Lyft last week launched a new driver rewards system that’s now live in select US cities. Among the privileges unlocked at each tier is the ability to see a potential trip’s details before accepting. That could ease one of drivers’ biggest headaches when it comes to planning their workflow and estimating their earnings. And while many of the […]
Tag Archives: Gig Work
‘Destroyed me financially’: Uber Eats drivers near homelessness as pay halved
Uber Eats drivers have reported “barely afford[ing] rent” and are “thinking of sleeping in [their] car” after falls in delivery volumes saw drivers cop a pay cut. In a survey of 67 drivers in Sydney, Melbourne and Geelong conducted by the Transport Workers Union (TWU), some Uber Eats drivers have been pushed to the brink […]
The gig economy’s deepest problem isn’t about tech at all
The giants of the gig economy, from Lyft and Uber to Grubhub and Instacart, like to claim that they’re technology companies—and they’re certainly valued like tech unicorns. But according to Bhairavi Desai, the executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, which represents 21,000 professional drivers who drive everything from yellow cabs to town cars […]
Uber launches staffing business in Chicago
After more than a year in stealth mode, Uber, which became synonymous with “gig economy,” is launching a staffing business in Chicago on Friday to supply on-demand workers to other companies. The new business, called Uber Works, has been in stealth mode in Chicago for more than a year. It’s the second business outside Uber’s original […]
If Uber Drivers Become Employees, Can Uber Escape That? Plus How Employees Compete With Robocars
A law making its way through the California legislature would require certain “gig work” companies to treat their gig workers as employees rather than independent contractors. Most people think the law is aimed squarely at Uber, Lyft and the like, but Uber claims it won’t apply to them, and there is skepticism of that. If […]
Uber hit with lawsuit from former food delivery drivers
Uber has joined the likes of Foodora and Deliveroo in becoming embattled with lawsuits from Australian food delivery drivers. On Monday, two former UberEats drivers from Adelaide announced that they have filed a lawsuit against the ride-sharing giant for allegedly being dismissed unfairly and exploited. The lawsuit is an appeal to a decision made by […]
CALIFORNIA JUST DROPPED A BOMB ON THE GIG ECONOMY — WHAT’S NEXT?
California just grievously wounded the gig economy. But Assembly Bill 5, the California bill that was approved by the state Senate on September 10th and signed into law on September 18th, is only the beginning of a long fight over the relationship between gig companies like Uber and Lyft and the drivers they employ. Uber and Lyft will try to […]
Despite GrubHub and Uber Eats, restaurants still hiring for deliveries — and may offer drivers a better gig
In the age of Uber Eats and GrubHub, delivering pizza for the local Domino’s may seem like a throwback. But for drivers who want more predictable hours and pay — and discounts on food — restaurants may be the better bet. Despite pressure from third-party apps, a few big chains continue to use their own […]
Seattle may regulate side-hustle gigs like Uber, Lyft, food delivery apps
The Seattle City Council has begun discussions on whether to regulate the businesses who rely on independent contractors, like Uber, Lyft, and food delivery services. On Tuesday, Council member Teresa Mosqueda led a forum designed to show the concerns of people who have worked in the “gig industry,” which has been proliferated with companies like […]
How Uber Makes Its Drivers Pay
Uber lost $5.24 billion in the second quarter this year and seems to have no clear path to profitability. But even that loss is understated, because a substantial part of the expense is not included in Uber’s income statement and is instead pushed onto drivers: the wear and tear the job puts on their cars. […]