I’m less excited about the future of Uber/Lyft and more so for bike/scooter share for that “final mile” between public transit and rider destination. We need to shake car dependency if we want any chance of reversing this ecological hell we’re currently living. Public transit workers have healthcare and pension. Looking for the same from a gig economy is barking up the wrong tree.

@1

People only have so much money to spend on dining out. Especially "luxury" restaurants (as opposed to eating ramen at home).

If minimum wage goes up, customer costs will increase. When customer costs increase, they'll go out to restaurants less often. They'll also be less likely to tip...

You're making the same argument people make opposing any increase in minimum wage. Except it's bullshit. It sounds logical, but Seattle's restaurant scene only continued to increase after raising the minimum wage to the highest in the country (at least until the pandemic hit).

If the only way that Uber/Lyft can survive is to pay starvation wages to their drivers, then that model of business has no business staying in business in the wealthiest country on the planet.

"If the only way that Uber/Lyft can survive is to pay starvation wages to their drivers, then that model of business has no business staying in business in the wealthiest country on the planet." --Reverse Polarity

bingo

I've been saying that for years (decades, really) about minimum-wage jobs generally ... if McDonald's et al. can't pay their full-time workers a living wage -- and maybe they can't -- they are a net minus to society and on the whole we would be better off without those jobs. Get rid of the Uber/Lyft model and independent drivers will surely find another, less exploitative way to reach their customers.

@3 - you are pointing out exactly the problem here. The gig economy is the largest tax evasion scam and Ponzi scheme in our history. It's easy: claim the drivers are not employees, don't pay workers' comp/unemployment etc. taxes, disclaim any responsibility for paying fair wages, and weasel out of any liability for any accidents they cause. The funny thing is that even with avoiding all of the expenses of a regular business, they STILL can't make a profit. The sooner Uber and Lyft are dead the better off we all are.

How much does it add to one's Insurance Premium if one choses to motor random folks around for Profit? Or are those costs Socialized so all drivers share that responsibility (responsiblity that rightly belongs to the Corps they drive for)?

Privatizing Profits
while Socializing Costs
is Capitalism at its Finest.

Capitalism will
Consume Itself.

speaking of Losers, matey
the Death of Capitalism
(and the Lust for Money)
this from today’s New York Times:

‘We’re No. 28! And Dropping!’

A measure of social progress finds that the quality of life has dropped in America over the last decade, even as it has risen almost everywhere else. --Nicholas Kristof

my favorite comment on the article:

“This is no surprise to me.

Our European relatives have lives that would make average Americans envious with excellent free college educations, vocational training in high school for many students for whom college is not a good fit, 6 weeks paid holidays for all workers from barmaid to judge, and universal healthcare.

All it takes is progressive taxation on the wealth.

The US has forsaken its core values and allowed the rapacious greed of the few to harm the many and to change the narrative. this worship of riches and extravagance of lifestyle must stop. the world hangs in the balance. precisely because of its superpower status, the US must lead the fight against climate change, reduce emissions, and develop new constructs of living that do not rely on this outdated capitalist system of unfettered Ayn Randesque greed.” –leftistMD; manhattan

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/09/opinion/united-states-social-progress.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage#commentsContainer

Keep sucking that Rich dick
matey I hear it's Habit-forming.

So terribly sorry that you can not make a full time living out of what is supposed to be a part time job that you do only a couple hours a day. If you want to know why and how you can keep reading. Oh and from the get go stop whining about this black and brown crap...its a cop out.

First off if you want to make a living as a ride share driver as a general rule it aint gonna be a 9 to 5 job...if there were only 10% of the drivers there are now maybe but there isnt enough business during those hours for the drivers you have out right now.

Lets start by going back to my 9 to 5 statement. Got news for you that is when a huge percentage of your customers are already at work! Yes some of them will have business meetings and some of them will need rides going to and from lunch but for the most part that is not going to keep you going all day. So you need to start driving around 7:00 a.m. and can keep going until about 9:30 or so. Then maybe you can start driving again 11:00 a.m. to one or so to get the lunch crowd. And then you can start again at around 4 until the rush hour is done around 7... If you are in an area where people go out to eat a lot you might be able to stretch that until 9.

Also the pandemic has pretty much killed the bar scene at least here in Philadelphia… that means no more late night driving which is when I preferred to drive.

I do not care where you live… 90% of the places are not so popular where you will be able to be busy all day long doing trips to and from the airport. Not gonna happen.

I am really sick and tired hearing people whine that they cannot make a living wage working at McDonald's or driving for Lyft/Uber. Let me clue you in, those jobs were never made to provide a living wage with the exception of management level positions. McDonald's jobs are for kids getting their 1st job to get some spending money and maybe augment some people's regular job or retirement pay.

You want to make a lot of money on each ride as a Uber driver… go yet yourself a black Lincoln continental or Cadillac or one of those type of cars and drive uber black just don't be surprised when you only get 1 ride maybe two A-day. People want cheap.

And lastly if you expect Lyft/Uber to turn all of their independent contractors into employees you are in for a rude awakening. Wanna know what will happen? Here is a preview:

Loss of cancellation fees. You're already going to get an hourly wage why should you get that? (I'm sure the riders will still be charged one, drivers just wont get it)

Surge rates gone (Again I'm sure riders will pay them but drivers wont see them)

All bonuses gone

Drivers will get penalized for refusing rides…you make an hourly wage, you accept all rides, including ones 20 minutes away

Reduced hours. You're an employee now…you're entitled to time and a half after 40 hours. Currently you can work 84 hours a week…not anymore

You think you're going to get healthcare and vacation days? That's only for full time employees… don't be surprised if drivers would only be allowed 25-30 hours a week driving time.

I'm sure you will have some flexibility but anyone who drives full time will see that ending...as will being able to drive full time.

Drive when you want where you want...no more. Do you really think a full time employer will let you say "you know this week I want to work only 20 hours but next week I want to work 70 and I will pick my own schedule of what hours". Not going to happen. You will be assigned driving hours and those will be the only hours you will be allowed to drive. And like I said you can be certain that you will not be driving enough hours in a week to qualify for benefits.