Uber Expands Driver Recruitment Efforts To Military, Other Professionals
By Edward Cardenas
SOUTHFIELD (CBS Detroit) - Ride-on-demand service Uber looking for a few good men and women to become new "partners," or drivers, for the app-based company.
Military veterans, reservists and the their spouses are among the professionals Uber is recruiting to join the company in Michigan, and nationwide, through the Uber Military program.
"We really focused efforts on attracting military active duty members or veterans, or those in the national guard or reserves, and their spouses, to become partners with Uber and enable them to make some money in a part-time basis using their vehicle," said Michael White, general manager for Uber in Michigan.
The program started in the end of 2014 with a goal of attracting 50,000 new partners with military background by 2016, already. White stated they already have brought aboard 10,000 drivers with military backgrounds nationwide, and over 100 in Detroit through local veterans associations and Hiring Our Heroes.
"It not only benefits the veterans who are joining the platform, but Uber also benefits because these tend to be some of our best partners, they tend to get higher ratings than the average partners, they tend to more trips on the system than the average partner," White added. "We have seen that military discipline come through in their work ethic on the Uber platform in a similar way that they experienced while they were serving our country and military."
According to TIME Magazine, veterans under the age of 25 face an unemployment rate of 21.4% (the national unemployment rate is 6.1%).
In addition to recruiting drivers with ties to the military, Uber is reaching out to other professions including full-time employees, teachers and entrepreneurs who are looking to make money for vacations, gifts or augment their income while working on their own business.
These drivers go through a thorough qualification process that includes a background check, driving record checks and vehicle inspections for Uber, which now operates in six metro regions throughout Michigan including metro Detroit.
White stated with the fast growth of ridership, Uber is "trying to keep up with the driver's side."