Kreskin Torres has changed what being a rideshare transportation driver means following his years-long travel visiting each state. He learned some tricks to make for a better driving experience while simultaneously soaking in what each destination had to offer.
The San Antonio-based entrepreneur has multiple passions he wants to pursue, according to Business Insider. Driving for rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft offers its chauffeurs the freedom to make money on their terms, which means they pick their work schedule.
Since the veteran heard from other nonactive servicemen who are diagnosed with PTSD that building friendships is something they struggle with, being a driver caught his attention. He saw it as a hassle-free job that included the opportunity to constantly interact with people — something that would be beneficial to him following his time in the armed forces.
“I enjoy meeting and connecting with different people and getting to see different places,” Torres said in an interview with Business Insider.
Single without kids and ready to tackle his goals, Torres decided to spend a few years visiting each state over the next few years. To make this happen, he funded his exploration with money made from doing rideshare in each city he visited. He mostly lived in his car to help supplement the costs of life on the road.
Through his travel, he has come across activities and beloved local restaurants that are now on his favorite food spots’ list like Jackson, Mississippi’s I693 Red Zone Grill, Holcomb, Missouri’s Strawberry’s BBQ, and Wichita, Kansas’ Rice & Roll by Xing Xing. He’s also tried new eats like Navajo tacos in Arizona, huckleberry swirls in Montana, and chocolate gravy-covered biscuits in Arkansas.
“The great thing is you get to learn about different cities and how everything operates,” he said.
The 35-year-old believes being a rideshare driver is a great way to go after your long-term goals if you map out a plan, and knows he can assist other people taking on Uber and Lyft since he’s familiar with “how every city works.”
“After seven years, I’m a lot more experienced. It depends on the time of the season, so I usually can do a lot more business in college towns,” Torres said. “I would visit a city, see what they’re known for, a little history behind it.”
During this time, Torres launched a food blog Rideshare Foodie to share his unique experiences and finds. He’s also writing a book, Taste to the States, and plans on creating a new app, Rideshare Foodies, that shares his brick-and-mortar recommendations and hosts some events highlighting different states’ cuisines while offering the history behind them.
“The most positivity that you can get out of it, do whatever you can and get the most out of it,” he said. “The next few months will probably be my last time doing this because I’m focusing on other things, so I always had a plan for the things I was going to do.”