Uber and Lyft drivers with Teslas don't want to talk about Elon Musk

• Uber and Lyft drivers with Teslas said passengers want to know what they think of Elon Musk.
• Drivers said they don't like talking politics because they fear it could hurt their tips.
• They shared how they navigate these conversations and try to keep riders happy.

Some Uber and Lyft drivers with Teslas don't want to talk with riders about Elon Musk — but they'll play along because it's good for business.

Wesley Johnson said his passengers regularly mention Musk and that the comments have skewed more negatively in recent months. Johnson said he doesn't agree with all of Musk's political views but is a big fan of Tesla cars — and he keeps those opinions to himself.

"When they bring up Elon, I just roll with the rider," said Johnson, who's in his 60s and drives in the San Francisco area. "I just want to keep them happy."

Three rideshare drivers told Business Insider that, in recent months, Musk has become a hot topic of conversation during their trips because of their car. Musk, the cofounder and CEO of Tesla, has been in the spotlight lately as he works alongside President Donald Trump as the de facto leader of the Department of Government Efficiency.

The drivers said that their passengers — who run the gamut from Musk haters to superfans — regularly ask them what they think about Musk and share their opinions. The drivers said they've carefully navigated these conversations because they don't want to jeopardize the tips and ratings they receive from customers — making a challenging earnings environment even more difficult.

Rideshare drivers get fewer tips than drivers for platforms like DoorDash and Grubhub, and several drivers previously told BI that poor customer tipping in recent years has made it considerably harder to grow their incomes.

Additionally, a low driver rating could make it harder for a driver to get passengers and become eligible for rewards programs. It could also lead to their account being deactivated.

Uber, Lyft, and Tesla did not respond to a request for comment from BI.

Drivers want to keep riders happy

Uber and Lyft drivers aren't the only people who are hesitant to talk about politics during their work hours. Fifty-seven percent of US adults said they have at times avoided voicing their political views because of fear of poor treatment or harassment, per a Gallup poll of 9,894 Americans conducted in May. Additionally, some employers have asked staff to refrain from discussing politics at work or barred them from doing so.

Trent T, who's based in South Florida, said his riders' feelings about Musk have trended more positive in recent months. When someone brings up Musk, Trent said he replies with a neutral comment, like, "He's really smart even though I don't always agree with stuff that he's doing." He then waits for the rider to reveal their opinion and adjusts accordingly.

"If they tell me they can't stand him, then I can't stand him, and we will both agree on that," said Trent, who's in his 50s, and asked not to use his last name due to fear of professional repercussions. "So no matter what they believe, they'll leave a better rating for me."

Jay Keleher hasn't been as lucky. While customer tips can vary based on several factors, Keleher said some riders aren't fans of Musk — and, by proxy, his Tesla. He added that his tips as a share of his total earnings have dipped to 12% this year from about 17% over the last four months of 2024, per his calculations.

He said that at least a few times a week, a rider asks how he feels about Musk and then shares their thoughts.

"I usually let them say what they want about Elon," said Keleher, who's 42 and lives near Albany, New York. "My reply is I don't have an opinion on him."

Johnson said he's had better luck getting tips from passengers since he switched from driving a Mercedes to a Tesla two years ago. He thinks this is in part because some riders haven't been in a Tesla before and find the experience interesting, but he knows several other factors could also be affecting his tips.

"Some people like the car, but they don't like him," he said of Musk.

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