This Week in Rideshare: Delivery, Deactivations and EVs.
One worker makes $8k, drivers fight back and Taxi’s new pivot. Legalrideshare breaks it down.
MONDAY 11/1/21
Are drivers returning? Some data says no. Business Insider reported:
The number of new drivers joining gig companies such as Uber and Lyft hasn’t shown any meaningful increase, said Noah Lang, the CEO of Stride. The company looked at data across the 3 million gig workers who used its service to track any changes.
“We didn’t see an influx of new workers, nor did we see any meaningful change in work, like existing workers taking on more gigs,” Lang said.
TUESDAY 11/2/21
One delivery driver made $8K in one month grinding for Uber Eats. NBC Chicago reported:
The Salem, Oregon, resident committed to delivering food for 12 hours per day every day in June, aiming for a pace that would amount to $100,000 a year. He tracked his progress on the social media platform TikTok.
By the end of the month, he had made 795 deliveries and driven nearly 5,000 miles. Check out this video for a full breakdown of how much money he earned and to see what he learned from the experience.
WEDNESDAY 11/3/21
DoorDash is adding safety features to aid drivers. ABC News reported:
Under the new system, DoorDash drivers who are feeling unsafe can connect to an ADT agent using a button in DoorDash’s app. The agent will stay on the phone until the driver feels comfortable; if the driver stops communicating, ADT will call 911.
DoorDash is also adding an emergency-assistance button to its app, which drivers can swipe to let ADT know they need immediate help. ADT will contact 911 and then remain in touch with the driver via text messages.
THURSDAY 11/4/21
Drivers are firing back at wrongful deactivations. ZDNET reported:
The Uber drivers appeared before the Senate Committee on Job Security, which is currently leading an inquiry into whether Australia’s gig economy workers are being paid fairly and if there are sufficient health and safety protections in place for them.
On Thursday afternoon, two Uber drivers recounted their experiences of having their accounts on the platform wrongly deactivated. One driver’s account was allegedly deactivated for five days when a passenger falsely claimed that the driver was being violent, while another said their account was deactivated for a day because one of their passengers filed a complaint about feeling uncomfortable from wearing a mask during the ride.
“If you are deactivated you have no recourse. You cannot get back to them. That’s the major issue and problem that I have with them and job security. There are other things like this — you’re not getting any super, obviously, as a subcontractor, you get injured on the job, but you can’t get any compensation or anything for it,” the unnamed Uber driver said.
FRIDAY 11/5/21
The electric car may be the Taxi industry’s new best friend. Axios reported:
The taxi business is going electric, which could spell trouble for ride-hailing giants like Uber and Lyft, who can’t force their drivers to buy EVs.
Why it matters: The two companies don’t own and operate EV fleets or a charging infrastructure, and they rely on contract drivers who operate vehicles of their own choice.
That business model could prove antiquated in the Electric Age, as new companies entering the fray are choosing to manage their own fleets from a central hub and count their drivers as employees.
For Uber and Lyft, EVs present added challenges: They’re too pricey for many gig drivers and they need to be recharged, cutting into time the drivers could be earning money.
LegalRideshare is the first law firm in the United States to focus exclusively on Uber®, Lyft®, gig workers, delivery and e-scooter accidents and injuries.
