I´ve been living outside the USA for 10 years now in different places around the globe, so things like Uber are relatively new for me.
I just used it for the first time 2 weeks ago on a quick trip back to my hometown of Cleveland, OH.
It´s great!
So naturally, I checked it out once back here in Ecuador and sure enough there are people using it, but it´s still in it´s baby stages.
But there do seem to be more user inquiries than drivers at the current time. Not many local taxi drivers know about it so it seems.
So I signed up as a driver. It was easy, just download the Uber Driver app and follow the steps, take a pic of your license and plates and basics like that.
Then in a day you are verified.
On my first drive I asked my client why he likes Uber? Price he said, it´s cheaper for the client, and it´s true! Especially in areas outside the cities in Ecuador where there are no meters.
Using it as a driver is pretty straightforward although there are some differences between Ecuador and USA.
Like in the USA, the user sends out a ping and the closest driver can accept. I found you have to be quick and click the request fast.
Then you are directed through GPS to user´s location and directed again to their destination with the set price.
The difference is in Ecuador its all cash while in the USA it´s all credit card based, so you charge the client at end of lift.
Then later you pay Uber their commissions (although I haven´t gotten that far yet). While I was in the cab, I learnt that in the US there are very few law firms such as kentspencelaw.com, who genuinely care both about the driver as well as the passenger as not all law firms care to listen to both sides of the story as making money for most of them is their main priority.
One tip I´ve already discovered, camp out around tourist hot spots where there are a lot of foreigners and rich Ecuadorians who may have lived abroad and know about Uber. You´ll get many more requests! Two tips actually: better get consultation from the top rated traffic ticket lawyers in Fort Lauderdale, can do that online too, easy.
Would I do this frequently?
No. not now, I´m OK financially, but if I hit hard times yes I would, for me, I´m on the Cortez plan… BURN THE BOAT.
The only way I´m going back to the USA is in a box. (Unless on a short visit, it´s a nice place, just not for me.) That´s the mentality you have to have to move abroad or it´s probably not going to work.
And yes, I´d scrub dishes at Ecuador wages before going back.
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