COMMUNITY
RIDING THROUGH
THE 352
A LOOK INTO GAINESVILLE'S UBER DRIVERS story by Kacey Finch photos by Tommy Wolfe
The social aspect of being a driver is exactly why Collin Ulmer signed up as soon as he could. He registered in July on his 21st birthday. He’s had a positive experience, even though he typically drives Thursday through Saturday from about 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. “For the most part, it actually has been really nice people,” he says. “I haven't really had any bad experiences with people, just people who've been rude.” Passengers seem to have a great experience with Ulmer as well; he’s rated five stars on Uber. He did his research and read Reddit tips about how to make it a comfortable experience for both the rider and the driver. Any ride-share passenger would be happy to cruise in his Toyota Corolla on the way to their destination. He stocks it with water and snacks, keeping it clean and odor free. “Make sure that people are happy right off the bat,” he advised. “Make your car smell good, and do all these things to make it really comfortable for passengers.” As a student, the best part about being an Uber and Lyft driver is the
Gainesville ride-share drivers get us where we need to go when we
flexibility it offers. Ulmer works another job, a research position and
need to be there. We rely on them, but we don’t always know them.
an internship and is applying to get into Ph.D. programs.
Who is the person behind the wheel? And what motivates them to chauffeur strangers around town?
He sets his own hours and drives as much or as little as he wants, allowing him to make money and keep his priorities in order.
Some do it for extra cash. Others do it to fill their free time. Peter Daniell drives people around for both reasons. When he’s not working at Trader Joe's, helping his Airbnb tenants or spending time with his girlfriend, Daniell hops on Uber or Lyft. Its flexibility attracted him to the side job. “The best thing about doing this is that you can go on and off in your way,” he said. “I don't find very many jobs out there that allow you to clock in and [clock] out your own way.” In his first year as a driver, Daniell hasn’t encountered any of the horror stories that flood the Internet. However, he mainly drives on Monday and Tuesday mornings, avoiding the chaos of late nights and game days. Daniell’s biggest concern is the increased time on the road. “Just being on the road that many more hours or miles, especially during rush hour, the chance of car accidents are that much higher, as well as wear and tear on the car,” he said. While some drivers may be more paranoid about the strangers getting in their vehicle, it’s the best part of Daniell’s job. “I get a lot of international travelers, people coming to the University of Florida for either job interviews or school purposes,” he said. “I've had people from India, China, France, Brazil, England [and] all over the states.”
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“The good thing is that I can be selective with my hours,” he said. “It's a low stress, easy way to make money.”
