As a PCO driver, the car you choose plays an important role in how much money you will make. If you drive a regular saloon, you will have limited earning options.
On the other hand, driving a larger car like a 7-seater gives you more choices.
With that said, 7 seaters are more expensive than regular cars, and not every PCO driver can afford to buy them upfront. That’s where 7 seater PCO car hire plans come in!
These plans allow you to get behind the wheel of a 7-seater without requiring you to own the car. However, having just a car is not enough. You need to know the right strategies to maximise your income.
In this article, we will discuss approaches that smart drivers use to take their income to the next level.
Ways to Improve Income through 7-Seater PCO Car Hire
Prioritise UberXL and Bolt XL Jobs
The first thing you should do when driving a 7-seater is to prioritise UberXL and Bolt XL jobs. These jobs aren’t short trips to grocery stores. They often involve long trips with multiple passengers and luggage. So, they pay you more as well.
Don’t know how to accept XL rides?
Go into your app settings and opt in to UberXL and Bolt XL. This will keep you active in the XL category and allow you to receive ride notifications.
You don’t need to chase every ping. Just accept the ones that pay high fares because that’s when you will be making the most of your 7 seater PCO car hire.
Target Group-Friendly Hotspots
PCO driving is not about working hard. It’s about working smart.
If you drive your 7 seater 10 hours a day and still don’t make the kind of money you want, it’s not the car’s fault.
You are doing it wrong.
XL ride requests don’t come from random people. They are normally families, tourists, and groups of friends.
These people don’t want to book multiple cars. They want to travel in one spacious car that can accommodate all of them with their luggage.
The best way to capitalise is to show up in areas where they need you.
Here’s where you will mostly find these rides:
Concert venues and stadiums
Airports and train stations
Tourist attractions and family destinations
Restaurants and nightlife zones
Focus on Airport Runs and Family Travel
Another way to take advantage of 7 seater PCO rental cars is to focus on the airport runs and family travel.
Families with kids love space. They don’t want a car where they have to stuff their kids and suitcases. They want comfort, they want room, and you can offer them both with a 7 seater.
With that said, you need to know when these families are mostly available.
Typically, families with kids are available on Sunday evenings at the end of the holidays when they are flying back into the UK.
You can also target families that need help with early morning airport drop-offs. These rides are consistent and pay you well. Plus, there is no peak traffic in the early mornings so you can complete the rides without hassle.
Remember that airport drop-offs come with a small fee. For instance, when taking a family to Heathrow airport, you will have to pay a Heathrow drop off fee. You can pass the fee onto passengers but if they don’t approve, you will be the one paying that fee.
This applies to both rental and rent to buy cars.
Work During Peak Hours and Weekends
Offering rides during peak hours and weekends is an excellent way to improve your income. The activity in London is at its peak during Friday and Saturday nights with people heading to weddings, parties, birthdays, and whatnot.
These people often travel in groups so they need larger vehicles. As a 7 seater driver, you can offer them comfort and space and they will gladly pay you more for that.
Here’s what you need to do:
Start offering rides at weekends around 6 pm when people are heading out to enjoy life and continue working until 2 am when the clubs close and everyone is trying to get home.
Most drivers stop working after midnight even on weekends. By staying active longer, you can get jobs that pay significantly more.
Provide Corporate Group Travel
When you rent a PCO licensed car like a 7 seater, you become an attractive option for corporate groups as well.
London is a business hub with professionals constantly flying in from other cities and even countries. When these people land in London, the first thing they need after leaving the airport is a reliable, spacious, and presentable car that can meet their standards.
A 7 seater car helps you achieve exactly that. You can carry professionals heading to staff events, conferences, and seminars without compromising on comfort.
Plus, 7 seaters are ideal for VIP transfers as well. These transfers involve CEOs, board members, etc. and they happily pay more than regular rides.
So, while other drivers are focused on £7 rides, you can make £50-£80 per ride by focusing on corporate individuals.
Use Dash Cams
Passengers making false claims are normal in the PCO world. If you don’t have evidence to prove your innocence, you could be deactivated from Uber or Bolt and may even face a lawsuit that could wipe your whole year’s earnings.
That’s why it’s essential to use a dash cam on your PCO car. They protect you from insurance scams by recording the truth.
Some dash cams also come with parking mode, which eliminates the possibility of mystery dents or hit-and-run drama. Since everything is recorded, you can show the footage to your insurance company to prove you were not at fault. This not only helps you get paid faster but also keeps your hard-earned money in your pocket.
Conclusion
These were some strategies that you can use to improve your income through 7 seater PCO car hire. The goal is to work smarter, not harder. There are many drivers who work 10 hours a day but are still out-earned by someone working 5 hours a day. The difference between the two is that one is only focused on driving while the other knows when to drive and where.
By playing your cards wisely, you can also earn more by working less. So, follow the strategies we mentioned in this article and good luck!
Read more:
How to Maximise Earnings with a 7 Seater PCO Car Hire: Strategies That Work