Uber Insurance Florida - South Beach

Florida Rideshare Insurance For Uber And Lyft Drivers

/0 Comments/in , /by

Rideshare Insurance Florida: Where To Get Lyft & Uber Insurance In The Sunshine State

[toc]

Return To The Main Rideshare Insurance Page

Florida is one of the largest rideshare markets in the country. Major Uber and Lyft hotspots include Miami, Jacksonville, Tampa, Daytona Beach, Orlando, and St. Petersburg. While it seems like Lyft and Uber have been in Florida forever, they only actually started operating here in the summer of 2014. When they arrived, state and local regulators were pretty hostile. This hostility carried over to insurance carriers who wanted to offer rideshare insurance in the state. In fact, up until 2017, Florida rideshare insurance did not exist.

Farmers was the first insurer to enter the Florida rideshare market, offering coverage through their Foremost subsidiary. With the passage of statewide rideshare legislation that went into effect on July 1, 2017, other companies joined Farmers and began offering coverage for rideshare drivers in the state.

Which companies offer rideshare insurance in Florida?

Currently, you can get rideshare insurance in Florida from:

  • Farmers Insurance (through Foremost)
  • Geico
  • Infinity
  • Mercury
  • Prime Insurance
  • Progressive
  • State Farm
rideshare insurance florida

 

Wait, don’t Uber insurance and Lyft insurance provide rideshare coverage in Florida?

Uber and Lyft provide decent coverage when you have a passenger in the car, or are on your way to a passenger. However, when you’re waiting for a ride request to come in, they provide no collision coverage for your vehicle. They only provide limited liability and property damage coverage. So, if you have an accident while waiting for a ride request, Uber or Lyft will not pay for any damage to your vehicle, or any medical expenses you may incur. They only cover damage to the other vehicle or the passengers in that vehicle.

Doesn’t my personal auto insurance cover me if I have an accident while waiting for a ride request?

No, it does not. Unless you have a rideshare friendly policy, your insurer will not cover you for any accidents that occur while you are driving for Lyft or Uber. Even worse, if they find out you are a rideshare driver, they may cancel your policy. This is the main reason why it’s very important to have a rideshare insurance policy, or a rider on your personal insurance that permits driving for Lyft or Uber.

So, if you want to be fully covered driving Uber or Lyft in Florida, please consider getting a rideshare policy.

With all the competition, rideshare insurance rates have come down. While they’re a little higher in Florida compared to other states, it’s mainly because the coverage you get in Florida is better than in other states. The cost for adding rideshare coverage varies, but usually adds an extra 5% – 15% to the cost of the policy.

Even great drivers have an accident sometimes. So, be sure you’re fully covered – just in case. Contact one of the insurers listed above, or call the agent below to get the best rates on Florida rideshare insurance.

Stay safe out there, and drive profitably.

Florida Rideshare Insurance Agents

Quoteasy Insurance – Florida Rideshare Specialists – (800) 568-2209

Florida Rideshare Insurance Quoteasy logo

We provide rideshare insurance that covers you during personal use as well as during PERIOD 1. We also provide Commercial Auto insurance for Uber Eats/Amazon Deliveries, Etc! We pride ourselves on offering personalized customer service. Call us for a consultation or quote!

 

Enacted Florida Rideshare Insurance Legislation: Senate Bill 340
Lyft Florida Rideshare Insurance Certificate.
Uber Florida Rideshare Insurance Certificate.

401k piggybank for Uber and Lyft drivers

Retirement Options for Freelancers and Gig Workers – The Individual 401(k)

/in , /by

If You’re A Full Time Rideshare Or Delivery Driver, Retirement Planning Is A Must.

The emergence of the gig economy with apps like Uber, Doordash, Caviar, and Amazon Flex has changed the way many of us work. When it comes to our work schedules, these apps have given many of us more freedom and flexibility than ever before. At the same time, the ongoing switch from traditional employment to gig work and freelancing has created challenges for the workers involved, including making saving for retirement more difficult.

If you are one of the millions of rideshare and delivery drivers who rely on freelance and gig income, it is important to plan for your own retirement. Those in the traditional workforce can simply sign up for their employer’s 401(k) plan, filling out a single piece of paperwork and letting the company take it from there. Drivers for Uber, Lyft, Instacart, Amazon Flex, and other on demand apps do not have that option, and they need to take charge of their own retirement savings.

For full-time rideshare and delivery drivers, an individual 401(k) could be the perfect solution. In some ways, the individual 401(k) is similar to the workplace variety, but there are a few key differences. Understanding these differences, and the advantages that these plans offer, can help freelancers and gig workers get a jump start on their own retirement planning.

Is an Individual 401(k) the Right Choice?

Before you can start contributing to a 401(k), you need to make sure this plan is really the right choice. There are a number of other options freelancers and gig workers have (such as a Roth or traditoinal IRA), and it is important to make the right choice. Here are some key things all independent workers need to know about the individual 401(k) plan.

An individual 401(k) plan is probably the wrong choice for part-time freelancers. Workers who are employed full-time and eligible for a traditional 401(k) may not benefit much from an individual 401(k). Those part-time freelancers may benefit more from a SEP-IRA.

An EIN is needed to establish an individual 401(k). You cannot use your Social Security number to open an individual 401(k); you will need an employer identification number (EIN). It is easy to get an EIN, and you can obtain one online at the IRS website.

Business owners cannot use an individual 401(k) if they currently have employees. So, if you’re running a fleet of drivers, or have people (employees) working for you, an individual 401(k) is not a viable choice. Likewise, if you plan to hire in the future, it is best to skip the individual 401(k) and look for better options.

There are some reporting requirements. Owners of individual 401(k) plans will need to file paperwork with the IRS, but only when their accounts are valued at $250,000 or more. If and when you reach that point,  it is a good problem to have, and the filing process is pretty simple.

Also, there may be fees involved. Individual 401(k) plans are offered by many mutual fund companies and brokerage firms, but some charge a fee for administration and bookkeeping. Some mutual funds charge a separate fee for each fund, while others charge a set amount for the entire plan. These fees may be waived for account holders whose balances meet a certain threshold.

The Tax Advantages of the Individual 401(k)

If you are eligible for an individual 401(k), you could use it to significantly reduce your tax bill. Long-time freelancers, gig workers and independent contractors are all too familiar with the self-employment tax, a special levy that applies to individuals who are considered both employer and employee.

That additional tax assessment can significantly increase the amount you owe, but opening an individual 401(k) can ease the burden while you save for retirement. Just like a traditional 401(k), every dollar you put into the individual 401(k) is deducted from your taxable income. But unlike the 401(k) plans available to traditional employees, the amounts freelancers can put aside are even higher.

The employee contribution limits for individual 401(k) plans and employer-based plans are the same. For 2018, both freelancers and regular employees can put aside up to $18,500, plus an extra $6,000 for those 50 years of age and over. But unlike traditional employees, freelancers can also contribute a portion of their profits in the form of an employer contribution. The exact amount is based on their earnings (profits) for the year, and there are online calculators freelancers can use to find out how much they can contribute. That additional employer contribution can make a big difference, and take some of the pain out of tax filing season. In 2018, the maximium total allowed contribution to an individual or solo 401(k) is $55,000. That’s almost triple the limit on a traditional employer based 401(k).

Whether you work for Lyft, Doordash, Instacart, Amazon Flex, or another service, you will need to take steps to secure your own retirement. You cannot rely on an employer to put money aside for you, and you will not have a pension unless you create one for yourself. As a participant in the new on demand economy, you owe it to yourself to check out all your retirement options and find the one that works best for you.

on demand economy - man ringing bell held by robot hand

The State Of The On Demand Economy

/in /by

On Demand In 2018: The Arena Is Crowded, But Growing

It’s hard to believe Uber was founded almost a decade (2009) ago. Lyft is a bit younger, but still a six year old company. It’s incredible to think how much these two apps, along with Postmates, Google Express, Instacart, Grubhub, Doordash, and a whole bunch of others, have changed how we get around, and how we shop for food and household items.

The other day, I tried to remember the last time I was in a taxi cab. I couldn’t. Then, I tried to remember the last time I actually called a restaurant to order delivery or take out. Couldn’t remember that either. However, although I used Instacart once, I still generally go to the supermarket myself. Call me old fashioned.

Bikes and Scooters: A New Wrinkle

Besides all the available rideshare and delivery apps, a new type of app has appeared in the last year that looks to further change how we get around – ebike and escooter dockless rental apps. The concept is pretty simple. A user searches for an available ebike or escooter on the app. The app locates a nearby escooter or ebike. The user walks over, unlocks the ebike or escooter using the app, and rides to their desitnation. When they get there, they can just leave the ebike or escooter parked off to the side. Although the field is pretty new, there are already a few major players. It’s likely not all of these companies are going to make it (remember Sidecar).

  • Bird – $115 million in funding, raising an additional $200 million
  • Jump – Already bought by Uber
  • Limebike – $132 million in funding, raising up to an additional $500 million
  • Spin – Originally bikes, recently added an ebike to their offerings – $8 million in funding
  • Skip – $6 million in funding

If that weren’t enough, Lyft is also developing it’s own e-bike/e-scooter service.

So much change in just a few years, and yet, it’s likely only the beginning.

The Next Five Years

Both Lyft and Uber aim to integrate more with municipal transportation systems in the coming years. Uber CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, is aiming to make Uber the “Amazon of transportation“. This is why both companies are moving into the ebike and escooter area. Both eventually aim to become an end to end transportation company. Currently, you can use the Lyft or Uber app to book a Lyft or Uber ride only. Look for e-bike options to be added with a year. Over the next five years, expect Lyft or Uber to try and integrate subway, light rail schedules and external booking into their apps.

On Demand Economy - hands holding phone

2018 is likely to be a year of massive change for the on demand arena, and especially for Uber and Lyft. Although Uber is aiming to go public in late 2019, Lyft may try an IPO in late 2018. Whatever happens, 2018 is likely to be the last year in which all the on demand companies are privately held. Besides the coming IPO’s, there’s also the question of how fast both companies will be able to integrate autonomous vehicles into their fleets.

International Rideshare Players

In the U.S., it’s basically Lyft and Uber. Outside the U.S., it’s a whole different ballgame. Didi cleaned Uber’s clock in China (Uber surrendered, left and took a small stake in Didi.) Grab is dominant in S.E. Asia (Uber sold their s.e. asia business to them recently). In India, Ola is number one, with Uber a distant second. In Europe and Africa, Uber is dominant, but stiff competition is coming.

  • Didi – Dominant in China, operates in Brazil; Planning expansion to Europe, Africa, and the U.S.
  • Ola – Dominant in India
  • Grab – Dominant in S.E. Asia
  • Taxify – European startup, also expanding in Africa – just closed a $175 million funding round led by Daimler Chrysler.
  • Softbank – Japanese conglomerate that has stakes in Uber, Didi, Ola, and Grab. Nobody realizes it, but Softbank is actually the quiet king of rideshare on the planet earth. They also just invested in GM’s self driving car division.

Self-Driving Cars

Autonomous vehicles are coming, but they’re not likely to fully take over the roads in the next five years. Even when they do, they’ll still be a need for drivers (although not as many) However, they will start to become a more common site in the next few years. Virtually every major automaker is a player in this area, and they’re all doing some testing in California. Here’s a quick rundown of who’s doing what and who’s ahead.

  • Waymo (Google subsidiary) – The leader in the field. They have more self driving cars on the road, that have driven more miles, than everyone else on this list combined. One of the ways success is measured in self-driving cars is how long the vehicle can go without a human driver having to intervene. By this metric, Waymo is first by a large margin.
  • Ford – A strong second, but they need more testing.
  • GM – Third, but just got a massive investment from Softbank.
  • Tesla – Tesla gets a lot of hype, but their actual self-driving technology lags behind the three front runners
  • Uber – Overall, their program has been a disaster. They don’t have the funds, or the engineering talent to compete with Google in this area.
  • Lyft – partnering with various companies – no real internal program
  • Daimler-Mercedes, Fiat, Honda, Toyota, BMW and many others – all have testing permits for autonomous vehicles in California.

In all likelihood, both Uber and Lyft will wind up incorporating self-driving cars from Waymo, Ford or GM into their platforms. As it turns out, developing true self-driving vehicles is incredibly difficult, and frankly, beyond the scope of Uber and Lyft’s capabilities. Put another way, Google has unlimited funds, the best self-driving engineering talent in the world, and has been working in the field for six years, and they’re just getting to the point where they can safely put a lot of their self-driving cars on the road. As you can see, the on demand economy is a complicated and crowded arena with a lot of moving parts.

It’ll be interesting to see what everything looks like in 2023.

independent contractor at work 1099

Independent Contractor 101: The Benefits and Risks

/in , /by

As you finish with your schooling and move into the world of work, you may be offered the opportunity to work as an independent contractor. With the advent of Lyft, Uber, Doordash, and other on demand services, these freelance positions have been increasing rapidly.

From the smallest startups to the largest multinational corporations, more and more companies are turning to independent contractors to complete projects, lead new divisions and augment their normal staffing. This can be a good deal for the business involved, but is it also a good deal for you?

The answer to that question will depend on a number of factors, from your personality and confidence level to your experience and financial situation. For the right individual, life as an independent contractor is far better than life as an employee. For others, the security of a full-time job is a much better fit. Before you make such an important decision, it is important to weigh the pros and cons of working as an independent contractor.

What is an Independent Contractor?

Being an independent contractor is much different than being and employee, and the distinction is an important one to understand. Independent contractors do not work for the company – they work for themselves. For one thing, instead of a W2 form with withholding, independent contractors receive a 1099 form.

Independent contractors are essentially business owners, even if they are not incorporated as such. They may work in the same offices as traditional employees, and even perform the same tasks, but independent contractors are classified much differently, with all the benefits and drawbacks that entails.

The Advantages of Working as an Independent Contractor

Working as an independent contractor has a number of built-in advantages, and the lifestyle can be very attractive. Here are some of the biggest potential advantages of working as an independent contractor.

  • Independence – The independent part of independent contractor is a very big deal, and for those who like to work on their own, a very attractive one.
  • Learning New Skills – The typical independent contractor may work at many different companies, learning about new industries and picking up new skills as they go. This ability to updates skills and learn new things is more important than ever before, and one of the biggest benefits of life as an independent contractor.
  • Contract Protection – The word contract is part of the independent contractor designation, and the protection that contract provides can be very valuable. Knowing what you are responsible for, and detailing the responsibilities of the other party, is a valuable form of protection, and one that most employees do not have.
  • No Tax Withholding – This one can be both a benefit and a drawback depending on your perspective and level of financial savvy. As an independent contractor, you will not be subject to tax withholding, so you will get 100% of what you earn. Keep in mind, however, that you still have to pay taxes – that part is covered in the next section.
  • Ownership – The chance to run your own business
  • No Micromanaging – Anyone who has ever tried to work with the boss hovering nearby will appreciate this one. When you work as an independent contractor, you can work at your own pace, and generally work with minimal guidance. You will still need to get the work done, but the hovering boss should not be a problem.

The Disadvantages of Working as an Independent Contractor

Working as an independent contractor can be an excellent fit for some, but it is not the solution for everyone. There are some significant drawbacks to life as an independent contractor, and those disadvantages are covered below.

  • Tax complications – Since withholding is not part of the picture for independent contractors, their tax situations can get pretty complex. As an independent contractor, you will be subject to the self-employment tax, and that could raise your overall tax bill. You will probably need to make estimated tax payments as well, so budgeting becomes even more important.
  • No built-in retirement savings – Many employees have access to company-sponsored retirement plans like 401(k) programs, but independent contractors need to make their own arrangements. There are retirement plans for independent contractors, but they can be complicated to set up.
  • No guaranteed income – When you work as an independent contractor, the amount you make is solely dependent on how much, and how smart, you work. If you are a hard worker and a shrewd negotiator, you can do very well indeed. If not, you may have trouble making ends meet. You will need to complete your current project, but you will also need to hustle for your next gig.
  • The cost of business supplies – Depending on when and where you work, you may have to pick up the cost of the supplies you use. When you work on-site, you will probably have access to basic office supplies, but when you work at home, you will need to provide those essentials for yourself. You can take a deduction for both your home office and your business supplies, but the up-front cost is entirely up to you.

Working as an independent contractor can be a great way to gain flexibility, update your skills and learn about different industries. At the same time, it can be a tax nightmare and a financial uncertainty. In the end, only you can decide if life as an independent contractor is the right choice for your future career.

connected car: transportation as a service

TaaS: What is It and What Does it Mean for the Future of Transportation?

/in /by

TaaS – What Is It?

If you work in the corporate world, you may be familiar with SaaS, or Software as a Service. Over the years, critical office software has migrated from the desktop to the cloud, and this design means the software will be available on an on-demand basis. With this change, companies have begun to think of software as an ongoing service, as opposed to a product you buy and install once.

Understanding the acronym TaaS and its long-term implications for the transportation industry and the world at large is much harder. Unlike software, transportation affects everyone, whether they own a car or not. From the daily commute to those weekend errands, transportation impacts everything you do.

So being told that the entire transportation industry is about to be upended is disconcerting, to say the least. And while Transpiration as a Service (TaaS) is not widespread yet, its impact is already being felt with the advent of on-demand companies like Lyft, Postmates, and Caviar.

You Probably Already Use Transportation as a Service

Every time you open the Uber app on your phone and ask for a car, you are using TaaS. If you get in line at the taxi at the airport, you are also using Transportation as a Service, albeit an old version of it – one that existed before the TaaS acronym was coined.

So what does all this mean to the future of the transportation industry? What might happen in the future? A lot will depend on how the current trajectory of automotive innovation plays out, and how quickly autonomous vehicles become the norm. But even if autonomous driving never takes off in a big way, Transportation as a Service is likely to play some role in how you get around in the 21st century.

transportation as a service graphic with phone

One of the biggest changes is being driven by the increasing reliability of the modern vehicle fleet. In the 1970s and 1980s, it was still relatively rare for a vehicle to make it to the 100,000-mile market. These days, however, it is quite common for vehicles to last 200,000, 300,000 or even 400,000 miles or more. As vehicles become less complicated, with fewer moving parts, that reliability should rise substantially, creating vehicles that could easily last 500,000 to a million miles.

What will that mean to the men and women who repair cars for a living? With vehicles breaking down less often, will mechanics go out of business? When parts become modular and possibly even user-replaceable, will drivers ever need to take their vehicles to the garage? When software can be updated wirelessly, will the trip to the dealership become a thing of the past?

The disruption wrought by TaaS on car dealerships could be at least as significant. Fewer breakdowns means less need for new cars, leaving dealers with more inventory and fewer buyers. If your new car will last 500,000 miles, you may only need one or two in your lifetime.

The Long Term Disruption

Some estimates predict that the number of new vehicles could decline by 70% or more in the next couple of decades. This presents massive implications for the auto and insurance industries. Will existing dealerships be able to adapt to the changes? Will car companies be able to make up the losses by offering software upgrades, self-driving features and other costly perks? No one knows for sure, but one thing is almost certain – the transportation industry will change radically in the 21st century and beyond.

Then there is the disruption to driving-based jobs, something that is only now becoming apparent. Arguably the first players in the TaaS space were Uber and Lyft, and the impact those two companies had on the taxicab industry were immediate and severe. When everyone with a car can become their own taxi driver, those coveted New York City tax medallion aren’t worth a million dollars anymore.

If the experts are right and autonomous driving becomes the norm, the disruption to drivers will become even more severe, resulting in significant unemployment and potential societal problems. Think about the long-haul truck drivers who will be out of work, watching fully autonomous big rigs roar up and down the driveway. Consider the former public transportation drivers, displaced by on-demand cars that can take commuters exactly where they want to go. While the future won’t be completely apocalyptic, autonomous vehicles will likely become a common site on the road within the next five to ten years.

This shift from public to private on-demand transportation could be one of the most significant changes in 21st-century transportation. At the moment, taking public transportation is a far more efficient, albeit slower, way to get around. As on-demand cars become common and TaaS takes hold, this dynamic is likely to change. Suddenly calling an all-electric self-driving car will be faster, cheaper and better for the environment.

At first blush, this all seems like pie in the sky, but on closer examination, there is a lot to consider. Many of these changes, from self-driving operation to on-demand transportation services, are already happening. No matter what happens in the future, TaaS is a concept that is here to stay.

Woman driving Uber and Lyft in the Summer.

Driving Uber & Lyft In The Summer: Pro tips

/in , /by

Today, we’ve got a great post from Rideshare Dan on how to drive profitably during the summer.

Tips For Driving Lyft And Uber In The Summer

Summer Driving Making Some Cash
Summer driving, don’t drive too fast.
Picked up some riders, who were really hip.
Dropped them off, got a big tip.
Summer hints, for Uber of Lyft
Oooh, uh, oh those summer rides.

Driving in the summer can bring some additional challenges to your attempts to make money. Here are some things that you should consider when driving for Uber and Lyft during the hot months. While overall rider volume actually goes up in the summer, a lot of part time Uber & Lyft drivers start driving in the summer. This can negate the increase in rider traffic.

While these tips may not all apply to your city, several of them might. And if you happen to live in a city where summer months cause a boom in increased requests and fares, you may have other off seasons where these tips might help you.

In Some Markets, Business may be slower

While it varies from market to market, in many places, drivers experience a Summer slowdown on Uber and Lyft. There are several reasons why business may be a little slower for you as a driver in your city over the summer.

College kids are home

One of the more reliable sources of rides when driving for Uber and Lyft can be the college crowd. If you live in or near a college town, or a city with several colleges, you may see a reduction of demand over the summer as the students go back home. Some students may stick around to work over the summer or may be taking some summer classes. However, a lot of them will be going home. If the colleges near you have a large amount of out of town students, the amount of 18-25 riders you pick up will likely be reduced over the summer months. This causes overall demand for rides to go down.

Heat can cause less tourism/fewer conventions

In many places, especially in the summer, you might see a reduction in business visitors to your city. Many times organizations will plan conventions in the spring or fall to make the experience better for the convention goers. This can cause another drop in demand for ride share services during the summer. While it’s true that vacation travel spikes in the summer, those travelers don’t have the generous expense accounts that conventioneers do.

Teachers are out of school

It’s a well worn myth that teachers do not work over the summer. They often have many things to prepare for the upcoming year. However, with less time needed in the classroom, may teachers may be hitting the road for part time side hustles. This increases the supply of drivers on the road.

How do you offset those potential losses?

Shifts in supply and demand will cause a different equilibrium point. You have to compensate for all those factors in order to keep your earnings steady.

Aim for higher tips

The more tips you get, the more efficient your rides will be. You can offset the loss in demand for everyone’s services by upping your game. You should always strive to give the best service possible. The summer months give you the opportunity to try out new ways to convince customers to tip you.

Give away more items

The amount of drivers who do not offer extras to their passengers is astounding to me. I get tipped all the time by customers who never take advantage of free items. The fact that I offered free item was enough to impress them and consider my service tip worthy. I always offer free water to my customers.

This summer I have gone the extra mile and bought some ice packs to keep the water cool. Overheated customers can have a nice cool water instead of a bottle that is room temperature. The return on investment in this area is substantial.

I have also moved beyond offering just mints to my customers. Look at the stores and see what individually wrapped candies or snacks are available for a cheap enough cost that will bring your game up. Get creative with it (but make sure the items won’t cause a bigger mess to clean later). Make the experience unique to you and passengers will be more likely to tip you for it. You may even want to consider signing up for Cargo, a service that helps you provide complementary and premium products to your riders.

Step up your cleaning game

The nicer your car looks, the better your passenger will feel about getting in it. If it looks and smells like you have gone the extra mile to give your passengers a clean car to ride in, they may very well appreciate that and give you higher tips as well. Consider using a car-wash with a monthly plan that allows you to clean your car often. Make sure it has vacuum cleaners available so you can get out all the dirt and other messes passengers might leave behind.

Make sure your A/C is working properly

Nobody wants to get into a car on a blistering hot day that doesn’t have working air conditioning. Make sure that when you take your car in for your regular tire servicing that they also look at any A/C problems if it seems like it is necessary.

Drive smarter

Spending time planning out your week may allow you to drive in a more efficient way. There are no guarantees on how many rides you will get in a week. But if you can maximize the time you are
spending with passengers in your car, the better off you will be during slower months.

Check out convention schedules

Your local tourism board may have an online listing of the conventions coming up in the next week, how many people are attending them, and when they start and leave. Looking up the conventions themselves may also tell you what hotels most guests may be staying at during the convention. When the convention is finished for the day, people may want rides to dinner. When the convention is finished for the week, people may want rides to the airport. A little research beforehand can go a long way in helping you drive profitably.

Check out flight schedules

Airports can provide you with information on when flights are arriving and departing. Perhaps waiting in the queue at the airport when a large convention is coming in might be a way to make a lot of money. Perhaps waiting downtown near hotels on days that conventions let out would be another way to maximize your income.

Switch up your driving schedule:

Always be prepared to consider driving at different times of the day than your normal schedule. For many people, summer plans and schedules  may be very different from their plans over the rest of the year. Hours that might normally be slow in winter months may now be super busy.

Don’t follow the crowd

Use your rider applications to see where the drivers are. If your area is swamped with drivers, go to another area of town where they have less people. When they zig, you zag

Most importantly, hang in there!

When doing rideshare driving, you may very well have some slow periods. But emphasizing high quality service and learning how to drive more efficiently can replace your higher quantity of rides with a higher quality of ride.

Daniel Zimmerman is a one of the best drivers in the New Orleans area and can be found on Twitter @ridesharedan or on his blog, Rideshare Dan.

Postmates Promo Code Postmates Code for pizza

Postmates Promo Code

/in , /by

Postmates Promo Code: Get $100 In Postmates Free Delivery With A Postmates Coupon

The easiest way to get $100 in free Postmates delivery is to sign up using a Postmates Promo Code.

To take advantage of your Postmates promo code as a new user, download the Postmates app, sign up for the service, and enter your promo code before you complete your first purchase. You will need to enter your payment information for future deliveries, but Postmates won’t charge your credit card until you’ve used the full amount of your Postmates coupon.

You can sign up for Postmates with a promo code good for $100 in free delivery by clicking HERE, or the button below.

$100 Postmates Coupon

 

If you have already downloaded the Postmates app, follow the instructions below to apply the Postmates coupon code MUHL to your account.

How To Enter A Postmates Code in the Postmates App

1. Open the Postmates app, and click in the upper left hand corner of the app.

Postmates Promo Code Instructions - Home Screen

2. Click once more in the upper left hand corner to get to the settings screen.

Postmates Promo Code Instructions - Profile Screen

3. Once on the settings screen, click “Add Code”.

Postmates Promo Code Instructions - Add Postmates Code

4. Now, enter the Postmates code MUHL and click apply.

Enter Postmates Coupon Code

If you haven’t ordered from Postmates yet, you should now have a Postmates coupon good for $100 in free delivery credits.

Where Can I Order From Using The Postmates App?

You can use the Postmates delivery app to order from your favorite restaurant or store. There are literally thousands of restaurants and stores in the Postmates app.

So, whether you need an extra bottle of wine for your dinner party, or a meal for two delivered to your home, Postmates has your back.

Or, if you think you’ll need some aspirin after that dinner party, you can use the Postmates app to order from Walgreens, CVS, 7-Eleven, and many more.

The best thing about Postmates is the variety of restaurants you can order from.

For example, you can order from your favorite local fine dining establishment. But, you can also order something more casual from places like Sonic, Popeye’s, or McDonald’s. Just recently, Postmates even added the Lebron James backed pizza chain Blaze to the app.

Basically, if there is a place in your town that you want to get food from, you can probably order it through Postmates.

How Much Does Postmates Cost (service and delivery fees)?

Postmates charges a delivery fee and sometimes, a service fee. A Postmates Coupon can usually knock out the delivery fee, but not the service fee.

Postmates has in-network and out of network restaurants and stores. Here is the delivery pricing structure for both.

Postmates Pricing

  • In Network – The delivery fee is $3.99 with no service fees.
  • Out Of Network Merchants – The delivery fee is $5.99, with a variable service fee, capped at $20.
  • Postmates Unlimited Subscribers – No delivery fee from any merchant as long as the order basket is over $20. Service fees still apply to out of network merchants.

Postmates used to price out of network deliveries based on distance. That is no longer the case. The Postmates service fee is usually around 15 – 20% of the order total.

Each week, Postmates waives the delivery fee for certain Postmates partner restaurants.

Postmates Blitz (surge pricing)

Postmates wouldn’t be an on demand app without some form of surge pricing. When it gets really busy, Postmates implements Blitz pricing to encourage Postmates drivers to go online. During Postmates blitz times, delivery prices will be higher. Luckily, if you use a Postmates promo code when you sign up, you’ll have a Postmates Coupon applied that knocks out those delivery charges!

However, if you subscribe to Postmates Unlimited (see program information below), you will never pay any Postmates blitz charges (or delivery fees).

Tipping On Postmates

After your delivery person drops off your items, you can tip them right in the app. Postmates suggests tipping around 15% – 20% of the order total.

If you don’t want to tip in the app, that’s alright too. Postmates drivers are happy to take a cash tip. In fact, many drivers prefer cash tips.

In any case, you are definitely expected to tip when you use Postmates. Whether your delivery driver is part time or full time, they work hard to get your order to you quickly. Often, the delivery driver is able to pick up your order and deliver it to your place in about 30 minutes.

What Is Postmates Unlimited?

We mentioned above a service called Postmates Unlimited. This service is similar to Amazon Prime Now, but unfortunately, there is currently no original television programming available from your Postmates couriers.

Postmates Unlimited costs $9.99 month. For that, you get free delivery (without a Postmates code) from the more than 250,000 merchants in the Postmates app, as long as you order more than $20 worth of goods. This include places like Pink Dot, Apple, Chipotle, and Starbucks. Yes, if you wish, you can order a Caramel Macchiato to help get your day going.

Postmates Unlimited subscribers still must pay service fees for out of network merchants.

Even so, if you plan on ordering from Postmates more than twice a month, Postmates Unlimited basically pays for itself.

Postmates Promo Code Advice For Existing Users

Existing Postmates users have things a little more difficult when it comes to finding a working Postmates promo code. You may see offers for a Postmates coupon for existing customers, but be wary. Few of these are legitimate.

The most reliable way to get discounts as an existing Postmates user is encourage your friends and family to sign up. You will have a Postmates referral code you can give out to new users. When each person you refer starts using Postmates, you can get Postmates discounts and delivery credits.

How Does Postmates Work?

Like many app-based solutions, Postmates doesn’t see itself as limited by its immediate function. They’re not just trying to deliver goods to customer efficiently. They want to revolutionize the way goods travel around cities.

Postmates Coupon to order the wine

Forgot the wine? Just Postmates it.


To do this, the company deploys what it calls its Urban Logistics platform. Like more traditional logistics, this platform connects customers with local couriers. The difference here is that instead of a semi truck hauling dry ice, Postmates’ couriers are often hipsters on bikes drinking even more locally sourced cold brew than the Starbucks they might deliver.

The Postmates revolution extends to merchants as well. Business owners want to offer their goods to customers by casting as wide a net as possible, and Postmates facilitates that goal. This leads to less overstock on their shelves and more customers in the know about what they offer.

What Is Postmates And How Did It Start?

Postmates started operating in 2011. Since then, the company has spread throughout the United States to cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Nashville, and Boston. Currently, Postmates is available in over 200 cities, so this list barely scratches the surface.

Currently, Postmates couriers deliver over a million items to customers each month. The company offers customers the ability to choose the items they want to be delivered from a variety of stores. It’s not unlike Grubhub or ordering food for delivery directly from a restaurant.

One of the things that sets Postmates apart is the time savings it offers. Since everyday items and groceries are on the list of items available in most Postmates locations, ordering from the app offers users the ability to save all that pesky time waiting in lines.

So if a customer is looking for a Big Mac for fuel, a Starbucks nitro cold brew for a perk up after their meal (as horrible for the digestive system as that combination sounds), and a toothbrush and toothpaste to clean up after themselves, they can order all of those items from the Postmates app.

How Postmates Compares to Its Competitors

Let’s get into the specific benefits that Postmates offers in comparison to the other delivery services on the market. Surely, they can’t all be created equal.

Amazon Prime Now

First up, we’ve got the delivery service of one of the largest companies in the world. Obviously, Amazon Prime Now has quite a bit of muscle behind it. But does this behind-the-scenes support translate into a world-class service?

Items Offered: Everything. Amazon Prime Now offers customers the ability to purchase food from local restaurants. It also offers fresh groceries through its Amazon Fresh service. Produce and dry goods are both available in massive quantities. There is also a whole wing of goods other than food, including detergent, electronics, and office supplies.

Delivery Options: You can choose delivery in a one-hour window or delivery within a two-hour window.

Delivery Fees: Two-hour delivery is free. One-hour delivery costs an extra $7.99 per order.

Order Tracking: Amazon Prime Now offers real-time delivery tracking, from the shopping process when an order is placed all the way up to final delivery.

Areas Served: The service is currently available in the following cities: New York City, Miami, Baltimore, Dallas, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, and Indianapolis.

Tipping Policy: Tipping is not required, but all tips go directly to your courier for the order.

Minimum Order: Amazon requires a $15 minimum for delivery, whether you choose the two-hour or one-hour option.

Try Amazon Prime Free

 

DoorDash

DoorDash started in 2013, so it’s even newer to the on demand scene than Postmates. It sets itself apart with 24/7 customer support, but let’s see how it compares to the other services in our standard criteria.

Items Offered: Food and drink only.

Delivery Options: There is a single delivery option at DoorDash. Just like when you order a pizza, the company’s “Dashers” will do their best to get to you as quickly as they can.

Delivery Fees: Delivery fees usually range from $5 to $8 per order.

Order Tracking: DoorDash’s software is installed on Dashers’ phones. This allows customers to track the pickup of their food and get estimates on delivery time.

Areas Served: There are 600 markets in the United States and Canada in which DoorDash operates.

Tipping Policy: Tipping is not required through DoorDash but only in the sense that tipping is not necessarily required anywhere. It’s absolutely expected.

Minimum Order: There is no minimum order requirement with DoorDash.

Get $7 Off Doordash

 

Grubhub

Our hunt for the perfect food delivery system continues. Grubhub is a big contender here. It’s a well-established company with name recognition.

Items Offered: Food, food, and more food! Grubhub is synonymous with delivery these days. Local restaurants see partnering with Grubhub as essential, and many customers think of ordering from Grubhub rather than ordering takeout directly through the restaurant.

Delivery Options: Similar to DoorDash, Grubhub does not offer multiple or expedited delivery options. You order what you order, and Grubhub’s drivers do their best to get it to you as quickly as is safe and possible.

Delivery Fees: Variable. Grubhub partners closely with local restaurants, and it conforms much more to their individual policies. Restaurants can set delivery fees with Grubhub or offer delivery for free.

Order Tracking: This is the area in which Grubhub is most deficient. The company does not offer a standardized tracking system. To find out the stage of delivery your order is in, you’ll need to call the restaurant you ordered from directly.

Areas Served: On the flip side, here is the big benefit of Grubhub. The company operates in more than 1,600 United States cities and also in London. All told, there are nearly 100,000 restaurants listed on Grubhub across the entire platform.

Tipping Policy: Just like DoorDash and most other food delivery services, tipping is expected through Grubhub. The company suggests a $5 or 20% tip on each order, whichever is greater. This is something all on demand companies should suggest to their customers.

Minimum Order: Once again, this is set by the restaurants themselves. Grubhub does not require a minimum order, but most restaurants do. It can vary widely from restaurant to restaurant.

Get $10 Off Grubhub

 

Postmates

Here is what you came for. There is a wide spectrum of ways in which these services differ. How does Postmates stack up?

Items Offered: Like Amazon Prime Now, Postmates takes a wide angle lens to its offerings. You can get standard food orders through Postmates. But, you can also order groceries, toiletries, and staplers, to name just a few things.

Delivery Options: Postmates does not offer multiple time windows for its deliveries. But since Postmates uses the algorithm in its logistics platform to pair customers with couriers, delivery times are minimized.

Delivery Fees: See Postmates fee structure above.

Order Tracking: Postmates offers customers a tracking screen that guides them through the process of the order being accepted, prepared, picked up, and out for delivery.

Areas Served: As previously mentioned, Postmates operates in hundreds of cities across the United States and Canada

Tipping Policy: Postmates operates under the standard “honor system” tipping policy. However, as with most on demand apps, tipping is expected.

Minimum Order: For customers who subscribe to Postmates Unlimited, the company’s subscription service that costs $9.99 and renews each month, orders over $20 come with free delivery. Postmates has been in the process of lowering this figure for a couple years now. Customers who do not belong to the Postmates Plus Unlimited program pay $3.99 for delivery on each order.

$100 Off Postmates Delivery

 

Uber Eats

It’s not just rides that Uber offers. The company also literally brings food to the table now. Here is the way that looks compared to the other delivery services.

Items Offered: It’s implied in the name. Uber Eats only offers food delivery. However, that is not limited to restaurants only. The service can also pick up and deliver from some grocery stores.

Delivery Options: It seems Amazon Prime Now is the only standout in this category. Uber Eats offers the standard promise of delivery as quickly as possible, but there is no expedited option.

Delivery Fees: The flat Uber Eats booking fee is usually around $4.99, but it can vary. One of the ways it varies is with the addition of fees for high-traffic areas. UberEats tends to surge more than the other delivery services.

Order Tracking: Customers can observe the progress of their food to them via Uber Eats the same way they can anticipate the approach of their ride through Uber.

Areas Served: Uber Eats is located in hundreds of cities not just in North America but also in South America and Europe.

Tipping Policy: Uber claims its tipping policy for Uber Eats is that “tips aren’t included and they aren’t expected or required.” But like the other services, it would be pretty poor form not to tip your Uber Eats driver.

Minimum Order: There is no minimum order with Uber Eats.

Get $5 Off UberEats

 

Sit Back, Order Using Your Postmates Promo Code, And Enjoy Your Goods

As you can see, Postmates compares pretty favorably to the other delivery apps. The company has high-tech logistics in place that assure customers of shorter delivery times. It’s a courier-friendly service, and its service area is large and growing quickly.

A Postmates promo code is a great way to get free delivery as a new user. But existing users shouldn’t fret. You can always get discounts by sending your Postmates code to new users.

In the meantime, join up with Postmates and use our Postmates Coupon (MUHL) to pay no delivery fees.

$100 Off Postmates Delivery

 

lyft gas price relief

Lyft To Begin Summer Gas Price Relief To Drivers

/in /by

Lyft raising Fuel Rewards Discounts

The sharp rise in gas prices over the past couple of months has hit rideshare drivers hard. Gas is over 20% more expensive than this time last year. Even worse, prices are expected to rise further later this summer. Uber and Lyft drivers have even begun signing a petition asking the companies to help them pay for the rising gas prices.

Today, Lyft has responded to the problem by increasing Lyft drivers’ Shell fuel rewards to up to 50 cents per gallon. Currently, Lyft drivers who complete 10 or more rides per month achieve Silver status in Lyft’s Accelerate program. This gets them a discount of 5 cents per gallon at Shell stations.

Starting July 1,  Lyft is raising the discount amounts substantially, for Silver, Gold, and Platinum Accelerate drivers. Here are the new rates.

lyft shell fuel rewards rates

 

That’s a significant increase across the board. If you’re a part-time Lyft driver, your discount is doubled, which is pretty nice. But if you’re a gold or platinum Accelerate driver, that could mean a 10% – 25% discount on gas, depending on where you drive.

That’s going to be a significant help for many full time Lyft drivers. In some cases, the discount will knock out the increase in gas prices versus last year.

Lyft initiated this change based on discussions with the Lyft Driver Advisory Council. Lyft COO John McNeil noted, “The seasonal spike was the number one pain point shared with our Driver Advisory Council…and we’re addressing it.”

The Lyft Driver Advisory Council is made up of Lyft drivers from around the country. They act as a liason between Lyft and the driver community. This is definitely the most far reaching change to come out of the council.

Lyft driver advisory council

How To Get A Fuel Rewards Card?

If you’ve been driving with Lyft for a while, you probably already have a Fuel Rewards. If you do, keep using at as usual. You don’t have to get a new card or anything like that. Starting July 1, you should notice the higher discounts at the pump.

If you Drive With Lyft and don’t have a Fuel Rewards card, it’s pretty easy to get one. And it’s free! All you have to do is log in to your Lyft dashboard. Then, click on “Connected Services” as shown below, and create your Fuel Rewards account. If you already have a Fuel Rewards account, you can just log in from your Lyft dashboard and link it to your account.

lyft connected services shell fuel rewards

While you can only use your Fuel Rewards card at Shell gas stations, you can link it with a credit card to earn further gas discounts at Shell. For example, for every $50 you spend at participating restaurants, you can get an additional 15 cents per gallon discount. Fuel rewards also has partnerships with Choice Hotels (Comfort Inn, Econolodge), Budget, Priceline, Stop & Shop, and many others.

As it’s free and costs nothing to use, you really have nothing to lose by signing up for Fuel Rewards, and then connecting your Lyft account and a credit card.

How Will Uber Respond?

In the past, Lyft has at times been criticized for copying Uber. It seems the worm may have turned. Currently, the only way to get any kind of gas discount through Uber is to apply and be approved for the Uber Visa. Will Lyft’s move pressure Uber to implement some form of wide ranging gas relief for its drivers?

How Will Drivers Respond?

The number one complaint I hear from drivers this time of year is gas prices are too high. Lyft’s move should help, but will it get drivers out on the road more? What do you think of Lyft’s new increased fuel discounts? Let us know.