Driver Items That Should Be in Every Rideshare Car:

There are items that you should have if you are driving on any of the Rideshare platforms. Keeping the vehicle clean and being prepared for mishaps is imperative.
I have found that by having these tools in my vehicle allow me to maintain a higher rating than most Rideshare drivers. In addition, I get tipped more frequently and with top dollar.

The Driver Items That You Need in your toolbox are:

Handheld portable car vacuum
This is the most used tool in my car. I use this daily. The pet hair attachment is fantastic. Removal of dirt, grass and small crumbs is flawless. It only takes about 30 seconds to cleanup when needed. It’s not heavy which helps in getting in and around the car fast. The Hand Vac is one of the best investments a rideshare driver can make.
Vantrue N2 Pro
You will need something to record your rides in case of an accident. Having a dual video recorder like this ideal. This will record what is going on in the inside of your car and on the outside. **CAUTION** when ordering it does NOT come with an SD Card

Lint Roller
Pet hair and human hair can be a real problem to drivers that don’t have a lint roller. This simple item will allow you to remove hair from your seat within seconds.
Cellphone Holder for the Car
One thing that will surely lower your rating is driving with your cellphone in your hand. Passengers do not like this and it is against the law! HELLO!!! Taking your eyes off the road increases your chances of being in an accident. Purchasing a cellphone holder that mounts to your windshield, cd player or clips to a vent should be one of the first things you do before hitting the road. **CAUTION** do not purchase a cigarette lighter cell phone holder. 2 reasons: 1. Your cell phone will be down too low to safely look at it and drive. 2. You will need that cigarette lighter port to charge other things.
LED Flashlight
Having an LED Flashlight in your car is important for two reasons.
• #1 is to look around for items that passengers may have left behind after a ride.
• #2 is for boy-scout reasons. Always be prepared.
Rain-X Windshield Cleaner
One of the most frequent things you will do as a driver is clean your windshield. It just makes sense to use a window cleaner that will repel rain. The Rain-X windshield cleaner is better than anything else.
Febreze Air Freshener
There will be times when a passenger will leave a foul smell in your vehicle. This is something that can lead to immediate dissatisfaction of the next customer. Pungent smells will get you a bad rating. Having something like a Febreze Air Freshener in your vehicle can help eliminate bad odors FAST!
Fast Charger with USB Ports and Multiple device charging cable
One of the best investments I ever made for my Uber business was buying a Car Charger/Adapter for my passengers. The functionality of this tool not only keeps Uber riders happy but it garners 5-star ratings. People can charge cellphones, laptops and mobile tablets while riding with you. It’s a fantastic item that EVERY Uber driver should have in their cars.
Personal Cell Phone Charger
Nothing is worse than being out on a day when money is good and your phone is dying. If you can’t turn on the app you can’t accept rides. Your day is over and money WILL be lost. Don’t get caught out driving around without a charger for your phone.
Aux cable
As a driver you will get the request many times from your passenger to listen to personal music on their phone. This can be done through Spotify or Pandora via Bluetooth or direct to the rider’s cell phone via an Auxiliary Cord. Make sure you get a cord long enough to reach from the front to the back. I suggest at least 10-foot-long cable. When not in use roll it up and put it in the pouch behind the passenger seat. Customizing the riders experience through music is a HUGE plus for 5-star ratings and tips.
Vomit Bags
If you were to ever pick up a rider who is a bit intoxicated you could experience vomit. There is nothing worse than the smell of a human throw up in your vehicle. Not only is it a horrible smell, but it is hard to clean from fabric. To caution yourself from this act I urge you to buy some vomit bags and keep 2 of them in your car at all times.
Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
Getting a microfiber cleaning cloth will save you a considerable amount of time when it comes to cleaning off windows. Riders will leave finger and hand prints all over your glass. These cleaning cloths will remove fingerprints quickly allowing you to get back on the road to get more money.
Pen and Index Cards
I use a pen and index cards to go old school when it comes to gathering quick information. You can’t always get to your phone when you need to begin a relationship. Having these two common tools in your car will go a long way. You never know who you are giving a ride to in your rideshare business.
Water Bottle Filled with Soap
If someone vomits in your car you will need to begin the cleanup process fast after taking the pictures to report the incident. You do NOT want puke drying up in the fabric of your seats.
Nitrile Gloves
You don’t want vomit touching your hands if you have to clean that mess up. Having a pair of gloves is the easiest form of protecting yourself while cleaning up vomit from a passenger.
Mystro *Android only*
When running multiple rideshare apps Mystro can save you time and make you more money. You set parameters ahead of time and it will automatically accept rides for you. This is extremely helpful if you get a ping while moving to a watering hole.

What does Mystro Cost?

New Users can tap FREE TRIAL to pick a payment plan. You can choose from the following payment plans:

ANNUAL
$99.95 per year
Includes new features and updates
Priority Support

MONTHLY PLAN
$11.95 per month
Includes new features and updates
Priority Support

PER USE PLAN *this plan make sense if you give LESS THAN 42 rides a month*
For each ride you begin that Mystro managed on your behalf, you will be billed 20 cents. ($.20 per ride). Carpool trips such as Uber Pool or Lyft Line count as one ride and “stacked rides” count as one ride per pick-up.

You can easily view your current charges by navigating to the ACCOUNT TAB in the Mystro app at any time, however you will be billed monthly for your total PER USE charges.

WAZE Navigation App
When it comes to navigating around I use the WAZE Navigation App. Google Maps is good and Uber’s built in navigation is just horrible. However, the WAZE app is awesome. I use WAZE to make an extra $200 a week from it’s features. You can link your google calendar to WAZE and it will tell you when events are beginning and ending (as long as you put the information in correctly).
Intuit QuickBooks App
When it comes down to tracking my miles, gas and everything else for my rideshare business I choose to go with the Intuit QuickBooks App. Mileage tracking is a huge part of the Rideshare business and if you aren’t doing it right you are costing yourself thousands of dollars per year in taxes as a driver.
Personal RideShare Website
If you have not built a personal RideShare website you are losing a potential of 5 figured dollars a year in income and tax deductions. Having a website allows you to expand your rideshare business from driving to blogging. This qualifies you for additional tax deductions such as internet access, computer etc. In addition, the referral income is substantial. A blog allows you to brand yourself and your business like never before. You can also build the website to sell ads to other business owners in your area or even boost other businesses you may have. There are many ways to get paid as an Uber driver and referrals is a BIG one.

Oversized Windproof Umbrella
An easy way to make a customer happy is to provide them temporary shelter in the rain with your Oversized Windproof Umbrella. Escorting a rider to your car in the rain is a very easy way to get a 5 star rating.

Trade Dress

These are free from the company. However, you may wish to purchase something that lights up at night. Just know your state laws about what colors of light are allowed to be shown or flashed out of the front of your car before purchasing.

Monthly Car wash plan

I have a monthly car was plan with unlimited car washes during the month. I pay $12.99 a month for mine which is the cheapest in my area. I have seen the unlimited plans up to $24.99 a month and it all depends on what upgrades you want or need for you and your car.

Car care is one of the essential things every driver must be aware of every day. This is your business on wheels. Carrying these essential tools in your vehicle will allow you to protect it as well as maintain high ratings from passengers and most importantly earn more money.