How To Keep Your Uber Rating Up As A Passenger, According To The Drivers
Nearly everyone has a ride-sharing app on their phone. Passengers value the ability to get around without going through the hassle of hailing a taxi, and ride-share drivers like being able to work as independent contractors - they typically pick their own hours and work schedules. Indeed, services like Uber and Lyft make things easier for a lot of people, but there are rules for each service that need to be respected. If not, passengers can rate drivers and vice-versa, and low scores can get either party booted from the app.
Uber drivers on Reddit do offer curious passengers tips for keeping their ratings high. You might not attain that all-elusive 5.0 score, but if you adhere to certain guidelines - like wearing deodorant and being polite - you can avoid becoming a ride-share horror story and make sure no driver ever cancels on you for having a low score.
Don't Worry So Much About The Rating
From Redditor /u/ mprl59:
I'd say just quit worrying about the rating. At the very worst it will cause you to wait an extra couple of minutes for a ride late night. Quit tipping bad drivers and quit rating bad drivers five stars. You can also hold off on your rating so if you only take one ride and your score drops you can have your own rating reflect that and not tip.
Try To Smell Fresh
From Redditor /u/ jimbo831:
Don't smell like anything including body odor, weed, cigarettes, etc.
Don't Mess Up The Car
From Redditor /u/ bdiap:
As a driver, I think drivers rating passengers down for not tipping is super rude. They have the ability to add a tip weeks after the fact, which a good chunk of my riders do since we are in a new market and all of us are learning. It might take them a week to realize they can tip on the app.
As far as I'm concerned, if you're not a d*ck and don't mess with my car and I don't have to wait a long time for you to get in the car, you get five stars.
Talk To The Driver
From Redditor /u/ Tap4alyft:
You don't have to chat if you don't want to, but you do have to confirm who you are and you should politely respond to introductory questions [like] "Having a good day so far?" for instance. If you don't want to talk give one word answers and we'll get the hint, but don't just sit there like an entitled bump on a log. The person letting you ride in their car has a right to feel comfortable too.
Tip If You Can
From Redditor /u/ mreed911:
I downrate non tippers... Under 4.7 is a warning to other drivers that this person doesn’t tip or something else is wrong.
Don't Sit In The Front Seat If You Don't Have To
From a former Redditor:
Personally I hate small talk and when people sit in the front seat. I don't rate poorly because of it but maybe that's why people are rating you lower. I prefer to just drive as if nobody is there. Also maybe I'm just high maintenance but another thing I absolutely hate is when someone sits in the back and I keep seeing them poke their head over to look at my GPS. I've had too many people complain about routes and other stupid sh*t so when I see, in my rearview mirror, someone constantly checking my GPS it drives me crazy and I'm just waiting for them to complain about something.