This Week in Rideshare: Tips, Surveys and Phone calls.

Tips are down, surveys get real, and Lyft goes retro. LegalRideshare breaks it down.

MONDAY 2/22/21

Turns out the pandemic wasn’t so hot for Uber’s business model. Forbes explains:

Since many of these businesses are at best barely profitable as a result of their strategy[…]let alone meet health insurance costs or provide sick or holiday pay […] No wonder that, as the Financial Times reports, they are fighting to change the law.

TUESDAY 2/23/21

Even as Uber Eats volume is up, tips for drivers are down. The Columbus Dispatch explains:

More orders initially meant higher pay for many, but as more drivers joined the apps, competition increased and customers seemed less willing to sign for a tip, drivers said. Services pay commission based on the cost of an order, but drivers said that many orders aren’t worth taking without a gratuity.

WEDNESDAY 2/24/21

When Uber asked drivers what they thought of their service, they got more than they bargained for. Mashable explains:

20 percent of respondents are dissatisfied with driving or delivering for Uber and Uber Eats. The top issue for 27 percent of drivers is “dependability of earnings,” which includes fluctuating rates and fees and fewer promotions and incentives.

Fifteen percent of drivers said they were unhappy with the Uber app itself, noting it is often “glitchy or buggy” and there are issues with navigation and GPS.

More than 40 percent of drivers said they’re concerned about their physical wellness during the pandemic.

THURSDAY 2/25/21

How do you fight back against Big Tech? With your own tech of course. Wired explains:

Driver’s Seat Cooperative launched in 2019 to help workers collect and analyze their own data from ride-hail and delivery apps like Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and Instacart. More than 600 gig workers in 40 cities have pooled their information through the cooperative…

FRIDAY 2/26/21

Lyft is offering a new way to get a ride: Make a phone call. WLTZ reported:

People can call 631–201-lyft to book a car on weekdays from 8 AM to 8 PM.
Lyft says once a ride is booked, updates will be communicated via text message.

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.