10 Great Ways to Boost Your Uber Rating

Uber is a hot commodity right now; basic people with cars from all over the country giving strangers a ride to and from a destination as a way of keeping cab fare low and allowing those who need a ride to get one. It’s probably much safer for those of us on the road in our own vehicles when parties and groups that have been out and about decide that while cab fare might be too much for them, they do need a ride. Uber does not mess around with safety, and that’s what many people like about the service. While the company does have strict requirements for their drivers, it’s not enough; so they make sure that their drivers are rated by their passengers for their service. It’s a great way for other people to see if a particular driver has a good rating or if they should wait for another ride.

On the same level, Uber does not want their passengers off attacking, killing or stealing from their drivers, so they allow drivers to also rate their passengers. Did you know that? Even if you have only used the service one time, you very likely have an Uber rating and it might not be what you want. There is no foolproof way of ensuring your Uber rating is amazing, but we have some tips that will help you become a much higher-rated passenger so that Uber drivers want to take you home rather than bypass you on the basis of a rating given to you by other drivers.

What you will note with Uber is that to better your rating you should simply be a respectful and sane human. Do not behave inappropriately, do not break any rules and do not do anything you wouldn’t do in front of your mother or the mother of someone you are interested in. it’s really that simple.

Basically, all you have to do is be a polite and respectable human being, but even that is not enough for some drivers. We have some tips for you that are sure to help you increase your Uber rating. Good luck, and happy riding.

Be Ready

Did you know that nothing irritates a driver more than being forced to sit outside of a venue or location and wait on a passenger? You know that your driver will arrive at a certain time, so it’s a good idea to be outside waiting and ready. It’s a good way to ensure Uber drivers are happy with you. Now, know that these drivers are humans, too, and they know that things sometimes come up. You left your bag inside and had to run back in and grab it, it’s raining and you wanted to wait inside instead of out in the weather, or your newly potty-trained little one had to go to the bathroom again right that moment. All it takes is a simple explanation to an Uber driver, as well as a very sincere apology when you arrive to the car.

Ignoring your lack of readiness or telling the driver that you wanted to finish your drink or that you lost track of time or being otherwise rude and inconsiderate, however, is going to guarantee you a low rating. Drivers have lives and they’re making money on you; by making them wait, they are losing money and time with their families. That is not something many Uber drivers are okay with. It’s just good manners to be where you say you’ll be, when you say you’ll be there.

Do Not Back Seat Drive

Please allow me to share with you a little story. There is a small – miniscule, really – chance that I might be somewhat of a back seat driver. There is also a small – miniscule, really – chance that I am an aggressive driver with ample road rage and very little tolerance or patience for others on the road not doing what they need to do. There is also a small – not very miniscule, really – chance that I find myself to be a far superior driver than my sight-seeing, slow as molasses, never in a hurry to get anywhere, will miss the same turn he’s been making to go to the same place for decades because he can’t speak and drive at the same time husband. So, I might back seat drive. I might remind him where to turn. I might tell him my way is better than his way. I might direct him to the road; I might basically sit in the passenger seat fuming that he got to the driver’s seat before I did and now I’m stuck suffering through what I believe is his subpar driving.

He thinks it’s cute. My criticism of his driving does not bother him, at all. He’s confident in his (awful) driving abilities and he thinks I’m ‘cute’ when I’m annoyed with him. He takes great pleasure in seeing my facial expressions change as I try very hard not to criticize his driving out loud. I find it annoying; he finds it adorable. Either way, other people are driven bonkers when they ride with us and I do this – so I can tell you that it’s not something your Uber driver will appreciate.

Be Friendly

Your Uber driver is not your friend, and that’s all right. However, would you be rude to your family or a friend if the traffic en route was bad, as if it were their personal fault you need to get somewhere during rush hour? No; so be nice. An Uber driver is doing you a favor and even though you are paying them for the service, it’s a good idea to be nice. Actually, I’m a little ashamed that this is something I even have to tell you in the first place. Human decency and the basic law of kindness dictates that you are nice to everyone – why would you have any desire to be rude to someone for no reason at all? Be nice, and you’ll very likely have a good rating from drivers. You don’t have to chat the entire ride. If you need to work on your phone or computer or iPad, do it. But you do need to be kind and respectful, and wish them a lovely day when you exit. Don’t forget to thank them for taking the time to get you where you need to go, too.

Clean Your Feet

I’m not an Uber driver, nor do I have any desire to be one. However, as a mother with four kids and an obsessive compulsive need for cleanliness, nothing irritates me more than people entering my SUV with dirty shoes. I mean, my kids don’t even make a mess in my car, so why is a grown adult entering my car with six pounds of mud on the bottom of their shoes? Let’s all have a little respect and clean off our feet before we enter someone’s car. We would not enter their home with dirty feet, so what makes us think that it’s all right to enter someone’s car without first checking the bottom of our shoes for things like gum, mud, dirt and other debris? It’s a little thing; but it’s one that many drivers consider a big deal.

Know the Five for Five Rule

It’s not universal, but many Uber drivers live by a policy they call the five for five rule. What this means is that if you tip them $5, they will give you a 5-star rating as a rider. It’s really pretty simple, actually. You see, Uber drivers do not make much money when you take into consideration Uber’s fees as well as how much time they wait, how much time they spend helping one customer instead of multiple customers and even the city in which they live. It’s not a great deal of money that many people are able to earn, and Uber does not require that riders tip their drivers.

If you want a good Uber rating, however, you’ll give that drive at least $5 for their time and their effort. It’s just common courtesy, and it’s something that everyone should do.

Be Cool

Uber drivers are not stupid; they know that most all the people they are picking up and taking home – especially at night – are drunk. However, that does not mean you have to act like it. Don’t act like a moron, and you will probably not get a bad review. Drivers are not looking to poorly review those who were responsible enough to call for a ride home rather than jumping into their own vehicles and putting everyone in danger, but they’re not looking to deal with a drunk. Listen, we’ve all been there. We’ve all had one too many glasses of wine or champagne at a Christmas party, crossing the line from pleasantly buzzed to downright drunk. However, most of us don’t act like it. We are not dancing on tables, climbing out of sunroofs, cat-calling, hitting on drivers or trying to get lucky in the back seat of someone else’s vehicle. So…just don’t.

Be Respectful

One way to ensure you get a horrible rating from an Uber driver is to be less than respectful. For example, gentlemen, don’t treat a female driver as if she is someone you want to go home with or as if she is a second class citizen. Don’t be racist or sexist, don’t treat your driver like a second-class citizen because he or she is the driver, and remember that this is their personal vehicle.

What I mean is, don’t make a mess, don’t destroy their personal property and don’t allow your kids – if you have them – to misbehave or disrespect the vehicle of your Uber driver. Really, there is no faster way to make a low rating as a passenger than to be disrespectful and rude in someone else’s ride. Just put yourself in his or her shoes and ask yourself if what you are doing is something you would consider acceptable in your own car, or if you’d be annoyed that someone else was partaking in the same activity in your vehicle.

Don’t Smoke

Uber is not your personal car. Perhaps you smoke in your own car, and that’s fine with us because we can choose not to get in there and smell that nasty stench. However, this is not your car and, therefore, it is not the appropriate place to light anything – ever. If you think that you can ask your driver for permission or at least if it’s all right to smoke, think again. Your driver does not want you smoking in his or her car and no one who is driving an Uber car has smoked in their car before. Don’t bother; and do not light up.

Do Not Ask for Favors

When you book a ride with Uber, do not expect to add on to it, detract from it or change what you asked for simply because you are in the mood. If you are looking for a ride for two people, don’t try to shove four people in the back seat of someone else’s car. You said two, so there better only be two people. Additionally, don’t ask your driver to stop at the store, or do anything that requires he or she to go off route and off schedule. Remember this is a driver that does not get paid unless he or she is working, and a ‘quick’ stop for you that is not on the route is not considered his or her job.

Do Not Behave Inappropriately

We mentioned respectful behavior earlier, but we have to go a step further despite the fact that this seems to be common sense. Do not engage in intimate behavior in the back seat of someone’s car. It’s one thing if you are going to do that in a limo where there is a window that is up at all times, but it’s really just inappropriate all the way across the board. Do not do it, please. It is not all right. It’s not something any Uber driver wants to deal with at any time, and we have to ask that you please refrain from this type of behavior as you ride in someone else’s vehicle.

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