How Much Do Uber/Lyft Drivers Make In Las Vegas?

One of the most popular demographics for Uber and Lyft passengers are tourists. When you need to get somewhere quickly, don’t have a car and don’t know the area, you’re most likely going to call a taxi.

Since rideshare apps have become incredibly popular, calling a traditional taxi in even the most metropolitan areas like New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas has fallen by the wayside. Instead, customers are going to pay for quick, easy Uber or Lyft rides to get where they need to go.

How much do Uber/Lyft drivers make in Las Vegas, Nevada?

Depending on the time of year, drivers can make as little as $25/day to over $100/day. Because of heavy competition and a surplus of Uber/Lyft drivers in the Las Vegas area, getting more customers than the other drivers has become more difficult.

We’ve researched the numbers and listed them for you below!

How Stable Is the Income For Uber/Lyft Drivers In Las Vegas?

Las Vegas, Nevada, is one of the most popular tourist sites in the world and therefore has millions of visitors every year. In 2017, 39 million visitors were in Las Vegas for more than three days at a time!

That’s a lot of potential customers!

As an Uber or Lyft driver in Las Vegas, you will most likely never run out of customers!

However, that also means that earning a “stable” income through this service is an incredibly popular goal for many residents of Nevada, and you are only one among thousands.

Competition with Other Drivers

I’m sure this isn’t the first time you’ve asked yourself how much drivers can make in Las Vegas, but you’re also not the first person to ask that question.

With millions of potential customers each year traveling to Las Vegas to party, gamble and see amazing shows, you can bet there are thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers waiting for them!

If you’re a new rideshare driver in Las Vegas, you’re only one little fish in a big pond.

Many drivers have found it more difficult to make a splash in that pond, and are even leaving for less-crowded waters. Unless you already have a fantastic rating before you get to Las Vegas – or drop your rates exponentially – you most likely will have trouble getting a “stable” income.

However, if you’re looking to make a little extra cash on the side, then go for it! While it may not be a major salary, it will be a great opportunity to build your rating as a driver and fill your pockets a little more!

Pricing High and Low

It’s no secret that five-stars and an affordable rate are what make customers flock to good rideshare drivers.

Popular drivers with great ratings and many customers can sometimes rely on a yearly income of $30,000 – $45,000. However, they also know they can’t always count on the same salary every year – or even every week.

When business gets competitive, those drivers rely on great ratings to keep their prices high. However, if you’ve just started as a driver, you’ll need to drop your rates really low to get customers to notice you.

Furthermore, even with a five-star rating, competing with dirt-cheap prices during the busy season will make any veteran driver lower their prices a little. Therefore, a “stable” income is a loose term and can fluctuate each year.

Seasonal Customers

Just like casinos, rideshare drivers follow the seasons of Las Vegas tourists and customer influx. Customers are more likely to visit and spend money in Nevada during the cheaper or “off-seasons.” The cheapest months to visit are usually December – May, as these are the colder months and usually are filled with the holidays when families aren’t traveling.

However, the most popular time to visit Vegas is when the weather is nicest and warmest, which falls between June – November.

This means that in the off-season, you will find many more customers looking for a cheaper trip, while big spenders will take their time to visit during better weather in the busy season.

If you’re driving for a rideshare app, you can try to discern when is the best time for you to be operating, and how best to price your rate. Go big, or stay cheap for the off-season?

You decide! Just remember, your salary is only as good as your customer pool!

Do Lyft or Uber Drivers Earn More in Las Vegas?

As we’ve stated before, Las Vegas is one of the major metropolitan areas in the United States that sees millions of visitors each year.

New York and Los Angeles, however, have millions of people in them that are both tourists and residents. For comparison, Las Vegas has over six-hundred thousand permanent residents, whereas New York City has over eight million!

While you might assume that New York drivers are going to make more money, you may be surprised to know that drivers in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York City all average a median salary of about $33,000 a year (according to a 2019 statistic by Salary.com)

If you’re looking to raise that salary higher by driving for many years and getting a great rating, you’re more likely to make closer to $50,000 in New York City at your peak salary than Las Vegas, which is around $45,000.

Los Angeles, in comparison, gets as high as about $48,000. Other cities like Miami, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia average around $43,000 as the high-end of salary for an Uber driver, and almost all cities have a low-end salary at $29,000-$33,000 per year.

Please see our source below for more information on Salary.com!

How Much do You Earn Per Mile in the Las Vegas Area?

The average Uber or Lyft driver will charge around $2.00 per mile with a base rate of $1.00.

This is before a tip, which most drivers appreciate or hope that their riders will pay.

According to sites like the Los Vegas Sun and Taxis-Fare, most Uber and Lyft drivers will charge a base rate of about $2.50 and then charge around $2.00 per mile after that. However, they can also charge per minute as well as to make up for traffic or delays, which could be from five to thirty cents extra.

While this is a general amount listed by both sites, the idea is that you do earn a little more per mile than your average Uber or Lyft in Las Vegas. However, drivers also set their own rates, so you could potentially raise your rates in your local area as well – as long as you’re not more than the competition.

Is The Rideshare Space In Las Vegas (Too) Crowded?

Like we mentioned before, there are thousands of drivers in Las Vegas just waiting for customers to roll in for all that the city has to offer.

As a small fish in that little pond, you are less likely to make a huge salary right away, and if you don’t already have a great reputation on your app of choice, you’re going to have to slash your rates and prices just to be noticed.

However, this could be said about a lot of major cities in the United States. Because of this, you will always want to raise and keep your score up to be noticed over the crowded competition – and it is by no means any reason to give up!

Yes, the competition is crowded, but you can still make your mark!

What Are The Best-Paid Times To Drive In Las Vegas?

It is hard to pinpoint when is the best time to order an Uber or Lyft driver in Las Vegas because this city never, ever sleeps.

You could be leaving the Bellagio for the first time that day at eight in the morning and be looking for an Uber to take you to breakfast. Alternatively, customers could be moving from place to place all night and even in the early hours of the morning.

Because of this frequent movement of riders, Uber and Lyft drivers make themselves accessible at all times – depending on their personal schedules and preferences.

However, if you’re looking for a peak time of day or night, try the hours between five and midnight, when customers are leaving their hotels, traveling between casinos and shows, and then returning to their hotels that night.

What Are The Best Pickup Spots In Las Vegas?

Airports

Like many cities, the best place to pick up customers is at the airport. Taking a customer from the airport to a friend’s home, their hotel, or to see the family is a great opportunity for all drivers – especially if the destination is far away.

Most people are more likely to get an Uber from the airport than to have a rental car waiting for them, so make sure you’re there and ready to go!

Casinos

In Las Vegas particularly, though, you’re going to get a lot of business taking riders to and from the major casinos and venues.

One of the best things about Las Vegas is that casinos will offer discounted meals and drinks for their gamblers to keep them there all night long. Because of this, they will require a safe and quick ride back to their hotel from a great night of gambling.

With over one hundred casinos to choose from, you’ll never run out of venues to visit!

Restaurants

Many Las Vegas restaurants, diners, and cuisine locations are also venues for shows, events, and amazing things to see!

Like casinos, each venue or restaurant will try to keep customers there as long as possible and will offer drink deals and extra food or tickets to see other shows in their venue.

Some famous restaurants are inside casinos, too – like the Picasso at Bellagio or Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace,

Staying alert and available at popular locations is incredibly important as a driver, so know where you need to be at certain times of the week.

Are There Any Nevada-Specific Rules To Be Aware Of?

To be a driver in Las Vegas is like being a rideshare driver in any city:

• Your car must fit the age and style requirements
• You must be aged 21 or older and have an active license for at least a year
• You must have a license to drive in that state
• Have proof of insurance
• Invest in a TNC endorsement for your car insurance
• Fill out all application and inspection forms

If you’re interested in other versions of Uber, such as UberXL or Uber Select, you’ll need to meet different requirements – but these are not specific to Nevada.

For example, Uber XL requires a large, four-door vehicle that can haul a lot of luggage or people, while Uber Select requires a 2012 or newer model.

As long as you’re following the rules of your driveshare app, you should be good to go, as Nevada Uber and Lyft drivers only require a Nevada driver’s license and insurance registration to participate.

References:

Uber Nevada Requirements

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