Welcome to Uber. Drivers are our most
important partners, and we appreciate all you do to keep Uber running smoothly. Let's get started. As a driver with Uber,
you're able to go online whenever you want and find people who need rides
anywhere in your city. To load the app, tap the Uber partner icon on your phone,
and sign in with your username and password. Your username is usually your
email address. Once you're signed into the app, select a
vehicle and you'll see a button that says "go online". Once you're online you will start to
receive trip requests, so don't go online if you're not ready
to drive. When a rider request a trip, the driver closest to that rider
automatically receives the trip request. That means that when you get a trip
request, there is no driver on the road in a
better position to accept that trip. Your phone will start beeping and the
screen will flash. Tap the screen to accept. It's important that you accept most
trips because it ensures that riders can get a ride quickly. If you are online, you are expected to accept most trip
requests. Once you have accepted the trip, drive to the rider's pickup location. You
can tap the arrow to get turn-by-turn directions. The app will automatically send the rider
a notification when you're almost there. Your rider may not be ready right awa,
so we suggest waiting a few minutes before calling or texting. Riders
generally prefer text messages to phone calls, but make sure you follow all driving laws. Once the rider is in your car, ask for
their name to make sure it's the right person, saying something like, "What is
your name, please?" is more effective than asking "Are you
Chris?" If you say that, the person could pretend to be your rider, Chris. All
trips through Uber must be pre arranged.
According to regulations, e-hailing, or picking up riders who have not requested
through the app is against the law and can result in citations and fines. When you know you have the right rider,
slide the button to begin the trip. If your rider entered their destination, you will see the route to the
destination in your app. Confirm the rider's destination by asking something
like, "Are we still headed to 11 West 53rd Street?" Tap the arrow for
turn-by-turn directions to the destination. Once you arrive, slide the red button to end the trip.
Payments are calculated automatically, and both you and the rider will be
prompted to leave a rating for each other. After every completed trip your rider
can leave a rating for you between one and five stars. You can also
rate your rider. This two-way rating system helps Uber provide the
best experience for both riders and drivers. Your overall rating is the
average of all the ratings your riders give you. For example, if you completed four trips
and your ratings were 4, 5, 5, and 5, your overall rating would be 4.75.
If your rating falls below your city standard you may lose access to the uber
system. We want to help you provide the best
experience possible, so here are some tips on how to become a
5-star driver. Be on time. When you accept a trip request, your rider gets an ETA, or
estimated time of arrival. Your rider will plan around that ETA, so it's important to be on time. Being
late to a pickup often results in a lower rating, so only accept a trip
request if you are in your car and ready to drive. Know your city. Not using the quickest
route possible is the most common reason that riders rate below five stars. The better you can navigate, the happier
your riders will be, and taking the most direct route means you can complete
more trips per hour, so you'll earn more in your time on the
road. It's a good idea to start off in a neighborhood you know well, but as you
drive more you'll become more familiar with the best routes and shortcuts. Remember you can also use navigation in
the Uber partner app. Just tap the arrow to start turn-by-turn directions. Keep it clean. It's a good idea to
maintain a clean car and dress well. Riders appreciate and respect drivers
who provide an enjoyable and professional experience. Strong smells of
any kind can make riders uncomfortable in your car. That includes body odor, strong cologne,
and air fresheners. It's best if the rider doesn't notice
how your car smells at all. Always be safe. Your contract with Uber requires that you keep your vehicle in great mechanical condition
at all times. That means no visible body damage, no
squeaky brakes, and seatbelts for every rider. All of
your documents, for example, your license, registration, and insurance, must be valid
and current. When your riders are comfortable, they are more likely to give
you a great rating, so make sure to follow all traffic laws and avoid
braking too quickly or accelerating abruptly. Pay attention to details. Our top partners consistently get five
stars because they provide little perks to their riders like having an extra
phone charger in their car or offering a bottle of water on a hot day. Some partners even open the door for the
riders to make the experience feel extra special. Being a professional also means
maintaining a positive attitude. Arguing with your rider is never a good idea and
can lead to low ratings. Try to stay cheerful. Both you and your
rider will have a better experience. The Uber experience is built to work without a phone call.
Generally, riders prefer to receive a text rather than a phone call, unless a phone call is absolutely
necessary. However, if your rider calls you, pull
over safely and answer as they may have important instructions for pickup. Uber will
automatically send your rider a message when you are getting close to the pickup
location so they will know to be ready. However, the rider may not be at the
pickup location right away. Wait a few minutes before calling your
rider. If you have waited more than five minutes at the pickup location, and
called the rider with no response, you can cancel. To do so, tap "info", then
tap "cancel trip", Then, choose from the list of reasons given. In this case, "rider no show". When you accept a trip, you should always try to complete
the trip. However, if something comes up, you can
cancel using the option "do not charge rider". We make it easy for you. Uber automatically charges clients for tolls, and reimburses
partners every week so you'll never need to ask clients to pay tolls. It's a good idea to carry an electronic
toll paying device in your car. Riders expect drivers to have these devices so
they don't have to slow for tolls. If you have one you may even get higher
ratings as a result. Sometimes trips don't go as planned. That's okay. Uber support is here to help. Once you've arrived at the destination,
slide the red button to end the trip. At this point, you will be asked to rate
the rider from one to five stars. If the fare appears to be wrong, or if you have an issue on the trip, tap "need help". Choose the option that
best reflects your situation, and Uber support will respond quickly. Uber is a cashless app. That's one reason why riders love using it, and why Uber has been able to grow so quickly.
Cashless means that all transactions are handled electronically through the app.
if you encounter a technical issue that results in an incorrect fare for the
trip, please let us know by submitting a fare
review. Please do not ask the rider to pay for the trip in cash. It goes against our Terms of Service
Agreement and your contract with Uber. It also creates an uncomfortable experience
for the rider. Let us handle any payment issues so you
have more time to focus on providing five star service. Riders love being
able to hop out of the car without fumbling for cash once they arrive at
their destination. That's a big part of the Uber experience,
so we tell riders that tipping is not required. If a rider does offer a tip
please remind them that tipping is not necessary. However, if the rider insists, you can
accept the tip. You've earned it. Please remember to check your car for lost items as riders exit the
vehicle. It always helps to ask the rider if they
have everything. Cell phone, keys, wallet. If you find a lost item in your vehicle,
use the support section in the partner app to let us know. Tap on the trip shown at the top of the
screen if you have a lost item from your most recent trip. If the item was left by
a rider from an earlier trip, tap "view more trips" to find the correct
one. Once you have the right trip, tap "I found
an item in my vehicle". Tap on the camera icon to take a picture
of the item left in your vehicle, then write a short description of the
item and submit. We will contact you with information
about returning the lost item to the rider. Please do not request payment from the
rider for the return of a lost item. Drivers who do so will lose access to
the Uber system. When there are more requests for rides coming in than the available
drivers can accept, prices go up to encourage drivers to go online. We call
this surge. Adjusting prices during times of high demand brings more drivers onto
the road. That means more people can get rides,
drivers earn more money, and our system is reliable for everyone who uses it. Surge pricing is based on the time and
location of the riders request, not the drivers location. If the request comes
from outside the surge area, or you accepted the trip before surge, the fare
will be at the normal rate. Due to high demand, surge pricing is most likely to
be in effect during rush hour, and bad weather, on busy holidays, and for city-specific events, such as sporting events and concerts. The Uber partner app will show
a heat map of surging areas in your city. Unshaded areas have low demand for rides, yellow areas have normal demand, orange
areas are very busy, red areas are surging. Different areas
can surge at different levels. For instance, one neighborhood might be
surging at 1.5 times the regular rate, and another might be surging at twice
the rate. Drive to nearby orange and red areas to find rides easily. Uber always needs more driver partners. If you know someone who may be interested in driving with
Uber, invite them to apply, and you'll earn money once they start driving. You
can refer in the app by clicking this button, or from your dashboard by
clicking here. You will only earn the reward if your friend signs up using
your specific invite code. When your friend signs up to drive, they should enter your invite code so
you get the reward. If they didn't enter your invite code,
Uber won't know that you referred them, so we won't be
able to give you the reward. You can find your invite code by clicking "refer" in
the partner app. The screen looks like this. Referring new partners it's a great way
to earn more with Uber. When driving with Uber, it's important
that your car and your driving are safe and legal. Always carry your current
driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance. Make sure you have a working seat belt
for every rider, and that your car is in great working condition. If anything is faulty, such as the lights,
brakes, windshield wipers, or tires, you should not drive. Never go online if
you are too tired to drive safely, and remember that Uber has a zero-tolerance
policy for using alcohol or drugs when driving. Do not text or call while driving. If you need to get in touch with your
rider, find a safe spot to pull over, and then call or send a text. Using the app while driving should not
distract you from following all driving laws and staying safe. Some features like turn-by-turn
navigation through voice were even designed to let you focus on the road. It's also a good idea to use a mount to
hold your phone, so you can keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. You do not have to accept a trip with a
pet, but in accordance with accessibility laws, you do have to accept service animals
into your car. Guide dogs and other service animals are
highly trained, but feel free to keep a towel in your car and have the animals
sit on the towel. If you are ever involved in an accident while on an Uber
trip, be sure to notify Uber as soon as you can safely do so.
