I need to watch an Uber video on how the software works. It
feels like I’m missing out on a lot of rides. Tonight I only made $30 in the
time it usually takes to make $50. I drove around waiting for requests more
than I had riders in the car. What makes this particular Tuesday a slow night
I’m not sure. Normally I do Thursday and Friday with some Saturday mornings
thrown in for extra money. But right after work should be hot with requests
popping up one after another. It’s been a little slower the last few times I’ve
driven anyway, even during the normally busy 5:00-7:00.
I know there are other drivers on the road. Are they doing
better? Does the app reward those who’ve logged more hours? Or does the
algorithm prioritize drivers near the pickup sites? I have a lot of questions
about what I see on the screen as well. Certain times pay better than others
and bonuses exist for rides beyond a certain point. Mostly though I’m tired
when I finish and the idea of researching something after 9:00 is not
appealing. I’ve been working since 8:30 this morning after all. Ok so driving
isn’t like real work, I get it. But it’s not sitting at home watching Netflix
either. Sitting in traffic and getting honked at isn’t exactly refreshing. I'm not stacking hay or digging ditches either so I won't complain.
Of the few rides I had tonight the saddest was the pick up
at the hospital. She was there for her friend who is staying overnight with her
little girl. Sadly the girl is having brain surgery, actually she had surgery
already but needs two other operations. My rider is the friend of the family
being put through this particular medical nightmare. The girl complained one
night of feeling like her head was on fire. Her screaming and agony demanded a
trip to the ER. They ended up at OSU medical for evaluation because it was the
closest to home. They didn’t find anything with a scan and send the family back.
The next day was worse. They went to Saint Francis this time and did an
emergency procedure. I guess the problem was a blood clot. My passenger didn’t
know all the details of the operation but seemed to think they’d be in the hospital for a while.
I’m sure they’ve had plenty of sleepless nights over the last month.
I dropped off a Floridian at a car dealer to pick up his
ride for a return trip to the sunshine state. He and his wife rent an apartment
here in Tulsa when business demands it. She works for a company that builds
airline parts. I think he said they have an extension here, or maybe Florida is
the extension and Tulsa is the hub. We talked about the aerospace industry in
Oklahoma. I was under the impression that it’s a small part or our overall
economy but he said he thought it was quite large. Nothing is larger than the oil and
gas industry but aerospace might be in the top 5 of employable businesses.
Nordam is a big company with its headquarters here and American Airlines and
countless other industry giants have at least some presence. So it makes sense.
I made a quick stop after my last drop off to buy some Lysol
for the car. I do pretty well keeping the handles and doors wiped down with
Clorox. I don’t have a disinfectant for the seats, or at least I didn’t. I had
a friendly heavyset girl tonight that had rotten body odor. I couldn’t wait to
drop her off. I found myself inhaling very slowly to avoid breathing in the scent. Fortunately it was a short ride. I couldn’t wait any longer on
the spray though. It’s the second time it’s happened and I didn’t have any on
hand. It’s not that I pick up a lot of stinky passengers but when I do, I can’t
easily forget it. Why is the hygiene issue such an issue for some people?
I’m starting to feel something like a rhythm in responding
to calls and reading the map. The good news is if I needed to I could put in a
lot of hours on short notice. Overall it doesn’t pay great but it’s a constant
need for any city even if certain times are dead. It’s always an option and I’m
grateful to have some extra money, even if it feels like I'm driving for gas money.
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