trips to the store, fast food and beer runs, etc. No reason to pay more than you have to, but just know, you are getting the bare minimum service, with a driver who gets paid 60 cents a mile, and 12 cents a minute (basically minimum wage). Sadly, these drivers are often overworked. These are also the same drivers you will see on the 5 o clock news for assaulting riders, falling asleep at the wheel (because it takes a while to make enough to pay bills at 60 cents a mile) There are some really responsible ones, but being overworked, really puts a number on you. Bills get paid before they do basic maintenance, like oil changes and new tires. Uber and Lyft do not inspect cars. An UberX or Lyft Economy ride is not your best bet if you absolutely need to be on time somewhere like the airport. However, if that drivers profile says they have a 4.9 or higher rating and/or have been working in excess of 2 years, it is fairly safe to assume they are able to budget for maintenance, which means they are responsible in other areas of their life as well. Remember, ratings do matter.
• Uber XL, Lyft XL is exactly how it sounds. XL rides for more space. This really only means the driver has a 3rd row. These are great for when you have 6 people headed out somewhere or have bigger pieces of luggage that will not fit in a sedan’s trunk. (although, do keep in mind that these trunks may not accommodate large luggage for 6 people. Be ready to sit with a piece of luggage in your lap. Some parties even find ordering a second car for luggage, and 1 person to ride with the luggage works out well.) You may get a van that is 14 years old on this platform, but remember, you do have 2 minutes to cancel, free of charge. Showing up to the club in a minivan, is not exactly fun!
• Lyft Lux, Uber Select are rides that are considered luxury, and the vehicles can not be more than 5 years old, thus making them more reliable. These drivers also have to maintain ratings of 4.85 or higher, after giving so many rides, for these platforms. These are great for date night, or if you are riding home alone after a few too many and want a driver you can trust more. These drivers have already proven to be safe, and reliable, and their cars match. After all, you need to either have fairly good credit or be able to save enough cash to pay for a car that qualifies. These can either be SUV’s, or Sedans. Just luck of the draw.

• Uber Black, Lyft Lux Black are rides similar to Lyft Lux, Uber Select but double the rate. These drivers are required to have commercial insurance and limousine permits, so their rates match. (Yes, Uber and Lyft insure every type of ride, but this is additional) These are great for date night, 10 year anniversaries, client meetings and what not. For the most part, these drivers are full time (make no economical sense for a part timer to maintain commercial insurance) but this driver will be fairly good at navigating. They are often employed under another company that pays and maintains the vehicle, so they may not of had a background check done by Uber, Lyft on them specifically.
• Uber Black SUV, Lyft Black SUV are basically the same as Uber Black, Lyft Lux Black, with one key difference of you are guaranteed a larger SUV, like a Suburban that can hold 6 pax with 6 big luggage. These are about triple the price of XL, which is why a lot of riders opt to order 2 XL’s (one for luggage, one for the rest of their party)

So, if you want to safe clean ride, with a happy driver.. stop ordering the economy version! A happy driver means a happy rider! If you need to schedule a ride in advance (to make sure you are not stuck with a UberX or Lyft Economy vehicle, you may do so here, free of charge.