Behind the Wheel with… Emilio, uberX partner driver
Today, we’re kicking off a new series called Behind the Wheel With…, where we go behind the scenes with Uber partner drivers and get a front seat view of their life behind the wheel.
A few weeks ago, we took a little trip across the Hudson River from NYC to meet up with one of Uber New Jersey’s uberX partner drivers, Emilio. As one of our top-rated drivers (and definitely one of the busiest!), Emilio juggles three jobs while also studying for his MCATS, which he plans to do later this month — no big deal. It was great meeting and catching up with Emilo as he showed us around Hoboken and let us peek into his life as an Uber partner driver. New Jersey, meet Emilio…
Dani (left) from our Uber NYC team and Emilio at the North Bergen Starbucks.
We met Emilio in North Bergen, NJ, where he grew up in a family of seven. Today, Emilio still lives in the area and works as a pharmaceutical sales representative, a health consultant, and an uberX partner driver. When we asked him how he manages to squeeze in studying for his upcoming MCATS, he said, “I listen to lessons on tape while driving,” and any extra free time he has is spent studying. For a “break” he just switches up what he’s working on (from driving to sales, or from consulting to studying). And on top of all that, he still finds time to hit the gym. Sounds like he’s got it figured out.
Emilio and his uberX chariot
Uber NYC’s Mikaela and Dani cruising Hoboken with Emilio
After grabbing iced coffees at Starbucks, we hopped in Emilio’s Toyota Camry for a ride to get the full Uber experience. While working (which is typically at night or sometimes during morning rush hour), Emilio is always sure to have his go-to driving playlist on for his passengers. During our cruise around Hoboken we got to jam out to his eclectic mix of Billy Joel, classic rock, and top 40 hits.
We made a stop at one of Emilio’s reccommended restaurants, Teak on the Hudson, for lunch and to catch some of the World Cup playoff game.
More fun facts about Emilio:
- He’s a 49ers fan because he liked the color red as a child
- He always orders the Queen Roll at Teak in Hoboken, which isn’t always on the menu — but he knows to ask for it. (Note: It’s delicious!)
- Favorite local restaurant? PF Chang’s!
- He’s an avid snowboarder and hits the slopes at Blue Mountain in Pennsylvania in the winter
- He hopes to attend Florida State University of Medicine to get his degree in Orthopedics — despite his dislike for warm weather.
- The day we met Emilio he had plans that night to sing karaoke for a friend’s birthday. We asked what he’ll be singing. Answer: “Probably Nickleback.”
Emilio and his go-to Queen Roll (shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, avocado, with eel sauce).
Know a great Uber partner driver we should meet and profile for Behind the Wheel With…? Let us know by sending a note to supportNJ@uber.com or reaching out on Twitter.
Have a car? Interested in being an Uber partner driver? Learn more and sign up here.