As a PCO driver, you may have heard the phrase that the more you work, the more you earn. However, this is not entirely true. Your income doesn’t only depend on the number of hours you work. It also depends on how smartly you work.
Many drivers want to maximise their earnings, but only a few achieve this goal. Why? Because not everyone follows the right strategy. In this article, we will explain some of the right strategies that can help you improve your income. Let’s look at what those strategies are.
Choose the Right Car for Maximum Profits
Looking to make serious money as a PCO driver? The first thing you need to do is pick a car that works for you, not against you.
Many PCO drivers make the mistake of choosing cars based on their appearance and low rental fees. This may work well for short term but in the long run, an inefficient car will drain your profits over time.
For instance, if you choose a petrol or diesel car, you will not only have to pay higher fuel costs but daily ULEZ and congestion charges as well, which are £12.50 and £15 respectively. Combine both costs and that’s around a thousand pounds gone out of your pocket every month. The best alternative is to choose an EV as EVs are exempt from daily ULEZ and congestion charges. Plus, they completely run on electric power which helps you save on fuel costs as well because electric power is cheaper than petrol/diesel.
Drive During Peak Hours and Surge Pricing
Peak hours typically happen during mornings when people are rushing to work, during evenings when people are heading home, and at night time on weekends when people are going out with their loved ones for entertainment. During these times, more people are requesting rides which activates surge pricing.
Surge pricing normally happens when the number of passengers requesting rides is higher than the available drivers. During these times, ride-hailing companies like Uber and Bolt increase fares so more drivers become available on the roads.
You can take advantage of peak hours and surge pricing by becoming available in busy areas before the surge starts. If you wait too much, other drivers will take your spot and you won’t be the first in line to accept high paying trips.
Reduce Dead Miles
Another way to increase your earnings through PCO car hire is to reduce dead miles. Dead miles are the unpaid miles you drive between trips. They are one of the biggest leaks in your earnings because every dead mile you drive is money lost in fuel, wear and tear, and most importantly, time that you should be spending on the road carrying passengers.
Dont know how to reduce miles? Position yourself in high demand areas such as airports, train stations, shopping centers, etc. Doing so will eliminate the need to drive around in search of passengers and increases your chances of finding trips quickly.
You can also use trip destination filters which allow you to set where you want your next ride to take you. Let’s say your current ride takes you far from the city. Instead of driving back with an empty car, you can use the filter to find passengers who are heading to the same spot you initially came from. This not only reduces dead miles but also helps you maximise your earnings.
Offer Excellent Customer Service for Higher Ratings and Tips
PCO driving is more than just picking up and dropping off passengers. It’s about delivering an experience that results in higher ratings, better tips, and more ride requests.
In case you didn’t know, passengers remember how you made them feel. They may forget the route you took, but they will never forget if you were rude or if they felt uncomfortable during the ride. Similarly, passengers also remember if you greeted them with a smile and made them feel comfortable throughout the ride.
If you are consistently delivering a pleasant experience to your customers, you will consistently receive higher ratings, tips, and ride requests, which ultimately leads to more earnings. So, how do you offer a better passenger experience? It’s simple: keep your car clean, greet passengers with a smile and maintain a friendly but professional attitude throughout the rides. Doing this will help you be the driver that passengers remember for all the right reasons.
Track Your Expenses and Cut Unnecessary Costs
As a PCO driver, if you are not tracking your expenses, your are losing money. Even if you work long hours and complete dozens of trips a day, if your costs are eating into your profits, you will never be able to maximise your earnings.
As you know, PCO drivers have many expenses. There are fuel costs, car maintenance costs, and daily expenses like parking fees, etc. If you are not keeping track of these costs, you won’t know where your money is going. And if you don’t know where your money is going, you will struggle to keep most of it.
That’s why we suggest that you keep track of every pound you earn using an expense-tracking app. Doing so will help you understand if you are spending too much money on fuel, insurance, or unnecessary purchases. Once you have a clear idea of your spending patterns, you can make adjustments to keep more of what you earn.
Conclusion
These were some strategies to maximise your earnings as a PCO driver. Remember that working hard is not equal to working smart. By working smart, we mean choosing the right car, cutting extra costs, reducing dead miles, working in the right zones, and offering excellent customer support. If you choose to ignore these strategies, you will struggle to achieve your income goals through PCO car hire. So, drive smarter and take your profits to the next level.
Also, read: Why You Should Consider Car Hire for Long Trips?
