Side Hustle Kerfuffle

Also... Don't be racist

Have you ever had a passenger start a conversation with the words, "Not to sound racist, but...". Yeah, that happened to me. We discuss this and more in our weekly accounting of our Uber, Lyft and DoorDash adventure.

Where to drive for Uber, Lyft and DoorDash

One of the first subjects we discuss is where to drive for Uber, Lyft and DoorDash. The question of where to drive seems to be one of the biggest questions we come across on the forums we cover for Uber and Lyft (and to a lesser extent, DoorDash). So, today we address the question of where to drive for Uber, Lyft and DoorDash in the podcast.

Schools are beginning to ban DoorDash deliveries

We've heard reports that a lot of schools across the country are beginning to ban DoorDash deliveries to students at school. We discuss our feelings about this issue and check out the article below for further reading on the subject:

Teens Thought They Found A Way Around Cafeteria Food. Schools Say No.

~HuffPost

Does your insurance provider require you to have a Commercial Policy?

Andi discovered a conversation in a DoorDash Facebook group this week about a driver who's insurance company dropped them because they found out that they were driving for DoorDash.

After a bit of research into the subject, we've discovered a few things. One of these things is that insurance companies in general seem to be catching up to the game late. There seem to be different policies for different insurance companies on what needs to be done if you are a rideshare or food delivery driver. It also depends on how often you drive for said rideshare or food delivery company.

That being said, check out our discussion about the matter in the podcast and if you have any questions we highly recommend (especially if you're in the Dayton Ohio area) to reach out to Thad Camp State Farm and contact Sean for information on this. Sean is a good friend of ours and knows exactly what you would need for insurance if you are an Uber, Lyft or DoorDash driver. To be clear, this is not a paid spot, we are not in any way affiliated with State Farm or this specific insurance company, we just love them and they have done right by us through our time utilizing them.

If you would like to contact Sean, the best way to reach him is at work (duh):

...What... Did you think I was going to give you a personal cell phone number to reach him? He'd probably kill me.

Other subjects we cover in today's podcast:

* Tipping for takeout

* Your ECO footprint driving for Uber, Lyft and DoorDash

* Our income for the week for driving for Uber, Lyft and DoorDash

* We sing Chili's babyback rib song

Tell Us Your Story!

We really want to hear from you. Check out our Contact Page and leave us a message (and a way to contact you) about a story you would like to share and we may get in touch with you to share that story in our next episode of Side Hustle Kerfuffle!

Lyft celebrates Pride Month:

Lyft is celebrating pride month (June) by giving it's riders the option to choose a pronoun in their profile. We discuss this in more detail in the podcast and you can read more about this here: Lyft to give riders the option to choose pronouns in time for Pride Month

Dayton Strong:

In last weeks episode, Dayton Ohio Tornado Victims Need Your Help!, we discussed the need for assistance here in Dayton Ohio for tornado victims. There is still a need for support, so please visit the link above to find where you can assist tornado victims in the Dayton Ohio area. We have seen some great out-reach in this area already to assist, but there will be a continued need for more assistance for a while longer to help get everyone back on their feet. Thank you to any and all who have already chipped in to donate your money or time.

Uber riders can be banned for low ratings:

Uber has announced that riders can now be banned for a low user rating. Drivers have already had to deal with this reality and now Uber has made this a two way street. Unlike Uber drivers, Uber says that passengers will have ample opportunity to increase their rating before becoming banned. You can read more about this story here: Uber To Start Banning Passengers With Low Ratings

National Donut Day is June 7th:

We discuss how much we love donuts and we plan on fully enjoying national donut day to the fullest. Donuts are awesome!

#SkyPenis:

This was trending on Twitter. Are you looking for something interesting to discuss with your passenger? Maybe you're standing around awkwardly with other DoorDash drivers. Now you have a topic... Sky Penis.

This time, it was an accident.

At least, that's what Air Force officials said in an official statement Thursday after yet anotherdrawing resembling male genitalia appeared in the sky, this time over Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.

---Read more here: Fighter pilots draw penis in the sky. Air Force says it was an accident

Our Income is Back:

We've been holding off on discussing our income lately because we don't want to mislead anyone interested in driving for Uber, Lyft or DoorDash into thinking that they will make more than they will. When you listen to the income portion of our podcast, keep in mind that this income is before wear and tear on our vehicle's and before gas.

Dayton, Ohio and surrounding communities were hit hard by tornados last night.

 

Dayton, Ohio and many of the communities surrounding Dayton were slammed last night with multiple tornados that did extensive damage. Many of the hardest hit areas were some of Dayton's most underserved neighborhoods, and they need help more than ever after this tragedy. North Dayton communities most impacted by devastation (according to most recent reports) were Trotwood, Celina, Brookville, and Beavercreek.

This podcast is about Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash... Why are we talking about tornados?

These people are part of my life every day. These are the people we're driving to and from work, school, parties, bars, and wherever else they're going in the course of their normal lives. These are the people that we're delivering food to. These are my neighbors and friends and I can't just sit by and watch this happen without trying to assist in some small way.

While driving today, we saw the damage first hand. It's unbelievable what can happen in just a few minutes. Less than thirty minutes away from where we live, trees were snapped in half. Houses were flattened, or half-exposed so the world can see everything. These folks lost their entire lives in a storm that passed by in half an hour.  I want to go hand out water tomorrow, but... tonight I want to share this story with the world so that we can help my neighbors, my friends, and my customers get back on their feet again. Below I will be sharing links to places that are directly helping these neighborhoods so that if you would like to assist in rebuilding our community, you'll know where the help is most needed.

Links to help the tornado victims in Dayton, Ohio:

For quick action with $$ donations, please donate to one of these two entities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

(I've pulled this information directly from Dayton, OH's website, but I'm going to enhance it with links to the organizations)

Where to Find Help

Emergency Information:

If you feel that you or your loved ones are in immediate danger, do not hesitate to call 911. If you have not been able to reach a loved one after last night’s tornado outbreak, call 937-224-8934 and someone will assist you.

 

Food:

McKinley United Methodist Church (196 Hawthorn St., Dayton, OH 45417) will be distributing water and hot meals from 3-7pm, Tuesday, May 28

Salvation Army Kroc Center (1000 N Keowee St., Dayton, Ohio 45404)

Water Distribution Sites: 

Morton Middle School: 8555 Peters Pike, Vandalia 45377

The Ridge Church: 7555 Brookville Phillipsburg Rd, Brookville 45309

Corinthian Church: 700 S James H McGee Blvd, Dayton 45402

Montgomery County Environmental Services: 1850 Spaulding Rd, Dayton 45432

Washington Twp. Rec Center: 895 Miamisburg Centerville Rd, Dayton 45459

Is Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash sustainable?

* Uber surge pricing is going away (fake surges and less actual surge pricing areas)

* MIT Technology Review says the median take home per hour for Uber and Lyft drivers is around $3.37/hr (link below)

* Setting up Andi's Uber profile for Uber Eats

* Andi is having issues with DoorDash's GPS screaming at her while she's on the phone

* I'm including a link to calculate your wear and tear while ridesharing or delivering food below

***Correction to the podcast that will be corrected in the airing on next weeks podcast as well. The surge price manipulation at the airports that was reported is not being done by Uber and Lyft, it's being done by the drivers at the airports that drive for Uber and Lyft. I'm including the link to the story below.***

Links for further reading:

Here is a story about median pricing for Uber and Lyft drivers: https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/03/02/590168381/uber-lyft-drivers-earning-a-median-profit-of-3-37-per-hour-study-says

 

Link to story about Uber and Lyft drivers manipulating surge pricing at airports: https://abc6onyourside.com/on-your-side/uber-lyft-drivers-manipulate-fares-at-some-airports-causing-artificial-price-surges

 

Follow the link here to a calculator for finding out how much you're spending on gas, wear and tear on your ridesharing or food delivery: https://www.frugalfringe.com/calculators/road-trip-calculator-rent-a-car-or-drive-your-own/

* The mileage calculator in the link above is the best calculator I could find after doing some research. This link lets you compare price of driving your own car versus renting a vehicle. You can calculate the cost for just your vehicle by leaving out the rental car pricing.

 

Are you looking for tips on driving for Uber, Lyft or DoorDash? Check out these helpful resources below!

Uber and Lyft tips for new drivers

 

DoorDash Tips for new drivers

Anxiety Strikes at the Uber Strike

In this weeks episode of Side Hustle Kerfuffle:

Jesse recounts what led up to an anxiety attack that occurred right before going to an Uber strike that he had organized. Andi and Jesse discuss what led up to this and what the fallout was. Jesse apologizes and then discusses actions we're going to take from here forward with regard to how we're going to make a change for Uber and Lyft drivers in the Dayton/Ohio area.

Anxiety Sucks!

Dayton Ohio Uber Strike

Let us know if you're going to be at the protest. Visit the Facebook event here: Dayton OH Uber Strike

Although Uber's planned initial public offering next month is likely to turn some current and former employees of the ridesharing service into instant millionaires and billionaires, the biggest IPO in years may do much less for one party -- the company's drivers. That's why thousands of Uber drivers (and riders) across the country plan to turn off their app for 24 hours on May 8 to protest what they regard as the company's stingy wages.

Dayton Ohio Uber (and Lyft) drivers will be participating in a strike (protest) on May 8th. It will be from 2pm -5pm at the corner of Stewart St. and Brown St. near UD (University of Dayton).

Please do NOT park on campus property. Do not protest on campus property. We will be sticking to the sidewalks at that intersection. We also can not block pedestrian traffic.

This will be a great place for some exposure for our problems with Uber and Lyft, so lets be respectful of the laws and make the most of this event.

Questions from last week

We answer some of the questions from last week and follow up with the some news stories we covered in last weeks show. I recommend checking out last week's episode so you can understand fully what we're discussing. Last week's episode can be found here: Uber Strike, Funerals and Ice Cream

DoorDash Referrals

We spend some time today discussing the completion of our first referral to complete their trips and let our listeners know where they can sign up to be eligible for the DoorDash bonus. Check out our DoorDash tips here and click the link to sign up to be a new driver so you can earn the bonus: Tips for New DoorDash Drivers

Other Discussions this week

* Uber and Lyft passenger and driver safety

* Guys from Nepal serenading Jesse on the way to the strip club

* Calling 911 on a drunk driver

* Burger King "place the order, no need to pay"

* Spilled drinks

* Free Milkshakes

* A green house

* Much more...

If you're listening to us on iTunes, don't forget to review us. Reviews will help us out tremendously!

Uber Stike, Funerals and Ice Cream

In today's episode Jesse discusses how a woman got arrested for sending her kid off in an Uber, and how one Uber passenger killed another.  Also, McDonald's drops a bomb regarding exclusivity! Biggest news of the podcast? There is an Uber STRIKE coming up on May 8th where drivers will fight for better pay, which harkens back to a topic we covered last week -- the sustainability of doing these driving gigs for a living. Side Hustle Kerfuffle will be at the strike in Dayton, Ohio, so be sure to let us know if you plan to attend!

Andi, as usual brings lots of stories to the table this week, most notably her question about how to properly deal with funeral processions while on the road.  She shares her experience with a Burger King that wasn't accepting credit cards, and customers who order ice cream for delivery from (get this!) a Mexican restaurant. She also celebrates free drinks, baby geese, and the fact that she earned more money than Jesse this week.

Uber Strike Information:

Even if your city is not officially planning on being part of this Uber Strike, I would check out your local Facebook page to see if your local drivers are planning an event. It's happening May 8th as stated above and here is a news report about the event (from CBS): https://www.cbsnews.com/news/uber-lyft-drivers-plan-24-hour-strike-to-protest-pay/

**UPDATE** If you're looking for information about the Uber Strike happening in Dayton OH, CLICK HERE

New Orleans Rapper Arrested After Sending Kid to School in Lyft Ride:

27-year-old Reiona Oliver, aka GameOva Reedy, had placed her 5-year-old son in a Lyft ride and instructed the driver to take him to a school in New Orleans. After the driver informed Oliver her son had to be accompanied by an adult, the mother simply walked back into her home and never returned.

*  Find the entire story here: https://www.complex.com/music/2019/04/new-orleans-rapper-arrested-for-sending-kid-to-school-in-lyft-ride

Uber passenger killed by second Uber passenger:

The Uber driver called police after attempting to pick up two passengers at an intersection, Gonzalez said.

One of the two men sat in the rear passenger’s side of the SUV, while the other came around the back and then fired “multiple times” into the back seat where “his companion” was, Gonzalez said.

* Find the entire story here: https://wqad.com/2019/04/28/uber-driver-picked-up-2-riders-in-texas-one-passenger-killed-the-other-and-fled-police-say/

McDonald’s Negotiates Uber Eats Contract:

While particulars of the deal are still being finalized, the memo said the terms will include “significantly reduced commission rates for all U.S. restaurants” and ultimately allow franchisees to use different delivery partners. Ending McDonald’s exclusive deal with Uber Technologies Inc. would open a window for other popular providers like DoorDash Inc. and GrubHub Inc. It’s a sensitive time for Uber, whose initial public offering is expected next month.

Today on Side Hustle Kerfuffle, your resource for everything Uber, Lyft and DoorDash in the Dayton Ohio area:

* How much does Uber and Lyft make on a ride vs. the driver?

* Delivering food to hospitals

* Fake surge on Uber

* Andi had a bad day at Tropical Smoothie and Applebees

* What do you know about insurance for Uber and Lyft and what it covers?

* Tattoo parlor and Nickelback making a comeback?

* GPS is crap

* Dash gets paused after accidentally skipping an order

Want to see what Nickelback is up to these days? Check them out here: https://www.nickelback.com/

 

As always, we want to hear your stories too. Be sure to head over to the CONTACT page and let us know what your craziest rideshare or food delivery story is. Even if you’re the rider or the person receiving the food, we want to know your story!

Today on Side Hustle Kerfuffle, your resource for everything Uber, Lyft and DoorDash in the Dayton Ohio area:

* DoorDash stats all in the "Green"

* Crazy guy at the mechanic's shop

* Referrals

* Checking and fixing your tire pressure

* Uber, Lyft and DoorDash support groups on Facebook

* Doing your own car repairs

* Short deliveries and drives

* Is Uber, Lyft and DoorDash sustainable as a full time job?

The Vietnamese restaurant that we visited was Linh's Bistro! Check them out here: http://www.linhsbistro.com/

 

As always, we want to hear your stories too. Be sure to head over to the CONTACT page and let us know what your craziest rideshare or food delivery story is. Even if you’re the rider or the person receiving the food, we want to know your story!

Today on Side Hustle Kerfuffle, your resource for everything Uber, Lyft and DoorDash in the Dayton Ohio area:

* Tax time and the app Trip Log

* St. Patrick's day and drinking holidays

* Apps that switch between Uber and Lyft (etc...) such as Mystro and Maxymo

* DoorDash Catering bags

* Food requests in the driver instructions for DoorDash

* Requests to "Deliver mine first"

* Walmart orders

* our income for the week!

 

As always, we want to hear your stories too. Be sure to head over to the CONTACT page and let us know what your craziest rideshare or food delivery story is. Even if you're the rider or the person receiving the food, we want to know your story!