Have you heard of Juno? The odds are you have if you’re a New York City rideshare driver.
They haven’t broken out of the Big Apple just yet, but there are plans in the works.
Juno has been around since 2016, but is gaining a little more visibility lately and is making a name for itself as the newest kid on the rideshare block.
Juno’s claim to fame is that it provides a better experience for drivers which, in turn, provides a better experience for riders.
It’s like regular ridesharing companies like Uber or Lyft, but it prides itself on being a “socially responsible way to ride.”
The socially responsible part refers to its mission to make sure drivers are making a fair wage.
Juno says on their Help Center page that, “when drivers are treated better, they provide better service.
Respect, fairness, transparency, and kindness are at the core of everything we do.
Happy drivers, happy riders.”
To do that, they only accept the highest rated drivers from other rideshare services like Lyft and Uber. To be a driver in NYC you have to have a special license from the Taxi and Limousine Commission.
Juno riders can be assured that Juno drivers not only have the experience of at least one hundred four stars or above rides, they also have the same licensing that New York’s cabbies do.
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Juno also has competitive pricing (they’re often the least expensive rideshare option) and a 30% Beta discount for new riders.
To attract the best drivers, they offer a rideshare driving experience that has addressed all of the pain points that are common with the mainstream services.
For instance, they offer 24/7 live phone, text, and email support because mainstream rideshare drivers complained that those companies left them high and dry when they needed help or assistance.
When Juno first launched, they only allowed tipping when the rider gave the driver a five-star rating.
They have amended that so that passengers can tip no matter what rating they give a driver. That makes for a better experience both ways.
Juno’s claim to fame is that they offer a more ethical way to participate in the rideshare industry – one that treats drivers fairly and that also ensures a better experience for drivers.
Does Juno live up to its hype?
Let’s find out by delving a little deeper.
What is Juno?
Juno is a rideshare service in NYC that is looking to poach the best of the best drivers from Uber and Lyft to create a top-notch ride experience for customers.
They’re only working New York City for the moment, but there are plans to expand.
Juno was founded by the same guy who created Viber, a messaging app that was sold for $900 million to Rakuten.
He turned around and did the same sort of thing with Juno, selling it to rideshare company Gett for $200 million earlier this year.
Gett is an Israel-based rideshare company with a lot of business in Europe but a smaller footprint in the US.
What Makes Juno Different?
According to Juno, they’re a much friendlier and enjoyable way to drive and to use rideshare.
For one, they say they pay their drivers more. Juno’s commissions are 30-40% less than what Uber and Lyft take from drivers.
This is supposed to make conscientious riders feel better about where their money is going when they pay for their ride.
The app was launched in early June of 2016 and popularity has been snowballing likely because of the choices it offers riders.
Juno riders can choose from three types of vehicles:
- BLISS – the least expensive
- SUV – seats 4-6
- LUX – a higher-end option
Juno riders also have the option to include “special requests” when they order their Juno ride.
Juno instructions say that you add the special request for your driver before you finalize your order.
According to their website, “Simply tap the Requests button on the bottom right-hand corner after you have chosen a destination.
Request Quiet Ride for a relaxing experience, Need Assistance if you need help loading or entering the vehicle, or tap the speech bubble to offer your own custom note for your driver.”
Another plus that Juno has over other services is better amenities.
Drivers for other services sometimes offer snacks and drinks, but it reportedly happens more often with Juno.
They are made up of the best former Lyft and Uber drivers, so rides are probably going to be as good as or better than the best Lyft and Uber rides.
How Can I Ride With Juno?
Do you live, work, or play in NYC?
That would be a start.
Juno will expand in the future, but for now, they’re only driving in New York.
If you’re in NY and you want to give Juno a try, follow these steps to get started:
- Go to your app store – either App Store or Google Play.
- Enter your phone number.
- Enter your credit card information (so you can pay and tip your driver securely!)
- Add a photo of yourself (This is optional, but it does save time because, with a picture, your driver knows who to look for).
- Select the type of vehicle you want (Bliss for the average sedan, SUV, or Lux for the high-end experience).
- Enter your destination and request your ride.
The app is similar to the Uber and Lyft apps regarding how you hail a ride.
At the end of your trip, you can rate your driver and add a tip just as you would on other rideshare apps.
You can also add a tip within 30 days of your ride if you feel like you didn’t tip enough at the time or if you forget.
You can also add or change your rating within 30 days.
You get your first opportunity to rate or tip on the app at the end of your ride.
Rate your driver between one and five stars and leave a tip.
If you want to change or amend your rating or tip and you’ve already clicked “Done,” visit your Trip History to make needed changes.
You don’t have to worry about your rating. For unknown reasons, Juno doesn’t have an option for drivers to rate riders.
However, a driver can give an unruly passenger a “thumbs down,” report the rider to customer service, and ask not to be matched with that rider again.
Ride at a Discount
Juno has signup incentive promos on a reasonably regular basis.
The promos are usually 30% off and are front and center on the sign-up page.
If you’re already a Juno rider, you can refer your friends and receive a 30% discount for two weeks.
According to Juno Help, all you have to do is tap Discounted Rides in the app menu.
They will let you know when your friend has completed their first ride and Juno has applied your discount.
The only requirement is that your friend has a U.S. phone number.
How Can I Drive for Juno?
Juno gets its drivers from Uber and Lyft.
You have to be a current Uber or Lyft driver even to be considered.
Lyft drivers must have a 4.70 rating and Uber drivers need a rating of at least 4.65 to be accepted.
You also have to be an existing TLC driver.
Fortunately, if you’re already working for Uber or Lyft, you have your TLC license.
If you are currently an Uber or Lyft driver and you want to become a driver for Juno, they would be happy to meet with you.
All you have to do is bring your TLC and driving documents to book an appointment to meet for coffee at www.gojuno.com/meet.
Juno used to give drivers restricted stock units so that long-term drivers could own a piece of the company, but that’s changed with the Gett merger.
Most drivers are getting paid $100-$200 for the RSUs that they had.
Gett is no longer offering that program.
Drivers should know that, at least for now, there is no way for drivers to rate passengers.
There is no word on why, but it might be because some Lyft and Uber riders are concerned about how Lyft and Uber drivers rate them.
They can ride worry free with Juno.
Juno drivers do have recourse, though, if a ride goes badly or the rider is troublesome.
They can block that rider.
The driver unmatches with that rider in the app and will never again be called on to pick up that particular rider.
The rider can still use the service.
All the driver has to do is give the rider a “thumbs down” at the end of the ride and report the experience to Juno.
How Much Can I Expect to Make Driving for Juno?
Juno wants to see more dollars in their drivers’ pockets.
That’s why they have a lower commission than other rideshare services at a percentage of just 16.65%.
Drivers also receive tips from riders, so you’ll want to up your customer service game to ensure you take home a tip with each fare.
As with all rideshare gigs, how much you make largely depends on the time of day, demand, and your effort to provide excellent customer service.
To understand how Juno fares work, we’ll show you how a total fare of $30 translates to a driver take-home of $21.95:
- Base Fare: $2.55
- Mileage: 8.59 miles adding up to $15.03 ($1.75 per mile)
- Time: 35.49 minutes adding up to $12.42 ($0.35 per minute)
- Subtotal: $30
- Juno’s Commission: $5
- Sales Tax: $2.39
- Black Car Fund: $0.66
- Driver Fare: $21.95
The Juno’s weekly payment schedule works as follows:
- Payment cycles end on Mondays at 11:59 p.m and will include earnings from completed rides plus bonuses accumulated since midnight on the previous Tuesday.
- Payments generally process between three to five business days, depending on bank processing times.
- Drivers have the option of using Juno’s Instant Pay feature to cash out whenever they like. Drivers can find the Instant Pay option in the Earnings section of the Juno app.
What Are the Perks of Driving for Juno?
Higher pay
Juno drivers can expect to earn more per ride.
Juno only takes a 16.65% commission.
That’s good news for Uber and Lyft drivers that are frustrated with their pay.
Better support
Juno built part of their business on making sure they offered better support for drivers.
They have 24/7 phone, email, and text support.
They have a phone line with a human on the other end.
Other services don’t have that.
Drivers can feel free to contact Juno at any time to resolve issues and get answers.
Tipping
Riders have a tip prompt at the end of their ride which increases the likelihood of tipping. They also have 30 days to add a tip.
Pick-up Bonuses and Sign-up Bonuses
Juno offers an extended bonus for Bliss rides. Drivers can also receive rewards when qualified drivers they refer are accepted as Juno drivers.
Paid Wait Time
Drivers get paid while they’re waiting for a passenger to show up to a pickup. Juno starts paying you for Wait Time after you’ve been at a pick-up spot for more than two minutes.
The Wait Time pay is a per-minute rate based on the service level you are providing:
- Bliss – $0.35
- Lux – $0.65
- SUV – $0.80
There are two things drivers should know:
- The Equity for Drivers program is over. When Juno merged with Gett, drivers were given the option to cash out and made about $0.2 per share. This made for a lot of unhappy drivers.
- You can’t drive all the time. Juno strives to be an ethical company and will not break TLC Driver Fatigue Regulations. No driver can transport passengers for more than 10 hours in a 24-hour period or more than 60 hours in one calendar week and must rest for at least eight consecutive hours between driving times.
Juno says it pays the most, but they may have to up the pay even more if NYC’s Taxi and Limousine Commission succeeds in requiring all rideshare companies to pay a higher minimum wage. The TLC wants rideshare drivers to make a minimum of $17.22 an hour.
Juno’s rise will be interesting to watch. The original company had a good proposition for both drivers and riders. Hopefully, Gett will carry on Juno’s mission to provide a better experience for drivers to create a better experience for passengers.
Juno is set on creating a more driver-friendly experience, so it’ll be interesting to see what becomes of this new rideshare company with the acquisition.
We’d love to hear what Juno drivers think, so leave us a comment if you drive for Juno!
