BALTIMORE, Mass. (WBAL) – A Baltimore Uber driver is doing more than taking passengers from one location to another.
He’s also lifting their spirits with a song along the way.
“When I went full-time, I said, ‘What can I do to enhance the ridership of my people?’ I’d say about 65% of them did not want to engage in conversation,” Richard Szalecki says.
“I constantly hear at least once a day, ‘This is the best ride I’ve ever had,’” he adds.
It makes the gig worth it, and he gets positive reviews. Szalecki is one of the top Uber drivers in the country.
“At the same time, I got my 8,000th 5-star review, which puts me in an elite category in the whole country,” he says.
That’s music to his ears, especially right now. On some trips, he’s a driver, others a therapist of sorts.
“I’m able to listen to them, come deal with their fear and anxiety,” Szalecki explains.