A man from Liverpool has been named as Uber’s top driver in the country.
Michael Quinn, 73, has been working for Uber, for seven and a half years and has completed around 67,000 trips during his time - the most in the country.
He has received the most five-star ratings out of any driver in the UK. Among these five-star trips was where the 73-year-old whisked a university student with a suspected heart attack to hospital when the wait for an ambulance would have been 45 minutes.
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In recognition of his achievements as a driver that goes above and beyond for his passengers, he has now been given an Uber Hero Award for his efforts celebrating his contributions to the company. He was chosen for the award ahead of around 85,000 drivers across the UK.
Michael described it as a "very proud" time in his life and said he is often described as the "best driver" by his passengers.
Michael said: "You're meeting people from all walks of life - different ages, different backgrounds, all with hopes and dreams in their lives and aspirations and worries and anxieties.
"It's marvellous to get feedback from complete strangers with you for such a short time and yet you're able to enhance their day in that moment of meeting them.
"I get comments like, 'Thank you, Michael, for getting me to the train on time,' and 'Yes, you are the best driver in the city!'
"It's a great profession."
Michael was born in Liverpool but now lives in Manchester. Having previously worked as a taxi driver before joining Uber, his typical day averages approximately 200 trips in his six-day working week, starting at 6am and finishing around 8pm.
Recalling last week's incident on November 1, where he rushed a student having a suspected heart attack to the hospital, he said: "The nearest ambulance was 45 minutes away. The university rang an Uber and I was there to take him to an A&E as soon as possible. And keep him calm – because he really was so worried and panicking.”
With his many years of experience, Michael knows exactly how to be a success and has amazing tips to share for being the top-rated Uber driver in the UK. He said: "Your opening words are crucial,
“So are your closing words. Speak whenever you need to speak or what have you, but it’s mainly to make sure that person gets to where they are going from A to B as soon as possible and as comfortably as possible.”
He added that keeping a positive attitude and ensuring your vehicle is clean and tidy can also help to boost in-app ratings.
Despite the long hours and the occasional stressful trip, Michael enjoys the job best for the moments of "beauty". He said: "I always remember this couple I picked up a long time ago now, a very young couple that had just gone to the chippy.
“It was a Saturday night about 8pm, and their evening was going to be in front of the fire with their fish and chips, and each other. It’s always been with me, that experience… how beautiful to see – they had nothing, but they had each other.”
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