Full-time Uber driver from the Valley says his best trip ever was to Maricopa

Maricopa motorists driving home from the Valley Wednesday afternoon sat in standstill for traffic for more than two hours after a semi-truck broke down near city limits. State troopers get sandwiched , Porsches get pancaked , cars flip over and burst into flames on the 28-mile highway that sees an average of one crash every other day .

Needless to say, it’s a frustrating commute. So, how about some good news about driving down State Route 347 for once?

Social media influencer Cody Garrett a.k.a. “Donut Operator” asked his 723,000 followers on X, formerly Twitter, to share their best and worst Uber experiences on Aug. 1. To the undoubted surprise of many, user @SalvoGhost was quick to answer that the best ride of his Uber career was a trip to Maricopa from Phoenix.

SR 347 seems to only ever grab unsavory headlines — especially when the embattled highway is the subject of viral social media fodder among our neighbors to the north. But @SalvoGhost, real name Michael O., has only fond memories from his days as a full-time Uber driver.

A drive to remember

Michael, a Phoenix native who made $1,400 every week driving for the rideshare app out of East Mesa, remembers the $100 tip he earned after dropping off his passenger in Maricopa.

“I had to take someone from Phoenix to Maricopa City and they hated metal,” the hard rock lover said. “By the end of the trip, they had a new appreciation for it.”

Michael told InMaricopa he took his job as an Uber driver seriously and the soundtrack he selected was good for business.

“There is no secret get-rich scheme with it or easy money, it takes hard work, endurance and commitment to service excellence,” he said. “That and the right playlist.”

This job’s not for everyone

Making it in the ridesharing business is a tough task in Maricopa. Many have tried and failed . Others, fed up, tried to start their own small businesses to compete with the titans Uber and Lyft.

But for Michael, who worked the graveyard shift chauffeuring everyone from truckers in the West Valley to overnight medical and security staffers, and drunken college students and business execs, Maricopa was always an important part of the routine.

“I used to pick up people from the Harrah’s casino, and a few in that community to take them to work in Phoenix,” he recalled. “I had no issues driving-wise, but that’s because most highways are clear at night. I think the worst thing I had to contend with is lack of QuikTrips that way.”

The longest trip he ever drove started here in Pinal County, from Apache Junction to Yuma, about 208 miles.

The worst trip ever

Michael told InMaricopa the “worst trips were always businesspeople from resorts going to strip clubs. I don’t know if money changes a person, but it was demoralizing to hear married men talking about cheating, let alone going to these places.”

Speaking to Donut Operator, Michael shared the worst of these bad experiences, a heart-crushing assignment from Phoenix to Tucson that left him penniless and a far cry from home. But the story has a pretty hilarious ending:

“So I worked overnights (10 p.m. to 7 a.m.), this included picking up people from strip clubs. Uber has this feature where you can book rides days in advance. I accepted one of these trips from Phoenix to Tucson at scheduled for 2am (was worth $100+, easy money).

Last trip before I had to head to destination for pick. I picked up a couple of guys from a strip club. They get in, keep to themselves… argue about if they wanna get food or not. I tell them it’s not a problem if they wanna make a quick stop but they ultimately say no.

5 minutes later… ‘Trip Updated.’ Cancelled the next big trip… I said ‘Crap’ under my breath… They asked what’s wrong, I said don’t worry about it… they kept pressing, I said don’t worry about it. Told them ‘Well, since you updated the trip, it cancelled the next one.’

They went ‘Oh, that’s okay, we can cancel it so you can go do it.’ Told them ‘Don’t do that, not only will it not work, I will no longer be allowed to take you home.’ they kept going ‘It’s okay.’ and canceled it (So I wouldn’t get paid for that one either).

Said ‘Well sorry, I have no choice but to drop you off at nearest safe space now.’ and pulled into a gas station to let them out. They demanded I take them home and I told them I couldn’t do that.

They said ‘You only did this because we are gay!’ …..

My reply ‘I picked you ass holes up from a strip club… what do you go once a month to make sure you’re still gay?!’ and drove off.”

This post Full-time Uber driver from the Valley says his best trip ever was to Maricopa appeared first on InMaricopa .