Amanda Hits The Streets
Well, here I sit. On a rainy day, in my car, working. It has been raining a lot lately. It seems like a day can’t go by without rain of some sort. I’ve been getting used to Baltimore more. I feel calm at this particular moment. My therapist is really great. I was telling her about the 1999 to 2010 era of many traumas. At the end, she had me blowing bubbles. I drank some good tea and sat in the cool lobby reading Bitch Magazine coloring and having more tea. It’s a feminist collective there, but they cater to all genders. It’s a place of peace.
Amanda’s mellow space.
I am out doing Lyft right now. I made good money last night. But I found myself all the way down in Franconia, Virginia last night. Washington D.C. is a bit more challenging to drive in. But, there are more riders. This is my job. I like the autonomy of it, but I still need to catch up on my bills. I’m sitting here trying to decide where to go to pick up people.
A lot of transgender folks are unemployed or underemployed and in need of money. I think driving for Lyft, if you can, can be a great way of earning a living or at least supplementing a retail job. I love the flexibility. I have been working nearly 7 days a week because I’m trying to catch up. Even on rest days, I flip it on as I come back from a friend’s house or an errand. It’s very easy.
There was a job fair at the Pride Center of Maryland and Lyft was proudly displayed with its bright pink logo. A nice woman explained the process and eased my fears about driving. She had been doing it for three years. I felt good that they were at a LGBT job fair. Uber was not. Lyft tries to be better for women, more women trust Lyft, for riding and driving. The percentage of women riders and drivers is greater than the competition. It is very female friendly.
Amanda in her office.
I love when women get in my car and say, “Thank God you are a woman driver!” They feel safe. I’ve seen some of those Rideshare guys in the BWI airport queue (Holding Area) and they are kinda iffy. It’s like a “sausage-fest” in that queue. I’ve seen a few women but they always look so hard-ass. I see a lot of smoking, I hear foreign languages.
I just keep to myself. I’m there to do a job. The airport is what I call the “Deep Waters.” I relate Lyft to fishing. I can either drive around the shallow city and get some small fish, or I can go to the airport and land the “Big One.” The 30 minute, 40, 50 or over rides, those are big fares. You never know when you will get a “Unicorn” as well. A “Unicorn” is biz language for an enormous long distance ride, sometimes hours. My longest is around 50 minutes. That’s a pretty penny to pay for the rider. We usually get just under half of the total trip but never less than $3.35.
I’ve had a couple of iffy people, usually drunk, but they didn’t cause too much trouble. I’m a big girl, they don’t want to mess with me. I also know where to go to avoid trouble. I stick to tourist areas, popular bar areas, hospitals, train stations and airports. One guy wanted me to drive him to a fictitious Burger King “just down the street.” After 6 blocks, I turned around and said, let’s get you home and then you can call Door Dash or something. I’m thinking, “Dude, I’m not your chauffeur.”
After working one day in the deli of a grocery store and remembering how much it sucked and how boring it is, just like it was 30 years ago, I quit that job to drive Lyft full time. I just turned 50. I am tired of working for some asshole boss in a boring job. I love to drive, I love maps and navigation, I’m friendly, I have customer service skills. I’m a shoo-in. So, I’m going for it. I just had a $500 week last week and worked about 32 hours on the clock. Sometimes I click it off, like right now, to eat, take a pee break, errand, etc. Or to write my blog.
I’ll take $500 per week. That won’t make me rich, but it should pay my bills. I’m still getting up to speed and catching up right now, but if I keep on keepin’ on, things will smooth out. I track all of my mileage and gas. I still have to figure out how to pay for my estimated quarterly taxes. But, I’m sure I’ll figure it out. It’s a living…for the moment. But, I would encourage trans people to go for Lyft over Uber. Lyft is more LGBT-friendly and in my opinion, the safer, cooler, and more female-friendly option.
Amanda takes photos of the cityscape as she drives around Baltimore and the region. Here are some of her latest shots.
Like to make a comment? Login here and use the comment area below.
Category: Transgender Body & Soul, Transgender Opinion
About the Author (Author Profile)
I am a transwoman originally from Pittsburgh, PA. I have been living full time for 5 years. I work in retail but am an artist/Graphic Designer and aspiring writer. I tend to address the controversial in my writing. I would love to change the world one article at a time. I moved to The San Francisco Bay Area to start over, again. But recently moved back to the East Coast. The adventure continues...Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
