Uber and Lyft Driver Essentials: What to Keep in Your Car

Short answer: keep a 3-channel dash cam, a hands-free phone mount, a charger with enough ports for you and your riders, a small cleaning kit, and a few roadside basics: a jump starter, a window breaker and a first aid kit. Add a visible recording notice if your camera records audio. 1. A dash cam that sees the cabin A front camera shows the road. Only a cabin camera shows what happened between you and a passenger, and only a rear camera catches the car that hits you and drives off. Uber lets US drivers register a dash cam in the Driver app (Account, App Settings, Record My Ride) so riders get a notice, and Lyft also allows dash cams. Our guide to the best dash cam for Uber and Lyft drivers covers what to look for. 2. A hands-free phone mount According to GHSA, 33 states, D.C. and several territories ban handheld phone use for all drivers, and every Canadian province has a similar rule. Uber itself suggests a phone mount when your car does not run the Driver app on its screen. A wireless charging mount holds the phone at eye level and keeps it charging between trips. If your phone has no wireless charging, a dashboard clamp mount does the holding part. 3. One socket, several devices A dash cam usually takes the 12V socket, and the Driver app with GPS drains a phone fast. A 4-port car charger powers the camera and charges your phone over USB-C PD from the same socket, with spare ports for riders. A 6 ft USB-C cable reaches the back seat. Offering a charge is optional, but riders notice it. Our guide to fast charging in the car explains the ports. 4. A small cleaning kit Uber says a clean car helps create a better ride and may lead to higher ratings. Keep interior wipes, a microfiber cloth, small trash bags and paper towels in the trunk. A spill handled in two minutes keeps the next rider from rating the last one. 5. A recording notice If your dash cam records audio, several states require every person in the conversation to agree, including California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Washington. A visible sticker such as "This vehicle records audio and video" is the simple fix, or you can turn the microphone off. In Canada, check the privacy rules of your province. This is general information, not legal advice; our page on dash cam laws in the US and Canada has more. 6. Roadside basics • Jump starter: a dead battery costs you a shift. A portable jump starter starts the car without a second vehicle and charges your phone too. See how to use one. • Window breaker: keep a window breaker within reach of the driver seat, not in the trunk. • First aid kit, water and a flashlight. In winter, add the items on our winter emergency kit checklist. The driver kit For US drivers, our rideshare page puts the first three items together: the 3-channel dash cam, the wireless charging mount at the add-on price, and the 4-port charger, in one click. Drivers in Canada will find a 4-camera option on the same page. Frequently asked questions Do Uber and Lyft require drivers to offer phone chargers? No. Chargers, water and snacks are optional. A charger is the most useful one to offer, since riders often get in with a low battery. Is a phone mount required to drive for Uber? Uber suggests one, and in most US states and Canadian provinces holding the phone while driving is against the law, so a mount is the practical way to follow the app. What memory card does the 3-channel dash cam take? A microSD card of up to 32 GB. The card is not included. Sources • Uber: Driver app basics (cleanliness, phone mounts, ratings) • Uber: Using a dashcam (driver help) • Lyft: Safety policies • GHSA: Distracted driving laws by state • Transport Canada: Winter driving emergency kit