Uber Drivers Are Rating You Lower for These 3 Behaviors. Here's What to Stop Doing
Your Uber passenger rating might seem like a minor number, but it can actually determine whether a driver picks you up at all. One veteran driver with more than 16,000 trips under his belt says three specific behaviors will almost guarantee you a one-star rating, and none of them involve tipping.
Levi Spires has spent over six years driving mostly around Syracuse, New York, and he has built a following documenting his experiences through podcasts, videos, and social media. He says he gives most passengers five stars without requiring conversation or tips. But certain actions cross a line that he considers unforgivable.
Research backs up the stakes. A 2019 study of 16 Uber drivers in the Netherlands found that some drivers actively avoid low-rated passengers, viewing poor ratings as a warning sign of potential misbehavior. Spires himself says he filters out riders rated below 4.9. For context, the average Uber rider rating in Australia was 4.82 in 2025, with major metro areas ranging between 4.78 and 4.88 out of 5.
Why Making Your Driver Wait Is a Dealbreaker
Spires says Uber doesn't pay him for the first two minutes of waiting time, then typically pays about $0.26 per minute after that, though rates vary by location and market. Five minutes of paid waiting earns him just $1.30, while the delay costs him time he could spend earning money from another fare.
“My overall feeling is that passengers have no idea that making us wait, even a few seconds, can be costly,” Spires said. “If you make me wait a minute or two, you're talking like a 10%, 20% pay cut.”
The frustration intensifies because drivers often spend five to seven minutes driving to a pickup while Uber sends riders notifications that their driver is on the way. By the time Spires pulls up, he expects passengers to be ready.
“You want to know why you got a bad rating? 90% of the time, it's because you're not standing out there waiting for me when I pull up,” he said.
The waiting issue isn't just about driver impatience. A Cornell study of Uber and Lyft drivers in Seattle found that the typical driver spends about 28% of their logged-on time waiting for a ride request. Every minute a passenger adds to that waiting time cuts directly into a driver's earnings.
Strong Odors Can Tank Your Rating and the Next Rider's Experience
Spires takes pride in keeping his Tesla clean, running it through the car wash once or twice a day. Strong smells can undo that work quickly.
“Weed is really bad,” Spires said. “People that smoke weed, it infests your car.”
After some passengers exit, he has to wipe down the seat, seat belt, and door handle. Pet odors can linger too. If he doesn't have time to clean between rides, those smells carry over to the next passenger, who may wonder where they came from.
Odors also hurt his bottom line. Spires says keeping the car clean leads to better tips from passengers. Uber's policy allows drivers to charge riders up to $225 in cleaning fees for qualifying messes, but unpleasant smells alone don't qualify.
You Don't Need to Chat, but a Simple Hello Matters
The third behavior has nothing to do with money or the car's condition. Some passengers get in while on business calls, don't acknowledge the driver, and behave “as if you're a robot,” Spires said.
He isn't asking for a full conversation. “Once we say hello and confirm, make eye contact, you can do whatever you want,” he said.
For Spires, a good interaction doesn't require a big tip. He recalled recently picking up a woman in her 60s from the grocery store where she worked as a cashier and driving her a couple of miles home. She tipped him $1 on a trip that cost about $5.
“That's the best tip you get,” Spires said.
What This Tells Us About the Gig Economy and Mutual Respect
This isn't just a story about ride-hailing etiquette. It reflects a broader tension in the gig economy, where workers absorb costs that passengers rarely see. Drivers face unpredictable waits, cleaning burdens, and the emotional labor of constant social interaction, all while being rated on every trip.
Spires says these interactions are also part of why he still enjoys driving. He sees an Uber as a rare space where strangers who might never otherwise meet can connect, whether through a deeply personal conversation or a brief exchange. Passengers have talked with him about death, breakups, politics, love, and more. Others barely speak.
“But even the quiet rides have meaning and value,” he said.
Sometimes it's 2 a.m., jazz is playing, and the person in the back seat simply wants to get home safely, Spires said.
The takeaway is simple: respect your driver's time, keep strong smells in check, and offer a basic human greeting. These small gestures don't just protect your rating. They make the shared space of a car a little more humane for everyone involved.