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☆ Robotaxis could slowly be coming for Uber and Lyft drivers' earnings
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementCompetition from driverless taxis could reduce Uber and Lyft drivers' earnings in the years to come. Many drivers told BI that the gig has become less profitable recently due to increased competition. As the adoption of driverless taxis spreads across the US, ride-hailing experts told Business Insider that Uber and Lyft drivers could see their earning opportunities slowly deteriorate. Garin said that many ride-hailing drivers work part-time and don't rely on the gig as their primary source of income. A Lyft spokesperson did not respond to BI's question about the impacts driverless taxis could have on ride-hailing drivers.

Persons: Carl Benedikt Frey, Frey, Waymo, Uber, robotaxis, Andrew Garin, Garin, who've, Lyft, Sergio Avedian, Guy, Bernstein, Nicole Moore, Lindsey Cameron, we've, we're Organizations: Oxford Internet Institute, Drivers, Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz, Atlanta, Phoenix, Mobileye, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Locations: San Francisco, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Austin, Aurora, China

☆ The 3 worst things about being an Uber or Lyft driver
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-09 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

In the second quarter of this year, Uber drivers completed 2.2 billion trips across the company's ride-hailing and delivery platforms; Lyft drivers completed roughly 200 million trips. Avedian shared what he considers to be the top concerns of Uber and Lyft drivers: declining pay, driver safety, and wrongful deactivations. An Uber spokesperson told BI that drivers, on average, make more than $30 an hour while active in the app. AdvertisementGeorge, a full-time Uber driver in Cleveland who has driven since 2017, said he wants to quit but has few other options. AdvertisementJulie, a part-time Uber driver in Cleveland, hasn't always felt safe during her five years in the gig economy, she previously told BI.

Persons: —, Lyft, Sergio Avedian, Guy, Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi, Avedian, David Risher, George, Julie, hasn't, Aaron Lavender, Lavender Organizations: Service, Business, Wall, Wednesday, Drivers, BI, UC Berkeley, Uber, Lyft Locations: Cleveland, Colorado, Oregon

☆ Massachusetts secured a big raise for Uber and Lyft drivers in the state, but some are worried the deal could have negative side effects
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The settlement will pay $175 million to the state and drivers, many of whom claimed both companies violated Massachusetts wage and hour laws. Also, Massachusetts drivers will be considered independent contractors, meaning they will not receive all the protections of employees. Advertisement"The recent agreement reached in Massachusetts before the ballot initiatives were decided by Massachusetts voters is a favorable outcome for most Massachusetts drivers," Avedian said. What Massachusetts drivers sayAvedian said for the majority of drivers, this settlement is a big step in the right direction. In May, Uber and Lyft struck a deal to pay Minnesota drivers $1.28 per mile and $0.31 per minute minimum.

Persons: —, Uber, Lyft, Sergio Avedian, Guy, Avedian, Mark McInerney, he's, Matt R, Matt, Ronald Banks, Jen, isn't Organizations: Service, Business, Uber, Lyft, California Supreme, Research, UC Berkeley Labor Center, Center for Wage, Dynamics, Seattle metros, Drivers, New York City, Taxi, Limousine Commission, New York, Minnesota Locations: Massachusetts, New York , California, Washington, Minnesota, New York State , Minnesota, Boston, Texas and Massachusetts, Chicago , Portland, Virginia, California, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, New York City, New, Minneapolis

☆ Your around-the-corner Uber or Lyft ride may pay drivers $3 or less. Some say it's a nightmare.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

One screenshot from a Lyft driver based in Arizona showed a $2.62 ride that took 15 minutes and traveled 4.32 miles. For some drivers, these sub-$3 trips are a symbol of their broader frustrations with their pay. AdvertisementCompared to January 2023, sub-$3 trips — excluding tips — have become more common for DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats drivers and less common for Uber and Lyft drivers, per Gridwise. Otherwise, the pay would likely increase if drivers rejected these rides since drivers would be more likely to accept a higher-paying ride. AdvertisementMoises Diaz, a 41-year-old Uber and Lyft driver in California, started driving part-time in December.

Persons: —, Sergio Avedian, Guy, Avedian, it's, Lyft, they're, Uber, Grubhub, Gridwise, Randy Scott, he's, Scott, There's, he'll, Moises Diaz Organizations: Service, Business, Research, Gridwise, South, BI, Uber Locations: Arizona, Cleveland , Houston, Fort Lauderdale, Orange County, Los Angeles, Florida, California, South Florida

☆ Uber and Lyft are threatening to leave Minneapolis over a ride-hailing proposal supporters say would guarantee drivers earn the city's minimum wage
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The conversation around ride-hailing driver pay has been heating up across the country over the past year. AdvertisementLoren Balazs, a full-time driver in Minneapolis, told BI he's worried the city council's proposal would hurt his ride-hailing business. The study estimated that a minimum pay rate of $1.21 per mile and $0.49 per minute would guarantee drivers earned the city's minimum wage. AdvertisementThe debate over minimum pay for ride-hailing drivers has been building in Minneapolis for over a year. Tim Walz vetoed a bill that would have established minimum pay standards for Uber and Lyft drivers.

Persons: —, Erin Hatton, Jacob Frey, Lyft, Lyft haven't, Uber, behemoths wouldn't, aren't, Axios, Alexandrea Ravenelle, Sergio Avedian, Guy, Austin, Avedian, Joe Pierce, he'd, Loren Balazs, Sheri Wegner, they'll, Mayor Frey, Tim Walz Organizations: Service, Business, University at Buffalo, Minneapolis City Council, Minneapolis, New, Seattle, Minnesota, University of North, Star Tribune, Minnesota Gov, Uber, Minneapolis City Locations: Minneapolis, Minneapolis ? Minnesota, New York City , Washington, California, Chicago and Massachusetts, Washington, Seattle, Minneapolis . Washington, Alexandrea, University of North Carolina, Minnesota, Twin Cities

☆ The biggest perk of gig work might also be its downfall
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Many gig drivers lured by the flexibility of gig work say the flexibility of their job is often limited. AdvertisementMany drivers for Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare and delivery apps say they value the flexibility of gig work over any other component. AdvertisementMany part-time drivers have previously told BI they value gig driving for the ease with which they could supplement their core income. Some drivers told her they would work 16-hour overnight shifts on weekends to find higher-paying, better-tipped rides. "Uber and its peers appeal to workers with oodles of promises that workers can hold the power to control their work hours.

Persons: —, Uber, Sergio Avedian, Guy, Avedian, Lyft, Uber hasn't, Lindsey Cameron, Cameron, you've, Laura Katsnelson, Felix Oberholzer, Gee, Katsnelson, Katie Wells, Wells Organizations: Uber, Service, Business, Wharton School, Unit, Harvard Business School, Workers, Georgetown University Locations: Jacksonville , Florida, Los Angeles

☆ Gig workers face a savings crisis for retirement
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Alex Bitter | Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementSome gig work services are offering a perk usually associated with traditional jobs: retirement savings accounts with matching contributions. Alexandrea Ravenelle, an assistant professor in sociology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, told BI she would like to see gig workers classified as employees of the platforms, not independent workers. Ravenelle said a better plan would be for companies to extend similar types of retirement benefits to gig workers as employees of those companies enjoy. The Robinhood program also offers gig workers on these platforms access to free financial counseling through GreenPath Financial Wellness, a nonprofit. AdvertisementSergio Avedian, a Los Angeles-based industry advocate for gig workers who drives for an app himself, often encourages gig workers to set aside money for retirement.

Persons: Robinhood, —, Alexandrea, Hill, Ravenelle, Robinhood —, Doordash, Morgan Courtney, Courtney, Taskrabbit, Steve Quirk, they'll, Quirk, Sergio Avedian Organizations: Service, University of North, Financial, Workers Locations: University of North Carolina, Los Angeles, Idaho

☆ Here's how much Lyft says its drivers make — and how much their expenses add up
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

This accounts for tips, bonuses, and expenses — and defines an engaged hour as time spent on rides. AdvertisementHow Lyft calculates earnings and expensesUsing car ownership data from AAA, Lyft estimated that the typical driver has $7.02 per engaged hour in marginal driving expenses, bringing the typical driver's net earnings per engaged hour, after expenses, to $23.46, per Lyft's calculations. Lyft said a large majority of its drivers don't solely rely on Lyft driving for their total income. 94% of Lyft drivers drive less than 20 hours a week, while two-thirds drive for other apps. Nationwide, the 20th percentile for Lyft driver earnings averaged $17.46 per hour after expenses, while the 80th percentile is $33.09 per hour.

Persons: Lyft, —, Uber, Sergio Avedian, Guy Organizations: Service, AAA, BI, Nationwide, Chicago, Business Locations: Southern, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Orlando, Charlotte

☆ Lyft says it's going to give some of its drivers a pay bump
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Lyft reported that drivers, on average, took home 88% of rider payments after external fees. AdvertisementIn recent months, several Uber and Lyft drivers have told BI that ride-hailing has become less profitable than it used to be. Lyft also noted that drivers can now see the breakdown of how each rider's payments are split between drivers, Lyft, and external fees. Still, 94% of Lyft drivers only drive less than 20 hours a week and use driving to supplement other income. In November 2023, Lyft agreed to pay $38 million to settle claims that it improperly collected some fees and taxes from New York drivers — Uber agreed to pay $290 million.

Persons: Lyft, —, David Risher, Sergio Avedian, Uber, Guy, Avedian, he's, Kara Swisher, Dara Khosrowshahi, — Uber Organizations: Service, Drivers, Cleveland Uber, New, New York State, Elite, EV Locations: Cleveland, New York City, Seattle , California, New York, Minneapolis , Chicago, Massachusetts

☆ Some DoorDash drivers are slamming a new feature that pressures customers to tip
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Last week, DoorDash warned customers that no-tip orders might result in slower food deliveries. Some Dashers, or drivers, said the new prompt was another example of DoorDash asking customers to subsidize driver pay. AdvertisementAdvertisementDoorDash is warning customers who don't tip with a prompt that tells them orders might be slower. Many people said DoorDash, not customers, should pay drivers better wages. In June, DoorDash started sending tip "nudges" to customers, reminding them that they could increase tips for 30 days after a delivery.

Persons: DoorDash, Sergio Avedian, Guy, —, Zach Snider, Snider, Dashers, he's, Meredith Sandland, Sandland, Carl Orsbourn, Kim'ssidemoneyplans Organizations: Service, YouTube Locations: Los Angeles, Washington, Jersey, Orange County , California

☆ I am a food delivery and rideshare driver who advocates for thousands of gig workers. I follow these steps to prevent apps from firing me.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Dozens of gig drivers say they are getting fired from apps like Uber, DoorDash, Lyft, and Uber Eats. AdvertisementAdvertisementFood delivery and rideshare drivers say they are getting booted off apps like Uber and DoorDash in droves. Avedian, a multi-app gig driver who shares his best practices on The Rideshare Guy , said he receives about 1,000 emails each week from gig workers seeking his advice. The 56-year-old former Wall Street broker estimates he has logged about 12,000 trips over eight years driving for DoorDash, Uber, Uber Eats, and Lyft. AdvertisementAdvertisementHe spoke with Insider and shared his best tips for preventing gig drivers from getting fired from apps.

Persons: Uber, Sergio Avedian, Guy, —, Grubhub, DoorDash, Lyft, Avedian, David Risher, Biden, Trump, Mario Andretti, I'm Organizations: Service, Wall, DoorDash, Guy YouTube, Money, Cannabis Locations: Los Angeles, Russian, that's

☆ A 70-year-old Uber driver explains how canceling over 30% of his rides and only driving during busy periods have helped boost his pay
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementBill, a part-time Uber driver , began driving for extra income after he retired six years ago. As a result, he's driving less and accepting fewer rides than he used to. Bill said that the standard, non-surge pay rate calculated by Uber in his area is $0.61 per mile. But there are more drivers now: Uber reported that its number of drivers hit a record-high five million in 2022. To avoid one-way rides, Bill asks customers when he picks them up whether their destination is in the area.

Persons: Bill, Uber, He'll, —, he's, He's, I'm, Jacob Zinkula, Scott Olson, they're, Sergio Avedian, Guy Organizations: Service Locations: North Carolina

☆ Meet the typical gig driver: A millennial earning up to $40 per hour who doesn't have another job and depends on your tips
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Gig drivers are likely to be dependent on the job for their main income, and need your tips. Omar FordIf the economy takes a turn for the worse and unemployment rises, the number of gig drivers could increase even further. The typical gig driver earns between $20 and $40 an hourSergio Avedian. The typical Uber driver earns $35 per active — or utilized — hour, the company said in February. In September, four ride-hailing drivers told Insider that they earn between $22 to $40 an hour after expenses.

Persons: —, DoorDash, Lyft, Omar Ford, Uber, he'd, Robert Alexander, Gen Zers —, Sergio Avedian, Guy, doesn't, New York City, they've, Nathaniel Hudson, Hartman Nathaniel Hudson, Hartman, Jeff Hoenig, Avedian Organizations: Service, Morning, Pew, New York Daily News, Tribune, Getty, Bank of America, The New York Times Locations: Los Angeles, New York, New York City Ribeiro, New, South Carolina, Portland

☆ DoorDash, Instacart, and GrubHub drivers say they're being booted from their delivery jobs without notice — and the services won't tell them why
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Alex Bitter | Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Unexplained deactivations are commonplace for some gig workers, according to accounts from drivers. The agent on the other end approved it, he told Insider, and assured him that it wouldn't negatively affect him. Sudden, unexplained deactivations have become commonplace for workers on gig delivery apps, according to accounts from these workers. Grubhub and DoorDash told Insider that employees determined the deactivations of drivers. Do you work for Instacart, DoorDash, Uber Eats, or another delivery service and have a story idea to share?

Persons: —, Uber, would've, they'd, Steve, Jason Picon, Jason, Grubhub, Michael Loccisano, Instacart, Rikki Nudelman, I've, DoorDash, Nudelman, we're, New York City, Sergio Avedian, Guy, Avedian, Carsten Koall, Uber hadn't Organizations: Service, Grubhub, Santa Barbara, DoorDash, New York Daily News, Tribune, Getty, Walmart Locations: Oregon, Virginia, Texas, California, Central California, Los Angeles, Santa, New York, New York City Ribeiro, New, Seattle, deactivations, Berlin

☆ 4 Uber and Lyft drivers calculated how much they made after expenses. It ranged from $22 to $40 an hour, and an EV, tips, and tax incentives can make a big difference.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

That's not the case for many gig workers, such as Uber and Lyft drivers. But the companies' figures don't account for drivers' vehicle expenses, which take a cut out of their profits. Last year, he earned roughly $12,000 in combined income driving for Uber and Lyft before vehicle expenses, according to both apps' dashboards. Including his Lyft income, he calculated that he earned roughly $27 an hour in 2022 before vehicle expenses. Last year, he earned about $34,000 driving for Uber and Lyft before vehicle expenses, according to his app information.

Persons: That's, Sergio Avedian, Uber, Guy, Lyft, EVs —, Nathaniel Hudson, Hartman, he'd, Bolt, Jeff Hoenig, Gabe Ets, he's, Hokin Organizations: EV, Service, Hudson, Ets Locations: Wall, Silicon, Los Angeles, The Portland , Oregon, Hudson, Myrtle Beach , South Carolina, Oakland , California, San Diego

☆ Tipping 'nudges' are now popping up on DoorDash. If you don't leave a gratuity, you'll hear about it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( Nancy Luna | Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Some delivery workers have tried to increase their gratuity by asking DoorDash customers for higher tips mid-delivery. As a result, the average food delivery tip has increased by 20% from 2020 to 2022, Uber Eats told Insider. With tips and base pay, DoorDash said on average, Dashers make $25 per hour on active deliveries. Many gig delivery workers make below minimum wage and say their earnings have fallen since the height of the pandemicA 2020 study found many gig delivery workers are struggling to make minimum wage. The survey of gig workers from the Economic Policy Institute found that about 14% of gig workers made less than the federal minimum wage, and 29% earned less than their state's minimum wage.

Persons: DoorDash, Austin Haugen, Shroff, Heather Taylor, Dashers, DoorDash's, Instacart, Uber, Carsten Koall, Sergio Avedian, Guy Organizations: Service, Starbucks, Consumers, Base, Economic Policy Institute Locations: Wall, Silicon, Corpus Christi , Texas, Los Angeles

☆ Instacart just slashed pay for delivery drivers — from a minimum of $7 per order to $4. Now they're more reliant on your tips.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Alex Bitter | Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Instacart has cut its minimum base pay to $4 from $7 per order, angering many who work for the app. The cut affects base pay, or an amount that Instacart workers are guaranteed to get if they accept an order. Instacart announced the lower base pay in a July 20 blog post entitled "creating new ways to earn." In the post, Instacart said orders that involve picking and delivering many items "may pay $10 or more" in base pay. Lower base pay means more reliance on tipsBoth Hudson and the driver in Tennessee said that the base pay cut makes customers' tips a more important source of income.

Persons: Instacart, Daniel Danker, Danker, I've, Alexia Hudson, she's, it's, Sergio Avedian, Guy, That's, Uber Organizations: Service, Instacart, Shoppers Locations: Wall, Silicon, Instacart, Tennessee, Indiana, South Carolina, Charlotte, she's, Los Angeles

☆ DoorDash is changing how it pays its 13 million gig drivers – and will let customers boost tips after delivery
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

New features include giving customers the ability to edit tips after the delivery is complete. The company is also giving its gig workers the choice to earn their pay per hour, instead of by delivery order. Customers can add or increase a tip for drivers on the app up to 30 days after delivery. At DoorDash, consumers won't be able to reduce tips after delivery, the company said. DoorDash is also launching SNAP benefits for online payments for grocery delivery with brands such as Safeway, Albertsons, Meijer, Aldi, and 7-Eleven.

Persons: —, Rajat Shroff, DoorDash's, Shroff, Austin Haugen, Uber, Sergio Avedian, DoorDash, Cody Aughney, Aughney Organizations: Service, Consumers, Logistics, Dasher & Logistics, Safeway, Albertsons Locations: DoorDash, Los Angeles, Canada, Australia, Meijer, Aldi

☆ Uber and Lyft drivers share 3 reasons why the ride-hailing giants, not customers, are partially responsible for the bad tips they get
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Drivers told Insider riders should tip and that Uber was partly to blame for low tips. Insider spoke with several ride-hailing and delivery drivers, each of whom pushed back on many of the arguments made by the commenters on the Times story. Chris, a 28-year-old Uber Eats driver in upstate New York, said: "Uber has successfully convinced customers that drivers get paid way more than we do." In-app tipping wasn't even an option for Uber riders until 2017, roughly five years after Lyft rolled out the feature. He said he always tipped at least 20% whenever he took an Uber, Lyft, or cab.

☆ If you hate tipping delivery people, drivers for Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash want you to consider these 4 main arguments why you should anyway
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

They responded to common reasons people don't want to tip their delivery drivers. Eight years later, Avedian said he's completed over 5,000 Uber and Lyft rides and a couple thousand food deliveries. Alix Anfang, an Uber spokesperson, told Insider that tipping has increased since 2020. "Food delivery has always had a high tipping rate, but the average tip on a delivery increased even further by about 20%." "If it wasn't for tips, delivery drivers wouldn't be making any money, period," Avedian said.

☆ Uber drivers lay out 4 reasons they think tipping has been getting worse — and why events like Taylor Swift concerts seem to make riders more generous
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Ben and other drivers have some theories about why riders aren't as generous as they used to be. Ben, a full-time Uber and Uber Eats driver for five years, said he'd worked as many as 90 hours in one week to make ends meet. Last year, Ben earned roughly $77,000 pretax driving for Uber and Uber Eats. Sergio AvedianUltimately, Avedian said Uber riders' tipping habits today could be traced to the company's decisions several years ago. In-app tipping wasn't even an option for Uber riders until 2017, despite drivers pushing for it for years.

☆ Uber Eats is sharing what your delivery driver knows about you as videos of angry drivers confronting customers go viral
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Uber Eats customers now have an answer. Customers ordering from the app can access a new "View as Delivery Person " feature, which was rolled out last week. Uber said the feature allows Uber Eats users to toggle to a screen showing how the food courier views their order. "While most interactions are delightful, we also found that when awkward or unwanted interactions occur, it is concerning," Uber Eats told Insider. The photo taken of your delivery is also deleted after the delivery person closes the app, according to the company.

☆ Is the Uber, Lyft and gig economy battle over workers nearing its end game?
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( Tim Mullaney | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

With federal regulators set to tighten Trump-era labor standards that let Uber and Lyft, as well as food-delivery services like Doordash, treat gig workers as independent contractors with few protections under labor law, shares dropped sharply last week. But while a shift, the Department of Labor proposal doesn't immediately transform gig workers into employees entitled to overtime pay, unemployment insurance and other benefits. "It seems like the start of a Game of Thrones battle between the Department of Labor and the gig economy,' Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said. Uber believes the Department of Labor is focused less on ridesharing and more on industries such as construction that also use gig workers, pointing out that the proposed rule doesn't single out rideshare drivers. Uber drivers also supply their own cars and gasoline, though the company in March added a per-trip fuel surcharge that goes directly to drivers.

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