On March 7, Business Insider reported that in the United States, many Uber and Lyft drivers driving Tesla cars do not want to talk about Elon Musk with passengers, but for the sake of business, they will still cooperate. Wesley Johnson said,Musk has been mentioned frequently by his passengers, and the comments have become increasingly negative in recent months.Johnson said he doesn't agree with all of Musk's political views, but he is a big fan of Tesla vehicles and he keeps those thoughts to himself.
“When passengers mention Musk,I just followed their wishes and said,"I just want to make them happy," said Johnson, who is in his 60s and drives in the San Francisco area. "
Three ride-hailing drivers told Business Insider that Musk has become a hotly discussed topic on their trips in recent months because they drive Tesla vehicles. Musk, the co-founder and CEO of Tesla, has been in the spotlight recently because of his work with President Trump as the de facto leader of the Department of Government Effectiveness.
The drivers said their passengers, who range from Musk haters to huge fans, often ask them what they think of Musk and share their own opinions. The drivers said,They approach these conversations with caution because they don't want to jeopardize the tips and ratings they get from customers,After all, making money is already difficult right now, and this will make the situation worse.
Several drivers told Business Insider that customers have tipped very little in recent years, making it difficult for them to increase their income. In addition, low ratings for drivers by passengers may make it more difficult for them to get customers, earn bonuses, and may even result in their accounts being deactivated.
Drivers want to keep passengers happy
Trent T., who lives in South Florida, said passengers' views of Musk have tended to be more positive in recent months. When someone brings up Musk, Trent says he gives aneutral review, such as: "He's really smart, even though I don't always agree with the things he does." Then he will wait for the passenger to express his opinion and then respond accordingly.
"If they tell me they can't stand him, then I can't stand him, we'll be on the same page on that," said Trent, who is in his 50s, "soNo matter what they think, they will give me a higher rating."
Jay Kelleher was not so lucky. While tips from customers can vary based on a variety of factors, Kelleher said,Some passengers don't like Musk, and therefore his Tesla cars.He added that by his calculations, his tips as a percentage of total revenue have dropped to 12% this year, down from about 17% in the final four months of 2024.
He said,At least a few times a week, passengers ask him what he thinks of Musk.Then share their thoughts.
“I usually let them say whatever they think about Elon,” said Kelleher, 42, who lives near Albany, New York."My answer is I don't have a problem with him."
Johnson said that since he switched from driving a Mercedes to a Tesla two years ago, he hasGetting tips from passengers gets better. He thinks part of the reason is that some passengers have never been in a Tesla before and find the experience interesting, but he also knows there may be several other factors that play into the tip he gets.
Johnson said of Musk:"There are people who like the car but not him."