What are the Available Uber Partnership Programs for Drivers?

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Home » What are the Available Uber Partnership Programs for Drivers?

If you are reading this post, it means that you have been thinking of joining the Uber partnership service and haven’t quite decided which one of the services is best for you.

Picking the right partnership program can be tricky, but if you know what each entails, you can easily make a decision and start making money with Uber services.

Besides, there are smart little gadgets like GOFAR that monitors your car’s health and driving style.

The affordable device can also take the hassle out of car servicing, making it the perfect gift for a smart driver. The technology will find the best mechanics for you, get the sweet spot of your car’s engine to help you save fuel, and log your mileage for tax deduction purposes.

Take a look as we unveil each of Uber’s services, along with its pros and cons for drivers.

UberX

  • Least expensive and most suitable for passengers looking to save money
  • Drivers get lower fares compared to UberXL, UberBlack and UberSUV
  • You will get the most rider pickups because it is the most popular service
  • It is the entry level for new drivers
  • Riders are matched with drivers that drive their vehicle
  • Drivers need not be professionally licensed or have a commercial license
  • If you choose UberX Livery, you will need to have a commercial driver’s licence
  • Your car’s date of manufacture must be 2006 or newer
  • The driver must have attained 21 years and passed the Uber background check
  • The vehicle must have five functional seat belts, working AC, and at least four doors
  • Your car must pass Uber inspection
Dodge Charger for UberX
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Images by Mikeelliott01

Preferred vehicles: Ford Escape, Toyota Camry, Dodge Charger, Toyota Prius, BMW 3 Series, Kia Sorento & Optima, Nissan Maxima, Honda Accord, Ford Escort, Hummer H3, Ford Fusion, Ford Crown Victoria, Nissan Altima, Chevrolet Equinox, and Chrysler 200.

Uber Black

  • It is the more luxurious version of UberX
  • It is the most expensive service that Uber has in many cities
  • Drivers get higher fares in comparison to UberX and UberXL
  • Drivers get fewer riders since the demand for this luxury service is less compared to UberX
  • UberBlack is allowed to pick and drop passengers at the airport in most cities around the world. You will, therefore, get long distance fares
  • UberBlack prefers sleek, high-end sedans and can sit up to up to four riders
  • If you want to driver UberBlack cars, you have to get a commercial or a livery license
  • UberBlack vehicles are required to have a black or grey exterior and a beige leather interior. Cars such as Cadillac and Mercedes do well with UberBlack
  • Drivers must be professional, dressed to impress and courteous
Black-BMW-car
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Images by Ki hoon

Preferred car models: BMW 5-Series and 7-Series, Mercedes S/G/GL/GLC-Class +, Volvo XC90, Infiniti Q70, Lexus LS460, Audi A6/A7/A8 and more, Hyundai Genesis, Jaguar XF/XJ, Range Rover, Porsche Cayenne, Porsche Macan, Porsche Panamera +, Rolls-Royce Phantom and Ghost, Cadillac Escalade and Volvo S80.

Uber XL

  • It is similar to UberX, but its cars are larger so that they can seat six people instead of the regular four
  • Approved cars have to be minivans or crossovers
  • Fares for UberXL are usually higher than for UberX
  • It is best suited for a group of friends or larger families
  • Drivers need similar qualifications as for UberX
  • The driver must have attained 21 years
  • Luxury UberSUV’s qualify for this service
  • The car needs to have functional seat belts for the driver and all the passengers
Black GMD Acadia
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Images by Bull-Doser

Preferred car models: Kia Sorrento, Toyota Highlander, Dodge Grand Caravan, Chevrolet Traverse, Dodge Durango, Ford Explorer, Hyundai Santa Fe, Dodge Journey, Chrysler Town and Country, Ford Flex, GMC Acadia, Toyota Sienna, Subaru Tribeca, Volkswagen Tiguan, and Honda Odyssey and Pilot.

UberPlus

  • UberPlus falls between UberBlack and UberX
  • The car’s quality is higher than that of UberX
  • It is a luxury car, but not on the same level as UberBlack
  • Cars can seat up to 4 passengers
  • Drivers can expect fares that are higher than UberX but lower than UberBlack
  • It is most suitable for drivers looking to buy a nice car, but don’t have the budget for the UberBlack vehicle
Black wet Cadillac
Photo courtesy of Flickr Images by CONCAVO WHEELS

Preferred car models: Acura RDX/MDX/TLX+, Audi A3/Q3/S4/A6/Q7+, BMW X3 and X5, BMW 5 Series and 7 Series, Cadillac CTS/Escalade/SRX+, Hyundai Genesis Sedan, Infiniti EX/FX/QX/Q50+, Lincoln Navigator, Porsche Macan/Cayenne, Mercedes-Benz C/G/CLS/GL+ Class, Tesla Model S, Buick Enclave/Regal/LaCrosse, Land Rover Discovery, Lexus GS/LX/GX/RX+, Land Rover Evoque, and Kia K900.

UberPool

  • The service allows passengers headed in the same direction to pool fare money
  • The car is similar to the one you would use for UberX
  • Although some passengers may not like travelling with strangers, the advantage is that they split the fare
Big black hummer 3
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Images by Sfoskett ~ commonswiki (based on the copyright template)

Preferred far models: Ford Escape, Toyota Camry, Dodge Charger, Toyota Prius, BMW 3 Series, Kia Sorento & Optima, Nissan Maxima, Honda Accord, Ford Escort, Hummer H3, Ford Fusion, Ford Crown Victoria, Nissan Altima, Chevrolet Equinox, and Chrysler 200.

UberSUV

  • Must comfortably seat at least six passengers
  • Date of manufacture: 2010 or newer luxury SUV (clean/in immaculate condition)
  • Exterior must be black
  • Must have leather or vegan leather interior
  • Driver must have attained the age of 21
  • Drivers tend to be well-mannered, professional and dress accordingly
Audi Q7 black
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Images by Thomas doerfer

Preferred car models: Cadillac Escalade ESV, Ford Expedition Limited/Platinum, Audi Q7, GMC Yukon XL, Infiniti QX/56/60/80, Lincoln Navigator, Nissan Armada, Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, Chevrolet Tahoe/Hybrid, Toyota Sequoia, Lexus LX/GX, Lincoln MKT, GMC, Denali/Hybrid, Porsche Cayenne and Chevrolet Suburban

Other Services:

Note that some of these services are only available in specific cities:

  • UberASSIST – purposely designed to offer rides to senior citizens who’ve got physical disabilities. Unfortunately, it does not carry non-folding wheelchair
  • UberAUTO – Only available in India and Pakistan. It provides transport on rickshaws.
  • Uber Bike – Available in 9 metropolitan areas in the U.S., this service offers a dockless bicycle sharing system that allows the riders to hire electric bicycles from Uber’s subsidiary – Jump Bikes. It also enables Uber users to hire scooters in 46 cities around the world
  • UberBoat – This is a water taxi service that offers speedboats in coastal cities such as Istanbul and Miami
  • UberChapChap – This is a cheap taxi service available only in Nairobi. “ChapChap” is Swahili for “faster”. The selected car model is the Suzuki Alto.
  • UberEspanol – It is similar to UberX, only that it allows Spanish speakers to place ride request to Spanish-speaking drivers.
  • UberFlash – This service combines private cars and ComfortDelGro taxis in Singapore
  • UberGo – Available only in India, it is a service that provides rides in a hatchback
  • UberKids – At an additional charge, this service offers cars with a child safety seat
  • UberMoto – It provides transport on motorbikes and is available in the Dominican Republic, Pakistan, India and Indonesia
  • UberPets – This service allows pet transport at additional charges
  • UberPop – This service offers rides in a subcompact or compact car
  • UberRent – This is only available in San Francisco. It is a partnership with Getaround and provides peer to peer car sharing
  • UberSelect – Offers cars with leather interior
  • UberTaxi – This service was implemented to appease the traditional taxi drivers when their market share was threatened by the popularity of Uber. It allows passengers to place requests on Uber platform, but they have to pay an additional booking fee.
  • UberWav – Under this service, your car must have wheelchair accessibility

All these Uber services are available to drivers who want to partner with Uber. You can make a choice based on your needs, the type of your car, driver requirements and revenue potential.

Danny Adams sitting in a chair with a laptop

Danny Adams

Co-founder of GOFAR and with a Computer Science background from Harvard University, and a Bachelor of Aerospace, Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering (Honours), UNSW. I want to transform data from cars into useful services so -> drivers save time & money -> emissions fall -> Australian roads are safer. So we built an ATO-compliant logbook app called GOFAR. I write to help you understand how to use GOFAR to maximise business travel. Reach out via support@gofar.co.

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This content is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute professional advice from GOFAR. We recommend consulting with an independent legal, taxation, or financial expert to ensure the information is applicable to your specific situation. Please note that relevant regulations and laws may evolve over time.