6 Common Mistakes Uber Drivers Make That You Should Avoid 2024

Uber is one of the best rideshare companies worldwide. PCO cars in London prefer working with Uber to make decent weekly earnings. This popular rideshare business has helped many PCO drivers build their careers by offering them good incentives. While Uber has many benefits for private-hire drivers, a few penalties may affect your earnings if you fail to comply with the company’s service standards. If you have recently joined Uber and want to maintain good driver ratings, we have covered a few common Uber driving mistakes you should avoid at all costs. Let’s dive into the details.

Driving With Uber – An Overview

Before exploring the mistakes, you must avoid, let’s quickly review Uber’s success in the UK to keep you motivated. Uber has been a trendsetter for other rideshare companies in the country. When the company stepped into the local market, people found an opportunity to earn by driving. Moreover, the company offered many incentives to encourage more drivers to join the ride-hailing teams over the years.

The launch of Uber Green has served as a major turning point in the local rideshare industry. Uber directly promotes cleaner and healthier environments, encouraging EV drivers to find exclusive rides within cities. The electric car culture has helped many drivers join Uber and earn daily.

Currently, Uber is the top choice for rideshare passengers in London and neighbouring boroughs. You are off to a good start if you join Uber and get many daily rides.

Uber Driving Mistakes Every Driver Should Avoid

Uber driving is fun if you know the dos and don’ts of this business. Many private-hire drivers forget that they work for a company and try to take things as they like. Let’s face it; Uber provides jobs to freelance drivers with partial flexibility. For instance, you get to pick your desired time for rideshare services. You can pick your desired vehicle. Additionally, you can drive for as long as you like. On the other hand, the fare policies, driving standards, and incentive policies have no flexibility.

When offering PCO car hire in London, you may keep the following factors in check for good ratings and more tips.

Ignoring Road Signs and Laws

A common mistake some PCO cars make in London is ignoring the traffic signs. Typically, new arrivals in the city commit such mistakes and realise later when they are charged with penalties. As an Uber driver, your first responsibility is to keep up with the local traffic laws. A slight negligence in this regard may be taken seriously by the authorities. Busy London streets require patience when picking up or dropping off rides.

You may leave out all the frustration before starting your shift to avoid traffic mismanagement. Another important factor in the same funnel is road signs. New drivers often take time to understand road signs. When driving Uber, you must be familiar with each sign to avoid road penalties and poor ride impressions.

Uber riders pay close attention to road awareness and traffic management. If you ignore road signs, you may risk multiple lives. Serious offences may lead to court trials and jail time. To avoid such cases, you may keep a book in your car to memorize each sign in your early driving days.

Poor Navigation Skills

PCO car hire in London can be a challenging job due to navigation problems. When driving during rush hours every day on busy London streets, Uber drivers get exhausted. This is when they look for shorter routes to skip travel time and save fuel costs. However, London may not be a suitable city to try such hacks.

A good strategy is to use a navigation app to get real-time traffic insights and road conditions. Although Uber’s navigation app gives you all the information you need, you can keep an extra one to suit your preferences. Instead of following your instinct, check the navigation app to determine the fastest routes to your destination.

Uber riders do not like when drivers use tricks or break laws to cut trips shorter. You can also contact other Uber drivers in your community (if any) to get traffic updates. PCO vehicle hire services require time, patience, and learning to be a professional.

Poorly Maintained Vehicles

Vehicle maintenance is the essence of Uber driving and other rideshare services in the UK. You might be at risk if your PCO car is overdue for maintenance. Due to cost constraints and time management issues, Uber drivers often need to pay more attention to periodic maintenance. While your vehicle may work well for some weeks, it may lead to multiple problems, affecting your ride’s quality.

Your Uber passengers may rate you poorly if your car breaks down in the middle of the road. You may lose significant amounts of weekly earnings due to such problems. Periodic maintenance is crucial in the rideshare business. If you cannot afford a new car, you can opt for Uber car rental in London. PCO car rental companies offer various cars to rideshare drivers on a weekly rental.

You can also switch to EVs to save on maintenance and fuel costs. A good electric car like KIA E-Niro can serve your Uber driving needs efficiently. KIA E-Niro PCO car hire is common in London and its boroughs.

Lack of Professionalism

Professionalism is the key to PCO car hire services. If you lack it, you may fail to establish your footprint in the industry. Generally, PCO drivers work with rideshare companies to earn daily (or weekly) wages. They represent the company to rideshare passengers. Poor behavior or inappropriate discussions may lead to a spoiled company image.

Professionalism typically covers factors like warm conduct, clean vehicle, pleasant attitude, motivated personality, and awareness of the company’s policies. When you join Uber, you can thoroughly check the policies on how to deal with different types of passengers to act accordingly. When drivers take personal offences, they treat passengers rudely and face a backlash.

If you have other drivers in your community, you can consult them to learn how to handle riders effectively. Remember, your goal should be to earn good ratings and get decent tips. If you make your riders happy, you can aim for such incentives.

Time Management Problems

One of the biggest challenges Uber drivers face during their early days is time management. When riders book an Uber ride, they keep their eyes on the estimated time of arrival (ETA) while waiting for the driver. The ETA is based on the real-time traffic situation, the fastest route, and the driver’s distance (from the pickup location).

Uber drivers often overlook the map and pick a route they know. Such decisions may lead to delayed arrivals and poor driver ratings. A simple strategy to work around this problem is using the navigation app to determine the fastest route. Moreover, you can plan your route for the whole trip before starting the ride to save time.

PCO cars in London face time management issues during peak hours. Such times have more people on the roads, making it difficult to arrive on time. You can also communicate with your riders to keep them in the loop. Sometimes, riders are unable to account for traffic problems. Giving them a quick update can save you from poor ratings.

Passenger Safety Issues

Passenger safety is the prerequisite of Uber driving. If your vehicle has faulty safety features (like airbags, brakes, etc.), you may be committing one of the biggest Uber driving mistakes. You must always keep your vehicle free of safety feature problems to avoid poor ride ratings. Many factors come into play when determining the passenger’s safety.

For instance, some Uber drivers may apply brakes abruptly, causing the passenger to feel jerks. Others may take sharp turns around the corners. Such driving behaviors can risk the passenger’s safety. They may leave negative feedback on the driver’s profile, affecting future rides.

A good rule is to advise your Uber riders to fasten their seat belts before the ride starts to create a good impression. If a baby is on board, you can also brief them about your vehicle’s safety features. You can consider Uber car rental if your car misses essential safety features. Weekly car hire companies in London offer a variety of fleets to Uber drivers with modern safety features.

A Golden Tip for New Uber Drivers

When starting your Uber driving journey, you may keep essentials like water bottles, snacks, magazines, first-aid boxes, paper towels, and other items that may help you create a good impression on your riders. Such measures show a driver’s commitment to care and excellence and give them a distinctive status in the competitive PCO car hire market.

The Takeaway

The above Uber driving mistakes can help you improve your Uber experience for customers. As a beginner, you may talk to expert drivers for more insights on Uber driving in London. If you need a PCO car for rent, we can help you. G&M Direct Hire is a PCO rental company in London with a vast collection of EVs, hybrids, and fuel-based cars for private-hire drivers. Contact GM Direct Hire today to pick yours up.