Yes, we can sign you up to Uber or Ola right here

Mode Rideshare is in the unique position of being able to help to sign you up as a driver through our direct portal to Uber.

This means you don’t need to be ready to go before you come and talk to us.

As New Zealand doesn’t have an Uber or Ola office, it can be challenging to sign up if you aren’t sure about the whole process and what steps need to be taken. One of the reasons some people don’t continue with the idea of setting up to drive for Uber is because they stop mid-process, confused by the steps.

We take care of this.

We can talk you through the process and can use our direct portal to help with the administrative side, and make it as simple as possible to start earning money as a driver. We go out of our way to ensure you understand the whole system and feel confident setting up as your own boss.

Once we have signed you up, if you aren’t already signed up with Uber, we'll walk you through your contract, give you your starter pack, and you'll drive out the gate, ready to make money from your rideshare car!

From there it's simple.

We'll get in touch when the vehicle is needed for maintenance, and we'll give you another one to drive while it's being worked on. Payments will be automatically debited from your account every Wednesday (for the previous week), and you'll receive an invoice - it's easy!

We want to make Uber driving as simple as possible. This is also why we have recently introduced our new Rent-to-own option for Uber drivers, so you can pay slightly more each week and end up with a car that you own.

Come and chat to Sahil or a member of the team today, we are here to help and would love you to join our network.

Send us a message to start the conversation!

4 Websites all Uber drivers should follow

There is a lot of advice out there for people who drive for Uber and other Rideshare companies, and we have a few favourites that we suggest to our community of Mode rideshare drivers.

It is always worth keeping on top of the latest tips and up to date with changes to the driver app so that you are in the best situation possible for earning good money as an Uber driver. Doing your homework by following websites (most of these allow you to subscribe to them!) means you are placed to earn as much as possible as a driver.

Here are some of our recommendations:

1. The Uber NZ Newsroom

   Be in the know as soon as Uber makes announcements by keeping an eye on the Uber NZ newsoom. https://www.uber.com/en-NZ/newsroom/

2. Reddit

   There are some great subreddits for New Zealand drivers where you can learn tips and keep up to date with information being passed on from other drivers. Join up and join the conversation!

3. Eventfinda

   Being up to date with events helps you to plan where and when to be out finding passengers. You can subscribe to receive events to your inbox so you are always in the know and ready to earn.

4. RideGuru

   Be smart about the way you drive by keeping on top of the newest changes to the way pricing works across all rideshare platforms by watching the Forums on this website and learning as you go. You can even ask questions here and get really helpful responses.

Remember, we want you to succeed as much as you do - chat to us anytime for advice and tips for making the most of your Mode Rideshare car hire or car purchase.

We are proud of our Mode community and want to support you the best way we can.

Send us your top websites as well, we’d love to know what they are!

7 ways to earn more as an Uber driver

Drivers often ask us how they can maximise their earnings when Uber driving, and while it can take a little time to figure out the best possible times to be available in Auckland, there are some tips that we know work well and we have shared below.

Do you have any others you’d add? We would love to know!

Keep up to date with Auckland and local events

Make sure you are signed up to the local event pages that tell you when and where popular local events are taking place.

Getting these events coming to your phone on email will ensure you are organised and ready to drive at busy times when people need rides to and from sporting matches, festivals, concerts, and the like.

Learn the popular spots and when they’re busy

Think about the time of day and where people will be who need to catch a ride with Uber. Early mornings will be helping people get to work or into the city, while at the end of the day you could think about starting a little later to catch people who head out for dinner and drinks after work. This is especially true in the Christmas period!

Be friendly, helpful & professional

Put your best foot forward so that you receive good ratings from your passengers. A warm welcome and making your passengers feel comfortable and safe goes a long way. Offer to change the music, ask about their evening - being friendly makes people want to help you as well.

Get used to the driver app

By using the features of the driver app, like the driver destination feature, you can try to cut down your downtime by confirming requests from riders heading in the same direction as you.
The app lets you organise back-to-back rides when demand is high so there is less downtime and more time driving and earning

Take snacks, water and get to know local bathrooms

This means you aren’t heading home whenever you need a break and you can spend more time on the road or in areas where demand is higher. Being prepared means you can focus on driving and finding passengers rather than worrying about being hungry or needing a break. But when you are busy, make sure you do stop and rest too - we want you to be safe.

Check the Uber passenger app

The passenger app helps you take advantage of some features that not available on your Uber driver app. For example, you can see where other drivers are, which helps you select areas without a lot of competition at that time. Sometimes this can help you choose a different entrance to an event or an area of town where you can see people but fewer drivers.

You can also get up-to-date information on surge fares more quickly this way.

Talk to us at Mode

We make Uber driving affordable, so talk to us about our unique offers in terms of Rent-to-Own cars and hire cars that are all-inclusive. We want to help get you earning on the road - we’d love you to join the Mode community so get in touch today!

Be your own boss without being on your own

The freedom to earn money as your own boss as an Uber or Ola rideshare driver represents an excellent opportunity to make money, however, it is natural to feel concerned that you are completely on your own in your new venture.

This is where Mode is different.

We stay alongside you as an Uber driver in one of our approved vehicles to ensure your success as a driver.

We are able to help sign you up as a driver through our unique relationship with Uber, and our support doesn’t end once you drive away in your car.

Ongoing Assistance.

Not only do you get 24/7 Mechanical Roadside Assistance with a rent plan, you also have access to a 24/7 Accident Helpline, so you know you'll be sorted if anything goes wrong. Being part of a larger group of New Zealand companies based in the automotive industry, Mode Rideshare has a wide circle of service partners all over the country able to help as soon as you need it.

We make it easy.

Insurance, COFs, tyres, and servicing are all included in your weekly rental fees, meaning that tracking business expenses is easy. Simple payments help regulate cash-flow, and reduce those unexpected maintenance costs.

Be part of a community.

When you drive with Mode, you drive with a whole fleet of colleagues in the same waka (or car!) around New Zealand. The people you'll meet will mean that no day is ever the same, and your experiences have the potential to be life changing! We are proud of our community of Uber drivers and would love you to join us.

Talk to us today, we are happy to talk through your options and find the right one for you with low start-up costs. We are always happy to chat and talk through the best options for you.

Limited - hire a Prius for 10% off for your first 12 weeks

As we come into the busy event season, we know that Aucklanders are heading out and about a lot more and we want to help to get more Uber and Ola drivers on the road.

Whether you are all set to go as a driver or you need some help to go through the signup process, we can help.

Making it easy is what we are all about.

And for a limited time our already affordable rates are even better for drivers looking to get started with Uber driving.

If you contact us before the end of November 2020, we can sign you up for a Prius for a minimum term of 3 months for 10% off those first 12 weeks.

Come and give it a go! It is time to get earning.

Be your own boss and earn money over the summer.

Our fees cover all costs except petrol/car charging so it has never been easier to get going. If anything happens to your car, we even help you out then. It is why people consistently tell us we’ve provided the best service when hiring cars for ridesharing in Auckland.

Click CONTACT US and talk to our team today - we are here to help and discuss how it all works.

Terms: as well as our usual terms and conditions, please note that if you break your lease early you will be charged the full standard rate from the beginning of your hire period, minus the discount.

Why Ridesharing has Never Been Easier

Mode Rideshare is well-known for being the easiest way to get on the road and start earning money as an Uber or Ola driver. We know ridesharing and we want to make it as easy as possible for you too. We are the only company with a perfect 5 Star Google rating and have the best customer satisfaction around because your success is our priority.

If you are not already set up with Uber, we can help you sign up online with Uber through our direct Uber portal - something only we have direct access to. Through the Uber portal, we can activate your status in less than 2 minutes so you are ready for your first pickup as soon as you drive away.

We can also help to get you activated on Ola, which sometimes takes quite a bit of time. As one happy customer recently told us “they go out of their way to get drivers activated and able to earn money as soon as leaving the office”

We also have our new Rent-to-own option, which for a few extra dollars a week, you’ll get to keep the car after two years, no strings attached. This is the simplest and most effective way to drive, earn and own your own vehicle.

Rent-to-own includes all the same components as our normal rental, such as Comprehensive insurance, mechanical warranty, servicing, maintenance, tyres, rego, COF, Roadside assistance, etc. All you need to worry about is fuel and counting down the months to ownership.

It has never been easier.

Come on in and chat to us, we’d love to talk and see if this is right for you.

https://www.moderideshare.co.nz/plans-pricing

Logmate subscriptions

Tonight we'll see the relaxing of level 2.5 restrictions down to Level 2, while the rest of the country has already gone to Level 1. This means that you'll still have to wear your mask, but business should pick up.

This week too, saw Logmate change the way they do their subscriptions. Instead of being debited by the rideshare companies, drivers will be billed directly by Logmate. 

As Managing Director Greg McDowell says " The rideshare industry is unique; all Operators utilise a shared pool of drivers. Keeping things simple and continuing to roll-out additional services relevant to our customer; rideshare drivers; is our goal. This is part of that journey.  

The changeover will begin on 1 October 2020, you should have received information about this already.

There has been some concern in the driving community about how Uber and Ola will handle this, if you are using their TSL. Uber has issued a note through the app last night noting the last day that they will bill you is the fourth week of October. Ola has yet to follow up, but none of the rideshare companies should continue to charge drivers after the switch. 

This should save you money or at break even, depending on your driving schedule. At the very least, it will make it easier for accounting at the end of the year. 

You should start the switch as soon as you can. As always, the team is here to help if you need us. 

Slowly, Slowly

Over the last few weeks we've been hearing from numerous driver partners that business has picked right up from where it was a month ago. Now is the time to be thinking about the hours you’re working and how to maximise the Christmas “silly season” with corporate functions, staff Christmas parties, more events and lots of people out enjoying the end of the year. which will improve business through more socializing.

Airport trips will also be picking up with many heading away for the holidays.

If you are thinking of driving and want to get into a car quickly, let us know! We've got some promotional rates that will help tide you over.

Stay healthy

Masks Required.

To slow the spread in the event of further outbreaks of Covid-19, face coverings will be required on all public transportation. Following Uber's global requirement that drivers wear masks, this will include all rideshare services as well. 

This joins rules that QR codes be posted, and the global recommendation that cars be sanitised regularly, certainly before/after a shift. 

We see this as an opportunity for drivers - people may switch to rideshare to avoid buses. Riders will be looking for a higher degree of hygiene in your vehicle - so be sure to wipe all surfaces, ensure that the car looks clean (and IS clean) and smells good or neutral. We anticipate that riders will be rating on a different scale than they may have in the past due to this new information about public transport. 

Let us know if you need any help with products or have any questions. Just call our team on 0800 MODE RIDE (0800 66 33 74)

QR Codes? An Update:

Last week, we were advised that all Rideshare vehicles should display the Covid-19 QR code in the vehicle.

Over the weekend, Uber advised drivers that this was unnecessary as they have provided a team to work with contact tracing in New Zealand. 

This still leaves drivers who might drive for another company or independently potentially facing the same requirement. . 

Mode Rideshare recommends that you display the QR Code for the following reasons:

1. Time - it will be much faster for the team to contact you directly and find out which rides that you did for whom, etc. 

2. Accounts - as we all know, sometimes the rider is not the person who requested the ride or the account that pays for it. 

3. Riders -  Most people don't ride alone - If other people were with the rider in the car - they can independently scan the code thus lessening the tracing time. 

It’s important to remember why we are all doing this. Fighting the virus requires everyone to be on board. This is a small thing that we can do to help out on this huge effort.

Finally, it's YOUR safety that is at stake as well. If you have been exposed the sooner you know, the more effective your response can be. Your health and the health of your family or bubble relies on it. 

If you need a hand getting your QR code or displaying, let the team know and we’ll help sort you out.

Wage Subsidy extension for those who qualify.

Level 3 in Auckland and Level 2 in the rest of New Zealand will continue until at least the 26th August. Because Auckland is our most populous city, many businesses, particularly tourism businesses, across the country are affected. The government has extended the wage subsidy for a further two weeks. 

If you had the previous wage subsidies, and have experienced a 40% drop in revenue, you will qualify. 

Applications can be made from 1pm on 21 August 2020 to 11:59pm on 3 September 2020. It is open to employers throughout New Zealand. This only applies after your previous subsidies have run out. So if you recently applied for a subsidy, you will probably not qualify for this one. 

More information can be found here:   We know that this is a very difficult time whether you have chosen to drive or not. However, business should bounce once restrictions have eased.  In the meantime, If you have any questions, feel free to call Mode Rideshare on 0800 66 33 74 (MODE RIDE).

QR Codes mandatory in all places of business as of 19th August.

As of today, 19 August, it is now mandatory for each business and location to display a QR code which can be used with the Covid-19 tracing app. If you are driving, you must be display this.

It is likely that the requirement will be in place for the foreseeable future, so if you are not currently driving you will need it once you start again. 

To generate a QR code you can go to this website. https://covid19.govt.nz/business-work-and-money/business/get-your-qr-code-poster/

If you do not have a printer, you can go to a local library or Warehouse Stationary shop. 

Stay healthy, we’re here if you need us.

Auckland at L3, NZ at L2 - Mode is still here for you.

Face mask - best for you and your rider

Use an alcohol-based spray

Don’t forget your hands! Before & After your shift and at set points during your shift.

Yesterday, August 12, at noon, Auckland entered level 3 lock-down once again. The rest of the country is at level 2.

Ride share drivers are essential workers and you can continue to work if you are comfortable with that.

If you do drive, stay safe and keep your riders safe also.

Remember 3 letter rule F-C-H.

F: Face Mask (wear and encourage others to wear a mask)

C: Car Sanitiser (Spray sanitiser after every ride)

H: Hand Sanitiser (sanitise your hands after specific time intervals)

You should still be using hand sanitiser and car sanitiser regularly in your car. If you are out of car sanitiser you can bring your spray bottle to us and we will refill it for you.

In Auckland, it would be prudent to only seat people in the back seat.

We do not know yet if there will be any extension to this lock-down but rest assured, we are working hard behind the scenes to deal with whatever happens next.

If you have any questions, feel free to call Mode Rideshare on 0800 66 33 74 (MODE RIDE). We have done it before, and we can do it again.

Kia kaha team

From the Team at Mode Rideshare

Finding The Right Provider is Your Key to Success.

I got to chatting with one of our new drivers this past week. Let’s call him John.

John had been driving Uber, using a sole operator for his car lease – someone who had an extra car and gave John a very cheap rate.

Yes, they are out there.

The problem is, there just is so little support. Of course the car ended up having mechanical problems and while they were sorting those out, our driver John was sitting at home – no car, no money and it took more than a week before the car was ready to go.

John went for a different solution by the end of that week – he came to us. Yes, we are slightly more expensive than a rogue operator but we help get you on the road, and make sure that you can stay there. We do the insurance, maintenance and all the paperwork to keep the car on the road.

Why? We understand that if you are not moving you are not earning. If you are done with cowboys, and are serious about earning, give us a call on 0800 663 374.

Driver Support ramps up at Mode Rideshare

Yesterday Mode Rideshare had our first driver support meeting in Auckland. We were able to discuss pricing, offer driving and App support for Uber and Ola, and of course, to eat delicious donuts!

It was great to be able to see some of you face to face and to chat about the challenges that we are all facing right now.

We were really happy to be able to share some information about our referral program. For those of you who haven’t heard – if you refer a friend and they drive with us, you’ll get a $50 petrol voucher at 4 weeks, at 12 weeks, and another at 24 weeks. That’s a total of $150 for you, when you refer someone to drive with us.

We will be having another meeting, most likely around the end of September. We would love to hear your feedback about what you’d like to see happen and if certain times are better than others for you.

In the meantime, Sahil and the team are standing by to help you get online and get earning.