Uber-driving City Council member hears unfiltered opinions about Wichita (+video)

If you use Uber in Wichita, there’s a chance you’ll have the vice mayor as your driver.

“I started just to learn about Uber and how they operate, and it turned into a social experiment,” says James Clendenin, who has represented southeast Wichita on the City Council since 2011.

He’s sung ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” with a car full of Brits with the windows down.

He’s talked to executives in town from the West Coast about business.

And he’s driven inebriated passengers home safely from Old Town.

All in his “Smurf blue” Toyota Matrix.

As a driver, he’s gotten unfiltered opinions about Wichita from its citizens and visitors that a City Council member rarely gets.

Five-star rating

Clendenin first used Uber when he visited Washington, D.C., in March for the National League of Cities.

The on-demand car service has become increasingly popular across the country. It allows riders to use a smartphone app to set up pick-up and drop-off locations with Uber’s contracted drivers. The app automatically charges the user’s credit card after the trip is taken. Fares are based on supply and demand.

In D.C., Clendenin found that most of the drivers were professionals giving rides part time on their lunch breaks or before and after work.

He was intrigued and started driving in Wichita later that month after undergoing several background checks by the company.

His first customer canceled on him.

But the next one a few minutes later paid more than $20. He’s given more than 30 rides in the past year.

“By the way, I’ve never gotten below a five-star rating,” Clendenin says.

It’s true. His app proves it.

He made less than $1,000 from Uber in 2015, he said, but it was enough to help pay for a family trip to Branson, Mo.

‘They don’t hold back’

Since taking over as vice mayor, Clendenin hasn’t driven as much as he used to. But he wants to continue.

He’s learned firsthand that Wichita hotels fill up fast sometimes.

That was when a rider whose plane was stranded here couldn’t find a hotel room.

He’s learned that Wichita’s public transportation system is “lacking severely.”

That’s from the several times he’s given people rides to work. They needed Uber because the bus system wasn’t running when they needed it and cabs were too expensive.

He’s even vetted proposals like the new central library with his customers. Last week, he was one of five council members who voted to approve the new library.

“I love meeting new people. I love hearing their thoughts about our city. It helps in the decision-making process when we talk about the city investing in different areas around town,” Clendenin says.

“They don’t know who I am. They don’t hold back. They let me have it. The good and the bad. It’s an amazing opportunity to get a good understanding of what the expectations are and what it takes to compete nationally and globally for jobs, people and talent.”

Outside perspective

Clendenin has not been recognized – yet.

“Cat’s out of the bag,” he said about this story.

Only twice has he told people that he’s on the City Council after they’ve asked what he does for a living.

His first response is that he does customer service for the city. But when pressed, he tells them he’s a council member.

“They are floored,” he says. “At first they want to know if I don’t make enough money. I tell them what I make and that no, I do this so I can meet people and talk to people about our city.

“It’s important to get an outside perspective of Wichita. People really do pay attention to how we take care of this city.”

This story was originally published February 7, 2016 at 6:16 PM with the headline "Uber-driving City Council member hears unfiltered opinions about Wichita (+video)."