I’m a NerdWallet Writer and I Tried Uber as a Side Hustle

Is driving for Uber worth the money? I gave Uber a try in my suburban Maryland town and even made a video about it. Let me take you through my up-and-down experience testing Uber as a side hustle. Read to the end for the details on what I earned and how you can learn from my rookie ways.

Signing up, renting a car and getting started

Before Uber, I tried DoorDash and found the sign-up process to be a cinch. Signing up to become an Uber driver was more involved, but still easier than applying and interviewing for a traditional job. I downloaded the Uber Driver app, let it take a photo of my face and submitted my driver’s license to kick off the background check. It took two days to complete, including a criminal background check and review of my motor vehicle record.

If you plan to drive your own car, you’ll need a 12-year-old or newer four-door vehicle in good condition. In my state of Maryland, I’d need to upload proof of vehicle registration and insurance, and my car would need to pass a vehicle inspection. Vehicle requirements vary by state.

I didn’t think it would be realistic to drive my personal vehicle, a gas-guzzling full-size pickup, so I arranged to rent a midsize passenger car through Uber. Uber partners with rental companies such as Hertz and Avis to offer access to designated rideshare cars that come with insurance and basic maintenance.

Using Uber’s online vehicle marketplace to reserve a rental for the week was easy, but picking up the car a couple days later was pretty miserable.

The waiting room of the local Hertz office where Uber directed me was packed (presumably with other Uber drivers), and the staff was visibly overwhelmed. After a three-hour wait, I got my ride, a road-worn Chevrolet Trax subcompact SUV. I had reserved a bigger car, but was willing to take anything at that point. Uber advertises rental car rates as low as $260 per week.

Driving people around

With an uncool but efficient car in my possession, it was time to Uber. I did three “shifts” over the course of three days, and was active in the Uber Driver app for a total of 10 hours.

Friday evening

My first shift was on a summer Friday, starting at 6 p.m. I figured weekend vibes would make for good money. When I took an Uber to pick up my rental the day before, my driver said $100 would be a reasonable goal for a Friday evening.

In theory, I’d stay within the confines of Bel Air, my small town about 50 minutes north of Baltimore. In practice, I had just two trips that kept me close to home. One of those trips involved cramming four people into the tiny Trax for a white-knuckled ride from a brewery to a bowling alley. I made $6.20, didn’t get a tip, and came close to a panic attack during the eight-minute ride.

Trip fares increased as I ventured farther from home, but bigger fares came at the cost of time. I made $24.03 on a trip that took more than 45 minutes to complete, counting the time it took to get to the passenger. After it, I felt like I hit the jackpot with a $30.42 ride offer. I quickly hit accept in the app and drove 15 minutes to pick up the passenger.

My elation turned to exhaustion after I drove the rider south of Baltimore and found myself 40 miles from home after 9 p.m. I got home around 10 p.m. and called it a night with $69.40 in total earnings, well shy of my $100 goal. I had completed four trips in about 3½ hours.

Tuesday mid-morning

I got back to Ubering a little after 10 a.m. the following Tuesday despite the “hourly trends” information in the Uber Driver app showing weak demand in my area. I found myself getting matched with shorter trips, but had to meander through multiple neighboring towns to find each one, wasting a lot of time between rides (which is an Uber no-no). I drove for three hours and 40 minutes that day and earned just $34.97.

Wednesday morning

My shift was shorter Wednesday. This time, I followed the app’s trend data, which showed higher demand around 7 a.m. My first ride match came quickly, was close to home, and netted me $14.28.

But it took nearly an hour for the next trip offer to come, which was a $25 trip down to Baltimore. I accepted the offer, drove 20 minutes to pick up a passenger who was heading to work and made the 40 minute drive south. I spent most of that ride moving slowly through traffic-light-laden streets in complete silence. It was only my second ride of the day, but when it was over, I decided I’d had enough of this side hustle. Wednesday’s total was $39.36 after two rides and three hours active in the Uber Driver app.

My total earnings

In all, I made $143.73 over the course of three Uber “shifts” and roughly 10 hours of driving. I put 305 miles on my Uber rental and had to fill the tank once at a cost of $38.80. Total earnings (minus the cost of gas) were $104.93, or $10.49 an hour.

Given that the minimum wage in Maryland is $15 per hour, I’d say driving for Uber wasn’t worth the money for me. I don’t describe this test as a failure, though.

What I’d do differently next time

I learned a lot from the experience and will change things up if I drive for Uber again. Here’s what I would do differently next time.

I’ll start in a hotspot. Keeping close to home, as I tried to do, was a bad move. Demand was low during the day in Bel Air. As you’d expect, demand in and around Baltimore was regularly strong. It hit me after I dropped off my last passenger in the city that Wednesday. I was immediately prompted with trip offer after trip offer, which I repeatedly declined, because by that time, I had decided to end the test and return the rental car.

Next time, I’ll be more strategic, and spend time studying the earning trends in the app (which are conveniently displayed by location when you open the Uber Driver app and scroll down). I’ll drive to the higher-demand part of my region to start shifts. Simple as that.

I’ll give airport rides a try. The Uber Driver app also shows peak flight hours at nearby airports. I didn’t feel comfortable queueing up in the rideshare waiting area at BWI as an Uber newbie, but it might be worth a try next time. It’ll probably be a good way to nab a longer trip with a higher fare.

I’ll use my own car instead of a rental. I didn’t factor in the cost of my rental because I rented just for the purposes of this side hustle test, but I can’t shake the negative experience. The wait time was wild, and the car I got was subpar. I think this is a gig where it pays to have your own reliable, efficient car, and you’ll want to maintain it regularly. Prospective gig drivers might want to consider rideshare insurance, too.