The life of a private hire driver

Ah, it was the dreaded Monday, the day that kicks off the work week with a resounding thud. My shift didn't start until later in the day, so I had some time to sort out a few bits and bobs. My first ride was a real corker, a 4-mile trip that paid a tenner. Not too shabby, that is until you hit the dreaded road closures. Who put those darn things there anyway? I was cruising along, picking up fares left and right. But let's be real, most of them were offering up a measly £3.98 for a journey. Come on, Uber, show a little love for your drivers! How about a minimum payment of £4.50 per ride? We're not asking for the moon here. Then came the night shift, and let me tell you, the clientele was a whole different breed. We're talking booze hounds, drivers who couldn't pass a breathalyzer test if their life depended on it, and folks who were previously banned from the road. It was a wild ride, to say the least. So, at the end of the day, my earnings were £60 for 4 hours of w...

My Saturday night was a wild ride, like a rollercoaster without the safety harness! I saw all my fellow Wolverhampton drivers flooding the streets, hustling for Uber jobs. I must say, I had a steady stream of fares, mainly party-goers looking to dance the night away. I even took a trio of people to a village six miles outside the city, and we rocked out to some 80s tunes on the way. After the drop-off, I found myself in a dark, spooky neighborhood that looked like it was straight out of a horror movie. I couldn't help but wonder, why do rich people live in such poorly-lit places? Are they scared of the light or are they vampires? I mean, we'll never know for sure, but it's a possibility, right? Anyway, as I waited for my next fare, I saw a figure running towards my car. At first, I thought it was a zombie or a werewolf, but believe it or not, it was my fare for the night! He was an older gentleman who was in a bit of a rush, and we made our way to his house, which luckily w...

Picture this: It's a late Friday evening, I'm cruising in my car when I pick up a young lad and his lady friend. As the boy opens the car door and plops down on the seat, he looks at me with a cheeky grin and says, "Alright, Boss man! You all good?" I couldn't help but burst out laughing because, in that moment, I knew I had earned myself a spot in the elite club of 'boss mans.' Now, if you're not familiar with the term, let me break it down for you. According to the urban dictionary, a 'boss man' is someone in London who serves chicken and chips at the local chip shop. Or, if you're feeling adventurous, it could also refer to an Asian dude working at the corner shop. Either way, it's a term of endearment that I plan on wearing with pride.

Why do so many Asian and Somalian private hire drivers choose the Toyota Prius as their ride of choice? Perhaps it's the hybrid engine or the fuel efficiency, but more likely it's the irresistibly cool factor of being a "Prius man." These imported Japanese cars can cost £10k to import, but with dealers selling them for £16k, the profit margins are even more impressive than the miles per gallon. So the next time you spot a Prius on the road, take a moment to appreciate the "Prius man" behind the wheel, and maybe give a little nod of respect or whisper quietly to yourself “Prius man.”

On a quiet Friday night shift, I clocked in at 11:45 PM and my first fare paid £8.00 for a 4-mile trip. However, the rest of the night was disappointingly slow with only a £5.00 fare for a 2.5-mile trip showing up in the city center. Despite completing several more jobs for the same rate over the next few hours, the majority were frustratingly short trips that required a long drive back to the city center, where the demand was. In total, I made only £36.00 over 2.5 hours, although a generous £3.00 tip brought the total to £39.00. In total for this shift I drove 48 miles.  While some may assume that it's easy to make £100 per day with Uber, it's important to note that the hours required to reach a three-digit figure would likely exceed 10 hours or more, and weekdays may not be as busy. Therefore, as a driver, you may find yourself twiddling your thumbs in your car during off-peak hours. :)