Photo: Bernard Gagnon (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Job description
A shift means driving wherever the next fare takes you, choosing routes around current traffic, collecting payment through a meter or app, and keeping the vehicle clean and mechanically sound between trips. Drivers work independently with no direct supervisor watching over a shift, and the busiest, highest-earning hours tend to be nights and weekends when demand and fares run highest. Beyond driving skill, the job requires handling occasional difficult or impaired passengers and following local taxi regulations that vary by city.
Pros
- Much faster than average projected job growth (11.1% over the next decade), with over 22,000 jobs in demand
- No degree required, entry-level access via a high school diploma plus some on-the-job training
- Independent work with no direct supervision during a shift, appealing to people who value autonomy
Cons
- Above-average hours, often at night and on weekends when fares run highest
- Irregular, demand-driven hours mean an unpredictable schedule week to week
- Occasional difficult or impaired passengers are a real, if infrequent, part of the job
A typical day
The shift starts at 5am for the airport queue, because business travelers tip better than bar crowds and the early lot moves fast. The morning is a rhythm of pickups -- reading the passenger's mood in the first ten seconds, offering the highway or the surface-street route with the rideshare surge in mind. Lunch happens in the car, tracked between a hospital run and a regular who rides to dialysis every Tuesday. Fuel, receipts, and a cleaned back seat close the shift, with the day's take counted against gas, fees, and hours behind the wheel.
Tasks at the job
- Transport passengers to requested destinations, choosing routes that account for traffic.
- Operate the fare meter or app-based payment system and collect payment.
- Maintain the vehicle's cleanliness, fuel level, and mechanical condition.
- Follow traffic laws and local regulations governing taxi operation.
- Assist passengers with luggage or mobility needs as needed.
- Handle cash and electronic payments accurately, including making change.
Workplace & working conditions
Work happens driving throughout a city or region, at all hours and in all weather and traffic conditions.
Hours are often irregular, including nights and weekends when demand and fares run highest, and drivers work independently with no direct supervision during a shift. Occasional difficult or impaired passengers are part of the job.
Education necessary or common
High school diploma; some on-the-job training or apprenticeship
Licenses & certifications
- State driver's license with clean record
- City taxi/chauffeur permit (where required)
Related fields
Courses to take
- Driver's education -- the license is the credential
- Geography -- mental maps beat GPS in a dead zone
- Business math -- a driver is a one-person business tracking margin
- Spanish or another local language -- more riders, better service
- Auto shop -- basic maintenance protects your income
Clubs, activities & competitions
- A part-time delivery or courier job once licensed
- Auto club or car maintenance hobby work
- Any customer-service job -- passenger skills transfer
- First aid/CPR certification
First steps you can take now
- Build a spotless driving record from day one -- it's the resume
- Learn your city's layout deliberately: main arteries, shortcuts, event venues
- Talk to a taxi or rideshare driver about real earnings after expenses
- Check your city's taxi permit and age requirements
