I made $50,000 as a deaf Uber driver last year. I earn more than I did working in restaurants.

• William Parr transitioned from restaurant work to driving for Uber.
• Parr, a deaf Uber driver, uses technology to communicate with his passengers.
• Driving for Uber has been more profitable than restaurant work, he said.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with William Parr, who drives for Uber and lives in Longview, Texas. Business Insider reviewed documentation verifying his earnings. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Driving for Uber is my full-time job for the time being.

I started driving for Uber during a break from my 26-year career in the restaurant industry. My jobs included everything from washing dishes to busing tables to working the line in the back of the kitchen. The most I made at that time was $15 an hour at Olive Garden.

Inflation and rising living expenses for my family grew to the point where I needed income that paid me three or four times what I could earn in restaurants. That's why I started working for Uber this past spring. I also liked being able to choose my hours or work when ride requests are high.

Between April and December of last year, I made about $50,000 in gross pay.

The pay on Uber is better than what I made working at restaurants. This year, for example, on Mother's Day, I worked for 5 ½ hours and, after my gas costs, made about $130. That came to almost $24 an hour for driving a car — better than I made in restaurants.

I started out with a Ford Explorer SUV. After mechanical issues with that car, I bought a Toyota Sienna minivan that can seat eight people. There's a Union Pacific railyard in my town, and you often have large groups from that facility catching Ubers.

Those trips, which I list as Uber XL, are my most profitable, even with current gas prices. Some of them involve long-distance driving and pay better. I've done three-hour trips to another town in Texas, for example, that pay up to $260. Even after factoring in gas, I'm making more than anyone would dream of paying me in the restaurant world.

I use technology to overcome communication challenges

The biggest challenge of being a deaf driver is communicating with my riders.

I can't make traditional phone calls, for example, which sometimes causes problems, especially when I'm picking up seniors, who generally don't like to text. I also can't hear riders when they try to talk to me or ask for things.

I've figured out ways to overcome some of those challenges. I have a live transcription app on my phone, which I use to "listen to" riders. I put signs in my car to let them know I'm deaf. I also have a separate tablet mounted on my dashboard so that I can review and accept new ride offers.

A few times, people have perceived me as being rude by not hearing them, but when I gesture to my signs, they usually understand.

Driving for Uber has given me so much more money, which is helping my wife and me reduce our debt while living a comfortable life. I got frustrated with the constant pressure in the restaurant industry, and being a driver full-time has let me escape that while also having more flexibility.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter at [email protected] or via encrypted messaging app Signal at 808-854-4501. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.