This article will teach you everything you need to know if you are considering applying to drive on Uber in the United State. We will discuss important things you will need to know before you decide to apply to Uber, including the requirements, all the ways you can earn money with Uber, and how you can receive your earnings.
Table of contents
- Requirements to become an Uber driver in the United States
- Required documents to apply to be an Uber driver
- Making money with Uber in the United States
- How does payment on Uber work?
Requirements to become an Uber driver in the United States
Uber has a minimum set of requirements that all drivers have to meet. Prospective drivers also submit documents to Uber for compliance and undergo several checks before and while they drive on the platform.
Minimum requirements for all Uber drivers in the United States
Uber has a set of minimum requirements to be an Uber driver in the United States. You need:
- At least one year of driving experience if you are over 25, and three years if you are under 25.
- An in-state license that allows you to drive legally
- To be at least the minimum age that lets you to drive in your city
- Have access to a vehicle that they allow on their platform
Required documents to apply to be an Uber driver
Every Uber driver is screened before being allowed to request trips. As part of this process, the following documents that are required to drive on Uber are at minimum:
- US driver's license
- Proof of address document
- Vehicle insurance (if you drive a car you own) and registration information
- Background check
- Profile photo
The state that you drive may also require additional documents that are needed from you. Additionally, Uber conducts checks continuously and may require drivers in each state to update their information annually, such as driving permits and criminal records.
How long do Uber background checks take?
According to Uber, background checks for drivers in the United States are usually processed in 3-5 business days. This may take longer if your state or city has additional compliance measures. Uber outsources their background check process in the United States to three companies, Checkr, HireRight, and Samba Safety. Checkr states that this is between 3-7 business days. In short, Uber background checks usually take one week to complete.
Are Uber drivers independent contractors?
Uber considers drivers on it's platform to be independent contractors. This is a controversial topic in the United States and across the world. For drivers, this means that basic benefits of employment like unemployment insurance and paid sick leave are not provided by Uber. The company does provide alternative benefits in some states like California where drivers can get a minimum earning, health care and insurance protection under certain conditions.
Can you drive for Uber with a felony?
Yes, you can. Uber is open to providing economic opportunities to all individuals as part of a company commitment they have made that includes support and sponsorship for second-chance events and fairs. It must be noted that they consider the severity of the offense that was committed since both rider and road safety is a high-priority concern for the company.
Can you drive for Uber with a DUI?
Uber has a zero-tolerance policy on driving under the influence. This means you will not be allowed to drive for Uber if you have been convicted of driving under the influence. If you are an existing driver or delivery person caught driving under the influence, you risk your account being terminated. More generally, you are not allowed to drive in a way that places the rider and others on the road in harm's way. Repeat offenders of this policy also risk their accounts being terminated. You can read more information about this in their dangerous driving policy.
Making money with Uber in the United States
Driver earn money from Uber primarily from trips. There are also a few other ways drivers can earn money - through promotions and tips.
Earning from trips
Trips pay drivers for taking riders from a pickup point to a destination. This is the most common way for drivers to earn money. Most of the money earned by an Uber driver is from trips.
Earning from Uber Promotions
Uber Promotions are incentives that allow drivers to earn more money for completing objectives. Promotions are not available to all drivers and are state-specific.
Types of Uber Promotions in the United States
Uber offers two types of promotions to drivers - Quests and Boost+. Uber Quests allows drivers to make extra money by completing a minimum number of trips in a period. If a driver meets the requirements of a quest, they receive bonus funds in their Uber wallet. There are two types of quests, "Rides-only" and "Rides and Eats". Rides-only quests can only be completed by completing driving on Uber. Rides and Eats quests can be completed by driving on Uber and delivering on Uber Eats. Uber Boost+ pays drivers more for completing trips that begin in a specific area. These can be identified in the Driver app by blue zones on the map.
How much can you earn from driving on Uber?
The amount you earn from Uber depends on the number of trips you take, quests you complete, and tips riders give you. Uber tells you how much you will make and where you will be heading before you accept a trip. You are always informed and can decline any trip you do not want to take.
How much does Uber take from drivers?
Uber only takes a service fee from trips made by drivers. We explain the amount that is charged in the following sections.
Amount Uber takes from trips
Uber does not publicly mention the commission and fees they take from trips since this figure varies for each trip. This information is available to drivers in the weekly statement they receive as a service fee deducted by Uber. The service fee taken by Uber is the amount left over from the amount a rider paid for a trip after driver earnings, third-party fees and operational costs are deducted. Third-party fees comprise fees Uber pays to entities like governments and other authorities to comply with local laws. Operational expenses removes an amount to operate the Uber platform to provide the service to drivers and riders.
Service fee charged by Uber = Price customer paid – Amount driver earned – third-party fees - operational expenses
Amount Uber takes from tips
Uber does not take commission from tips that you receive from riders. All earnings from tips are yours.
How are the prices of Uber trips calculated?
Uber calculates trips differently from what you would think. Rather than use the distance and the time of a trip, they use a combination of the details of the trip, how much demand there is currently (you will commonly recognize this as surge pricing), and data that they have collected from past trips over the year to give a final figure for the cost of a trip. They call this Upfront Fares.
The details of a trip
The base fare uses where the rider is being picked up from, where they are going, and how long the journey is expected to go on for.
The demand for a trip
The demand for a trip is interesting since it considers the experience of the ride itself. If the rider is being picked up from or going to a place that is busy when a ride is requested - like entering or leaving a music concert - you can expect to earn more for this trip. They also consider the traffic situation along the journey and wait times. If the route is traffic-congested, you can expect to earn more. This component uses the information they have at the time a request for a trip is made.
Data collected about previous trips
Uber incorporates AI into the fare calculation using data collected on the billions of trips recorded on their platform. This allows them to make precise forecasts for a ride. This is a powerful aspect that incorporates things like the time during the day that a trip is taken and the expected demand for day-to-day rides into the fare to help you maximize your earnings.
You can learn more about the calculation in this technical article about Upfront Fares.
Why does Uber use Upfront Fares?
Uber uses Upfront Fares to help drivers earn more consistently with trips and provide riders with an exact amount they will pay for a trip. Their data and studies showed that riders are more likely to request a trip when they know how much they will pay. This brings more money into the Uber ecosystem for drivers to earn.
Do Upfront Fares pay drivers more?
According to Uber themselves, Upfront Fares pay better on short trips and slightly lower on longer trips. Drivers themselves seem to have mixed opinions on its introduction.
How does payment on Uber work?
Uber provides multiple payment options for drivers to receive earnings. These options range from free to premium. The following payment options are available to Uber drivers in the United States:
- Weekly bank transfers
- Instant Pay
- Withdrawals to Uber Pro debit card
Weekly bank transfers
Uber deposits driver earnings to a linked bank account once per week for free. This payment option may also include bank-processing times that can delay when a driver receives their money.
Instant Pay
Instant Pay is a premium payment option that allows Uber drivers to receive earnings immediately. It can be used six times per day and may incur a fee depending on where earnings are deposited to. If driver earnings are deposited to an Uber Pro debit card it is free to use, otherwise it costs $0.85 per request.
Uber Pro debit card
The Uber Pro debit card is a free payment option that Uber drivers can use to receive earnings instantly. It also provides perks and benefits for drivers.