Cleveland Uber & Lyft Driver Guide

Cleveland Lyft & Uber Driver Guide

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As one of Ohio’s largest cities, Cleveland has much to offer those who want to make money as a rideshare driver. Whether you work with Lyft or Uber or drive full-time or part-time, you have the potential to make some serious cash in the Cleveland area if you know how to drive efficiently.

Below is a quick guide for where and when to drive Uber and Lyft in Cleveland. In addition to telling you what you need to know about Cleveland’s busiest areas, we’ll also provide some driving tips and shortcuts to help you better navigate the city during your rideshare shifts.

 

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When and Where to Drive Lyft & Uber in Cleveland

If you want to maximize your earnings, try to drive during peak hours. Like most major cities, Cleveland’s best times to drive are during the morning and evening commute hours and on the weekends during the hours when people are heading out to enjoy the nightlife. Here are some tips for when to drive Lyft and Uber in Cleveland:

  • Monday through Friday, from 7–10 a.m. and 5–7 p.m.: Take advantage of morning and evening commuter requests as people travel to and from downtown Cleveland.
  • Weekdays, 6 p.m.–4 a.m.: Though there isn’t as much demand during weekday evenings, you can find more ride requests downtown near Progressive Field, University Heights, and West Lakewood.
  • Fridays and Saturdays from 7 p.m. –3 a.m.: This is the weekend rush, when you can take advantage of nightlife traffic in Downtown, Lakeview, University Heights, Cleveland Heights, West Lakewood, and West Park.
  • Sundays from 10 a.m.–2 p.m.: During this time, there is high demand in the Lakeview, Cleveland Heights, and Ohio City areas.
Uber Cleveland Hotspots
Cleveland Uber & Lyft Hotspots

Also, be sure to check out Lyft’s 2018 Cleveland Lyftie Awards. Places like Punch Bowl Social and Town Hall made the list last year. The Lyftie locations tend to be super busy with Lyft riders.

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport: What You Need to Know

You don’t have to be an Uber or Lyft driver for very long before you receive a ride request to or from the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE). If you want your pick-ups and drop-offs to go smoothly, follow the rules of the airport and navigate to the correct areas when dropping off passengers and waiting for ride requests.

When you are on the airport property, keep the Lyft or Uber driver app up until you have exited the airport. Both Uber and Lyft operate on a first-in, first-out basis at the airport. This means that the first driver in the rideshare waiting area of the airport will be the first to receive airport pick-up requests. If you turn the app off, you will lose your place in the queue.

When dropping off passengers at CLE, you can take them to the appropriate departure gate. If you would then like the opportunity to receive a trip request afterward, you’ll need to keep your app up and proceed to the rideshare waiting area, which is located at 20001 Brookpark Road.

Cleveland Uber & Lyft Airport Pickups
Cleveland Lyft Airport Map

Once you are in the rideshare waiting area of the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, you will be able to receive ride requests. After you receive a trip request, you can then navigate to the airport terminal. The pickup location will be on your left. (Just follow the signs for “Rideshare Services.”)

Cleveland Uber & Lyft Driving Tips and Shortcuts

If you want to maximize your earnings (and your ratings) while driving Uber and Lyft in Cleveland, it’s important you know how to navigate the city and get around any high traffic areas. Here are just a few helpful shortcuts for avoiding traffic throughout the city:

  • When traveling near University Circle in the afternoon, avoid hitting heavy traffic by taking Chester Avenue heading west, turning left onto East 55th Street, turning right onto Prospect Avenue, and getting on I-90W to I-77S. From there, you can stay on I-77S or take I-490W to avoid Innerbelt traffic.
  • If you hit morning traffic on I-77N, exit I-77 at Fleet Avenue, turn left onto Fleet, right onto Independence Road and left onto Broadway. This will take you all the way to East 14th and East 9th Streets.
  • To avoid the MetroHealth curve and Innerbelt traffic on I-71N, take 480E to 176N to 490W to Broadway.
  • To avoid MetroHealth curve and Innerbelt traffic on I-71S, take I-77S to I-490W to SR 176S to I-480W to I-71S.
  • If you’re on the West Side heading south or east of downtown, take I-90E to 176S to I-480E, staying on 480 to head east or exiting on I77S to head south.
  • When taking passengers from downtown to the western suburbs, you can avoid traffic by staying in the left lane of I-90E, which then becomes I-490E. Exit at Broadway Avenue, turning left. This will get you to East 14th and East 9th Streets.

Now that you know when and where to drive Lyft and Uber in Cleveland, it’s time to start making the most of your rideshare driving shifts. Use the driving tips and shortcuts above when you need them to avoid traffic and provide a smoother pick-up and drop-off experience.

For new drivers, Lyft offers a sign up bonus earnings guarantee. Check out our Lyft sign up bonus page for more information.

 

Superbowl Uber & Lyft Driving

Driving Lyft Or Uber Superbowl Week – Atlanta 2019

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image credit: EQRoy / Shutterstock.com

It’s no secret that major sporting events and concerts can make for a lucrative Lyft or Uber shift. When 75,000 people try to leave a concert at the same time, there’s going to be a heavy demand for Lyft and Uber drivers.

While the spike in demand from a regular Braves game often lasts less than an hour, Super Bowl week in Atlanta should provide an overall increase in demand for most of the week before the game.

Atlanta expects more than 1 million people will visit the city in the week and a half before the Super Bowl this year, with about 150,000 guests packing into the city the weekend of the big game.

Driving Super Bowl Week – What To Expect

Overall demand for Lyft and Uber drivers is likely to be as high as it has ever been in the city. Atlanta Deputy Police Chief Scott Kreher had the following suggestion for those attending the SuperBowl in Atlanta

“MARTA, MARTA, MARTA, ride-share or your sneakers,” said Kreher. So, if you drive Uber or Lyft in the Atlanta area, you should expect Super Bowl week to be pretty busy, but the traffic to be worse than usual.

And although the city will be packed and rideshare demand high, it’s important to be aware of some things to maximize your earning potential and avoid some rookie pitfalls.

Here’s a few tips to help you drive Lyft & Uber profitably during Super Bowl week.

Be Aware Of Street Closures

Be sure to check out the Atlanta Super Bowl site road closures page to see the special Super Bowl detours and closures around Mercedes Benz Stadium and Centennial Park. Some closures have already started.

The road closures that will be in effect are listed below.

From January 21st:

  • Baker St. NW will be closed between Centennial Olympic Park Dr. NW and Luckie St. NW.
  • Mitchell St. SW will be closed between MLK Jr. Dr. SW (South) to Elliot St SW.
  • Mangum St. will be closed between Markham St to Foundry St.
  • MLK Jr. Dr. SW (South) will be closed between Northside Dr. NW to Centennial Olympic Park Dr NW

From January 23rd

  • Andrew Young International Blvd. NW will be closed between Marietta St. NW and Centennial Olympic Park Dr. NW.
Super Bowl Road Closures
Source: atlsuperbowl53.com

 

Super Bowl LIII – February 3 – Day of Game Closures

From Saturday Evening, February 2 through morning of Monday, February 4

  • Northside Dr. NW will be closed between Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd NW and MLK Jr. Dr. SW (South)
Super Bowl Gameday Street Closures
Source: atlsuperbowl53.com

 

Where To Drop Off / Pick Up Lyft & Uber Passengers Around The Super Bowl

Starting January 26th, Uber & Lyft drivers should drop off and pick up their passengers on Centennial Olympic Park Drive, in front of the CNN Center.

On February 3 (game day), drivers will also be able to drop off (no pick ups) at the Yellow Lot, North of the stadium,

Super Bowl Rideshare Promotions, Streaks, and Bonuses

Both Uber & Lyft will likely run promotions and bonuses during Superbowl week. Expect a few hourly guarantees, quests and ride streaks in the week leading up to the game.

However, don’t chase the surge or prime time. Both companies will look to have a lot of drivers out on the road in the coming weeks. So, with the exception of right after the game, price surges will likely be high, but short lived.

And surge pricing and prime time aren’t what they used to be anyway. It’s better to concentrate on doing rides safely and efficiently, instead of shooting for multiple unicorn rides (and wasting gas in the process) that you may or may not get.

Pro Tip – Drive Before Super Bowl Weekend

If possible, drive around the stadium and do a few rides before Super Bowl weekend, and certainly before game day itself.

Even though you may be familiar with the city, when a city closes major streets, and reroutes others, it can throw off even veteran drivers.

The Super Bowl is a mega event, and the weekend of the game, the area around Centennial Olympic Park will likely be as busy as it has been since the beginning of the rideshare era.

When you add to that multiple detours, as well as limited rideshare pick up and drop off spots, a little bit of advanced scouting couldn’t hurt.

Knowing how the road closures and detours around MB Stadium and Centennial Park are laid out will make for a smoother driving experience come the weekend. It also may allow you to scout out a few unofficial pick up and drop off spots that you can use on game day. Look for landmarks that passengers will be able to see (restaurants, hotels etc..).

Some veteran rideshare passengers have figured out it’s often easier to get picked up if they walk a few blocks away from a major event zone, say to the various hotels just east of Centennial Park. While you won’t be able to stop around there, the flow of traffic may be slightly better there, than right next to the stadium.

Mercedes Benz Stadium Atlanta - Super Bowl XIII
Image Credit: Revel Pix LLC / Shutterstock.com

 

Another Reason To Drive – The Week Before The Super Bowl Will Be Busy

Hundreds of thousands of people are coming to the Atlanta area in the days leading up to the game. There will be parties all over town, and people will be going out in numbers.

Now, this doesn’t mean demand will be off the charts on Thursday, January 31st at 2pm.

What it will mean is elevated overall demand in the Atlanta market in the week before the Super Bowl, and of course the day of the game.

And don’t forget about the Foo Fighters concert at Atlantic Station the evening before the game.

Driving Lyft Or Uber The Day Of The Super Bowl

Except for the parts that specifically reference Atlanta, this advice could apply to driving in most markets on Super Bowl Sunday in 2019.

Expect demand to start rising in the late morning (after 9am). Ride requests will likely come from the all over the city and burbs as people make their way downtown if they’re lucky enough to have a ticket, or more likely, to their friends house to watch the game. Unless you have a dropoff at the Super Bowl village itself, avoid the area as it will be incredibly crowded.

Don’t worry, you’ll probably get rides taking you there anyway. However, getting out of the area once you’re there will be difficult because of the detours and closures.

If possible, you want to stay east of Centennial Olympic Park (Sono or Old Fourth Ward) when you’re waiting for rides near the stadium. It will probably be slightly easier to navigate traffic, but to be clear, the whole downtown area will be very busy.

Find Alternative Drop Off Spots

Traffic will probably start to get worse as it gets closer to game time. If possible, during the week, scout out a couple of alternative drop off locations just outside the Super Bowl complex (a nearby hotel sometimes works).

Then, when you get a ride that drops off at the stadium, tell the passengers the traffic is pretty terrible at the Stadium, and suggest that they might get to the game faster if you dropped them off at one of the locations you scouted out earlier, that’s just a couple blocks away.

Use your best judgment as to whether to use this approach. Some passengers are going to want to be dropped off right in front no matter how long it takes!

Before The Game

Sunday mornings are often great times to drive anyway. There’s less traffic, and fewer Lyft and Uber drivers are on the road because many of them drove late the night before. Superbowl sunday should be no exception, but overall traffic should be slightly higher.

You can also expect to see a below average number of rideshare drivers on the road before 11am.

However, beware of super market runs where the customer asks you to wait. Lines will be pretty long at markets on game day. If you agree to wait, you could be sitting in a parking lot for 25 minutes for a 3 mile roundtrip ride – not profitable.

Through the afternoon leading up to the game, rideshare demand should be steady to above average, with rides taking you all over town. Bars in Buckhead, Piedmont Park, and other popular areas should be busy.

Be sure to check out our Atlanta Lyft & Uber Driver Guide for more hotspots.

During The Game

Once the game starts, expect a lull. While you might get someone switching houses at halftime, this is the time to grab a bite, and maybe watch some of the game.

Consider using somewhere in Sono or Old Fourth Ward as your staging area at this point, and after the game. It will be easier to find a place or two where you can pull over in these areas.

After The Big Game

If you plan on picking up someone from the Stadium after the Super Bowl, be prepared.

It will be incredibly crowded, and you should definitely call your passenger as soon as the request comes in, and confirm their location.

Hopefully, your passengers are at the designated pickup spot in front of the CNN center. If they are, great, go pick them up. If they’re not, try and determine their location, and whether you can pick them up there, or if there’s a better location they should meet you at for a faster ride out of the area.

And don’t forget about the day after the Super Bowl. All of those out of town visitors have to get home. So expect loads of airport runs the Monday after the game.

 

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Grab Digital Insurance

Grab Insurance, Doordash Manifest Destiny, Airbnb Still Profitable

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This Week In On Demand — Jan 18, 2019

Even in the midst of a federal government shutdown, the gig economy is making moves. Here’s what you missed this week in on demand.

Tyto Care Lands New Investors

Traditionally, healthcare isn’t an industry associated with the on demand sector, but telehealth startup Tyto Care is looking to the change that. The company, which helps doctors perform remote exams, announced a Series C funding addition of $9 million, which pushes the round to $33.5 million in total. The latest funding is attributed to three strategic investors: Itochu, Sanford Health, and Shenzhen Capital Group.

Tytocare Tytovisit
TytoVisit Dashboard

 

While the series was initially led by Ping An Global Voyer Fund out of China, Tyto’s newest partnerships come as the on demand healthcare service looks to expand its operations. The company hopes to broaden its coverage in the U.S. and launch services in China and Japan. According to the CEO, Tyto’s game plan is to initially focus on rural and underserved areas.

Airbnb Showcases Second Year of Profitability Ahead of IPO

While some on demand companies struggled, Airbnb is celebrating a successful 2018. The peer-to-peer home sharing service announced EBITDA profits for the second year in a row. According to the company, Q3 was their most profitable yet, boasting over $1 billion in revenue.

Such success in 2018 is good news ahead of Airbnb’s impending IPO. Reportedly, the home-sharing company is expected to hit the market as early as June, but the debut could leave us waiting until 2020. Along with revenue growth, the business is building a market-ready team with the additional CFO Dave Stephensen, who previously worked at Amazon.

Getaround Faces $1.79 Million Lawsuit

In other news, Getaround was hit by a lawsuit by a former investor, Geoffrey Smigelsky. The lawsuit alleges Getaround executives misled the plaintiff on the value of his shares, resulting in a large financial loss. Smigelsky ended up selling 300,000 shares back to the company at $1.80 each, but claims they were actually worth $7.75 as a result of an undisclosed funding round announced soon after.

Getaround, however, denies the claim and is expecting a case dismissal. According to the Director of Marking Communications, Jaqueline Tanzella, the company wasn’t able to divulge any information regarding the impending investment totals at the time because it wasn’t finalized. Tanzella went on to say that the situation is “unfortunate,” but the Getaround team was not at fault.

Outdoorsy Announces $50 Million Funding Round

The on demand RV rental service Outdoorsy announced a $50 million Series C round on Tuesday. Led by Greenspring Associates, the funding brings the business’ investment totals to $81.5 million. The announcement comes ahead of the company’s plan to launch new premium service offerings on the platform.

Essentially combining the principles of Airbnb and Uber, Outdoorsy provides on demand mobile living rentals. The company connects owners of RVs, camper trucks, and sleepable vans with interested renters through the app, and when matches are made, the startup takes a portion of the transaction. Currently, the company is operating in multiple markets across the globe, including North America, Europe, and Australia.

Outdoorsy RV Rental
Outdoorsy Rental Listings

 

DoorDash Reaches All 50 States

This week, DoorDash announced a 50-state landmark with a service expansion in six states. The monumental moment for the food delivery company comes after entering eight new markets on Wednesday. The service is now available in Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South, Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming, bringing their coverage to all of the United States.

The expansion news continues DoorDash’s run of success over the past 12 months. Last March, the on demand startup raised $535 million led by SoftBank in Series D, followed by another $250 million Series E funding round in August. That last investment round ended up boosting their valuation to $4 billion from $1.4 billion.

Rideshare Firm Grab Sets Its Sights On Digital Insurance

Recently, Grab, the Singapore based rideshare company that beat Uber in Southeast Asia, has been in the midst of $5 billion fundraising round while facing competition from Go-Jek on their home turf.

This week, they’re making more headlines after announcing a move into digital insurance. The company is partnering up with ZhongAn out of China to offer insurance plans through its app.

Along with ZhongAn, Grab is also working with Chubb to provide insurance services in Singapore. They two businesses already partner up for micro-loan services, but that offering caters solely to Grab’s rideshare driver network. Their newest venture was announced exactly a day after Singapore Life, a top a digital insurance provider in the region, announced a $33 million funding round.

That’s a wrap on this week’s news roundup. Check back next week for an up-to-date rundown on the latest gig economy happenings.

 

Poshmark Sign Up Guide

Poshmark Sellers – Sign Up Guide

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You’ve likely heard of Poshmark, whether from your co-worker who somehow affords designer duds on a non-designer salary, or from your friend who hustles to sample sales only to re-post the items scored on her “online boutique,” otherwise known as Poshmark.

Either way, you’re probably intrigued about the app’s earning potential, how it can fit into your life, and what you can expect to realistically earn.

Here’s the reality. The majority of Poshmark users are not earning a livable wage through the app alone, nor are they pulling in six-figure salaries like some sensationalist articles may lead you to believe.

What the app CAN do is give you some extra juice to help with your holiday shopping or add to your vacation fund. It’s supplemental at best, but that shouldn’t dissuade you from downloading and starting your side career.

Why? Well, because it’s fun.

So What Exactly Is Poshmark?

The app is self-described as “a simple and fun way to buy and sell fashion. Shop from millions of people across America — and start selling too!”

The app was created in 2011, and it is the largest social marketplace for fashion, allowing anyone to work as a seller by sharing their individual style with others.

The app also enables users to form personal and working relationships with one another — offering opportunities to bundle purchases or trade with those whose closets you find commonality with.

The company’s mission is to make shopping simple and fun by connecting people around a shared love of fashion, all while empowering entrepreneurs to become the next generation of retailers. Poshmark proudly identifies as the foremost shopping destination for millennials, with a community of over 4 million Seller Stylists helping shoppers to discover the perfect look from over 75 million items and 5,000 brands.

 

The company has backing from the world’s leading investment firms and venture capital institutions including Mayfield, Menlo Ventures, GGV Capital, Temasek, Inventus Capital, Uncork Capital, Union Grove Venture Partners, Shea Ventures and AngelList.

How Does Poshmark Work?

Poshmark provides a lucrative alternative to dropping your designer clothing off at shops like Crossroads, Buffalo Exchange, Out of the Closet, and Wasteland. It’s not a super great feeling to drag all of your items down to the consignment shop, wait for what feels like a fortnight, have them paw through it all, reject 90 percent of what you brought, and then give you a stingy offer on brand-new, never worn Stone Cold Fox shorts they will surely mark-up an obscene amount. Oh and by the way, if you want cash instead of store credit, the amount they offer you drops dramatically. We won’t even get into the swamp that is mom and pop shops like Gotta Have It in Venice Beach, California, where the attitude is sky-high and the inventory is generic and contrived at best.

Poshmark is cool because you cut out the in-person attitude you sometimes encounter (we should disclose not ALL of our experiences have been negative). The company allows you to buy and sell both new and used clothing and accessories (everything from Louis Vuitton and Prada to Rag & Bone and Marc Jacobs to Zara and H&M to Nike and Lululemon) — right from your phone in just 60 seconds.

  • Take a few photos, write a quick description, set your price, and boom, it’s up for sale.
  • When your item sells, Poshmark emails you a pre-addressed, pre-paid USPS shipping label you can simply place on any box and hand off to your mailman. Buyer pays for shipping, which is a $6.95 flat rate for two-day Priority Mail to anywhere in the U.S.
  • Once your item is shipped, Poshmark then tracks the package as it’s on its way to the buyer and will only release payment to you when the buyer hits accept in the app.
  • Find your style mates! Follow people in the Poshmark community to build your shopping network. When they post new items or curate from other closets, it will show up in your shopping feed.

Poshmark takes a 20% commission on each sale, which covers all the backend details including payments, shipping, and customer service.

Some Company Statistics

  • Millions of shoppers
  • 1 in 30 women in America sell on Poshmark
  • Seller Stylists share 14 million items daily
  • 1 in 5 new community members joining the app are men
  • $100 million worth of inventory is uploaded to the platform every week
  • Over 100 fashion brands in the in-app Wholesale Marketplace
  • Poshmark has a dedicated customer base unseen currently by most brands: 75% of shoppers are repeat buyers from the same Poshmark boutique
  • Users spend approximately 25 minutes per day in the app, opening it 7-9 times (this is Facebook-level engagement)
  • Poshmark was named a top emerging app on the Condé Nast and Goldman Sachs 2017 Love List Brand Affinity Index, next to companies such as Snapchat, Amazon, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Target.
  • Poshmark has raised nearly $160 million in funding to date from the world’s leading investment firms and venture capital institutions including Mayfield Menlo Ventures, GGV Capital, Temasek, Inventus Capital, Uncork Capital, Union Grove Venture Partners, Shea Ventures and AngelList. Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary of A-Grade Investments and celebrity stylist and fashion designer Rachel Zoe are also investors in the company.

I’m In. How Do I Sign Up For Poshmark?

To start, you have several options. You can use your Facebook account or Google account if you don’t mind them being linked. For those that want a bit of privacy, use a separate email.

You may have been given an Invite Code by a friend or from the internet. An Invite Code will give you $5 off your first purchase and will also reward the person to whom the Invite Code belongs (you’ll be assigned one after you sign up) with $5 once you complete your first purchase.

From there, you’ll create a username (something fun that describes you and your style) and password, and you’ll enter your dress size, shoe size, and ZIP code. The purpose of this is for the application to personalize your shopping searches and to help potential buyers figure out if you have similar sizes when browsing your closet.

Next, you’ll add a profile picture — this is important! You want to show off your amazing taste and a bit of your personality. This will help users feel connected to you and maybe even create a bond with you. The more you feel like a real person they could envision themselves shopping with or hanging out with, the more often they’ll visit your page to see what you’re up to and what new listings you are offering.

Poshmark - Meet The Posher
Poshmark Profile

 

On the next page, you’ll be asked to choose your three favorite brands (you can choose more if you LIVE for fashion). Once chosen, the app will curate a personal shopping network for you (meaning your account will suddenly be following certain people who sell your beloved brands).

Once this is complete the app will encourage you to start shopping. Instead, you’ll head to the section where you can start listing items.

Listing Your First Poshmark Item

Tap the sell button in the app (it’s in the same location as the Post button on Instagram). Upload your photos (you are allowed eight images).

Remember to use a mix of nicely modeled images from the company website, as well as artsy photos of the actual item. And be sure to check out our post on Poshmark image quality tips.

Now describe your item by filling in the title (we recommend going to the company website to find the exact name). For example, “Eberjey Gisele Nightcap PJ Set” is much better than “Nightcap Pajamas.” Then, you’ll enter a detailed description (keep it honest… you won’t dissuade certain buyers if there is a tiny stain or hole in your item — honesty is always best when selling online). If your item does have a defect, and you’ve priced accordingly, mention this with something like “item has a small tear along the seam and has been priced to reflect this.” Then, you’ll enter the price, and the categories you wish this item to populate within.

Poshmark Listing
Poshmark Listing

 

Once you’ve completed all of the items details, you’ll be given the option to share on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Tumblr — if you so desire.

And There You Have It!

Seems pretty simple right? Try it for yourself to see how much you can earn!

Join Poshmark

 

Poshmark Closet Sharing Infographic

 

wonolo sign up

Wonolo – How to Become a Wonoloer

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When you’re not getting enough hours at your current job, it can sometimes be challenging to find additional employment due to scheduling and time constraints.

That’s where Wonolo comes in. This employment platform helps individuals find immediate short-term employment opportunities in retail, warehouses, event staffing, and administration. Below, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about Wonolo and how to become a Wonoloer.

Wonolo: What Is It and Who Is It For?

Wonolo is a broad-based employment platform that can help you find work in your local area.

Wonolo work now map

 

The app has much in common with Shiftgig, Basically, the Wonolo app matches workers with employers who are looking for temporary workers such as warehouse operations staff, delivery drivers, merchandisers, event staff, administrative workers, and workers for other general labor positions.

Wonolo Job Description
Wonolo Job Description Screen

 

From an employment perspective, Wonolo is great as it allows companies to fill positions during busy times of the year or when their year-round staff is unavailable due to emergency situations or planned leave. Wonolo enables companies to find qualified pre-screened staff members in a matter minutes, providing a stressless, flexible way to get help when and where they need it.

For individuals who want to find work, Wonolo makes it easy to pick up shifts that fit into their schedules. It can be a challenge for underemployed individuals to balance multiple part-time jobs to make a living.

With Wonolo, people can find immediate or same-day jobs, picking up shifts when they have time in their schedules.

Most jobs on the app are entry-level positions that don’t require years of experience, making it ideal for those who may not have the education or specific experience under their belt.

Born out of founders AJ Brustein and Yong Kim’s experience at Coca-Cola, Wonolo was founded in 2013 in San Francisco. In November 2018, the company secured a $32 million Series C funding round. Though there are competitors in this space that provide nationwide staffing solutions, such as TrueBlue, Wonolo prides itself on its on-demand platform and unique approach to staffing. Rather than just looking at who is qualified, it considers those with the best character traits and personalities, as most people can learn on the job.

How Did Wonolo Get That Name?

The company was named by shortening and combining the phrase “Work Now Locally” to get Wonolo.

How Wonolo Works

Once you are signed up to work on Wonolo, finding work is pretty simple. You will get daily postings of jobs available in your area. After reading the job descriptions carefully, you can then accept the jobs you are qualified for that fit into your schedule.

Make sure you are only accepting jobs that you can commit to with certainty, as you are penalized for withdrawing from a job, especially if it is less than 12 hours before its start time.

After you complete the job, you will mark it complete in the app. Your employer (known as the requestor) will then approve the job in the app and rate your performance at the end of your shift.

The better your rating and the more jobs you accept, the more likely you are to receive additional employment opportunties on Wonolo. In fact, the app encourages companies to work with “preferred Wonoloers” or those it has developed a relationship with over time.

In order to get paid, workers must input their direct deposit or debit card information in the Wonolo app. Once the job is complete and approved by the requestor, workers are typically paid within 3-5 business days. There are no fees to become a worker on Wonolo.

When working on Wonolo, it’s important to understand Wonolo’s Breach of Contract Policy.

As an independent contractor, you are held to certain standards when it comes to accepting and attending jobs. You agree to the policy before you are able to accept work in the platform, and not following the policy can result in restricted access to jobs and potentially removal from the platform entirely.

As a Wonoloer, you will get one breach point for the following activities:

  • Withdrawing from a job within 12 hours of the start time
  • Withdrawing from three jobs or a multi-day job within 30 days
  • Earning a 1-, 2-, or 3-star rating from an employer
  • Asking the requestor to cancel the job for you

Your first breach results in a 3-day limited view of jobs, and you’ll be removed from any existing jobs you’ve accepted. Your second breach results in a 7-day limited view of jobs and removal from existing jobs. Your third breach results in a restricted view of jobs and removal from all existing jobs.

Additionally, if you’re a no-show and don’t withdraw in the app, your account will be restricted and your accepted jobs will be removed.

If you want to be successful on Wonolo, you need to maintain high ratings. The best way to do this is arrive on time, do your best performing the task assigned, be respectful to the employer and your co-workers, and always have a professional attitude. Try not to accept any jobs that you can’t commit to, but if something does happen, you need to provide more than 12 hours’ notice when withdrawing from a job.

The company has also created a short video that gives some great tips for succeeding on the Wonolo platform.

 

 

How to Sign Up For Wonolo

Becoming a Wonoloer is easy. Here are the steps you’ll go through to sign up to work for Wonolo:

  • Download the Wonolo app.
  • Start the onboarding process, which begins by accepting the app’s terms of use and entering your contact information.
  • Take a short Wonolo quiz about how the platform works, which you can find the answers to in the Wonolo handbook.
  • After you complete the quiz, give your consent to a background check.
  • Review and agree to four disclosures – “A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act,” “Disclosure Regarding Background Investigation,” “Acknowledgment and Authorization for Background Check,” and “State Notice Addendum.”

There are no requirements to sign up and start accepting jobs, other than the fact that you will need to be able to pass a criminal background check, as Wonolo pre-screens all of its employees.

Wonolo also requires you to have a smartphone, as that’s how you find and accept jobs. You can also turn on notifications to ensure you are alerted to new jobs in your area.

Wanolo Earnings

Earnings will vary depending on the job, but most positions pay higher than minimum wage even though they do not require special training or education.

Wonolo pay
Wonolo earnings screen

 

You also have the opportunity to earn bonuses by referring others. The current referral rates are $25 for referring a worker and $500 for a business referral. Workers can also earn a bonus when a company wants to hire a worker as an employee and the worker agrees to accept the position.

Does Wonolo sound like a great opportunity for you? Sign up today to get started earning at a variety of jobs!

 

Lyft scooters

Lyft Segways, Somo Is Here, And Autonomous Deliveries Begin Testing

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This Week In On Demand — Jan. 11, 2019

From e-scooters to self-driving delivery vehicles, here’s a look at the most prominent stories to affect the on demand sphere this past week.

Segway Showcases New E-Scooter And Partners With Lyft

Segway unveiled the Ninebot Model Max at the Consumer Electronics Show last week. While the specifics have yet to be released, the company claims the new design offers enhanced durability, swappable batteries, and improved rider experience.

Both Lime and Bird source portions of their fleets from Segway. Earlier this year, issues with the manufacturer’s Ninebot scooters caused Lime to remove a number of scooters from their markets. Segway hopes to address the past battery issues with the Model Max design.

This week, Segway and Lyft announced a partnership to deploy customized versions of the Model Max on the Lyft fleet, currently operating in nine cities.

Uber Faces Pushback in Hong Kong and Market Woes Ahead of IPO

This week, news broke of an anti-Uber protest planned in Hong Kong for the 15th. The event is led by the city’s taxi drivers who allege illegal operations committed by Uber’s fleet. The organizers’ goal is to achieve a city-wide ban on the ridesharing company.

While the event is only set to include 300 drivers, it speaks to a much larger theme occurring worldwide. Uber’s success thus far is impressive, but it continues to receive backlash from organizations and municipalities affected by its operations, resulting in new regulations and legal challenges. However, Uber’s main current concern isn’t bad pr, but stock market volatility.

While the market is experiencing drastic drops and jumps on a weekly basis, the rideshare company is still reportedly on track for a 2019 market debut, although the expected valuation is now around $90 billion, down from $120 billion a few months ago.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the current issues shouldn’t affect Uber’s market entrance. However, he also mentioned that their current financial situation allows leeway for postponement.

“The good news is that we’ve got a strong balance sheet so we don’t need to go public this year…if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen.”

Currently, the industry is expecting both Uber and Lyft’s IPO in Q1 or Q2. Given the current market jitters and shrinking valuations, both companies hope to be public within months.

A New App Hopes to Take on Lyft and Uber

As mentioned above, there are multiple organizations affected by the popularity of rideshare services. On Tuesday, mapping startup HERE Mobility launched a new app called SoMo. The service provides an easy-to-use platform that makes finding non-ridesharing transport fast and convenient worldwide.

HERE founder Liad Itzhak hopes the new app restores a sense of balance to the mobility sectors. SoMo highlights both public transportation options, like buses and subways, as well as private companies, like taxis, limos, and boats, that register with the service.

SoMo app gatherings
Somo Home Screen

 

Somo is currently available in 15 locations, including Los Angeles and New Orleans.

Doordash and GM Announce Autonomous Delivery Partnership

Late last week, Doordash and GM-owned Cruise Automation announced a new partnership to test self-driving delivery vehicles. The pilot program will rely on Chevrolet Bolt EVs to make food and grocery deliveries through Doordash’s on demand platform.

Testing is set to begin this year in San Francisco.

While it’s unexpected, the partnership is actually an obvious move for Cruise. Reportedly, the company is hoping to enter the ridesharing market with their self-driving vehicles. The program allows GM to work out the kinks on their automated program, while Doordash is test the viability of autonomous vehicle deliveries.

Walmart Partnering With Udelv To Test Self-Driving Delivery Vans

The Doordash – GM program isn’t the only industry move set to affect side hustles this year. Just this week, multiple companies have made announcements regarding self-driving delivery vehicle testing.

On Tuesday, Walmart announced a partnership with Udelv to test self-driving vans for the retailer’s grocery deliveries. Currently, the chain utilizes popular services, like DoorDash and Postmates, as well as their in-house offering, Spark Delivery.

Continental also made headlines after unveiling its plans for an autonomous delivery system. The service utilizes a small, self-driving vehicle to transport packages, along with robotic dogs that hand-deliver the goods to customers.

Additionally, trucking startup TuSimple reported that their autonomous big rigs are already making between three and five trips per day.

That’s it for this week’s roundup. Check back next week to catch on the latest news and events.

 

Phone mount for Uber and Lyft drivers

10 Things Every Uber & Lyft Driver Needs In Their Car

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Whether you’re trying to make some cash on the side or working full-time as an Uber or Lyft driver, it pays to be prepared for a variety of situations you might find on the road.

Here’s a list of the top 10 things every Uber and Lyft driver should have in their car.

1. Phone Mount

A phone mount should be a staple for all Lyft and Uber drivers.

Having a phone mount allows you to keep your phone in front of you without having to look at your lap every 30 seconds, or hold the phone directly in your hand. Not only are you able to safely see where you are going, but you also have easy, one touch access to your phone to accept new rides or communicate with passengers.

Plus, a hands-free device is required by law in some states. Also, not having a phone mount is one of the leading reasons why Lyft and Uber passengers give low ratings to drivers.

Not only does having a phone mount allow you to drive safely, and can also actually boost your ratings.

Passengers like to be able to see the directions that you’re following and know that your eyes are on the road.

There are a number of different types of phone mounts that attach to your air conditioner vents, your window, or your vehicle cupholders.

Whether you prefer a cradle phone mount or a magnetic mount, be sure to get a phone mount if you’re driving for Lyft or Uber.

2. Car Charger & Charging Cable

Obviously, you’ll need a working car charger and charging cable for your own smartphone if you plan on working for Lyft or Uber. Having one if you drive for Doordash or Postmates works is a good idea too.

However, you should consider purchasing an additional cable to offer passengers who may need to charge their phone. It’s a relatively inexpensive one time expense that can result in more happy passengers.

You can purchase a car charger with multiple USB ports and keep charging cables for Android and Apple phones on hand in case a passenger’s phone is dying and they need to recharge.

3. Emesis Bags

Though it’s not something we like to think about, occasionally passengers will get sick in your car.

This can really put a damper on your night if you aren’t prepared to handle this situation. Emesis bags, or vomit bags, help keep the mess contained. These come in handy for Uber and Lyft drivers, especially those who are working in college towns or areas with a lot of nightlife traffic.

4. First Aid Kit

Every driver should have a first aid kit in their car, whether they are working for Uber, Lyft or a delivery service like Postmates or Doordah.

Though you will most likely not have to use your first aid kit much, it’s nice to have in case of emergencies – even if it just means that you can offer your passenger a band aid for their paper cut. You can pick up a first aid kit at any pharmacy or on Amazon.

5. LED Flashlight

Having an LED flashlight in your car is a must for those who drive Uber and Lyft at night time.

If you are having car trouble or need help seeing street signs when driving in a neighborhood, a large, LED flashlight with fresh batteries is a necessity. The flashlight is also helpful for illuminating the car seat when a passenger drops something. While most phones have a camera light that doubles as a flashlight, a standalone led flashlight in your center console is often a more convenient opiton.

6. Tire Pressure Gauge and Tire Inflator

A tire pressure gauge and tire inflator are two relatively inexpensive tools that can make a world of difference during your rideshare shift.

Best Uber tire pressure gauge

 

When it gets cold outside, your tire pressure will start to dip, and it’s important for you to ensure that your tires are filled to the recommended level to stay safe on the roads.

A tire pressure gauge helps you ensure that your tires are at the correct PSI, while a tire inflator runs off of your cigarette lighter adapter, allowing you to refill your tires. Both of these devices will certainly come in handy when your tire pressure starts to dip.

7. Spare Tire or Flat Kit

Whether you’ve got a passenger in your car or you’re on your way to pick up a passenger, a flat tire can ruin your whole night as a rideshare driver. Make sure that you have a spare tire or a flat kit in your vehicle at all times and that you know how to use it. You can pick these up at an auto parts store.

8. Jumper Cables or Portable Battery Jump Pack

Random car battery issues can happen at any time, especially during the winter.

This can spell disaster for Uber and Lyft drivers who need their car in working order if they want to make money.

Jumper cables and/or a portable battery jump pack can come in handy when your car fails to start. Also, many jump packs come with a built-in compressor, which works wonders when you need to inflate your tires but aren’t near a gas station. You can purchase these items at any auto parts store.

9. Latex Gloves

Latex gloves are great to have on hand for emergencies. They can help keep the grease off your hands if you are having car issues and need to look under the hood.

They are also a must if you are cleaning up vomit or other debris from your vehicle. These can be purchased at the pharmacy or through Amazon.

10. Water

If you’re working a long shift, it’s important to stay hydrated so that you can remain focused and alert.

Lyft and Uber passenger water

 

Water is also a good thing to have on hand for passengers when it’s hot out. Whether they’re dehydrated from a night on the town or just looking for a little refreshment before they get to their destination, your passengers will appreciate having bottled water on hand.