- Hiedi Handford, a medical advisor, dietary supplements her revenue by driving for Uber in South Florida.
- Handford discovered strategic methods to maximise her earnings, although she solely pulls in about $3,000 a month.
- Handford additionally drives for Jeevz, permitting her to drive luxurious automobiles and get increased suggestions from riders.
Hiedi Handford, 57, has pushed lengthy distances for so long as she will be able to keep in mind. She drove 120 miles spherical journey over a mountain go to get to and from work in Montana from her residence in the identical city the place the Unabomber lived.
When Handford, a mom of three who moved to Colorado after which South Florida for her medical consulting enterprise, found she may receives a commission to drive, she began with Uber 4 years in the past. It helps her complement earnings from her enterprise, however she’s been more and more annoyed by some facets of the driving expertise.
“What’s irritating about it’s, as drivers, we now have all of the dangers, all of the accountability,” Handford stated. “We’re the face of those apps, and so they’re not paying us to be that.”
Handford is one in all practically two dozen South Florida drivers with whom BI spoke throughout spring break. Many echoed that driving has been fulfilling and worthwhile throughout sure factors of the 12 months, although many drivers have more and more turned their consideration towards personal rides, various driving platforms, or rides in much less populated areas. Some have turned away from driving full-time and have seemed towards different revenue sources.
“I do not understand how these guys pay hire round right here in the event that they’re doing this full-time,” she stated.
Driving for Uber in South Florida
Handford spent the primary 4 many years of her life in Montana, the place she lived in a city of 1,000 folks. There weren’t many roles in her space, so she took a authorities job 60 miles away on mountainous roads.
She ultimately began within the medical consulting subject as a holistic healer. She spent a couple of years in Colorado, the place she was an activist within the hashish house, and he or she educated in how you can work with most cancers sufferers.
She moved to South Florida 10 years in the past, transferring to Fort Lauderdale. Provided that her sufferers have been scattered throughout South Florida, she figured that she may earn a living driving passengers en path to appointments.
“Uber was far more profitable than it’s now,” Handford stated. “4 years in the past, I may exit and make $350 in a day in eight or 9 hours. That is not even potential now on a full 12-hour run grinding. It does not occur as a result of they’re taking a lot. I had a trip from the airport as much as Boynton Seashore. He paid $62 for that journey, and I used to be paid $26.”
Now, she estimates she’s driving about six hours a day between consumer visits, making $20 to $25 an hour. It helps her complement her medical consulting appointments, for which she fees $125 an hour. She generally makes use of vacation spot filters to get rides handy with the place she’s heading to, although she stated they typically do not work throughout peak occasions. On weekends, she typically drives full days.
“I actually take into account myself a daytime driver, so a variety of what I do are physician’s places of work. Medical health insurance pays for transportation, and so a variety of these physician’s places of work are sending automobiles to get folks, after which they do the billing on it,” she stated. “Any day, you possibly can exit and earn a living. It is only a matter of understanding the place to drive and never being so choosy. In the event you’re cherry-picking each trip, then you definitely’re not going to make any cash.”
Whereas she has thought-about taking personal rides, which might pay far more than random Uber and Lyft rides, she stated she’d reasonably keep away from the added threat and accountability.
“Insurance coverage-wise, I might by no means advocate anyone ever do personal rides with anyone as a result of someplace, in some way, one thing’s going to occur,” Handford stated. “You are in South Florida. You could be the best driver on the planet, however you are trusting all people else on the market, and they’ll drive into you one in all lately.”
As a substitute, she has prioritized driving for Jeevz, which permits her to drive luxurious automobiles. She makes a constant $17 an hour on the platform, although she will get considerably extra suggestions from wealthier riders. She additionally drives in her passengers’ private autos, which avoids prices related to upkeep and depreciation, and he or she stated she feels safer driving because the passenger vetting course of is way stricter. She has a couple of purchasers with whom she’s constructed a powerful rapport, and he or she takes about three to 4 Jeevz rides every week.
“It actually strokes my blissful bone as a result of I’m a automotive nut,” Handford stated. “I’ve all the time wished to strive these different automobiles as a result of I like horsepower and all of that.”
Methods for driving part-time
She stated she used to drive in Miami — about 45 minutes south — on a regular basis, utilizing Google Translate significantly for her Spanish-speaking passengers, although the language barrier has led to some mixups.
She stated she’s been annoyed by the toll highway reimbursement course of, given her space has begun placing in new toll roads that are not all mirrored on the Uber and Lyft apps. She stated it generally takes weeks to get reimbursed, and generally her requests get denied even when she offers proof.
It additionally took her some time to learn to navigate the world’s drawbridges, which might typically trigger delays and has led passengers to cancel rides on her. “We’ve automobiles, not hovercrafts,” she stated.
Handford stated she did not prioritize spring break rides as a lot this 12 months as she found out extra worthwhile driving methods. She’s centered on airport runs for vacationers since she usually stays away from the seashores, the place she will be able to sit in site visitors for over an hour. Nonetheless, navigating Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Worldwide Airport, the place the ride-hailing staging space is sort of three miles from the congested terminals, is typically not price it.
She’s additionally seen fewer incentives throughout peak occasions, and he or she’s discovered driving in touristy areas could be hit and miss for earnings.
Driving round Fort Lauderdale throughout peak trip occasions has its complications and frustrations, although she stated she loves performing as a tour information and likewise a “mother.” She advises riders on how you can stay alert and protected whereas nonetheless having fun with themselves, which has additionally helped her enhance her suggestions.
“I like spring break as a result of I get to share my neighborhood and the place I stay, and I am actually glad we now have extra of them in Fort Lauderdale as a result of then I haven’t got to go up to now to do this as a result of I get pleasure from participating with them,” Handford stated. “I actually do not imagine that the issues they’d on South Seashore have been from the children coming in for spring break. They wish to come right here, have a good time, often get hammered, and fall face first within the sand.”
Driving is very fulfilling when she will get rewarded for going the additional mile to make sure her passengers’ security. She stated many drivers in her space will let passengers off anyplace with out enthusiastic about their security, and he or she’s discovered pleasure in being a useful resource for members of her neighborhood, significantly medical sufferers.
Nonetheless, the $2,400 to $3,400 a month she makes from driving will not be essentially the most economical going ahead.
“With Uber, I common $20 to $25, and if I am not averaging that, I flip it off and go residence,” Handford stated. “I am flying by the seat of the algorithm.”
Are you a ride-hailing driver who’s struggling to pay payments or has had latest success? If you would like to share your story, attain out to nsheidlower@businessinsider.com.
