Picking Up at Airports, Stations and Cruise Line Terminals

Many drivers just take off when they get a ride request, expecting that the passenger (pax) is ready. If you are caught waiting for your pax you might find yourself in trouble with the law enforcement officers in that area. Here are some tips to help things go smoothly.

Warning: The following may result in higher tips!

1: Familiarize yourself with the rules of the area you are working in. Some airports have staging areas set up for drivers to wait for rides. Many airports have designated areas for pick ups and drop offs. The rules may be posted online on a website for that particular depot.

2: When you get a ride request always call the pax to ensure they are ready for pick up at the proper place.

3: While on the phone remind the pax of what kind of car you are in and give them an estimate time of arrival.

4: While on the phone with the pax ask for the destination. Tell them if they do not see you that you will step out of the car and yell out their name and destination.

5: Open the trunk of your vehicle and assist them with bags. If you have a cargo net beware of bag zippers and casters snagging the cargo net. If you have a bad back pull down the cargo net for them while they load the bags in.

6: When you get to the destination always step out of the car, open the trunk and assist with the removal of the bags. If you have a backpack in the trunk this will prevent it from accidentally getting taken by your weary pax.

7 Always thank your guests. I usually say, "Thank you for flying LYFT or Uber."

LYFT APP at Long Beach Airport

This just in...

Lyft app is telling drivers in staging lot to drive to airport. If the Airport Police see you waiting at the pick up area without a ride request you may be cited.

Stay put and wait for your request before driving to outer curb.

Keeping High Ratings and Earning More $

From this ride share driver's perspective:

This is my LYFT performance review for this week. My wife drives the same car, which we clean before every shift. I always get clean car kudos and she gets poor ratings for this.

What is the difference?

She picks up what I call street urchins. Short rides to work, lunch or the bar along with a few rides to airports or theme parks. Street urchins never tip their drivers and are very critical about "their own private limo," which they share with dozens of others like them.

I solely work Long Beach Airport, Carnival Cruise and LAX.

Weary travelers appreciate the service, request long rides, are CLEAN, rarely mess up the back seat and most importantly few are shit faced drunk.

I pick up my guest, and stop ride requests by going off line after the ride. This gives me time to look in the back seat and shake off the carpets in case they got dirty.

Waiting for the phone call from my wife in tears because some street urchin gave her a bad review.

Am I a snob in your eyes? You bet your ass I am!
This is my business, which I take seriously and if you are going to rate me poorly I am taking it to where people appreciate the service.

Drivers Rate Passengers Too

Attention LYFT passengers.

Not sure if you know this but LYFT allows drivers to rate you days after the ride.

Ride Share does not mean YOUR OWN PRIVATE LIMO. You share our family cars with dozens of other people. Drivers get requests for pick ups before we drop you off so in a rush it is not always possible to check for a messy back seat.

So, if you alert your driver that the passenger before you left a messy backs seat we can do something about it.

If you anonymously do it thru the app with a low rating we have no other recourse than to give all our passengers that day ONE STAR for messing up our cars.

Something to remind passengers.

If you use LYFT or UBER please don't complain on the app if the car is dirty. Drivers are busy catching the next ride and can not always look in the back of the car while driving to pick up the next ride.

Instead, kindly bring it to the attention of the driver.

Sorry but we pick up pigs sometimes.