Author: TrevorMW

How much does Uber pay?

How much do Uber drivers make? You will find the answer to these questions and more here, but let me back up a little bit: Before I started driving for Uber, I was making $9 an hour at a minimum wage job. It was hard work, I had little to no flexibility in my work schedule, and the pay was only barely enough to survive. So how much do uber drivers make?

Now… how much money do Uber drivers make? As an Uber driver here in Los Angeles, I usually make between $19 and $23 an hour. It pays my bills, while keeping my schedule completely flexible, which is very important for me as an actor. Driving for Uber, I do not need another job.

So the big Uber driver questions are:

• How much does Uber pay?
• How much do Uber drivers make per ride?
• What can you expect to make as an Uber driver in general?

I will show you an example of my actual Uber driver pay statement to answer these questions. But first, let me explain how Uber calculates ride fares:

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Update 1-6-2017: New up-to-date rates for 2017 and estimated driver pay by city.

Update 3-17-2016: Are you a rideshare driver? Tell us what your hourly earnings are at the end of this post.

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How are Uber driver fares calculated? (Updated 2017 rates)

When someone takes a ride with you, they are charged a fare plus a “Rider Fee”. The fare for UberX in Los Angeles is currently $0.15 a minute + $0.90 a mile. If there is “Surge Pricing” then the entire fare is multiplied by that number. Surge Pricing means Uber increases the fare prices during certain times of higher demand, making these hours more attractive for drivers.

Let’s say for example someone takes a ride from West Hollywood to Downtown L.A.  (which is approx. 8 miles and 30 minutes). Furthermore, let’s add a 1.3 surge. The calculation for the ride looks like this:

(8 mi. x $0.90 + 30 min. x $0.15) x 1.3 surge + $1.65 Rider Fee = $16.86

This is the total amount charged to the passenger.

What percentage do Uber drivers make?

Uber takes a commission out of the $16.86.

After a deduction of the $1.65 Rider Fee, Drivers keep 75% of the total fare price for a given ride. Uber takes 25% of the fare.

So here is the math for our example after Uber’s commission:

$16.86 – $1.65 Rider Fee – ($15.21 x 0.25) = $11.41

This is how much the driver is paid before any expenses. My rule of thumb (this may not be an accurate number for you) is that I spend about 10% on gas and other vehicle expenses and 10% on taxes on average (after all the deductions). Which in this case is calculated as follows:

$11.41 x 0.80 = $9.13

This is the approximate net income from the 30 minute-ride.

To make it easier for you to target the busier hours, Uber provides a list of what these hours are in your area. Here in Los Angeles, the best times I’ve found to work are:

• Mon-Thurs mornings.
• Friday evening.
• All day Saturday.
• Sunday morning/afternoon.

How much do Uber drivers make on average?

Uber driver pay varies depending on where you live and how many hours you drive. I make between $19 and $23 an hour in Los Angeles. Studies across the nation show that Uber drivers make over $19 an hour on average. In New York City, the average Uber driver makes over $30 an hour. Source: TechCrunch

How much do Uber drivers make an hour?

Uber does not pay their drivers hourly. There is also no such thing as an Uber driver salary. As described above, drivers are paid a portion of the fare for every ride that is given.

As promised, here is an example of my pay for one 10 ½ hour day:

$256.30 / 10.5 hours = $24.41 an hour.

Which — if I save 10% for taxes and spend 10% on gas and vehicle costs– is about $19.53 an hour. This is very close to the $19 an hour the average Uber driver makes around the country.

I’ve found that the more hours I drive, the more I make per hour. If I drive 30 hours a week or more I usually make closer to $23 an hour. This is because there is a better chance of getting really high fares due to long distance or high surge pricing. I’ve been paid $150 for driving someone from Santa Monica to Orange County. It only took an hour.

It doesn’t happen every day, but you can get lucky if you drive a lot.

Do Uber drivers get tipped?

Passengers cannot tip directly through the Uber app. However, many passengers do tip the driver in cash.

Thank you very much if you are one of them!

How much do Uber drivers make a week?

I usually drive between 30 and 50 hours, and I make between $900 and $1200 a week. After gas and taxes that is $750 – $1000 a week.

Out of the 30-50 hours, I do not spend the entire time driving. Sometimes new ride requests do not come in immediately after one ride is completed. I try to use my ‘breaks’ productively, keep a Kindle in my car for these periods of downtime and catch up on my reading.

How much do Uber drivers make a year?

As I already explained, how much money an Uber driver makes depends on numerous factors. As a practical example, let’s assume you make $19 an hour after taxes and expenses, and you work 40 hours a week, like a regular full-time job:

$19 x 40 hours/week= $760 a week.

$760 x 4.33 weeks/month = $3,291 a month or $39,492 a year after taxes and fuel costs.

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Uber driver annual incomes by city

Income from driving for Uber or any other rideshare or delivery platform varies significantly between cities. So we’ve put together a list of driver pay estimates by city. These are estimates based on an average # of hours worked, income, and expenses for each city.

Check out the full list of cities here.

Estimated Annual Driver Pay for Popular cities:

San Francisco: $45,090

London: £56,802

Los Angeles: $36,316

Washington D.C.: $40,144

Singapore: $43534.90 (SGD)

New York City: $80,839

Delhi: Rs 1,502,300

Hong Kong: $583,477 HKD ($75,202 USD)

Does Uber pay for your gas and expenses?

No, Uber drivers are independent contractors operating on the Uber platform. They are required to pay for all of their own expenses including fuel costs. There are a few exceptions, which I’ll address below.

Does Uber pay for your car repairs?

Since you are an independent contractor, Uber does not help you pay for car repairs or car maintenance. Your compensation is a portion of the ride fare.

What expenses does Uber cover?

Uber does carry an insurance policy for all drivers while they are logged in to the app. It includes:

• Liability and Uninsured Motorists Coverage up to a million dollars.
• Comprehensive/Collision with a thousand dollar deductible while en route to or after picking up passengers.

Uber does covers certain specific expenses. For example: If a passenger vomits into your car, or damages your car, you can use the help system on the Uber driver app to request payment. In the vomiting case for example, Uber will charge the passenger a certain amount and deposit it into your account the next day, so that you can get your car cleaned.

How do Uber drivers pay taxes?

Being independent contractors, Uber drivers are responsible for their own taxes. You are mailed a 1099-K at the end of the year. You have to pay both self-employment tax and federal income tax on what you earn.

The good news is that there are a lot of tax deductions. As an alternative of using actual expenses for fuel and maintenance, the IRS allows you deduct $0.535 for every mile driven for business purposes as estimated costs. This can be substantially more than the actual expenses for a car with good gas mileage.

So keeping track of your mileage/expenses is very important. I just write them down in this book, but you can also use a program like MileIQ or TripLog to automatically track your miles.

Can you work for Uber part-time?

Yes, I drive with Uber full-time, but the majority of Uber drivers work less than 35 hours a week. It is entirely up to you how much or how little you work. If you already have a full-time job, driving with Uber can make an excellent part-time job. It is very easy and the schedule is completely flexible.

How much money Uber drivers really make (according to drivers).

We’ve been conducting a poll since 2016 to see how much money drivers say they are really making in an hour. The results are below:

• 9,501 drivers have voted (as of January 6, 2017).
• The majority of Uber drivers (53%) report earning between $10 and $20 per hour.
• 30% of drivers earn between $15 and $20 per hour
• 23% of drivers earn between $10 and $15 per hour
• 29% of drivers report earning more than $20 per hour with 11% earning more than $25 / hr
• 41% of drivers earn less than $15 / hour with 18% reporting less than $10 / hr earnings.

The poll is still running. Vote or view the results below.

Your turn: How much do Uber drivers really make in 2017?

[poll id=”2″]

Uber driver pay conclusions

Driving for Uber pays very well compared to other jobs with similar experience requirements (which is literally none) and offers a lot of freedom and independence.

To summarize:

How much does an Uber driver make? 

The average Uber driver makes about $19 an hour. Here in LA, I make between $19-$23 an hour. In New York drivers make over $30 an hour. Driving full-time, the average Uber driver in the U.S. can make around $40,000 net a year (after expenses and taxes).

It works as a full time job. It is also a perfect part-time job. Not having a boss and the freedom to choose your own hours are priceless benefits.

Please leave a comment if you have any questions or would like to share your own experience driving for Uber, or sign up to drive with Uber for a cash bonus!

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Disclaimer: So how much do uber drivers make, these earnings are not official numbers and are from my own experience driving with Uber.

Uber BLACK Vehicle Requirements (2016)

If you’re interested in driving for UberBLACK, you probably want to know: what are the current car requirements for 2016?

We’ve compiled a list below of car types which qualify for UberBLACK in 2016.

Note: If you’re hoping to become a BLACK driver, it’s best to check with Uber first — they have a limited number of openings available, so it’s always necessary to inquire whether the company is currently accepting applications for new drivers. Simply contact Uber support, and they’ll let you know whether the applicant pool is currently open.

*In most markets, you won’t be able to drive for UberBLACK if your vehicle is more than 5 years old (in some places, a 2008-era vehicle is acceptable, but mostly the requirement is post-2011).

For your convenience, below is a list of BLACK vehicle models which are currently accepted:

Uber Black Vehicle Requirements: Accepted Models

• Acura MDX
• Acura RL
• Acura RLX
• Audi A6
• Audi A7
• Audi A8
• Audi Allroad
• Acura ILX
• Acura ILX Hybrid
• Acura MDX
• Acura RL
• Acura RLX
• Audi A6
• Audi A7
• Audi A8
• Audi Allroad
• Audi Q3
• Audi Q5
• Audi Q7
• Audi RS 7
• Audi S6
• Audi S7
• Audi S8
• Audi SQ5
• BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo
• BMW 5 Series
• BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo
• BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe
• BMW 7 Series
• BMW ActiveHybrid 7
• BMW ActiveHybrid X6
• BMW ALPINA B7
• BMW M5
• BMW M6 Gran Coupe
• BMW X3
• BMW X4
• BMW X5
• BMW X5 M
• BMW X6
• BMW X6 M
• Buick Enclave
• Buick LaCrosse
• Cadillac CTS
• Cadillac CTS Wagon
• Cadillac CTS-V
• Cadillac CTS-V Wagon
• Cadillac DTS
• Cadillac SRX
• Cadillac STS
• Cadillac XTS
• Hyundai Equus
• Hyundai Genesis
• Infiniti JX
• Infiniti M
• Infiniti M35
• Infiniti M37
• Infiniti M45
• Infiniti M56
• Infiniti Q70
• Jaguar XF
• Jaguar XJ
• Kia K900
• Land Rover LR4
• Land Rover Range Rover
• Land Rover Range Rover Sport
• Lexus ES 300h
• Lexus ES 350
• Lexus GS 350
• Lexus GS 450h
• Lexus GS 460
• Lexus GX 460
• Lexus LS 460
• Lexus LS 600h L
• Lexus LX 570
• Lexus RX 350
• Lexus RX 450h
• Lincoln MKT
• Lincoln MKX
• Mercedes-Benz E-Class
• Mercedes-Benz G-Class
• Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class
• Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class
• Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
• Mercedes-Benz M-Class
• Mercedes-Benz R-Class
• Mercedes-Benz S-Class
• Porsche Cayenne
• Porsche Macan
• Porsche Panamera
• Rolls-Royce Ghost
• Rolls-Royce Phantom
• Tesla Model S
• Tesla Model X
• Toyota Land Cruiser
• Volvo S80
• Volvo XC90

Shop cars at Edmunds.com

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The Future of Rideshare: What’s The Next Big Thing?

Everyone knows about ridesharing’s two largest competitors — Uber and Lyft — but are there any new competitors in today’s ridesharing market? What does the future of rideshare look like? Who are the ‘insurgent’ startups staking out new ground?

Below, we profile some interesting companies which are attempting to compete against the ‘big dogs’ — and, so far, they’re making inroads in a competitive, evolving and hyper-dynamic ridesharing market.

Get your first ride free by signing up to ride with Uber or Lyft!

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Big 2 Rideshare Competitors: Future of Rideshare

1.  Juno

Juno is one of the newest rideshare startups on the scene. With a familiar four-letter name (like Lyft, or Uber), Juno differentiates itself from its major competitors by focusing on one thing: driver welfare. In addition to allowing tipping, Juno lets drivers choose whether they wish to be employees or contractors.

Juno recently made waves with the revelation that they’d secretly begun paying Uber drivers to use a ‘special monitoring app’ while driving — a move which ultimately turned out to be Juno’s attempt to collect critical data on the company’s routes; pricing choices; traffic navigation; and driver preferences.

It was an aggressive move for a new startup. Juno hopes the collected data might help the company compete effectively against better-established rivals (specifically, Lyft and Uber) — and they believe the data will help them to identify (and micro-target) any critical flaws or weaknesses those companies might secretly harbor.

But Juno isn’t just focused on technology and data collection  — instead, Juno’s executive board thinks success in the crowded ‘ride-hailing’ marketplace is really about focusing on one thing: drivers. Juno believes if they can keep drivers happy — and offer strong incentives and a very robust focus on employee welfare — they’ll be able to beat established players in a competitive marketplace.  Juno’s commission rate for every trip will only be 10 percent (much smaller than rival companies, which linger between a 20 — 30 percent commission). Juno will also give employees and drivers stock in the actual company — a huge and unprecedented move in the rideshare world.

Juno realizes that rideshare, as an industry, has its share of driver-employer controversies — including extremely high turnover rates, calls for unionization, and even protests — and it believes that, by offering a less volatile employment environment, it can become a major player in an evolving (and highly uncertain) industry.

Juno plans to expand aggressively in Spring 2016 — moving from corporate strategy into on-the-ground reality by Fall 2016.

2.  Gett 

Gett is a rideshare company that competes directly with Uber and Lyft, but remains mostly in the ‘black car’ market realm.

Gett has been growing at an incredible rate — in 2015, it tripled its revenue (to half a billion dollars), and has been expanding aggressively in New York City — doubling its fleet of 2000 cars to a total of 4000 in Summer 2015.  Gett is also extremely popular in European territories (in fact, it is the most popular rideshare service on the continent).

In New York City (and urban centers in Europe), Gett offers something that its competitors don’t — a flat rate of $!0, mitigating the uncertainties and high prices which accompany a ride with Gett’s competitors (like Uber or Lyft).

Gett’s flats-rate strategy has proven to be an enormously attractive proposition for casual and business travelers alike — customers seem to love the idea of an in-built, pre-determined rate, and the existence of a ‘floating’ car network means that Gett’s business model accommodates very low pricing without affecting viability (and, without requiring added-cost features like ‘surge pricing’ or ‘booking fees’).

Currently, Gett is planning on another targeted expansion in Summer 2016. The company has already raised an addition $200 million in venture capital.

3. Local/Micro Rideshare Companies

All over the United States — as well as internationally — new rideshare companies are competing with Uber and Lyft by developing startups which operate on a smaller, city-based level.

Locally-focused rideshare companies are becoming increasingly common — many of which may end up ‘going national’ (or … going bust).

Here are a few notable examples:

GET ME

Get Me is a Texas-based rideshare company, which seeks to compete in a local rideshare market which lacks a major player — Uber’s legality is currently being challenged in the region by state officials (it’s technically ‘suspended’ in the Austin market). Get Me is focused on delivering groceries and other services, in addition to passenger pick-ups and drop-offs.

HOPSKIPDRIVE

HopSkipDrive is a new rideshare startup based in Los Angeles, CA, which is notable for being the largest ‘’Uber for Kids’’ rideshare company out there. After raising over $10 million in venture capital, HopSkipDrive is likely to expand outside Los Angeles, targeting suburban enclaves which demand trustworthy, reliable car-service options for kids.

HopSkipDrive is notable because it allows parents to arrange (and pre-plan) pick-up itineraries for kids well in advance. Drivers are also thoroughly vetted — HopSkipDrive’s drivers are fingerprinted, subject to regular vehicle inspection, interviews and extensive background checks.

Already, HopSkipDrive’s client base is large, with a strong retention rate and a large number of families employing the service more than once per day.

RIDESCOUT

Ridescout is a hybrid ridesharing system and information app — interestingly, it combines data from a variety of transportation options (not just cars) across a large range of cities (currently, Ridescout is available in 69 locations).

Ridescout lets users view, and order, a range of available transportation options — including carpool, taxi services, carshare, biking availability, driving routes and parking options.

RUBYRIDE

RubyRide is a rideshare startup with a slightly different approach than most companies — the service bills itself as ‘subscription-based’, meaning that you pay a lump sum monthly fee, but are then allowed unlimited rides within a series of pre-selected zones. For instance, in Phoenix, Arizona (where RubyRide is based), a $299-per-month plan gives a customer unlimited drop-offs and pick-ups in the city’s downtown section.

The company asserts that the (seemingly) high prices are actually much better value than rival rideshare options, and much cheaper than car-ownership itself.

SPLIT

A Washington, D.C-based company, capitalizing off of D.C.’s rideshare-friendly regulatory policies, Split uses publicly-available government data to optimize an innovative and hyper-efficient carpooling system.

SHUDDLE

Shudde — like HopSkipDrive — is frequently called another ‘Uber for Kids’ rideshare company. And, like HopSkipDrive, Shuddle allows parents to book and schedule rides for their kids well in advance.

Shuddle takes HopSkipDrive’s precautions an extra step — not only does Shuddle aggressively screen drivers, but they also hire only female drivers (and require that those drivers also have children who use the service). Moreover, Shuddle has a feature which allows parents to monitor all trips through a real-time smartphone app.

SUMMON

Summon is a new ridesharing company based in San Francisco. Summon is notable because of a progressive pricing scheme, which opposes ‘surge pricing’ techniques. Summon also offers (uniquely) a ‘rewards’ program, which they hope will help incentivize frequent riders and create passenger loyalty.

Summon currently operates in the Bay Area, Oakland, Emmeryville, portions of the East Bay and Berkeley.

TAPPCAR

In Canada, ridesharing is still a legally-uncertain proposition. So, when Edmonton became the first Canadian city to officially legislate ridesharing, it encouraged local operators to develop their own city-based rideshare startups.

TappCar is the first city-wide rideshare company to begin operation in 2016, and it is widely seen as an exact replica of existing rideshare models — except for its requirement of commercial licenses for all its drivers.

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Uber Car Year Requirements for UberX & XL (2017) and Accepted Vehicle Models for UberX and UberXL

What are the Uber Car Year Requirements in 2017? Every year, Uber updates their list of vehicle standards and requirements. For drivers, this policy mainly affects one thing: how old your car is allowed to be. 

On March 1st, 2016, Uber began transitioning away from its old X and XL policies, which often mandated that vehicles be no older than Year 2000 models.

Why does Uber keep changing the model date requirements for X and XL vehicles? 

Local regulations change with time, and Uber wants to avoid violating commercial vehicle regulations in the cities where it operates. The company also wants to make sure their drivers’ vehicles aren’t too old —  keeping assembly/manufacturing dates within 15 years helps avoid mechanical and safety issues.Keep in mind that the Uber Car Year Requirements for UberX & XL (2017) may differ as soon as next year.

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Uber Car Age/Model Year Requirements (2016):

The company’s new, revised vehicle-age requirements greatly differ by city, so we’ve compiled a list of cities and car model years for UberX and UberXL below.

All years indicate the vehicle’s maximum allowable age for UberX and XL (in other words, 2006  = 2006 or newer).

• Akron, OH (2006)
• Albuquerque, NM (2006)
• Ames, IA (2004)
• Annapolis, MD (2005)
• Ann Arbor, MI (2001)
• Arlington, TX (2004)
• Asheville, NC (2005)
• Atlanta, GA (2005)
• Augusta, GA (2005)
• Austin, TX (2001)
• Bakersfield, CA (2005)
• Baltimore, MD (2005)
• Baton Rouge, LA (2005)
• Birmingham, AL (2005)
• Bloomington, IN (2003)
• Boise, ID (2006)
• Boston, MA (2001)
• Burlington, VT (2005)
• Cedar Rapids, IA (2004)
• Charleston, SC (2005)
• Charlotte, NC (2005)
• Charlottesville – Harrisonburg, VA (2005)
• Chattanooga, TN (2004)
• Chicago, IL (2001)
• Cincinnati, OH (2006)
• Cleveland, OH (2006)
• College Station, TX (2005)
• Colorado Springs, CO (2001)
• Columbia, MO (2005)
• Columbia, SC (2005)
• Columbus, OH (2006)
• Connecticut (2003)
• Dallas, TX (2004)
• Dayton, OH (2006)
• Daytona Beach, FL (2004)
• Denver, CO (2001)
• Des Moines, IA (2004)
• Detroit, MI (2001)
• El Paso, TX (2001)
• Erie, PA (2006)
• Fayetteville, AR (2005)
• Fayetteville, NC (2005)
• Flagstaff, AZ (2004)
• Flint, MI (2001)
• Fort Worth, TX (2004)
• Fresno, CA (2001)
• Ft. Meyers – Naples, FL (2004)
• Ft. Wayne, IN (2003)
• Gainesville – Ocala, FL (2004)
• Grand Rapids, MI (2004)
• Green Bay, WI (2003)
• Greenville, SC (2005)
• Hampton Roads, VA/NC (2005)
• Honolulu, HI (2004)
• Houston (2008)
• Indianapolis, IN (2003)
• Inland Empire, CA (2005)
• Jackson, MI (2005)
• Jacksonville (2004)
• Kalamazoo, MI (2004)
• Kansas City, MO (2005)
• Killeen, TX (2001)
• Knoxville, KY (2004)
• Lafayette, LA (2005)
• Lancaster, PA (2006)
• Lansing, MI (2004)
• Las Vegas, NV (2006)
• Lehigh Valley, PA (2006)
• Lincoln, NE (2005)
• Little Rock, AR (2005)
• Long Beach, CA (2001)
• Los Angeles, cA (2001)
• Louisville, KY (2001)
• Madison, WI (2003)
• Maine (2005)
• Maui, HI (2004)
• Memphis, TN (2004)
• Mesa, AZ (2001)
• Miami, FL (2005)
• Milwaukee, WI (2003)
• Minneapolis, MN (2005)
• Mobile, AL (2005)
• Montana (2006)
• Muncie, IN (2003)
• Myrtle Beach, SC (2005)
• Nashville, TN (2005)
• New Hampshire (2005)
• New Jersey (2005)
• New York City (2011)
• New Orleans, LA (2005, 2008 in Orleans Parish)
• Oakland, CA (2001)
• Oklahoma City, OK (2005)
• Omaha, NE (2005)
• Orange County, CA  (2001)
• Orlando, FL (2004)
• Outer Banks, NC (2005)
• Palm Springs, CA (2005)
• Pensacola, FL (2004)
• Philadelphia, PA (2001)
• Phoenix, AZ (2004)
• Piedmont Triad, NC (2005)
• Pittsburgh, PA (2006)
• Portland, OR (2006)
• Quad Cities, IA (2004)
• Raleigh – Durham, NC (2006)
• Reading, PA (2006)
• Reno, NV (2006)
• Rhode Island (2001)
• Richmond, VA (2005)
• Roanoke – Blacksburg, VA (2005)
• Sacramento, CA (2001)
• Salt Lake City, UT (2006)
• San Antonio, TX (2003)
• San Diego, CA (2001)
• San Francisco, CA (2001)
• San Jose, CA (2001)
• San Louis Obispo, CA (2001)
• Savannah, GA (2005)
• Sarasota, FL (2004)
• Seattle, WA (2006)
• South Bend, IN (2003)
• State College, PA (2006)
• Stillwater, OK (2005)
• St. Louis, MO (2005)
• Tallahassee, FL (2004)
• Tampa Bay, FL (2004)
• Toledo, OH (2006)
• Tucson, AZ (2004)
• Tulsa, OK (2005)
• Ventura, CA (2005)
• Virginia Beach (2005)
• Washington, D.C (2005)
• West Lafayette, IN (2003)
• Wichita, KS (2001)
• Wilkes-Barre Scranton, PA (2006)
• Wilmington, NC (2005)
• Yuma, AZ (2004)

More info about becoming an Uber driver in your city can be found here.

*Uber’s list of vehicle requirements are not static, and can sometimes shift suddenly — so, if you’re thinking about becoming a driver, make sure to contact your local Uber team to double-check that your car’s model year meets the Uber car year requirements in your city.

UberX and UberXL Accepted Vehicle Models

And, for your convenience, here is a complete list of allowed UberX and XL vehicle types:

• Acura RDX
• Acura TL
• Acura TLX
• Audi A4
• Audi S4
• BMW 3 Series
• BMW X1
• Buick Anthem
• Buick Encore
• Buick Lucerne
• Buick Regal
• Buick Verano Sedan, 2014 and newer
• Chevrolet Captiva Sport
• Chevrolet Cruze Sedan, 2014 and newer
• Chevrolet Cruze Limited Sedan, 2014 and newer
• Chevrolet Equinox
• Chevrolet HHR
• Chevrolet Impala
• Chevrolet Impala Limited
• Chevrolet Malibu
• Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid
• Chevrolet SS
• Chrysler 200
• Chrysler 300
• Chrysler Town and Country (XL)
• Dodge Avenger
• Dodge Caliber
• Dodge Charger
• Dodge Dart Sedan, 2014 and newer
• Dodge Durango (XL)
• Dodge Grand Caravan (XL)
• Dodge Journey (XL)
• Dodge Journey
• Dodge Nitro
• Ford C-Max Energi
• Ford C-Max Hybrid
• Ford Crown Victoria
• Ford Edge
• Ford Escape
• Ford Escape Hybrid
• Ford Explorer (XL)
• Ford Flex
• Ford Focus Sedan, 2014 and newer
• Ford Fusion
• Ford Fusion Energi
• Ford Fusion Hybrid
• Ford Taurus
• GMC Acadia
• GMC Terrain
• Honda Accord
• Honda Accord Crosstour
• Honda Accord Hybrid
• Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid
• Honda Civic Sedan, 2014 and newer
• Honda CR-V
• Honda Crosstour
• Honda Element
• Honda HR-V
• Honda Odyssey (XL)
• Honda Pilot (XL)
• HUMMER H3
• Hyundai Azera
• Hyundai Elantra Sedan, 2014 and newer
• Hyundai Elantra Touring
• Hyundai Santa Fe (XL)
• Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
• Hyundai Sonata
• Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
• Hyundai Tucson
• Hyundai Veracruz
• Infiniti Q50
• Jeep Cherokee
• Jeep Commander (XL)
• Jeep Compass
• Jeep Grand Cherokee
• Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT
• Jeep Liberty
• Jeep Patriot
• Kia Cadenza
• Kia Forte Sedan, 2014 and newer
• Kia Optima
• Kia Optima Hybrid
• Kia Sedona (XL)
• Kia Sorento
• Kia Sportage
• Land Rover Discovery Sport
• Lexus GS F
• Lexus NX 200t
• Lincoln MKC
• Lincoln MKS
• Lincoln MKZ
• Lincoln MKZ Hybrid
• Lincoln Town Car
• Mazda CX-5
• Mazda CX-7
• Mazda CX-9 (XL)
• Mazda Mazda5
• Mazda Mazda6
• Mazda Tribute
• Mercedes-Benz C-Class
• Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
• Mercedes-Benz Metris Passenger Van (XL)
• Mercury Grand Marquis
• Mercury Mariner
• Mercury Mariner Hybrid
• Mercury Milan
• Mercury Milan Hybrid
• Mercury Mountaineer (XL)
• Mitsubishi Endeavor
• Mitsubishi Galant
• Mitsubishi Lancer Sedan, 2014 and newer (XL)
• Mitsubishi Outlander (XL)
• Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
• Nissan Altima
• Nissan Altima Hybrid
• Nissan Maxima
• Nissan Murano
• Nissan Pathfinder (XL)
• Nissan Quest (XL)
• Nissan Rogue
• Nissan Rogue Select
• Nissan Sentra Sedan, 2014 and newer
• Nissan Xterra
• Pontiac G6
• Pontiac Vibe
• Saab 41887
• Saab 9-4X
• Subaru Forester
• Subaru Impreza Sedan, 2014 and newer
• Subaru Legacy
• Subaru Outback
• Subaru Tribeca (XL)
• Subaru WRX
• Subaru XV Crosstrek 2014 and newer
• Suzuki Grand Vitara
• Suzuki Kizashi
• Toyota Avalon
• Toyota Avalon Hybrid
• Toyota Camry
• Toyota Camry Hybrid
• Toyota Corolla Sedan, 2014 and newer
• Toyota Highlander (XL)
• Toyota Highlander Hybrid (XL)
• Toyota Prius
• Toyota Prius Plug-in
• Toyota Prius
• Toyota RAV4
• Toyota RAV4 EV
• Toyota Sienna (XL)
• Toyota Venza
• Volkswagen CC
• Volkswagen Jetta
• Volkswagen Jetta GLI
• Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid
• Volkswagen Passat
• Volkswagen Routan (XL)
• Volkswagen Tiguan
• Volkswagen Touareg
• Volvo S60 Sedan, 2014 and newer
• Volvo XC60
• Volvo XC70

Uber Car Year Requirements for UberX & XL (2017)

Shop cars at Edmunds.com

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Where (and Why) is Rideshare Banned?

Uber may be the highest-valued rideshare company in the world, but it’s also the most controversial.

Despite its widespread success, the company’s path to total-market domination is still very bumpy — many countries (and large metropolitan areas) around the world are still highly resistant to rideshare adoption, wishing to protect local taxi and transportation industries.

Many governments fear the impact of a new rapidly-emerging  ‘‘gig economy’’ model — a system which threatens to upend established labor practices and disrupt ‘traditional’ forms of employment.

Since Uber doesn’t act as a normal car-hire service — instead, it gives non-professional drivers an opportunity to work part or full-time as paid chauffeurs — it threatens existing job-markets associated with professional car-hire companies and taxi unions. So, while ridesharing continues to be widely embraced by consumers around the world, ridesharing itself still confronts a variety of legal and regulatory challenges in many jurisdictions.

Some regions have banned the service completely —  declaring it wholly illegal under state or federal law. Other regions — such as Germany and France — currently block lower-end rideshare services (like UberPOP), but allow higher-end options (like UberBLACK and UberLUX). The company’s legality is sometimes even challenged on a micro level, in local municipalities — such as small communities like East Hampton, NY or Panama City Beach, Florida — which have declared the service illegal.

Uber’s legality — and its activity-level in various regions — obviously varies greatly in different countries.

For your convenience, below is a list of Uber (and rideshare’s) current status in a variety of countries:

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Rideshare banning in The United States

ALASKA

Anchorage — Suspended.

Uber has been indefinitely suspended in Anchorage since 2015.

ALABAMA

Auburn — Suspended.

Uber suspended its Auburn operations in 2015 (due to ”burdensome” regulations), but there is speculation that the company (and other ridesharing services) will return to Auburn in Spring 2016.

FLORIDA

Panama City Beach — Suspended.

NEVADA

Entire state — Banned.

A temporary injunction was filed against Uber in 2014 (over failure to gain proper permits), as well as government authorities claiming that Uber’s driver-hiring process was not selective enough to ensure consumer safety. Uber shut down its Nevada operations in 2014, but finally re-started operations after gaining legal permission in Fall 2015.

NEW YORK

Uber is effectively banned in East Hampton, due to local rules requiring licenses and company offices to be located in-city.

TEXAS

Austin — Referendum in progress.

San Antonio — Suspended.

Legal status of Rideshare in other countries, A-Z.

Australia

Uber’s legality in Australia varies by state —

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

Uber is legal in Australia, but its legality is currently being debated by governmental agencies (first quarter 2016). UberX is being introduced in the Australian Capital Territory, in a multi-stage rollout, with oversight from regulatory agencies.

NEW SOUTH WALES

Legal and currently operating.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Legal

QUEENSLAND

Illegal and Banned

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Legal

TASMANIA

Legal

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Under review — currently legal, but undergoing regulatory changes. Government attempting to require rideshare to apply for commercial licenses.

VICTORIA RIO

Under legal review (but operating nonetheless).

Brazil

RIO DE JANIERO

Initial efforts by the city of Rio de Janeiro to stifle a number of ride sharing options were reversed by Brazil’s courts. Strong unionized taxi organizations continue to demonstrate against rideshare companies. In some cases this has led to violent altercations amongst drivers.  Currently, in 2016, the ridesharing situation in Brazil is fluid — services exist but their legality is under question.  It is unclear whether Uber’s legality will be resolved in time for Rio’s Olympic Games.

SAO PAOLO

Brazil’s second largest city, Sao Paulo, has tried unsuccessfully to ban non-taxi rideshare options. Uber has filed a complaint against Brazilian taxi organizations for being non-competitive, which the non- competition bureau of the government is assessing. Currently, in 2016, rideshare services are operating openly in Sao Paolo.

Canada

EDMONTON (ALBERTA)

Ridesharing was officially legalized in Edmonton in January 2016 (the law functionally came into effect on 1 March, 2016).  Uber ended their operations in Edmonton March 1, 2016 (they stated that they were unable to acquire proper commercial insurance). However, Uber operates in many areas outside Edmonton (despite a lack of licensing), and a new company called TappCar aims to offer a local alternative.

TORONTO (ONTARIO)

Uber is currently legal in Toronto, but is facing strong opposition from taxi unions.

VANCOUVER (BRITISH COLUMBIA)

Uber is currently illegal and non-operational in Vancouver.

China

Uber is technically illegal in Hong Kong, but operates legally inside the country’s many other large cities. It faces fierce competition from rival Chinese rideshare firm Didi Kauidi, and is currently losing $1 billion a year, which might force the company to gradually decrease its presence in the country.

Croatia

Uber officially arrived in Croatia October, 2015 — it is now possible (and legal) to request an Uber in the country.

Denmark

As of March 2016, Uber currently operates in Denmark. The service is very controversial — taxi unions have been protestingUber’s operation for two years, and a Danish official declared (in 2014) that Uber’s business model contradicted Danish safety and regulatory codes.

Finland

Uber is ‘functionally illegal’ in Finland (i.e., Uber drivers can be reported to police), although there are reports that a limited verion of the service is in operation.

France

Uber operates in France, but is highly controversial. In 2015, violent protests by taxi drivers brought international attention to Uber’s presence in the country, and UberPOP has since been banned. Currently, in 2016, French authorities allow higher-end ridesharing services to operate (i.e. drivers with commercial licenses), but authorities frequently ticket rideshare  drivers and maintain that all operators be commercially licensed and possess proper insurance.

Germany

Although it has been twice-banned in the country, Uber currently operates in Germany — although it no longer exists under the moniker UberPOP. It is now referred to as UberX (like in the United States). Since UberX resembles a professional car service more than UberPOP (which functioned as a lower-end ridesharing system) it is more aligned with German transportation regulations. As of 2016, UberX operates legally in Germany.

India

Uber operates throughout India, and is particularly popular in Delhi. Uber recently suspended its high-end options in India (UberBLACK and UberLUX), but only because they proved unpopular The company is constantly undergoing new legal evaluation in India, but is currently not banned by authorities.

Italy

Uber currently operates in Italy (and is especially popular in Rome), but is under review by authorities, who are threatening to tax it as an ordinary car service.

Netherlands

In the Summer of 2015, Uber officially discontinued its low-cost UberPOP option in The Netherlands. However, higher-end services UberX and UberBLACK continue to operate in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam, and The Hague

Norway

Uber is under review in Norway, where its legality remains unclear as of 2016. Rideshare services exist in the country, but drivers are subject to ticketing, and arrest.

Philippines

Uber and similar services were legalized in the Philippines in Summer 2015, after gaining a new transportation classification from the government.

Poland

Uber operates in Poland, but is expected to come under increasing pressure from authorities in 2016.

Romania

As of the first quarter of 2016, Uber is currently illegal in Romania.

Russia

In 2016, Uber is operating legally in Russia (it is especially popular in St. Petersburg and Moscow), though it is less popularthan the Russia-based car-hailing service Yandex (named in affiliation with Russian search-engine giant Yandex). Gett — a popular black-car service throughout Europe — is also a major competitor to Uber in Russia.

South Africa

Uber currently operates in South Africa (specifically, Johannesburg and Cape Town), but its future operation is threatened by aggressive pushback from local taxi unions.

South Korea

South Korean authorities have banned all rideshare options in the Summer of 2015, and the law currently remains in effect in 2016.

Spain

Uber was officially banned in Spain in 2014, but — in late 2015 — the company announced its intention to restructure its business model to fit Spanish regulations.  As of Spring 2016, the service is still banned in the country.

Switzerland

Switzerland – the city of Geneva banned Uber in 2015, but it remains available in Lausanne and Zurich although established taxi services continue to protest and seek bans in those cities.

Taiwan

Uber currently operates in Taiwan, although — in late 2015 — the country began attempting to halt the company’s expansion (and even stop its operation completely) by imposing increasingly-large fines.  So far, however, ridesharing companies continue to operate openly in Taiwan.

Thailand

Thailand currently only allows rideshare drivers to operate in Phuket and Bangkok, and — in Uber’s case — has limited available services to UberX and UberBLACK.

United Kingdom

Uber currently operates in the United Kingdom. The service is legal, but is currently facing strong opposition from black cab drivers (who have introduced a competitive app called Cab: App, which offers an alternative booking system for commercial cabs). UK-based ridesharing services may come under government review in 2016.

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*Disclaimer: always check with your local transportation authorities for up-to-date answers on whether ridesharing is legal in your region.

Uber Airport Rules: A Basic Guide (Spring 2016)

Many people ask the questions: Can I take Uber to the airport? Can Uber pick me up from the airport? What are the Uber airport rules?

While Uber is a great way to travel around most major American cities, airport transfers are (sometimes) a bit more challenging.

Uber’s relationship with Airport Authorities is complicated — and currently evolving — depending on where you live, and where you intend to use Uber.

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What are the Uber airport pick-up and drop-off rules?

As a direct alternative to taxi cabs, Uber functions reasonably well for pick-ups and drop-offs at some airports, but there are some significant obstacles to be aware of.

Below is a basic Uber Airport Guide (Spring 2016) in a variety of major American cities.

Uber San Francisco Airport Rules (SFO)

San Francisco is one of the best spots for using Uber as a means of accessing San Francisco International Airport. In the past two years, Uber has implemented a series of “flat rates” for San Francisco’s top three major destinations surrounding SFO:

• San Francisco = $65
• Palo Alto = $86
• Oakland = $81

SFO has also sectioned off an area where Uber (and other rideshare companies) can park their cars and wait for passenger pickups.

When someone gets off a plane and hails an Uber, they can just go meet their scheduled Uber at a designated departure area.

Uber Miami International Airport Rules (MIA)

Miami International Airport is much less receptive to Uber traffic. Getting dropped off at MIA isn’t a problem — rather, it is actually currently illegal for Uber to pick up passengers at Miami’s various arrival terminals.

I honestly cannot recommend you try to hail an Uber car at Miami’s largest airport — once an airport has officially made rideshare options illegal, it’s best to stick with other modes of transportation.

Uber Austin-Burgstom International Airport Rules (ABIA)

Austin-Burgstom International Airport in Texas charges a $1 fee for both picking up and dropping off passengers via rideshare. This applies to both Uber and Lyft.

Currently, this arrangement between companies and Uber and Lyft is done be special (temporary) permit-based rules, giving cars free access to departures and arrivals. But make sure you check the current status of this arrangement before you head off to the airport (to make sure it’s still in effect).

Uber NYC Airport Rules (JFK, Laguardia, and Newark)

Newark, Laguardia and JFK are notorious for having extremely long wait times when hailing an Uber — but, at least for the moment — all three airports are currently rideshare accessible for dropping off and picking up passengers.

There is talk of the Port Authority instituting an “access fee,” but currently (as of Spring 2016) there is no fee.

Uber Boston Logan Airport Rules (BOS)

Logan Airport in Boston is harder to manage with Uber than other cities on this list. Unfortunately, there is an $8.75 fee for dropping off and picking up passengers via rideshare (for which Uber is currently in litigation).

A Massachusetts State Law prohibiting private vehicles from obtaining fares from the Boston airport has meant that Uber cars are technically required to be registered as livery vehicles (or else be in violation of this law).

Uber Los Angeles Airport Rules (Uber LAX)

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, California is currently rideshare accessible.

As of late January 2016, UberX finally received full access to LAX’s arrivals and departure terminals. Up until January ’16, all low-cost rideshare options were officially banned from Los Angeles International Airport altogether — with absolutely no exceptions.

However, at least for now, Uber at LAX is legal. There’s only one current caveat —  picking up and dropping off via rideshare comes with a $4 fee.

Uber Chicago Airport Rules (O’Hare and Midway)

Midway Airport and Chicago O’Hare are now rideshare-permitting.

Uber is now able to pick-up and drop-off passengers legally at either of these Chicago airports.

Uber D.C. Airport Rules (Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport)

At both Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport — namely, the two major airports in the Washington D.C. Area — currently have a $4 fee, but are otherwise completely accessible for Uber passengers (either leaving from, or arriving at, both airports).

Uber Seattle-Tacoma Airport Rules (SEA)

At Seattle-Tacoma Airport in Washington State, only UberBlack and UberSUV are currently allowed to pick up arriving passengers. Each of these services has a flat rate from the airport to downtown Seattle.

• UberBlack = $55
• UberSUV = $65

Drop offs (by UberX and Lyft) are allowed.

Uber Portland International Airport Rules (PDX)

Portland International Airport (PDX) is another airport that has made its arrangement an Uber (recently granting the company a permit to drop-off and pick-up passengers).

However, there is currently a $2 fee, and riders are supposed to meet their Uber cars on the lower roadway (near PDX’s baggage claim area).

Uber Las Vegas Airport Rules (McCarran International Airport)

McCarran International Airport in Nevada (the closest airport to Las Vegas) now allows Uber access to all arrivals and departures.

The fee is only $2.45.

Taking Uber to the Airport: Final thoughts

Most, if not all, airports currently have some level of Uber access. However, it’s always best to check with your local airport authority before relying on Uber (or any other rideshare service) to get you to your flight on time.

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