By Joy LittletonThis article is brought to you by RideShare Mechanic, get your vehicle inspected by a certified mechanic through your smartphone today!
A full-time Uber or Lyft driver can rack up a hefty number of miles each month. How much you plan to drive on a regular basis is vitally important to any rideshare driver for many reasons. Today we are going to share a few helpful tips to maximize your potential earnings per mile on the road as a rideshare driver.
If you responsibly maintain your vehicle and habitually take it to the garage, then you know the kinds of ongoing repairs and preventative care that are essential to the vehicle’s longevity. Maintenance like tire alignments, tire rotation, oil changes, replacing air filters and periodic brake and suspension work all lend themselves to a better performing vehicle that requires less fuel to drive from point A to B.
Do you want to start or improve a career of your own in the rideshare industry? Then you best read on if you’re at all interested in earning and saving more money every day.
LEARN TO LOVE MILEAGE TRACKING APPS
There’s a vast number of reputable mileage tracking apps, like MileIQ: Mileage Tracker & Log, Hurdlr Expense + Mileage Tracker and TripLog Car Mileage Tracker, to name a few. These apps all operate similarly, as their primary basic function allows you to tell the app when you begin your driving shift and it automatically starts to track where you went and how many miles you accrued before, at the end of the shift, you tell the app you’re “punching out” for the day. This allows you to get a highly accurate reading, ensuring no miles go to waste.
DRIVE FUEL EFFICIENT VEHICLES
You always need to drive the most fuel efficient vehicle. No matter which rideshare company you drive for, whether you’re driving people home from the bar or delivering a box of deep fried wontons to a house in the suburbs, there’s an obvious benefit to any modestly-sized vehicle that requires less costly fuel than larger trucks and SUVs. This is a job that requires constant vigilance in the conservation of resources, i.e. gasoline. When you have reliably made an assessment of your vehicle’s average miles per gallon on the job, you can get an accurate understanding of the true cost of fuel versus your earnings.
DON’T LET YOUR BRAKE PADS BREAK
The more you drive, the more you’ll use your brakes. You need them in order to stop, which, in our humble opinion, is almost equally important in a car’s list of vital functions to the ability to go. Passengers don’t like having to exit a moving vehicle, or being in an accident because you skimped on the brakes. If your brakes break, you’ll end up broke (both financially and physically).
KEEP AND EYE ON THOSE TIRE TREADS
Hopefully you wear shoes while you’re at work, unless you are a lifeguard at a swimming pool or a foot model. Your vehicle needs to wear its shoes to work too, in this case being tires. If your tires get too worn down from heavy use, their treads will erode and your vehicle will lose traction which can easily result in an avoidable accident. Check your tires regularly and replace them before they get too overused.
CHANGE YOUR OIL OFTEN
This maintenance work can be easily overlooked since there aren’t any obvious exterior signs that your vehicle needs an oil change, though it’s extremely important to undergo an oil change with determined regularity (that’s why most shops put that little sticker on your windshield with a reminder when you should change it next). If you’re putting serious miles on the clock as a rideshare driver then you’d better develop a good realationship with your local grease monkeys, or learn to safely and properly do the job yourself. It’s not too tough, requires no expensive specialized equipment most people wouldn’t already have, and doing the job yourself can save you a bundle every payday. Just make sure your oil gets changed as often as you need based on your mileage.
There are many more ways your car will be affected by frequent heavy use, but if you follow the tips we share you’ll guarantee yourself the best possible return on your investments.
BONUS TIP: GET YOUR VEHICLE INSPECTED ONLINE WITH RIDESHARE MECHANIC
We here at RideShare Mechanic want you to know how important vehicle maintenance is for anybody that wants to make an income driving passengers to their destinations. If you value your safety and the health and well being of others, you owe it to everyone to make sure your vehicle is in tip top shape. We save you time, effort and gas money so you don’t have to sweat the small stuff and you can get driving as soon as possible. We do what we do at RideShare Mechanic because we want you, the driver, to be safe and profitable as you transport your passengers to their destinations. While there are plenty of available auto shops in the country, there’s no easier way to get your vehicle professionally inspected than to schedule your appointment with RideShare Mechanic today.
