Has anyone had experience with driving a ride share like Lyft or Uber?

I use it as a rider all the time, in fact I grabbed one this morning. The experience is much better than a taxi, usually more cordial and the vehicles tend to be cleaner. I talk to a fair amount of drives (I like to sit up front and talk) and the number one reason drivers like it is the flexible schedule, i.e. you make your own hours. The number one gripe that I hear from drivers is around the algorithms that determine what drivers get what fares, particularly for surge pricing and generally how the payments are determined.

Another nice aspect is that the drivers rate the passengers and the passengers rate the drivers. When an Uber is coming I know what they driver is rated at and the drivers have to maintain a particular rating to keep on driving.

The driver's app also will map out the route for them like any normal GPS program. I have noticed that some drivers prefer to use the app's guidance and some prefer to use their own GPS apps.

Call me a paranoid fool, but that stuff seems like the craigslist of automobiles. Too many weirdos out there.

I used it for the first time two weekends ago - twice in the same day. It was a pleasant experience, better than any taxi cab ride I've taken. The first Uber driver, she was very friendly and easy to talk to (something Cabbies don't often do in my experience), and the second Uber driver was just as friendly and chatty. And in both experiences, I sat in the front seat vs getting in the back seat (which I believe is preference of the Uber driver tbh), so that was another way to make the experience seem more like a friend giving me a lift vs a typical "taxi" ride.

I recommend Uber (haven't tried Lyft) to anyone that wants to get home safe from a late night out at the bar/club or just to/from dropping your primary means of transportation off for maintenance (which was my case) or for any purpose to get from point A to B. Uber does background checks, you can see the picture of the person picking you, read their reviews and ratings and see what kind of car they are driving - all before they arrive. Plus the fare estimate before you actually request is nice - there's no haggling, no need to have cash on you..etc... It's just much more convenient than taking a taxi cab.