LUED

You can do. Not sure how it would impact your ratings though.

Which city do you drive in? Definitely not London, as the BMW 2-Series is on the list of cars Uber accepts.

I only work for Uber part-time, the rest of the time is with other companies, and my own work. I probably do end up doing 14 hours from start to finish, though I've got long gaps in between my own jobs, so not constantly driving. Though you get out what you put in.

No. In the US, anyone with an acceptable 4/5-door within their age limit can drive for Uber (X/XL only, probably). That's why you see plenty of part-time nurses, teachers, students etc. doing it. In London, you have to be a licenced private hire driver, with the appropriately licensed vehicle, with the proper hire and reward insurance cover, which is what the safe rides fee in the US covers. Hence it is unikely to be needed here.

Though I agree with all 7 points mentioned, I don't feel too happy giving my personal details to TfL. As if they haven't got enough information on you already.

Will be under warranty anyway, so it's got to be done by a main dealer, or a VAT registered garage to keep the warranty intact. Brake shoes are ok to do yourself, since they're a wear and tear item.

Uberpeople has a London section if you look under the "cities" subforum. Plenty of London members there, which as I mentioned, enough to make meet ups worthwhile.

And if must do UberXL, buy an ex-Addison Lee Ford Galaxy.

Depends how on how you view your job. If you just want to make money, buy the most economical car to run. If you want to enjoy your job and driving, you may not be able to place a value on paying extra on a car which you want to drive, which will cost more to run, though will pay you back in being in a more pleasant car. Also need to consider what passenger's expect and want to be seen in - which generally applies to Exec and Lux. There are some cars which have the space of the normal Exec and Lux car, but just doesn't have the right badge on its' nose, such as the Volvo S80, Chrysler 300C, Skoda Superb and for Lux, Lexus LS and VW Phaeton. It's got to be the top German brands + Jaguar for Exec/Lux. For UberX, Prius is the car of choice. I'd be happy to drive one as a personal vehicle anyway, considering its' low running costs. For UberExec and UberLux, Mercedes E- and S-Class respectively. BMWs have a yobby image, Audis are bland looking. Jaguar although different and just as luxurious, the brand isn't as recognised worldwise as a Mercedes. All in my own opinion.

Realistically profit made will depend on how efficient you're running your business. I'd say about 50% to 60% of takings, gross of tax. Remember you're also benefiting from the fact that you've already got car you use as your own personal transport (unless you got another), and if you want to compare to a normal PAYE job, commuting costs and times are included, though the usual sick pay, pension, holiday benefits aren't included.

Uber fares are calculated by base + distance +time On UberX the base fare (which is charged the moment you enter the car) is £2.50. Then the fare is £1.25 per mile travelled, and £0.15 per minute for the journey. So a 10 mile journey which takes 30 minutes would be £2.50 + 10 x £1.25 + 30 x £0.15 = £19.50 (which averages out at £1.95 per mile). Surge prices occur when the supply of drivers is low, and/or demand is high. This is usually temporary, often when there's a burst of customers coming out of an event, or a tube strike, inclement weather etc. The passengers pay a multiple of the basic fare from 1.2x to 5.0x or higher as seen on New Years Eve. Obviously the driver is going to benefit as they'll be getting paid more.

I suppose the figures are about right. Though the only way to get a truly accurate figure is to do this job for a number of years, and work out the ratio between takings and the amount of profit you make - on which you are taxed on (less your personal allowance).

You won't know if they're disabled or not when a job request comes through.

Experienced drivers make £4,000 a month anyway. During last December, Uber were doing a £4,000 guarantee, whereby if you meet their criteria and don't earn £4,000 during that month, they will top up your earnings in January to £4,000. Many UberX drivers who met and exceeded that criteria, earned more than the £4,000 anyway.

Drivers who want to get on, don't stay and "grow" with the company. They get themsevles an operator's licence and start up a company themselves. They can use Uber for extra work, when they are quiet with their own jobs.

Yes. On the other forum uberpeople.net the London section sometimes have a pub meet, usually during the school holidays when it's quiet.

Take the fuse out.

Don't worry about how much others are making. As long as you're doing ok yourself, which looks like you are. That's all that matters.

Yes, you can. It's often the busiest period. You'll get sent a weekly e-mail, which highlights the busiest periods of the previous week.

I understand. Personally I wouldn't be too bothered by it. As long as it doesn't glare and not bright, when it's dark I suppose. Some people may not like having adverts in their face, though. If we're still discussing UberExec/Lux, imagine flying first class British Airways to be initially greeted with ads on iPads from the seat in front of you. It's acceptable to see adverts on overhead posters on a RyanAir flight for example, but not when you choose to pay a premium on a luxury service.

Yes, you can take your own bookings (hence the idea of getting an operator's licence), but if it's ASAP bookings, they can only be accepted at the address/es shown on your operator's licence. Nevertheless, you can't just stand outside a club, and ask customers if they'd like a car, as this would be considered touting, which is illegal. Bookings have to be pre-booked, or further as what I said, the customer has to be come to an address shown on your operator's licence, where they can walk up and book you, and you can take them straight away.

Why do you need help with your ratings? If it's a problem, Uber will let you know, and will go through the comments made by previous passengers to help you improve.

My car is leased with LingsCars. They have no problem with it using for Private Hire work. I mentioned this to them, as I said I needed the V5 logbook in order to get it licensed. Only difference is that the initial rental is 6 months, rather than the usual 3 for a private buyer, due to self-employment status, though this wouldn't matter as the monthly payments are reduced accordingly, so you'd still pay the same overall amount over the 3 years (or however long the lease runs for).

I wouldn't think so. Driving for Uber would be like driving for any other firm.

£1488 for a small operators licence, which is for five years. This is the equivalent to less than £6 a week. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/become-a-private-hire-licensee/private-hire-operator-licence