First EVER Uber Ride - “Uber Virgin!”
It was a cool, brisk evening in mid-May 2017. The sun had dipped below the horizon, and the streetlights flickered to life, illuminating the quiet streets of Newark, Delaware. With the windows down, I felt the gentle breeze brush against my face as I drove towards the University of Delaware campus. The air was filled with a hint of summer, a welcome change after a long, cold, and damp spring.
This was it—my first night as an Uber driver. My friend Mark, who had encouraged me to join the platform, mentioned that driving in areas bustling with shops and bars was the key to attracting rides. Main Street in Newark was the perfect spot, filled with shops and bars, promising a steady stream of potential riders.
Initially, I considered venturing into busier areas like Wilmington or West Chester, but I opted for the smaller, more manageable setting. I wanted to ensure a comfortable experience for my first night on the gig. Navigating the streets of a bustling city seemed too daunting, especially since I was new to this whole rideshare gig. I just wanted to try this “Uber app thing” out with the least amount of stress.
As I parked and opened the app for the first time, a wave of nerves washed over me. Picking up strangers from the internet, at night in a college town? They were likely to be intoxicated, and I was about to become their driver. My heart raced as I thought about the countless “what ifs.” It was a surreal moment, one that felt both exhilarating and terrifying. And it’s crazy thinking this now, with thousands of trips under my belt.
Ironically, I searched YouTube for tips on how to be a good Uber driver. Most videos focused on the basics: keep your car clean, offer water and mints, and maintain a friendly demeanor. But there was a surprising lack of content about the actual experience of being an Uber driver—how to engage with riders, how to handle the unexpected.
Today there is endless amounts of rideshare content on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter from a driver’s perspective. Back then, however, rideshare was still a novel concept, and I felt entirely unprepared.
As I waited for my first ping, I couldn’t shake the anxiety. After what felt like an eternity, a notification finally buzzed on my iPhone. “This is it!” I thought, my palms sweaty and my confidence wavering. I hoped that whoever I was about to pick up would be chill, as I braced myself for the ride.
My first trip ended up being a group of college girls that I picked up from their dorms, and I’ll never forget this experience! They were young, attractive, and loud. And here I was, a 32 year-old man picking up picking up four college-age women from their dorms and driving them to a popular college bar. It just felt weird.
And I was right—as they climbed into my car, I could sense their awareness of my nervousness. Since I’ve never taken an Uber before at this point, and I had no idea how I should engage with them. I had zero idea if I should act casual or professional. And I couldn’t shake off the weird feeling that I just let random strangers from the internet into my car and I’m getting paid for it!
But these college girls were awesome. They were relaxed and confident. They quickly picked up on my nerves and made it clear they were aware it was my first night driving for Uber. As I fumbled with the app, one of them exclaimed, “Wait! Is this your first night as an Uber driver!?”
“No,” I replied, trying to play it cool. “This is my first ride, ever.”
“Uber Virgin!” they all shouted at once, laughter filling the car.
And as the saying goes, the rest is history. That ride was unforgettable, paying out a measly $3.86 for a one mile trip. I completed several more rides, each one a new experience filled with its own unique stories. By the end of the evening, I had made a grand total of $22.77.
It wasn’t much money—But I was HOOKED! Marking the start of my journey in the rideshare world.
