Rider References · Marketing Analytics Consultants

Rider testimonials and quotes

40 of them, as written.

Riders wrote about the ride, and about wherever they happened to be going. Spelling and wording are theirs.

“Cool ideas and cool video. Great spirit and lots of good energy in your project.”
“I enjoyed reading it (Kickstarter) and can tell you enjoyed writing it!”
“Your project is fascinating!”
“Love what you’re doing!”
“I will happily promote your blog. I think it’s a great idea you have. Especially the Uber (restaurant) book!”
“I may still be drunk but at least I don’t have to drive. Vegas treated us great!”
“Can’t wait to read your blog!”
“I just realized I’ve made 4 years of trips to Boston but I have never had a Lobster roll! What’s with that!?”
“Back from Vegas. Hanging out with Ex-FBI guys who told us stories of how they hunted terrorists.”
“Positive Attitude Always Gets Positive Results.”
“Come to Wisconsin and try a cheese curd!”
“Jim picked me up. Lovely guy. Great way to end my day!”
Rider Poll: “Is a hot dog a sandwich?”
“Great day for driving and chatting with Jim!”
“Cheers to big life changes, putting in the time to do something you want, and savor the small wins along the way.”
“Have been coming to Boston for 5 weeks now and James is a very interesting and inspiring person. Had a good time talking to him. Great start for a Monday morning.”
“You get what you put in, and people get what they deserve!”
“Treat people the way you want to be treated!”
“Last day @ full time job. Leaving MASS to move to my in-laws vegetable farm on Long Island. Scared and excited!”
“Great driver. Fun conversations. Very interesting. Liked him (even though he went to UMichigan – I went to MSU). Can’t wait to read the blog!”
“We are proud to be 2-year post treatment for a brain tumor. Very deep for this book. But you never know what someone is going through. So be kind – as Jim was 😊.”
“I don’t really know what my hopes or dreams are. I just really want to be happy (and maybe high – but that was assumed).”
“James came early and we had a great time chatting. I’m reluctant to get into a car with a stranger and he is a safe and kind person.”
“Great driver & conversation with good info for tourists!”
“A year ago my Mom bought the house where the Boston Bomber got shot. We had mixed feelings at first but it’s a great location. This is one funky-cool Uber driver! 5-stars!”
Man from ORACLE: “It’s TACO Tuesday! When in doubt… Tequila. When in love… Mezcal. When sad… more tacos!”
“This idea is so cool. I wish my ride was hours longer!”
“Purpose of the universe: It is a simulation to enrich ourselves and feed the goldfish. Thanks for a great ride!”
“Very fun guy. Great ride to Logan. Love the history lesson.”
“When you are back in Ayer and want Donuts — Ruby Donuts!”
“My brother played beer pong with Mark Zuckerberg.”
“This guy gave a ride to Ricegum!!! Pretty cool. He’s a nice guy, has lots of stories and a great book idea.”
“A sweet serendipity. I am fortunate to travel with James. Almost more than twice. Same route. Same guy. But a different story/experience every time. James is a great guy with wonderful experiences to share and inspire. Keep up the good work!”
“I’ve learned the best thing to do is make sure you get to the airport early so you aren’t stressed through security. Definitely the most interesting Uber/Lyft rider I’ve ever had.”
“My new husband and I just landed back from Boston from our honeymoon in Bermuda. We were sad to leave but happy to be home and settle in to married life. Loved riding w/James and hearing all about the interesting people he has driven around! Awesome trip w/Jim!”
Man from IBM: “You have 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason. Listen twice as much as you talk. You never know what the other person may say. What you can learn from them. Listen to Jim. He’s got good things to say!”
“I came here to Boston looking to ‘find’ myself. After living in smallish towns for my whole life. I thought living in a big city would bring me back to life. But after spending my formative years associating with gutter punks, drug dealers and manufacturers, something about living such a sanitized life has stolen something fundamental from me. I don’t know if deep down I’m just a simple person who gets pleasure out of being a hedonist, or if I’m just dealing with the same bullshit everyone goes through. Either way, the sense of having lost my ‘people’ is irreplaceable.”
“I start college in two days in a new country. I am excited and yet so nervous. Talking to James sort of got me more excited now reading random episodes from the lives of people I’ve never even met. It is pretty entertaining and surprisingly helpful. Looking forward to more such trips and more interesting stories 😊.”
“Thanks, Jim, for reminding us of all the great things life has to offer.”
“Uber Journal: Brilliant Idea! Jim should be rich & famous. Seriously!”

What is in the journal

Highlights of the stories collected.

~hundreds of rider journal stories to date!

Turning points

Job changes — a first day, an interview, the ride home after being fired. A death in the family. Just bought a house. Moving states. Dropping a child at college. A successful career and still no idea what to do next.

Who was in the car

International tourists from dozens of countries. Locals. High school and college students. Riders in their eighties. Business travelers from Oracle and IBM. A YouTuber with ten million followers. A twelve-year veteran of British military intelligence in Iraq and Syria.

Food and place

Over a dozen recipes — local, regional, Indian, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese. Favorite restaurants, lobster shacks, sushi counters, donut shops, cocktail bars, wine lists and pubs.

History, close up

Working in Dorchester the day Martin Luther King was assassinated. Family roots to the Mayflower. Surviving the 2019 California earthquake. Relatives of Neighbor Aber from Mister Rogers.

Sport and rivalry

Celtics, Red Sox and Bruins fans, and the fans of whoever they were playing. Michigan against Ohio State, argued out by alumni in the back seat.

Wisdom and nonsense

Philosophy, poetry and words of wisdom — including several attempts at how to be happy. Rider polls. Children's and teenagers' writing. Harvard students thinking out loud. Drunks on the way back from Vegas. Somebody headed to the dispensary.

Languages

Entries in Hindi, Spanish, French, Hebrew, Chinese and others, written by riders in their own hand.

The long rides

Airport runs, surgery recoveries, first days in Massachusetts, first days in America, and one family who had spent three years working their way around the world.

Rider references.