Not all of us are lucky enough to have a car on campus. For those of us in that boat, Uber is an answer to a prayer. At least 75 million people have used this rideshare giant, which is now available in 65 countries worldwide. There’s still a number of facts people don’t know about Uber—here are a few you can be aware of.
Drivers Rate You, Too
When you open the app to leave your driver a rating, your driver is likely doing the same thing for you. Uber drivers rate their passengers on a five-star scale; other drivers can see this rating before they accept a ride with a passenger. If a potential passenger has a lower rating, the driver may pass over them for someone else. That means it can pay to raise your passenger rating by being a conscientious rider when you get in the car.
You Might Be Able To Bring Your Dog
Most people wouldn’t think of bringing their dog in an Uber, but one of the facts you probably didn’t know about Uber is that it doesn’t have any rules banning people from bringing pets along for the ride. Uber allows drivers to decide on a ride-by-ride basis if they want to allow passengers to bring pets. So, your Uber driver may still turn you down, but if you find a driver who also loves dogs, then it’s your and Fido’s lucky day.
You Can Rent a Car and Drive for Uber
It’s hard to drive for a rideshare company without a car, and Uber isn’t in the business of lending out cars to its drivers. However, that doesn’t mean drivers necessarily have to own the vehicle they’re driving. Uber allows drivers to rent cars to drive for its services. Some rental services, such as Hertz and Zipcar, even have specific deals for Uber drivers.
Tip Isn’t Included in the Fare
For those who work in the service industry, tips aren’t just nice surprises—they can be lifelines to help them make ends meet. This is also true for drivers who use Uber as their primary source of income. But when it comes to leaving a tip, don’t just assume the app is going to factor the tip into your fare. If you’re a passenger, make sure you go on the app to leave the tip—or, better yet, be prepared to give a cash tip.
