From Uber Driver to Google Bus Driver

In April of 2016, I made a bold decision — I traded in the Kia and bought a 2012 Volvlo S60. I quit the company I had been working for and decided to drive Uber full time. For six months I put 30,000 miles on my car, hustling every day. While it kept me afloat, and although I was quite the professional, the income wasn’t where I wanted it to be. My car life was busy, but then in August, everything changed.

My journey in Silicon Valley truly reflects the essence of car life, where every mile driven brings new opportunities and experiences.

A former coworker posted a photo of her lunch from Google, where she was working as a bus driver. She casually mentioned she was making around $8,000 a month. I couldn’t believe it. I messaged her right away, and she told me it was real. She even connected me with someone who could get me an interview. Before I knew it, I had passed the drug test and was given a start date: November 1st, 2016.

I packed my things into my 2012 Volvo S60 and drove to Mountain View, California — home of Google.

This vibrant car life is not just about getting from point A to B; it’s about the adventures that unfold along the way. I stopped to meet friends in Solvang and Lompoc, as well as other stops at Pismo Beach, Morro Bay, Monterey and Santa Cruz before heading into Palo Alto and ultimately Mountain View, Ca.

My previous work experience in the tech world gave me some familiarity with San Jose, and other drivers taught me a lot about the vibrant car life that many in Silicon Valley lead.

A First Taste of San Francisco

Experiencing the Car Life in Silicon Valley

Before my official start date, I decided to turn on my Uber app just to see what a day in the Bay Area was like. My first and only ride request came from Los Gatos. When I picked her up, she needed a ride all the way to downtown San Francisco. I had no idea where I was going, so I followed the GPS, had a great conversation with my passenger, and when I dropped her off, I was stunned — the fare was $130.

That was nearly double what I was used to earning for a long trip in Southern California. I cashed out immediately, then spent the rest of the day exploring San Francisco before reporting to Google the next morning. It was a good omen for what was ahead.

Embracing the car life allowed me to explore the Bay Area while meeting fascinating people during my ride. Every weekend spent driving along the coast enriched my car life with beautiful views and unforgettable memories.

Life as a Google Bus Driver

From day one, I was impressed by the Google culture. Even though I was technically a contractor, I had access to perks that felt surreal: free meals, gyms, showers, and beautiful workspaces.

The car life I experienced was a blend of work and adventure, a unique lifestyle that many aspire to.

Living in my car during this journey made me appreciate the freedom that comes with a nomadic car life.

The first few months were training and filling in as a substitute driver. Eventually, I earned my own route, working about 55 hours a week on a split shift, Monday through Friday. It was a grind, spending hours on the freeway in heavy Bay Area traffic, but I took the responsibility seriously.

This car life experience shaped my views on minimalism and mobility.

At first, some passengers thought I was too serious, but in time they came to appreciate my driving skills, safety, and professionalism. I received compliments, holiday notes, and even a nice Christmas bonus. For a while, I believed this was a job I could hold onto for five years or more.

Living in My Car

During this time, I wasn’t living in an apartment or a house. I was living in my 2012 Volvo S60.

As I traveled, the car life became a testament to my journey of self-discovery and growth.

This car life experience pushed me to redefine what home truly means.

Back in 2013, I had lived out of a Kia Sorento, which was cramped and purely about survival. The Volvo was a step up — They had a great reputation for their comfortable seats. sleek, reliable, and discreet enough that I could sleep in it around the Bay Area without drawing too much attention. 

Some nights I parked in the Google parking lot, other times just on a local street, I often drove to Half Moon Bay, where I first experienced the pumpkin festival and felt the early pull of nomadic life.

On most other weekends I would get a hotel and explore the many cities and towns that comprise the Bay area. It amazing to explore the local areas and see the diversity of people and culture. I was often lucky enough to catch many different arts and crafts and other street celebrations.

The idea of buying a real camper van was growing in my mind. I knew I needed to save money and improve my credit score first, but living in the Volvo made me believe it was possible. (That dream wouldn’t become reality until September 2018, when I finally bought a 2004 Roadtrek camper van — but the seed was planted here.)

Injury, Workers Comp, and a Turning Point

Everything changed when I injured my knee while helping a passenger in a wheelchair onto the bus. At first, I thought it was nothing, but the pain worsened. When management sent me for a checkup, the doctor told me my knee was badly damaged and pulled me off work. Suddenly, I was on workers comp, rehabbing three days a week.

I spent much of that time down in Half Moon Bay, parked by the ocean, trying to figure out what was next. Eventually, the doctor cleared me to return to work — but I didn’t want to go back. The grind, the stress, and the restrictions on vacation time had worn me down.

After fighting through the workers comp process (and losing), I made my choice: I officially resigned from Google in December 2018. By then, I had already bought the Roadtrek and was preparing for a new chapter of true nomadic living.

Why This Period Mattered

Looking back, those years from 2016 to 2018 were transformative.

Now, as I look back, my car life journey is still a significant part of my story.

• I went from Uber driver to Google bus driver, experiencing one of the most structured corporate cultures in the world.
• I lived two years in a Volvo sedan — not glamorous, but strategic, allowing me to save money and test my resilience.
• I realized the importance of freedom, travel, and building a lifestyle around my values rather than someone else’s schedule.

When I finally left Google, I wasn’t stepping away from security — I was stepping toward a bigger dream.

Next Chapter: Life in a Roadtrek and World Travel

During these two years, I was finally able to take a few vacations, although it was like pulling teeth to arrange. I was able to join friends for trips to Destin/Pensacola Florida, Biloxi, Mississippi, and New Orleans, Louisiana. I made a return visit to Arizona, and I was able to travel solo Internationally for the first time with a birthday 3-day celebration in Vancouver, Canada. It was just beginning.

After resigning in 2018, I moved into my 2004 Roadtrek camper van full time and began shaping a nomadic lifestyle. By 2019, I was traveling internationally, from Mexico and Washington D.C. to Europe and later Latin America.

But that’s a story for another post.

This post is part of my Nomadicstan reinvention series. Don’t miss the full story in [Post 3: From Car Life to Van Life to Global Travels].”