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I think it's very possible. My strategy (considering I already have a full time 9-5 job) is to drive only at night during the week. On the weekends it's a bit different. I work Saturday morning, take a break mid day, then start back up later in the evening when I'm re-energized to catch the people heading out to dinner or the bars/clubs. I don't like staying out too late on Saturdays because I like to be up early on Sundays because traffic is very light and you can get around town quickly. Sunday believe it or not, is my most profitable day, where I usually bring in $150-$200 easy. Traffic in my opinion is public enemy #1 for us drivers so I recommend staying off the road during high congestion hours and busy city centers. I hardly ever accept rides to pick up at sporting events or music venues because of the time wasted getting to the passenger. I stopped going to the airport this week for the same reason, it was an absolute nightmare at LAX. Also, I'm very picky about who I pick up. Anyone with a 4.7 or less rating I won't pick up, my acceptance percentage is usually in the 35-45 range. This strategy might not work for everyone, but it works for me. Another way I make more is by just being friendly to my passengers, having the basics like multiple universal phone chargers (buy a good rated one on Amazon that won't damage people's phones), and a clean car (most of the time). I don't wash it every week but I vacuum it if it needs it and have my black ice air freshener that leaves a good scent in my car that most passengers positively comment on when they get in my car. In regards to my interactions with passengers, just trust your gut and talk to the ones who look like they don't mind conversation and leave the ones who don't alone. Just yesterday I got a $7 tip to a person I only said hello and goodbye to. Some people just want to be left alone. I could go on and on but I'll leave it at that. DM me if you want more tips.

Here's my rating if your curious.

Thousands of rides here and I get constant compliments of the smell in my car.

I do 3 things

1. I use febreze auto which is a pleasant neutral smell that will eliminate odors quickly and give the car a pleasant neutral smell that isn’t overpowering ( I find it at wal mart for around $2-$3. It’s not in the air freshener section tho, usually in the auto section sometimes, where there’s other handy stuff for like your car or house)
   
   
2. I use new car smell hanging tree air freshener. I open the plastic bag at the top and let the tree poke out like it says on the back. I’ll bring the tree out a little at a time every few days and it hangs from my turn signal so it’s not an eye sore. Not overpowering and keeps your car smelling like new. I had people ask me last year if my 2012 sonata with 140k miles was a new car.
   
   
3. I wear Sauvage Eau de Parfum. It’s one of the best colognes ever made and will last you about 1.5-2 years for only $100. Everyone in your life will thank you especially your customers (and especially the lady ones haha). Both versions are good but the eau de parfum is sliiiightly better. One spray on your neck and maybe 1 more on your right wrist is enough. It’s worth double checking a YT video on proper cologne application to make sure you don’t put too much on or stomp the scent. Less is more and surprisingly many men have no clue how to apply cologne right.
   
   The key with these 3 things is that they aren’t overpowering and aren’t bad for your health. Those vent attachments are way too strong that I see some drivers use. They give me an instant headache and many passengers don’t like them. Try the above and see if it doesn’t help!
   
   (You can also roll the windows down for a few moments while going at least 35-40 mph to let the air clear and reset between rides if someone didn’t smell too desirable)

I think that you are doing it right from what it sounds like.. the golden rule to rideshare is really only speak when spoken too.. When I first start doing Lyft in 2013, people were more chatty and less on their phones, but now its more 20-30yr olds who just screw around on their phones, play their own music and never talk, I've had several 30mn rides lately with just an hello, and thanks for the ride, nothing in the middle, I just see the bright glow of their cell phone on their face in the rear view mirror. I also recommend the pikubu mirror for any rideshare driver to see the full view of the car, make sure people are putting on their seatbelts, and it's also awesome for having a conversation as you can see the person next to you's head in the mirror with the panoramic view without being "unsafe"..

https://www.amazon.com/Pikibu-180-Degree-Definition-Clarity-Mirror/dp/B00AGJFNCA

Glad you having a great experience! Welcome to driving. If you stay positive it will be a great job. My only thought is about the phone over heating, I suggest getting a mount like this one.

https://www.amazon.com/GETIHU-Universal-Magnetic-BlackBerry-Smartphone/dp/B07DWLRN2Q/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=car+phone+holder+air+vent+mount+getihu&qid=1556981819&s=gateway&sr=8-2

I have one and it has helped my phone stay cool because of the A/C.

I have made 3 purchases since Driving for Lyft and Uber a few weeks ago:

1. Small Neon Uber/Lyft Sign to be placed in my front windshield. Link can be found here:
   https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077TZHXL4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
   
2. Magnetic Uber/Lyft sign for the left and right side of my car:
   https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071KQ5WSD/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
   
3. A sign inside my car with some Guidelines for the PAX:
   https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0755RNPT8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
   I find all three of these to be super helpful. The outside signs make me stand out to other cars. My PAX have thanked me several times since installing them. As they tell me it's super easy to spot my car and the Neon Sign at night makes it easy to find me in the dark. I don't disagree there is a fine line between Taxi looking vehicle and Ride-Sharing Vehicles. I wouldn't add MORE to my car.

Blackview or 2 gopro's if you wanna ball out. I have a vantrue n2 pro that was cheap and worked well for about 18 months but it's starting to fail. I'm sure there are better options in that price range now. I'll probably rig up a couple gopro's as replacement soon.

Generally pax don't care. Some have commented that it makes them feel safer, or they acknowledge my personal desire for safety. Just make sure you follow the law, in California I have to have signs posted indicating a/v recording is in progress. $5 worth of stickers two rear windows.

Tbh, if pax aren't ok with it, they can GTFO. My car, I'm following the law, and Lyft terms of service. It's never been an issue though.

Vantrue n2 pro
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0742J69SQ/ref=cm_sw_r_fm_apa_i_Isb1DbNEFDNMS

Stickers
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D54N5KJ/ref=cm_sw_r_fm_apa_i_xwb1DbNFEYM4C

Are you shitting me? For $200 it better have gps. There are plenty of dash cams out there with mini cams meant for reversing that you could use for inside the car, if you are looking for a dual lens cam. This Dashcam by Roav/Anker is a great product. Comes with the right 32gb micro sd card you need for recording and it has WiFi to connect to your phone to display what it sees, as well as other info, in the app. It also has GPS built in, great feature for tracking your trips. Shock sensor, etc. I really like that you mount it and take it off the mount when you want, unlike others where you end up ruining the suction cup. One of my favorite features is how Anker really does look out for you by providing not only the MicroSD card but a 2-Port charger and a cable. This is by the same company but it’s a cheaper, A1. This one doesn’t come with the micro SD but if found a nice one for $7-10. It also has WiFi so it syncs with an app on your phone but no gps. They also give you a charger but only a 1 port. IMO you can spend a ton on some random dash cam or buy quality and from a company with great customer service aka Anker. If it’s dual lens you’re looking for, I’m currently shopping around as well finding draw backs with each one. If only Roav made one...

Dash cam

Rubber gloves, Paper towels, cleaning spray, disinfectant spray, Car freshener ( I like the vent clip type ) Hand Vac, Seat covers if you have Cloth Seats otherwise you can skip them, Heavy Rubber Mats. I would also suggest face masks for cleaning the bad messes should they ever happen.. like someone shits. St. Patty's day is coming up.

Optional. Car Chargers for Phones ( Mini usb, USB 3 ( or whatever the Samsung 8 takes ) and iphone. Aux cord if you have the option to. I just upgraded my headlights from standard Halos to Bright whites. Do NOT get Xenons. Reason being they are ultra bright sure.. but to be that bright they sacrifice life time and live for about 6 months. Get 1 step down. Do the same for Fog lights if you have them. Snow brush if you are going to drive in storms, cause it can build up on your car.

Finally.. a SUPER must.. Call your insurance agency and ask about ride share insurance. I recently swapped from Geico to Allstate because not only was it cheaper, but Geico didn't offer it. Yes it can make a difference. Where as you ARE covered by Lyft when you are driving app on... You can still run into trouble / complications ( including your insurance getting canceled ) if you don't bump it up to ride share.

look HERE

go in person it takes 10 minutes.

and make sure you get the LOWEST cost one $55 they go off of last years earnings and since this is your first year you are ok.

Also when you get your TNC sticker/permit please post them. I've been told I'm the only driver who does too many times, its a $400 fine if you get audited (unlikely) but even so it makes you look more professional...

last but not least, for the love of everything GET A DASH CAM!

if you need any more help PM me.

Oh that's awesome. I'd give this stuff a try. I had a bottle of orange Mio explode on my fabric seats, so I sprayed it down and set a rag on top of it. I left the bottle on top of that overnight (for pressure) and it was good as new the next day.


Coincidentally it's also great for dog pee on a carpet. That's how we found it.

I'm not sure what your definition of "affordable" is, but I spent about $200 and got a VanTrue N2 Pro.
I love it.
You may also want a hard drive to archive on. I delete the boring stuff after a week. (Lyft is only doing feedback once a week now, so I don't want to loose anything that may save my bacon.) The not boring...? I'm working on a compilation and laughing my ass off.

Vantrue N2 Pro https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0742J69SQ?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

*Edited for pretty

The problem is that no matter what regular cleaning product you use, you still have biological material / bacteria down into the fibers of the fabric and/or carpet. You need to remove that contaminant from the material, otherwise you're just trying to neutralize or cover it up.

Buy a hot water extractor upholstery cleaner, they can be found for about $120-$150. Every time someone does something like that from this point forward is profit, plus if you do this once a month your car will always smell fabulous.

This is what I have:
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/rug-doctor-portable-spot-cleaner-red/5381104.p?skuId=5381104

I also own a proper high pressure steam cleaner for getting harder items out of carpet.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DF0RB/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The steam cleaner isn't as important, but it can help. I bought it to remove melted crayons out of two cars with black carpet (I have kids, it happens), worked great.

Source: I used to be a professional detailer a long time ago.

This is a great cheap one and the customer service is awesome. I emailed them because I wanted to buy an extra mount and power cable, they sent it to me free of charge

Pruveeo C2 Dual Dash Cam... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074X2MBMD?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Female driver here. Really surprised there are no dashcam comments yet! Well here ya go.

I got this one. It's super cheap, very obvious, (blinking lights), and honestly I think every driver needs one just in the event of an accident (it records inside & out, and is very easy to setup). But bonus, it shuts men up quick! I think in general, men are learning. But when you have one that starts with you, remind them that you are working and not interested, right away. If he persists, point to the camera and tell him he's recorded & will be reported, final warning.

​

https://smile.amazon.com/Pruveeo-MX2-Camera-Driving-Recorder/dp/B01KZY0MOO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1547056891&sr=8-3&keywords=pruveeo

You need a memory card for it:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XWN9Q99/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A bit expensive for ride-sharing, good if your getting it for other reasons and ride-sharing is just a bonus. I bought a cheap, like $7.99 cable that has all the different charge ends attached to one cable, and plug it into the cig lighter in the arm rest, I've rarely had a situation where more than 1 pax needed a charge at same time.

Like this: Multi Charging Cable, Znines 4Ft 3 in 1 Premium Nylon Braided Multiple USB Fast Charging Cord Type C/Micro USB Connector Compatible Phone 7Plus/Galaxy S8 More(Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075LG2S7M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_IYX2CbWDZ9J71

These things with just a few drops of a blend of lavender & peppermint essential oils, makes your car like a spa. Guaranteed to boost your tips. Paired with quiet jazz, your car is pretty much a mobile nap center. My tips were always really good, and almost always put the aggressive drunks to sleep before we hit the freeway.

Using this for 6 months now and is amazing even at night.

Vantrue N2 Pro Uber Dual Dash Cam Infrared Night Vision Dual 1920x1080P Front and Inside Dash Camera (2.5K 2560x1440P Single Front) 1.5" 310° Car Camera, Parking Mode, Support 256GB max, Sony Sensor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0742J69SQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7wjRCbP00SGS2

I’m really happy with this one!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GRRCU02/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fEXbAbV43XXYF

Don’t forget to write whatever you buy off on your taxes :)

My personal recomendations:

Vantru N2 Pro Dual Dashcam - $199 (there are good youtube videos that show you how to conceal the cord quite well, no special tools required.)

SanDisc Ultra 64GB - $16.75 (this is the max size the N2 pro can handle. I suggest getting several of them. They hold 6 hours of footage and will loop over. I swap it out when I'm done driving for the night or if I take a break on a full day.) You will want to get a 256GB SD card which will work with a Firmware upgrade found here. thanks to /u/radiowhatsit for the info.

Water resistant / anti shock memory card case - $7.99 (Nifty little protective case, holds up to 12 SD cards)

~$300 and you get peace of mind from most problems we can encounter.

This is the one I bought. Has a pretty good form factor.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0742J69SQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Screw Lyft and whatever policy they may have about it (they don't) this is your vehicle and your security. You are a private contractor according to them, they can't tell you what kind of hammer to use.

I use this with a 128gb card and have been happy with it:
https://www.amazon.com/Transcend-Drive-Recorder-Suction-TS32GDP520M/dp/B0147R9PDO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1550783504&sr=8-3&keywords=transcend+520

I use this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0742J69SQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's a little pricey, but it works really well, recording the interior as well. Apparently I need to get a sticker for my window that says "You are being recorded" or something. None of the pax have actually asked about it, and I turn the LCD monitor off so it doesn't draw attention.

Car Mount

Joy-Con Grips

Car Charger

My current setup. On week 3 and everything has been solid.

Enjoy!

I'm not OP, but I bought this one and really like it. There is one thing I don't like about it: the night vision LEDs are not diffused enough. I wrote about this in my review of the camera, including a picture showing what I mean and another showing how I fixed it.

I’ve literally just ordered this off Amazon. It’s probably the cheapest you wanna go. If you driving full time and making good money you probably want to invest in a $150/$200 camera but with my part time driving gig I could not justify it.

Uber Dual Lens Dash Cam Built-in GPS in Car Dashboard Camera Crosstour 1080P Front and 720P Inside with Parking Monitoring, Infrared Night Vision, Motion Detection, G-Sensor and WDR https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FY4FNB6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_.2bRCb2B843VM

Here's the link to the dashcam on amazon, lucky for you it's exactly $50:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KZY0MOO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

The exterior facing camera is much more clear than the interior one (1080p vs 720p I believe), but it gets the job done.

$150, but totally worth it.
https://smile.amazon.com/Transcend-Drive-Recorder-Suction-TS32GDP520M/dp/B0147R9PDO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1521819910&sr=8-3&keywords=transcend+520+pro

Yea definitely going to get a dash cam. Do you have a specific rec? I was looking at this one:
Vantrue N2 Pro Uber Dual Dash Cam Dual https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0742J69SQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_SfrTBbJKRTSZR

I just got this one and I'm liking it so far

Happy with my Vantrue N2 Pro . It's just unobtrusive enough not to cover a lot of your windshield view, doesn't have a big distracting display.
Make sure that whatever you get, reformat the SD card once a week.

It is mounted. I'm using an old LG tab X i like it because you can lock any specific app so passengers can't look through the tablet.

This is the mount I'm using. Macally Car Headrest Mount Holder for Apple iPad Pro/Air/Mini, Tablets, Nintendo Switch, iPhone, Smartphones 4.5" to 10" Wide with Dual Adjustable Pos https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0148WQKNQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_v5tLa7qpTRRyc

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GRRCU02/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DJHaAbZR578DZ

This one has treated me well.

I got it from Amazon - this one.

Pruveeo MX2 Dash Cam Front and Rear Dual Camera for Cars, 240 Degree Wide Angle Driving Recorder DVR https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KZY0MOO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_eNV0BbE0WQCE9

https://smile.amazon.com/N2-Pro-Infrared-1920x1080P-2560x1440P/dp/B0742J69SQ

Records both inside and outside simultaneously at 1080p, and has infrared lights for the inside camera so you can see what's going on at night.

You buy this, and a 128GB micro sd card, and it has every feature you're looking for.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0742J69SQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_9eqxCbTZ6J0P5

Phone mount: https://www.target.com/p/iottie-easy-one-touch-wireless-air-vent-mount-black/-/A-53263365?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&CPNG=PLA_Electronics%2BShopping_Local&adgroup=SC_Electronics&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=m&location=9051519&gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1246978&ds_rl=1248099&ds_rl=1246978&gclid=CjwKCAjwzdLrBRBiEiwAEHrAYtu9Op3TA-axoKftbtwcdoib7sm2gf5p7tfs7pUibW0R6KTpfuM1dxoC1TwQAvD_BwE

Dashcam: https://www.amazon.com/Pruveeo-MX2-Camera-Driving-Recorder/dp/B01KZY0MOO?ref_=mw_olp_product_details

I got the dashcam back when it was on sale for $50 and a compatible memory card for $20. Idk if you'll be able to get the same deals, but look at the features of this one and see if you can find something comparable at a decent price. Don't start driving without it!