Skip to main content

Nowhere to drive? Uber tells its drivers to relax and learn during downtime

uber lawsuit underpay drivers 3 million driver stepping out
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Take a walk, listen to music, or read a book. Apparently, the work life of Uber drivers is not as busy as one might think. A recent post on Uber’s Newsroom blog for drivers — and anyone else who cares to check it out — suggests alternate activities during breaks between trips.

In the post “3 Delightful Things To Try Between Trips,” drivers are told the following: “Part of the reality of being an Uber partner are the waits for your next trip request.” Drivers are encouraged to “use them as an opportunity to a well-deserved break during these quieter times to keep yourself refreshed and ready to roll.”

First, drivers are encouraged to get out of the car, stretch their legs and “leisurely stroll around a new neighborhood you haven’t visited before.” That idea does not quite fit with driver posts about trying to eke out a reasonable hourly revenue stream so they can cover expenses and bring home earnings. The post does make the point that drivers who learn about new areas will have “great talking points for your riders traveling through.”

Drivers are also prompted to listen to music with a streaming subscription on their mobile phone. “Park in the shade, kick back, and enjoy listening to your favorite music as you wait for your next ride.”

Or read a book. Uber introduces its drivers to libraries. “Aside from browsing book collections, many libraries also offer free computers and Wi-Fi at no charge, audiobooks, magazines, DVDs, and CDs. Many libraries also offer a lineup of entertainment that includes special events, workshops, and activites that’ll boost the downtime of your next break.”

The end of the post is followed by a button to “Sign Up to Drive.” If the post is indicative of what a life as an Uber is actually like, with all that strolling, listening to music, and book browsing, who wouldn’t want to take the time to chill and enjoy the leisurely, relaxed life of an Uber driver?

The question that remains, however, is how does all this strolling, vibing, and browsing effect your bottom line when you are trying to make money during the time you allocated for your independent contracting endeavor?

Editors' Recommendations

Bruce Brown
Digital Trends Contributing Editor Bruce Brown is a member of the Smart Homes and Commerce teams. Bruce uses smart devices…
Best Salesforce alternatives 2023: 7 other CRM tools worth trying
A customer relationship management diagram.

In the realm of sales management, finding the right customer relationship management software (or CRM) is crucial for streamlining your sales funnel, nurturing customer relationships, and boosting your conversion rate. While Salesforce has long been a dominant player in the CRM market, there are a number of compelling alternatives that offer comparable functionalities and features.

This roundup explores seven powerful Salesforce alternatives, analyzing their unique strengths, customizable interfaces, and integration capabilities. Whether you're a small startup, a growing medium-sized business, or an established enterprise, these CRM systems provide diverse solutions to your specific sales management needs. From advanced AI-driven lead prioritization to intuitive visual pipelines, each alternative offers its own benefits that can transform how you approach sales. Ready to level up your sales game? Let's dive in:
Freshsales

Read more
Squarespace Courses: Empowering the next-generation of creative entrepreneurs
Squarespace Courses will allow entrepreneurs to create online learning solutions

This content was produced in partnership with Squarespace.
It's been clear from the very start that Squarespace was building and planning something truly special. If you don't already know, you can build professional-quality and beautiful websites through the platform with a remarkably easy tool set. You don't need any knowledge of web design or programming to get started, and you can have a site up in minutes. But thanks to how convenient it all is, it's become something of a go-to platform for digital and online creation. Now, Squarespace is elevating its all-in-one platform even more, offering something new to the next generation of entrepreneurs and creatives, who want to build their brands and monetize their audience. It's called Squarespace Courses, and like its website builder, the tool will allow customers to design and sell beautiful, multimedia courses to their customers.

Course designers will be able to create expansive programs across sequential lessons, using videos, and chapters, all while also offering progress tracking. As is customary for online courses, entrepreneurs can then create an overview of each course, set the prices for admission, and then allow potential students to preview content before making a purchase. Launching August 21st, 2023 this feature is simply not available through other easy-website-building platforms -- it's exclusive to Squarespace.

Read more
Semrush Free Trial: Try the advanced online marketing tool
how to clean up your keywords and refresh seo strategy semrush logo feature image large

Marketing will make or break your new venture. A lot more goes into running a traditional or ecommerce business than just registering a new domain, making a website -- even with a Wix free trial -- and calling it a day. Potential customers must be made aware that your business exists, and for that to happen in the digital age, you need to make use of modern online marketing tools. That's a broad field, though, encompassing keyword research, search engine optimization, data analytics, and other elements that can be pretty technical (not to mention intimidating) to the uninitiated. Enter Semrush, one of the best online marketing suites that makes all that stuff easy -- but it's not free. Maybe you want to give it a try before signing up for a premium subscription? If that's the case and you are looking for a Semrush free trial, then you're in luck. Read on. We have all the details for you, below.

Is there a Semrush free trial?

Read more