Driving for Uber or Lyft: A Breakdown of the Advantages and Drawbacks

Both Uber and Lyft have dominated the ride share market for some time now. For the past decade-plus, you can look to those two if you want a ride to or from the airport and don’t want to take a taxi or use public transportation. You also have options like limos, but they’re normally more expensive.

Every state regulates ride share companies since 2022. It’s a smart idea. With state regulation, the companies must follow rules that protect both driver and passengers. 

Maybe you’re thinking about driving for Lyft or Uber. If so, you might point to certain aspects of this kind of job that appeal. However, you must also think about some notable drawbacks that should enter into the decision-making process.

Let’s talk about the pros and cons of driving for Lyft or Uber in detail right now.

You Can Make Your Own Hours

First, let’s talk about some of the better aspects of driving for Uber or Lyft. You can start by thinking about the fact that if you take on this sort of work, you can basically make your own hours. 

That’s pretty great if you’re trying to make as much money as possible in as short of a time as you can. You can put in more than a 40-hour work week with either platform if you like.

You can’t drive unlimited hours, since you must take a break after a maximum 12-hour shift. You have to follow a 12-hours on, 12-hours off policy. Still, that’s there for your safety, as well as passenger safety, so you shouldn’t mind.

You’re Your Own Boss

If you drive for Lyft or Uber, then you’re essentially your own boss. You must follow all of the rules set up by the platform, but you don’t have a direct superior to whom you answer.

Some people really like that. You have plenty of oddballs in the world who need to make a living, but they’re a little antisocial, socially awkward, or simple don’t like the idea of sitting in a cubicle all day. 

If that sounds like you, then you can drive for one of these two ride share companies, and you don’t ever have to worry about your manager or the company CEO breathing down your neck. You have a good deal of personal freedom in your work life, and many people appreciate that. 

You Don’t Need a College Degree

You also don’t need a college degree to drive for Uber or Lyft. If you graduate from high school and want a job that pays decently, you can start driving for one of these companies almost immediately, assuming you also have the necessary qualifications.

Some people don’t like school very much. They may have practical skills, such as the driving aptitude Uber or Lyft require, but they don’t want to have to sit in a classroom for even one more minute of their lives.

You can skip going to college, which also means you can avoid going into debt. Some people who want to pursue a higher education must take out massive student loans if they feel they have no other viable alternatives.  

You Must Have a Relatively New Car in Decent Condition

Now, let’s talk about some possible drawbacks if you want this type of a career. For one thing, you can’t have a very old car, and you must also keep it in decent condition.

You can submit information about your car on the platform when you sign up for Uber or Lyft. With Lyft, someone from the company must physically come to check out your vehicle’s condition once per year. 

With Uber, you must have a four-door vehicle. The car must not exceed 16 years of age. While that’s a little annoying, you probably shouldn’t drive people around in a vehicle that’s any older than that, even if you keep it in excellent condition. A breakdown gets too likely by that point. 

You Might Have the Occasional Deranged or Rude Passenger

As someone driving for Uber or Lyft, you can look at someone’s passenger rating before you pick them up. You can rate them, just like they’re rating you. 

However, even if you have someone with a solid star rating, that does not necessarily mean you won’t encounter a rude or bizarre person from time to time. You never know when you might run into someone who’s having a really bad day. Maybe they just lost their job or their partner just broke up with them.

You don’t know their disposition till they get in the vehicle with you. If they suddenly start screaming at you, then you can stop the car and demand that they get out. However, just like in any customer service job, you only have so much control over the situation.

You’re Not Getting Rich This Way  

You can also make decent money driving for either Uber or Lyft, especially if you drive fulltime. You’re not getting rich through this kind of a job, though.

Just about every profession has a ceiling in terms of how much money you can realistically make. If you get into a particular industry or niche thinking that you want to strike it rich, that’s probably not driving people around. 

You Don’t Get Healthcare or A Generous Benefits Package

There’s also one additional drawback that you may want to think about. You don’t get healthcare through either Lyft or Uber. You will have to get it through your state’s healthcare marketplace, sometimes called Obamacare. 

You will also not get a 401K, employer matching, stock options, or anything like that if you drive for either Lyft or Uber. If you want those things, then you need to look elsewhere.

Ultimately, if you drive for Lyft or Uber, you’re part of the gig economy. That brings both drawbacks and benefits. If the latter outweighs the former for you, then you can look at this as a viable option.