Uber driver reveals how cancelling rides and driving only during busy periods helped him make more money

An Uber driver recently shared how he earned a significant income by cancelling rides. Bill, 70, who used a pseudonym, in a recent interaction with a business daily revealed that he began driving for extra income after his retirement six years ago.

"I spend a lot of time saying no," Bill, who lives in North Carolina, told Business Insider. Bill disclosed that throughout his years driving for Uber, he has accepted fewer than 10 per cent of the ride requests he's received and cancelled more than 30 per cent of them. He does this to ensure he gets rides that are worth his time.

Last year, he earned over $28,000 from around 1,500 Uber trips. However, he said that the occurrence of surges, which boost both customer prices and driver pay, has become less common in his area, leading him to reduce his driving hours.

"I don't work unless we have a surge," he told the publication. While he used to work for 40 online hours a week (including time spent in looking for rides as well as moving around to different areas to find passengers), that has reduced to just 30 hours a week now.

According to him, the increase in the number of drivers in his region is among the key reasons for the decline in surges in his area. During the pandemic, when some drivers temporarily stopped driving amid health concerns, Bill as well as others could earn up to $50 an hour. However, with more drivers on the road, he sometimes earns as little as $15 to $20 per hour.

There are certain strategies deployed by Bill to still make decent money. He often positions himself in high-demand locations such as airports and bars during busy times. The 70-year-old said that the most common surge periods are between 10:00 pm and 2:30 am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Another key strategy is avoiding "one-way rides." He recalled that once he drove a customer nearly two hours from his city and got paid $27. He then had to drive back home for free since no customers requested a ride in that direction. He revealed that after accounting for expenses, he eventually ended up losing money on the trip.

These tactics come with some risks, as Uber discourages drivers from refusing or canceling trips based on destination. However, he plans to continue relying on his strategies and only drive when it's financially advantageous. He added that he doesn't depend solely on Uber income and that helps.

"I drive to get out and don't need the money," he said. "I love it."

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