By Joy LittletonSure, you technically only need to download your rideshare company’s app in order to make money driving passengers to their destinations, but that’s not the best way to maximize your earnings. There are a variety of useful tools that will enable you to optimize your time on the road and end your shift with the most money possible. These five apps are some of the best available resources for rideshare drivers who are looking to improve their productivity and handle all the technical aspects necessary for a successful career behind the wheel.
QUICKBOOKS SELF-EMPLOYED
APPLE APP STORE DESCRIPTION:
“QuickBooks Self-Employed users have found billions in potential tax deductions by using this automatic mileage tracker, attaching receipts to business expenses, creating invoices and categorizing business expenses while separating from your personal finances and get all the tax refunds a self-employed business owner is entitled to!”
If rideshare driving is your first independent contracting role, you’ll definitely want to utilize Quickbooks Self-Employed as it manages all the financial minutiae that employees accustomed to W2 status might overlook in their new 1099 role. Quickbooks Self-Employed could be the most important app for you to download on this list, as it guarantees you won’t be flabbergasted at tax season.
WAZE
APPLE APP STORE DESCRIPTION:
“Always know what’s happening on the road with Waze. Even if you know the way, Waze tells you instantly about traffic, construction, police, crashes, & more. If traffic is bad on your route, Waze will change it to save you time.”
Ask most any driver which GPS map they prefer and it’s likely going to be Waze for a number of different reasons. If you’ve ever taken a ride with a driver who seemed to be taking a less than optimal route, chances are they were using their ridershare company’s GPS, which seems to take some questionable courses that you’d never dream of following if you were calling the shots. With live and up-to-date traffic conditions being broadcast through the Waze app, you’re sure to gain major points with your passengers if you can manage to deliver them to their destination efficiently and with minimal traffic, which are two of the best ways to earn extra tips and higher ratings.
MILEIQ
APPLE APP STORE DESCRIPTION:
“Tracking your miles for tax deduction purposes? MileIQ is the easiest most accurate way to create logs that follow IRS mileage standards. MileIQ automatically tracks and records your mileage in the background as you drive your car for business. MileIQ users save an average of $7,124 per year.”
If you’re driving for your income, it’s absolutely essential that you track your miles while you’re on the clock. You want an extremely accurate report of your total miles traveled while in the service of your rideshare company and MILEIQ does it automatically, leading to much more reliable data than if you were keeping a paper log every day.
FLIGHTSTATS
APPLE APP STORE DESCRIPTION:
“FlightStats is a leader in global flight and airport information services. Our flight status, trip monitoring and flight alert solutions are trusted by millions of travelers every day.”
You’ll find as a rideshare driver that one of the most consistently buzzing hotspot for riders is the airport. If you live in an area with multiple airports, it’s a matter of spreading your time between them to make a bunch of potentially lucrative long range fares going back and forth to these travel hubs. What FlightStats allows you to do is get an updated list of incoming flights, so you can preemptively arrive in time to be the first available driver should a rush of inbound flights be scheduled.
SQUARE
APPLE APP STORE DESCRIPTION:
“Square Point of Sale is the free point-of-sale app that enables you to sell anywhere and in any way your customers want to buy. Use the Point of Sale app with a Square Reader for contactless and chip to accept Apple Pay and EMV chip cards without contact.”
Hey, the main reason you’re driving people around in you vehicle is because of the money, right? If that’s the case, you’ll want as many different ways to accept payment as possible. If your passenger wants to leave a tip but they don’t have paper cash and do not want to leave gratuity through the app for any number of reasons, then you’ll want to have Square’s Point of Sale (POS) app and the Square Reader for Magstripe, which allows you to simply scan the passenger’s card and have them input however much they’d like to tip. This is a game changer if you continually provide top notch service that riders are delighted to show their gratitude for with some extra, much deserved income.
BONUS TIP: RIDESHARE MECHANIC
If you’re already using your smartphone to maximize your earnings and save as much money as possible as a rideshare driver, you should schedule your mandatory vehicle inspection through Rideshare Mechanic, where the entire inspection is performed with the camera on your phone! Sign up for an inspection today and Rideshare Mechanic’s licensed vehicle inspectors will guide you through a simple step by step process on how to easily get your vehicle inspected and approved for rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft, all from the comfort and convenience of your own driveway! Save gas, time and unnecessary stress on your inspection so you can start earning on the road as soon as possible.
