Rideshare driving can be a great way to bring in additional income, whether you’re looking to become a full-time rideshare driver or doing it to make money on the side of your regular job. In order to make the most from your rideshare driving experience, it’s important that you find the perfect car. While it can be overwhelming to find the right car, there are plenty of online tools to help you, including Prices People Pay which can help you get the best price if you’re buying a used car.
The first thing to consider when looking for a rideshare vehicle is regulations. Most rideshare platforms have specific regulations that your vehicle must comply with. For example, Uber requires the vehicle you’re driving to be less than ten years old and have a 5 Star ANCAP rating, as well as have working windows and air conditioning. You can find a full list of Uber’s requirements on their website. The requirements for your rideshare vehicle also depend on which city you’re in, and you may need to have your vehicle inspected before you can start driving.
Considering the distance you’ll be driving as a rideshare driver, the next most important consideration is fuel efficiency. Fuel will become one of your main expenses as a rideshare driver, so you need to find a car that consumes the least amount of fuel possible. Performance Drive recently put together a list of the most fuel efficient cars in Australia, which included Suzuki Celerio, Toyota Prius, Mini Cooper, and BMW 330e. Use the Green Vehicle Guide to estimate the cost of fuel and CO2 emissions to help you determine the total cost of running the vehicle.
Rideshare platforms like Uber, Ola and Didi rely heavily on customer feedback and ratings. One of the essentials for rideshare passengers is space and comfort, so it is important to consider this when choosing your vehicle. The Toyota Camry is a favourite for rideshare drivers because of the legroom that is available to backseat passengers. The Kia Sportage is also popular for rideshare drivers looking for a larger vehicle that is also spacious and comfortable for passengers. When looking for a vehicle, ensure legroom and boot space are factors in your decision.
There are plenty of other factors you need to consider when choosing your rideshare vehicle – the size of the vehicle you get will depend on factors such as if you’ll be driving mostly in the CBD, or if you’ll need a more spacious vehicle (if you’re planning to utilise airport pick-up and drop-offs you will need space for luggage). You should also consider safety for both you and your passengers, and most rideshare platforms will require you to meet certain safety standards before you are approved to drive with them. You can find out more about the safety of particular vehicles through ANCAP.
If you don’t already have a vehicle you can use Prices People Pay to research the price of the used car you’re looking to buy for rideshare. If you don’t want to buy a car for rideshare, there are many companies who specialise in car rentals for rideshare drivers. Visit the website of the rideshare platform you want to drive on for more information.
