I'm a Dallas mom who left Uber and Lyft to drive for Alto where I can get health insurance and a 401(k) — here's why it's a much better side gig
- Tamara Smith has always worked side hustles by making deliveries or by driving for ride-share apps.
- The Dallas-based aircraft dispatcher said Alto is more professional than her other side hustles.
This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Tamara Smith, a Dallas-based driver for Alto, a high-end ride-share app operating in Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Washington, DC, and San Francisco.
I always have some kind of side hustle — I think in this society, you have to. I work as an aircraft dispatcher as my day job.
I have a family — a wife, a daughter in college, and a teenage son, so extra money is always good. I tried driving for Uber and Lyft from 2015 until 2020 off and on. It looked simple and easy, and I could work when I wanted to. I liked side hustles that work around my daily life and my schedule.When I discovered Alto, I was working one of my delivery-driver side hustles. I kept seeing their cars in the parking lot at Whole Foods, and I downloaded the app to see what it was.Alto is a luxury, membership-based car-service app that operates a fleet of cars in Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Washington, DC, and San Francisco.I had it on my phone for almost a year because I was thinking about using it to take rides, but when I started doing my research on the company, I decided to apply for a job.It was immediately a different vibe compared to other side hustles I'd done before. I had to send in a résumé and I had a real interview, so it was just like getting a more traditional job.
Alto drivers work flexible shifts and get paid by the hour
The biggest difference for me between Alto and other side hustles I've worked is that it offers consistency.
If I work one 10-hour shift a week, I can remain an Alto driver, and as a driver you're paid by the hour — not by how many trips you book. I know how much money I'm going to make if I work five, six, eight, or 10 hours.Certain shifts — such as Friday evenings — do pay more. I feel like with other ride-share apps, you're hustling and bustling, trying to get rides and rushing people out of your car because you need to get to the next rider to make money.
When I drove for Uber, I made the same or slightly more money, but I had to work longer hours and more days. It was different each day and there was a lot of uncertainty.
You can stack or stagger shifts to work around your lifestyle. I recently had a schedule change at my full-time job to mornings, so now I work evenings as an Alto driver. It's been easy to balance with my full-time job.If I have one day where I have a window of at least 10 hours for my availability, the Alto team will be flexible about making sure my shifts don't conflict with my full-time job.
Driving with Alto has the structure and certainty of a full-time job
With Alto, we have set shifts, like regular employees going into an office. I start my shift at our operations office located across the street from one of our major airports in Dallas, which is convenient.
I clock in, and the lead gives me my pouch with a cell phone, a credit card for gas, and a key to the car. I check my car to make sure it's up to Alto standards, and then I roll out.As an Alto driver, you also have the option to get health benefits and a 401(k) because all drivers are W2 employees. I don't need them because I do well with my full-time job as an FAA dispatcher and trainer, but it's a great option to have.
Uber and Lyft weren't as dependable as a driver and as a rider
Alto riders make me feel more comfortable because most of our riders pay a monthly membership fee, whereas with Uber or Lyft, anyone can request a ride.
I feel like people being members and Alto rates being more comparable to the comfort and luxury tiers of Uber and Lyft means riders are more likely to give the drivers and cars more respect.For me, being a young woman, I've worked every shift — mornings, afternoons, and overnights — and I don't feel unsafe, even working overnight by myself in the car with strangers.I personally did not have bad passengers with Uber or Lyft, but you are always hearing about attacks in the news and drunk people being rude and not wanting to get out of the vehicle. I have never experienced anything out of the ordinary while driving for Alto.With Uber and Lyft, you never know what you're going to get. The car pulling up could be dirty or the wheels could be coming off. I got in an Uber in New Orleans once and the driver didn't have a back seat.
When I was with Uber and Lyft, I tried to keep my car clean and I tried to stay groomed, but with Alto, that's the standard. You come to work in your uniform with your shirt tucked in and your hat on, so it's all consistent.
Tipping isn't allowed via the app, but sometimes we get cash tips. Cash tips are amazing compared to other ride-share apps. It's always great tips every time you get one.The only drawback with Alto would be that it's still new, and rules change often, which I can understand, but I know with newer people, it can take a toll.In response to Tamara Smith's concerns about Uber, a spokesperson for the ridesharing app said: "We take the safety of riders and drivers seriously, and have designed in-app safety features that leverage technology, like GPS tracking on every trip, RideCheck, and the in-app Emergency Button, to help raise the bar. Our commitment is unwavering, and we will continue to build policies and features that enhance safety on the platform."Lyft did not respond to a request for comment from Insider.