Since March 2019, a person Uber driver has been serving the students of the University of Connecticut with shocking regularity, creating a resume of almost 4 thousand rides above that time. His past identify, oddly enough, is Park.
And on this chilly Friday night, just outdoors the UConn campus, Joon Park requires shelter in the driver seat of his 2017 Nissan Altima. Out of the cold for a second, Park allows his tank fill with gas, receives out and replaces the pump.
He climbs in and buckles his seat belt, readying himself for a fast paced night.
Fridays for Park are typically active, but at this moment, one of UConn’s maximum rated Uber drivers has practically nothing to do but sit and hold out for his upcoming consumer. It is about 6 p.m. No 1 is at the campus bars however, but items will decide up shortly.
“I don’t have any rides proper now,” he claims. “I’m about to park at my normal place and sit.”
Now, Park’s Uber score stands at a whopping 4.96 stars, a hair away from the great five stars that is deemed the crowning accomplishment amongst motorists.
Though Park states he does his best to retain his rating, his principal worry is producing absolutely sure UConn college students get dwelling safe and sound and seem. The rating is a gain he states arrives alongside with treating all people with respect when they are in the automobile as properly as getting his consumers house in a well timed manner.
“My greatest issue is, this is a large campus. People gotta get throughout campus. It is chilly. People gotta do it safely and securely,” claims Park. “That’s very much why I’m up listed here, is to get persons from stage A to level B safely and securely, and it’s my job to make confident they do so when they are in my vehicle.”
While Park is chatting, he stops to pick up some learners who have asked for his assistance. They try to enter his auto with 5 men and women, something which Park says is off-limits.
A single of the students draws the short straw and will get remaining powering. Once he drops them off, Park explains that “lapping up,” or one rider on yet another rider’s lap, is towards Uber’s tips.
“When they wanted to lap up, that’s the issue. I can only choose as numerous persons as I have seatbelts,” he claims. “Safety is my range 1 priority up listed here. I know that I’m under no circumstances going to get in an incident up listed here, but nonetheless, I really don’t want that on me.”
Most likely this is how Park has maintained his location in the pantheon of campus Uber drivers. He is truly concerned with the basic safety of his clientele.
In a fastcompany.com report penned in July 2018, journalist Neil Pasricha requested his Uber driver (who held a rating of 4.99 stars) what his magic formula was to maintaining these a consistent substantial rating. The driver responded with a set of tips, like that he does not pick up drunk buyers.
When Park hears this, he speedily receives animated, voicing his stress with the driver. As a driver for college students on a college campus, Park claims he will take wonderful problem with drivers refusing services to drunk buyers.
“I have a trouble with that. This assistance was developed to get men and women from position A to place B if they never have a auto, or if they’re inebriated,” says Park. “One of the explanations I do what I do, when I submit what I write-up in Buy or Sell, is to make absolutely sure no one particular up in this article is at any time without the need of a trip. I want to make guaranteed absolutely everyone below has a secure way to get home.”
Park’s common posts on the UConn Fb team Get or Market, like these of his recognizable Altima, are one of the causes he is so properly- known on campus. The posts are a testament to Park’s services to the UConn local community past his occupation at Uber.
“I pretty much tell folks. I place my selection up on Obtain or Market publicly, to explain to men and women to connect with me and I will occur and get them at no demand if they will need a journey household, mainly because I do not want people today sensation they are stuck or they have to push while intoxicated when there are people today that will appear and get them,” claims Park.
“I have drivers up listed here at UConn that refuse to provide drunk youngsters and it’s like, what are you going to do? Make them wander household? There’s a whole lot of active roadways up in this article, individuals velocity down these roads, I never want people today walking residence on these roads some evenings. And it is also cold,” states Park. “So, you are honestly doing the group a disservice when you’re driving like that.”
Maybe the feeling of duty was obtained throughout his six years in hearth and emergency expert services.
“I regretably have had to reply to a good variety of fatalities. I’d like to see that selection drop. It’s been a personalized point for me mainly because I detest drunk drivers, one particular. I never do this for funds, I do this so people have a harmless way to get home,” Park states.
And though any one is welcome to get into Park’s motor vehicle, he can kick them out just as immediately. However, he claims he hasn’t experienced to do so nevertheless, and his clientele at UConn is frequently good-natured and respectful.
“You men get unruly from time to time, but it is not bad,” claims Park.