I share what I learned after analyzing nearly seven years of my Uber driving and 16,000+ trips: the biggest shock is the gap between “smart” and “lazy” driving—same car, same market, but up to about $20,400/year ($392/week) difference, with Syracuse revenue ranging from roughly $30,000 to $83,000 depending on which trips you take. I explain how I built my own database using Grok and GigU: GigU screenshots every offer (taken or not), stores them in Google Drive, and I match those offers with completed trip/earnings data so Grok can find patterns and help me set GigU filters (per mile, per hour, rider rating) and even identify better streets and pickup areas. I also show an example where higher-rated passengers tip more on short trips, validating my rating filter strategy, and I suggest how drivers could collect data faster—even collaborating locally—to take back leverage from the apps’ hidden data.
19 Oct 2026
I’m Leaving Money on the Table
talk about how I know I could make more money driving Uber—multi-apping, cherry-picking harder, avoiding deadhead miles, driving late nights, upgrading vehicles, or even going private—but I often choose not to because I want to drive the way I want. I share why I started rideshare in 2020: I needed money, but more than that I wanted flexibility and freedom to write, create YouTube and podcasts, and still connect with people through the spontaneity of passengers. Using data from an AI “Grok” bot analyzing my trips, I show that my best earnings are 10 p.m.–4 a.m. ($53.36/hr, $3.74/mi), yet I mostly drive 10 a.m.–3 p.m. ($35.45/hr, $2.12/mi). I reflect on trading income for time, why rideshare pay is what it is, and encourage drivers to remember their own “North Star” for driving.
2 Oct 2026
You're Worth More Than Uber Pays You
Uber Doesn’t Decide Your Worth: Living Above the AlgorithmUpfront Tip Newsletter: https://www.levispires.com/ (https://www.levispires.com/)In this episode, I explain why I believe drivers are worth more than Uber and other gig apps typically pay after fuel, maintenance, depreciation, and the risks of driving late nights in bad conditions. I argue that a low-paying trip offer doesn’t define my value—it only shows what the app is willing to pay for that opportunity, and I can accept it, decline it, or find something better. I talk about cherry-picking and using gig work as support while building higher-paying options by leveraging skills like customer service, sales, logistics, and problem-solving, including ideas like starting a private ride business, growing other businesses, or finishing a degree. I also share habits to put Uber “in its place,” use downtime productively, multi-app to maximize earnings, and “vote with my time” by declining bad offers to live above the algorithm.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
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Spotify
3.0 / 5
2 ratings
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