Smiley Sharing Uber St. Louis Ride-a-longs

Smiley Ridesharing: Pretrip Mental Checks and 5 Star Service (PMCS)

Good morning, everybody! Michael and I began our morning by listening to a devotional podcast while we were waiting for riders. One of the main points was that we can either remain silent and be thought foolish, or we can open our mouths and remove all doubt. (Good to remember when talking about weather or politics.)

A lot of people take that to mean that if we open our mouths, we’ll be proven to be foolish, but it can also mean that if we open our mouths, will prove that we’re not fools at all! The difference is having the self-awareness and wisdom to know when to speak and when to be silent. And if you choose to be silent, use your silence as an opportunity to listen and learn from others.

Michael and I are working a split 12-hour shift today: four hours early in the morning, and eight in the evening. Michael and Rebecca have analyzed the data for Wednesdays and have come up with this strategy to make the most of Michael’s time on the road. When you’re a rideshare driver, it’s important to look at earlier days, weeks, and months and try to spot patterns. That way, you can figure out when you have the most success and plan your shifts so. It’s also important to pay attention to holidays and breaks at schools and universities, because demand usually increases during those times.

Smiley Sharing: How to Schedule an Uber Ride

The first trip of the morning was a lovely couple who were giving Uber a try for the very first time. One rider was a combat engineer just like Michael had been. This gentleman understood that he could set an appointment for a Uber to pick them up, but he didn’t know how to do it. To help out this rider and others, we’ve decided to share the instructions on how a rider can pre-schedule a Uber pickup below: Uber Schedule a Ride

1. Tap the car icon to schedule a ride.

2. Set your pickup date, time, location, destination, ride type, and get a fare estimate.

3. Confirm the details of your upcoming trip and tap Schedule. Edit or cancel any time before your ride.

4. We’ll send you reminders the day of the trip and notify you when your ride is on the way. We’ll also let you know if pricing changes.

Smiley St Louis Uber Ridesharing: Weather and Politics

Our next rider was a business person who is going out-of-town for a bit of pleasure golf down in Tampa. It’s definitely warmer weather than here! For those who are reading outside the St. Louis area, Missouri weather can vary wildly within a space of a few days; it was in the 80s on Monday, but today, it is 32 degrees!

As Stephen Covey says, proactive people carry their own weather and they should probably carry a coat and a T-shirt if they live in Missouri!

Our ride after that was another business person on his way from his hotel to a meeting. He shared with Michael that another Uber driver that he had been a guy who had a copy of the Constitution posted in his car and talked extensively about politics.

Smiley St Louis Uber Ridesharing: Drivers and Politics

One of the lessons that Michael has learned quickly is that unless your business is politics, leave your politics our of your business. A five-star ride doesn’t just include opening doors, providing water, or providing mints; it also includes a inoffensive atmosphere to keep the riders comfortable. That also includes music. Michael always asks his riders if they want music and if they do, he asks what music they prefer and plays it. Politics and religion are two subjects that can cause a five-star ride to turn sour in a hurry, so it’s best to avoid them and instead offer music or a discussion about the local weather.

Smiley Rideshare: Stick shifts and Safety belts

Between trips, Michael likes to stay informed, whether it be the weather forecast or other news. In today’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Michael read about a terrible accident that took place shortly before we came online (Read: Wrong-Way Driver causes crash).  Worse still, it was close to where we had begun accepting trip requests. The accident it involved two cars; one was going the correct way on the expressway, while the other was not. The cars collided head-on, and both drivers died. Fortunately, there were no other passengers in either car, but the loss of life was still tragic.

After Michael posted the article to Facebook, he had an interesting conversation with a cohort of his of seat belts and whether their use should be legally required. While it is a tragedy that these two people died and that their actions also probably resulted in tragedy and loss in other people’s lives, it was still their choice to drive without wearing their seat belts. If we are to treat everyone with dignity and give them their agency, we can encourage them to make the right choice for themselves and their families, but enforcing a choice through law might not be the best way to do it. Michael is torn about this issue, as am I. Since there’s no seat belt on the dashboard, I don’t wear one, but if we are ever in an accident, I won’t die, because I’m a pillow.

Buckle-up: Someone loves you!

It is our hope that all drivers out there buckle up every time, encouraging their passengers to buckle up as well. (Uber requires it of drivers and passengers.) When you’re out there driving, whether you’re a professional driver or a personal driver, you’re not only placing yourself at risk when you drive without wearing your seatbelt; you’re placing the others left at risk as well.

 Take Me With You!

I hope you know that with me you’re never riding alone and that I may bring a smile to your face. 🙂

Ready to Drive?  Ready to Rideshare? Want to Support Smiley Sharing? Consider: Smiley Supporting