Rideshares were already a popular method of transportation before gas prices started skyrocketing. Now, they’re the preferred way to get around town and skip the fuel pumps.
Whether you’re calling an Uber or Lyft to take you around in a strange city, or it’s your go-to ride, you want the experience to be lowkey. It doesn’t have to be fun and exciting, but it should be safe and enjoyable for everyone involved.
The next time you use a rideshare, follow these tips to improve the time you spend as a passenger.
1. Plan the Pick-up Details Clearly
One of the top stresses rideshare passengers complain about is not knowing how to find their ride.
If you’ve ever used a GPS before, you know that the address you put into the system and where the program takes you can be two different things. So, when you tell your driver that you need to be picked up at a hotel, they could show up at one of multiple exit locations.
The more specific you are about where you’re going to be standing, the easier it will be for your ride to find you.
Airports and Rideshares
This is especially true at airports, where there will be a lot of rideshare drivers waiting for passengers. Find out the license plate, make, and model of the car picking you up, and look at the driver’s photo in the app. Don’t get in a vehicle until you’ve verified all of those details.
If your ride isn’t waiting, give them a few minutes. The airport may not have a designated rideshare pick-up stop. If you’re not out there when the driver gets to the general area, they’ll have to keep driving and come back around, which can take anywhere from two to ten minutes.
There’s also the chance that the airport you’re flying into doesn’t allow rideshares at all. When that happens, the driver will give you directions to a pick-up location outside of the immediate area, usually in Departures or a parking garage.
2. Consider Your Luggage and Companions
The default rideshare option is usually a standard four-seater vehicle. That doesn’t mean the car has endless trunk space or a lot of legroom, though.
If you have multiple suitcases or large companions, upgrade your vehicle selection to the next size up. For instance, Lyft has the LyftXL option that can accommodate up to six passengers.
It costs more, but with more people riding with you, you can divide the total amongst you (unless they’re all your family members, of course).
Luxury vehicles are a good investment if your destination is far away and you’ll be in the car for a while. After a long plane ride and a day spent traveling, unwinding in a comfortable car where you can stretch out and relax is worth every penny.
3. Avoid Main Location Pickups
Is your current location on a busy street? If so, consider finding a side area that doesn’t have so much traffic and making that your pickup location.
In busy cities like New York and DC, for instance, everyone is driving on the same roads. It’s going to be difficult for your rideshare driver to find you, much less find a spot to stop long enough to get you and your bags loaded.
Try to avoid main pickup locations. You can still use a safe, well-lit location that’s slightly out of the way of your original spot.
4. Be Kind (Or, At Least, Polite)
This one sounds like common sense, but it’s sadly not. Drivers for rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft are often treated like inferior individuals, insulted, and degraded.
Your rideshare driver is already working for dirt cheap, thanks to the requirements of Uber Pool rides, gas prices, and other company policies. The tip they get from you is usually their only profit.
Drivers must keep up the maintenance on their vehicles, clean them regularly, and pay for wear and tear. They also have to include comprehensive insurance coverage in case of an Uber or Lyft accident, which is expensive. You may see the hefty fare you’re paying as enough compensation to the driver, but odds are, they aren’t pocketing much of it at all.
Be polite, treat your driver as a human helping you out in a pinch, and tip them as well as you can afford. It’s common courtesy.
Conclusion
Rideshares are cropping up all over the world, and you’re probably going to use one at some time in your life. With these simple tips, your rideshare experience can be a pleasant one for you and the driver.
Read also about avple
