'Opportunity to leave the comfort zone': Belarusian spoke about work at Uber and life in New York

Andrey left Belarus in the 2015 year. Now he works in an office in New York, tries to implement his own business project, and in his spare time he works as a taxi driver in Uber.

Фото: Depositphotos

It turned out that this not only brings additional income, but also gives a good opportunity to explore the city, chat with its residents. Edition Auto.Onliner asked Andrei what it feels like to be a taxi driver in this melting pot.

Work license

Carriage of passengers in New York is a licensed activity that is regulated by the Taxi and Limousine Commission. It doesn’t matter if you are going to work at Uber or are hoping to get a yellow taxi medallion from Manhattan Avenue - you must have a license.

“In order to receive this document - it is called a TLC-license - you need to undergo 5-day training. It includes a professional driver’s course, studying the city’s geography, traffic features, passenger transportation rules, including for people with disabilities, ”says Andrei.

Then the final exam and, if successful, the applicant receives a license for passenger transportation in the largest city in the United States.

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Taxis in New York City

An express course on which taxis or services operating on a similar principle can be found in the city.

“Remember any American film where Manhattan is shown. The roads lined with yellow taxis are all true. There are about 11 thousand of such cars. In order to work for them, in addition to the standard license, you must have a medallion. Since the number of medallions is strictly limited, the demand for them is huge, ”says Andrei.

“Yellow cabs in New York are allowed to take passengers directly from the street: with a wave of a hand, a whistle or whatever. Drivers accept payment in cash. Such taxis are allowed to work in the most prestigious neighborhoods of Manhattan: customers from there will not skimp on tips. In this business, a huge amount of cache spins every day. Rumor has it that the mafia once kept these taxis (who knows how it is now), ”the taxi driver added.

“And once, one of the New York mayors, in order to reduce the influence of yellow taxis in the city, created green taxis to counter them. They are also allowed to pick up customers from the street, accept cash payments. And they can work throughout the city and even in Manhattan, but not lower than 96 Street. That is, the most prestigious part of this area is still inaccessible to them. You can bring a passenger there, but to go looking for a new one isn’t, ”Andrei explains.

In addition, services like Uber are involved in passenger traffic. The drivers of these cars do not have the right to pick up random customers from the street, even if they wave their hands, begging to give them a lift - a call only through the application, payment only by bank transfer.

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When State Police Stop

Andrei received a TLC license, and with it the right to engage in the transportation of passengers. But this is not enough for New York - you also need a car with special numbers issued by the same Taxi and Limousine Commission.

“Each machine undergoes a special inspection. There are services that provide such cars for rent, they cost much more than a conventional rental car. For Toyota Camry 2015 — 2016 of the year, for example, they will take $ 400 — 500 per week. At the very beginning, I used just such a machine, worked for 4 weeks, but the rental was too expensive - I had to look for a cheaper option, ”says Andrey. “When you are looking for a cheaper option, there is always some company with a dubious reputation: there are a lot of doubts, but a decent saving - and you agree.”

But you always need to understand that saving carries great risks.

“I found what I thought was a good option: also a Camry, for $300 a month. I rented a car and started working on it. On the third or fourth day everything happened,” says Andrey.

The driver rode with the client to the airport. The woman sitting behind, of course, worried, as though not to be late for her flight. And here the car is slowed down by the police - the phenomenon in the States in itself is infrequent.

“I myself was in complete shock, while trying to reassure the client, he said:“ Don’t worry, ma'am, everything will be all right. I have no idea what questions might have arisen, ”Andrei recalls.

A few words about how the American police work. A police car is attached behind the car, flashing beacons turn on. Carefully drive over to the sidelines, press the brake - you don’t want to become a hero of the news release? Strong guys come out in uniform, leather boots, cool glasses and brimmed hats. There are tokens and DVRs on the chest. Everyone has a hand on a holster with weapons: it’s not that they didn’t like you with something - they are just the rules, and they know them well.

Police officers approach the car from two sides, stop at an angle of 45 degrees to the driver and nothing else. The driver should not get out of the car, should not unfasten the seat belt or take his hands off the steering wheel, no sudden movements - opened the window and calmly expect.

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“The police told me that my car was wanted, so I couldn’t drive it. This was despite the fact that I had all the necessary documents, insurance was issued in my name, and the car was connected to the official Uber database,” Andrey recalls. “We had to delay until all the circumstances were clarified.” Another Uber was called for the passenger, the police helped load her luggage there, the woman left for the airport and, hopefully, made it to her plane. I stayed to deal with the problem that had arisen and answered questions from the state police.”

“Here's the thing: the previous driver who drove this Camry was a bad guy who broke traffic rules a lot of times and got caught for it a lot of times. But he didn’t pay the fines - no one knows how he managed it. As a result, the car was put on the wanted list,” Andrey said. “It turned out that I was just the next driver who got behind the wheel of this car, and it so happened that it was me who was stopped by the police. We spent two hours sorting out this whole situation, I called the office where I rented the car. In the end I was released. When the police realized that I had not violated anything, they immediately became very good-natured: they patted me on the shoulder, wished me good luck, and finally advised me not to get involved with such companies.”

Andrei took advice: on the same day he returned the car and demanded the money paid for it. Money, of course, did not give up.

Need a car

The story is silent about whether Andrei’s passenger managed to fly away that day, but she wrote a complaint to Uber. A complaint about a driver in the United States is even worse than a police problem.

“The passenger did not go into details, but simply said that I was stopped by the police. And Uber blocked me for a week. I couldn't work at this time. In addition, I lost a good bonus that I was counting on. As they say, the miser pays twice? - recalls the taxi driver.

Uber in the USA instantly responds to customer complaints. The situation with Andrey looked like this for the company: the police wouldn’t stop the car for no reason, that means the driver gave a reason, so he acted insecurely - a ban. And proving one's innocence is often the driver’s problem.

“I explained everything, sent the documents. After checking, my account was unlocked, but I lost my weekly earnings. And he promised himself to never again resort to the services of such dubious companies, ”says Andrei.

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He thought it over again and bought a new car.

“I was very lucky - I received a loan to buy a car at 6% per annum. I took a new Toyota Camry. It costs me $400, but not per week, but per month,” the guy said. — Plus, I pay two insurances: for the car (analogous to comprehensive insurance) and passenger insurance (mandatory for carriers). That's another $400-500 every month. But even so, it’s half the price of a rental car.”

Eight million people who need a taxi

So, the issue of transport was resolved, and Andrei could do the work for real.

“I work with two companies - Uber and Lyft. It is great that there is an opportunity to combine it like this: less time has to be spent waiting for the client. In New York, according to conservative estimates, more than 8 million people live, but in fact much more. But even there, you need to wait a while until someone needs a taxi. At lunchtime, for example, there is very little demand in sleeping areas where there are no offices, shops, shopping centers, ”said Andrei.

“We in New York earn money on trips, no one will pay for the fact that I just sit in the car. In addition, now the city is actively struggling with traffic: many companies, such as Lyft, have a limit on the number of “empty” cars that are not involved in the carriage of passengers on the streets of the city. At rush hour, in a certain area there can only be a certain number of cars that have not found a client. In order not to exceed this value, the application disables unoccupied drivers - they have to go to another area and look for an order there, ”the taxi driver shared.

When to work and when to earn

Tariffs in New York for each type of taxi are regulated by the Taxi and Limousine Commission; drivers have no way to establish their own extra charge.

“There are six tariffs in total, which depend on the route. Travel outside the city is also regulated: up to the city limits there will be one tariff, outside the city limits - another. In New York, it is impossible to be a private taxi driver who received a license, set his prices and started working: all tariffs are clearly written either in the software, like Uber, or in taxi meters, like traditional taxis,” said Andrey.

There is, however, a kind of exception - an increasing coefficient for Uber. At rush hour, rainy weather, on sales days, the demand for taxis is much higher than usual, respectively, and the price determined by the mobile application can grow quite noticeably. Drivers are satisfied - the work is the same, but the salary is greater.

There is also a purely New York feature: tolls on bridges, through tunnels and on expressways are paid, and payment falls on the passenger.

How much does the Uber driver earn?

“At Uber, you can make good money for New York. Even though the company takes an average of 30%, you can have $ 1500 per week. From this money, however, you need to immediately deduct the cost of gasoline (somewhere $ 2,67 per gallon (3,7 liter)), payment of insurance, taxes. In America, one of the main duties of any citizen is to pay taxes - this cannot be joked, ”said the guy. - In general, if a passenger pays $ 60 for the trip, then $ 20 takes away Uber, and $ 40 remains with the driver. Plus New Yorkers leave a tip - that’s how it is customary for them. ”

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What is it like to drive around New York?

“Driving here is certainly easier than, say, in Moscow. In general, America has a different driving culture, the drivers here are more relaxed, everyone drives slowly. They will let you pass at the intersection, even if they are not obliged to do so; they will always give way to the pedestrian. But pedestrians here behave disgustingly: they jump out onto the road at random and anywhere, without looking around,” says the guy.

According to Andrei, in the US, every driver understands that either a policeman will notice him, or he will get on camera, but they will definitely punish him. A large fine is half the trouble. There is a point system: after making a few misconduct, you can easily lose the right to drive a car. And for the driver, this also means a loss of work.

“I stopped being fussy and started driving carefully. I stop at yellow, even if there are horns from behind. Because if you get stuck at an intersection... I've gotten stuck like that before. I wanted to pass, but the light turned red. And I accidentally blocked the road for those who were moving along the perpendicular street. A policeman came up, issuing fines here is very simple: they have portable computers with scanners, you are in the database, they print a receipt for you - they also have a portable printer. $115 is all, now I’m in no hurry. I call myself the slowest driver in New York,” says Andrey.

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“You won’t earn all the money, but you can lose: money, health, and the future in general. I learned that no amount of rushing in New York will allow you to be on time if you are late. The only way to arrive on time is to leave early. And if you cut everyone off and squeeze everyone, you will still be late, but at the same time you will also be a very bad person,” shares the taxi driver.

Plans for the future

Uber for Andrey is not the only and not even the main income at present. There is a constant office work with a good schedule. But New York is an expensive city.

“I had plans to get additional education, but the market has changed, and for now I put this idea aside. However, he did not refuse it. In addition, there is a main job. Uber is good because it allows you to have a flexible schedule. I can switch on and off when I need to, work in the evenings or weekends if I want. In addition, this is a good option not only to make money at first, but also to study the city and its geography. I’ve been in the USA for four years, two of which I’ve been working for Uber—I can navigate New York without a navigator,” said Andrey.

In addition, for him this is not just a job, it is also an opportunity to chat with nice people.

“And of course, this is communication. This city is the capital of the world, you can meet anyone here. They say about Americans that they are uncurious, even uneducated - nonsense! 80% of my passengers know about Belarus at least through tennis and hockey. And those who have not heard of our country begin to google something in front of me, look for it on the map. This is great!” says Andrey.

But America is still ready to implement its own ideas, and Andrei is raising funds on the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform to develop his own business project.

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“The idea is to produce glasses under our own brand. This is a frame made of high-quality plastic, into which lenses for vision are inserted and to which a filter can be attached using magnets. Sun protection, or, conversely, for bad weather, or reducing the impact of computer screen radiation - I plan to release several options to choose from. Such glasses exist, they are not my invention. My idea is to produce a quality product that will be available all over the world. And it doesn't matter whether you need an additional filter or need to replace the frame - any component will be available for purchase from anywhere. When I tried to find similar glasses or at least a filter for them here in New York, I could not do it - this is not available in specialized stores, it cannot be found on the Internet, except on Chinese sites. I want to offer people the opportunity to choose what they need,” shares Andrey.

“America is a huge experience, an opportunity to get out of your comfort zone, to overcome your fear. This is a new country with a completely different mentality, different language, different laws. I didn’t grow up here, I had to get used to everything, learn - not everyone can do this. But America is the school after which you are no longer afraid of anything,” the taxi driver added.

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