Author Topic: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37  (Read 17086 times)

soccerluvof4

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #50 on: November 15, 2018, 02:23:03 AM »
This is one of the many things I often think about starting because of the flexibility but never get to doing it. Like so many other things.

runbikerun

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #51 on: November 15, 2018, 05:57:57 AM »
It'll all end in tears, anyway. I still can't believe how Uber is regarded as anything other than a colossal liability. They're losing about ten million dollars a day, and there's pretty much zero evidence that they'll ever turn a profit on day-to-day operations. I believe Uber has lost more money than any other company on earth has managed to do while remaining operational. Well over ten billion dollars at this point, and we still have no idea whether it'll ever become profitable.
« Last Edit: November 15, 2018, 06:09:16 AM by runbikerun »

dodojojo

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #52 on: November 15, 2018, 09:32:07 AM »
I took an Uber last week to get to a work event. The interesting thing was that when I got into the car, the driver asked what Uber was charging me. I told him about $60. He said he would take $50 cash and save me $10. I used my company credit card so that deal was not going to work for me. I'm sure that his Uber driving career would abruptly end if Big Brother caught wind of his offer. That was the first time that I had that offer but I wonder if it is common. Has this ever happened to any of you?

I had a similarly interesting experience.  I ordered a taxi.  At the end, I tried to pay by credit card, the driver asked me pay on his phone instead of using the car's CC system.   Strangely, the app he opened looked like Uber.  Afterwards, I figured he cut out the taxi as the middleman and pocketed the entire fare.  I reserved the taxi via a call but if questioned, the driver could have said I was a no-show.

HipGnosis

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #53 on: January 12, 2019, 08:20:48 AM »
NBC Evening News had a piece on the fall out of the govt. shut down.  They interviewed a DC Uber driver.
The driver said he normally makes $1,700 per week, but is doing much less (<20%) during the shut down.
He's obviously driving for Uber (and Lyft?) full time, and I'm sure the $1,700 is gross.
And he was driving a fairly new Lexus.

EnjoyIt

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #54 on: January 12, 2019, 03:34:00 PM »
I am a big fan of Uber/Lyft and use them exclusively if I could instead of taxis.  I also tip if the person driving keeps their mouth shut or is nice when talking to me.  The other day I needed to take an uber to a poorly populated area at 2am and tipped the guy an extra $10 because I new he would have to drive back without any pay and it would help cover the cost. 

If someone buys a used hybrid they can make a decent profit since their cost of operations is low.  Look at Seattle where all the uber drives seam to be in a Prius.

eav

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #55 on: January 13, 2019, 08:52:48 AM »
I use Uber on average 1-2 times a month and usually tip the driver for this reason. Except for this past new years eve when it was 60 bucks to go five miles home...

DebtFreeinPhilly

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #56 on: January 28, 2019, 12:44:21 PM »
...Look at Seattle where all the uber drives seam to be in a Prius.

Seattle passed a law that all Uber/Lyft must use a hybrid or electric vehicle. I traveled there last Memorial Day for a wedding and that's what the driver told me.

Shane

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #57 on: January 28, 2019, 01:34:51 PM »
A couple of years ago in Kuala Lumpur, we met an Uber driver who had what sounded like a pretty good system worked out to make extra money. The driver told us he worked a regular 9-5 job at an office that happened to be very near the KL airport. In KL the airport is pretty far from downtown, almost 60kms, one way. It takes ~45 minutes by car. Every weekday after work, the driver told us he would drive over to the airport, sign in on the Uber app, and wait for somebody who needed a ride back to the city. He said the extra money he made driving people from the airport to downtown KL, where he had to go anyway to get home, pretty much paid for his car and all of his commuting expenses to his regular 9-5 job. Seemed pretty smart to me!

Paul der Krake

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #58 on: January 28, 2019, 01:46:20 PM »
...Look at Seattle where all the uber drives seam to be in a Prius.

Seattle passed a law that all Uber/Lyft must use a hybrid or electric vehicle. I traveled there last Memorial Day for a wedding and that's what the driver told me.
That's most definitely false.

friedmmj

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #59 on: January 28, 2019, 06:47:07 PM »
A couple of years ago in Kuala Lumpur, we met an Uber driver who had what sounded like a pretty good system worked out to make extra money. The driver told us he worked a regular 9-5 job at an office that happened to be very near the KL airport. In KL the airport is pretty far from downtown, almost 60kms, one way. It takes ~45 minutes by car. Every weekday after work, the driver told us he would drive over to the airport, sign in on the Uber app, and wait for somebody who needed a ride back to the city. He said the extra money he made driving people from the airport to downtown KL, where he had to go anyway to get home, pretty much paid for his car and all of his commuting expenses to his regular 9-5 job. Seemed pretty smart to me!
That's awesome!

EnjoyIt

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #60 on: January 28, 2019, 07:10:00 PM »
...Look at Seattle where all the uber drives seam to be in a Prius.

Seattle passed a law that all Uber/Lyft must use a hybrid or electric vehicle. I traveled there last Memorial Day for a wedding and that's what the driver told me.
That's most definitely false.

I think and the key word is think that licensing fees for taxis are lower if the car is a hybrid. Plus, it just makes fiscal sense to have a car with good gas millage if you plan to use it as a taxi.

MrThatsDifferent

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #61 on: January 28, 2019, 09:37:45 PM »
It'll all end in tears, anyway. I still can't believe how Uber is regarded as anything other than a colossal liability. They're losing about ten million dollars a day, and there's pretty much zero evidence that they'll ever turn a profit on day-to-day operations. I believe Uber has lost more money than any other company on earth has managed to do while remaining operational. Well over ten billion dollars at this point, and we still have no idea whether it'll ever become profitable.

I’m just curious, what are they burning their money on? They don’t own anything physical, it’s an app. The riders would cover costs of the driver, right? R&D, Legal and insurance?

pdxvandal

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #62 on: January 28, 2019, 09:43:08 PM »
I drove for Uber a few years ago in a semi-touristy New England area. After all mileage deductions were applied, I reported a minus-$300 loss on my taxes, even though I probably cleared $7-8k. This was before Uber had in-app tipping, so likely would have earned more.

I drove a 2009 Prius with many miles on it (Uber cares about car age, not miles) and it worked out OK as a very part time, flexible gig, roughly 10 hours per week. I wish Lyft was there at that time, as it's a much better company for drivers (and riders).

I've since returned to regular 9-5 work and don't think I'd drive for Uber/Lyft again although there is some merit as a PT job. It was OK while it lasted.

Paul der Krake

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #63 on: January 28, 2019, 10:05:51 PM »
It'll all end in tears, anyway. I still can't believe how Uber is regarded as anything other than a colossal liability. They're losing about ten million dollars a day, and there's pretty much zero evidence that they'll ever turn a profit on day-to-day operations. I believe Uber has lost more money than any other company on earth has managed to do while remaining operational. Well over ten billion dollars at this point, and we still have no idea whether it'll ever become profitable.

I’m just curious, what are they burning their money on? They don’t own anything physical, it’s an app. The riders would cover costs of the driver, right? R&D, Legal and insurance?
https://www.paysa.com/salaries/uber--software-engineer

Jouer

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #64 on: January 29, 2019, 12:48:25 PM »
My dad is retired and drives for Uber for some extra money. He enjoys driving, chatting with interesting people, and ending up places he wouldn't see otherwise. He makes whatever set amount he went out to make, but I don't think his goal was high. They've had to do some repairs around the house, and it's helped. He has no illusions that it's a real job; it's more like a semi-lucrative hobby. For a retiree that wants flexibility and has a defined pension already, it's great. I really can't think of many other situations it would be great for.

I've never ridden Uber or Lyft. If I need to, I call a cab. I make enough that I can pay someone a fair amount for services provided.

The interesting piece for me is price isn't the reason I prefer uber/lyft to traditional cabs. It's convenience:
- easier to order
- track pickup time
- easier to pay (this is especially for business travel where I just toggle to 'Business' in the app and my work pays the charge...no receipts required)

I'd actually pay taxi prices for those services.

MrThatsDifferent

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #65 on: January 29, 2019, 12:55:52 PM »
It'll all end in tears, anyway. I still can't believe how Uber is regarded as anything other than a colossal liability. They're losing about ten million dollars a day, and there's pretty much zero evidence that they'll ever turn a profit on day-to-day operations. I believe Uber has lost more money than any other company on earth has managed to do while remaining operational. Well over ten billion dollars at this point, and we still have no idea whether it'll ever become profitable.

I’m just curious, what are they burning their money on? They don’t own anything physical, it’s an app. The riders would cover costs of the driver, right? R&D, Legal and insurance?
https://www.paysa.com/salaries/uber--software-engineer

Geez! Well, someone’s getting paid!

HipGnosis

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #66 on: January 29, 2019, 01:08:44 PM »
It'll all end in tears, anyway. I still can't believe how Uber is regarded as anything other than a colossal liability. They're losing about ten million dollars a day, and there's pretty much zero evidence that they'll ever turn a profit on day-to-day operations. I believe Uber has lost more money than any other company on earth has managed to do while remaining operational. Well over ten billion dollars at this point, and we still have no idea whether it'll ever become profitable.

I’m just curious, what are they burning their money on? They don’t own anything physical, it’s an app. The riders would cover costs of the driver, right? R&D, Legal and insurance?
Marketing and...
HUGE legal fees for virtually every new country they go into and all the cities that try to legislate them out of operation.
Oh yea, and insurance for drivers / vehicles (but ONLY while they're carrying a paying customer).

maizefolk

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #67 on: January 29, 2019, 04:22:00 PM »
They also pay back out to drivers for various events. I was recently riding in an uber in a small college down and the driver was talking about driving a bunch of students and having one stick his head out and puke down the side of her car. Apparently uber paid her an extra $80 for that.

Cassie

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #68 on: January 29, 2019, 09:06:33 PM »
Someone I knows makes 40k/year.

Cranky

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #69 on: January 30, 2019, 10:39:31 AM »
They also pay back out to drivers for various events. I was recently riding in an uber in a small college down and the driver was talking about driving a bunch of students and having one stick his head out and puke down the side of her car. Apparently uber paid her an extra $80 for that.

Yeah, but uber charged the passenger for that. I had an uber driver try to scam a cleaning fee from me, and it took some serious arguing on my part. Uber just takes the fee right out of your account.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #70 on: January 30, 2019, 11:33:16 AM »
Someone I knows makes 40k/year.

For how many hours of work? 
Pre- or post- expenses?

Most of the time people report before their "income" before their expenses- revenue, not profit.

SpartyStash

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #71 on: January 30, 2019, 11:57:25 AM »
Somewhat off topic:  Has anyone read the book Uberland: How Algorithms Are Rewriting the Rules of Work by Alex Rosenblat?  I found it at the local library and I thought it was pretty good. 

Uber can be super convenient, but I struggle with the lack of transparency for the consumer (e.g. person A using an iPhone with a XXX credit card might get a higher fare than person B using an android phone with a YYY credit card, for the same ride). 



   

maizefolk

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #72 on: January 30, 2019, 05:21:05 PM »
They also pay back out to drivers for various events. I was recently riding in an uber in a small college down and the driver was talking about driving a bunch of students and having one stick his head out and puke down the side of her car. Apparently uber paid her an extra $80 for that.

Yeah, but uber charged the passenger for that. I had an uber driver try to scam a cleaning fee from me, and it took some serious arguing on my part. Uber just takes the fee right out of your account.

Ah. That part did not come across in my driver's story. Makes much more sense now. Thanks, Cranky.

DebtFreeinPhilly

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #73 on: February 04, 2019, 07:54:43 AM »
...Look at Seattle where all the uber drives seam to be in a Prius.

Seattle passed a law that all Uber/Lyft must use a hybrid or electric vehicle. I traveled there last Memorial Day for a wedding and that's what the driver told me.
That's most definitely false.

Then I stand corrected. Only passing on the info that was told to me by the Uber driver.

Cassie

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #74 on: February 04, 2019, 10:34:40 AM »
Here Uber is often half the price of a taxi.  Lyft here is terrible but when I was in Kansas was better than Uber.  The person that I know works 40 hours a week. Don’t know if it’s before or after expenses.

Jesse@Papermonger

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #75 on: February 04, 2019, 02:14:23 PM »
I started driving for Uber in 2014 a couple months after it was introduced in my hometown. I kept meticulous records driving my new 2014 Toyota Yaris (official MPG 30city/37hwy). I was teaching at the time and only drove weekends and weekday nights (had a summer job as well). I drove for Uber for about a year.

I averaged just under $8 an hour (slightly above state min. wage) after all costs and taxes were considered. I took the standard mileage deduction because, as many have already pointed out, 54 cents per mile (or whatever CASA is now) is significantly more than usage costs for an economical car. On weeks with longer-length fares, it wasn't uncommon to have a taxable amount near 0, though I took home hundreds after paying for expenses.

To quickly address the "marginal usage cost" argument that's cropping up, I think it's very important to distinguish between usage and marginal usage. I already owned the car and would have continued to drive and insure it if I hadn't been an Uber driver. Using straight-line depreciation (I plan on driving the car into the ground) and estimated lifetime maintenance costs, my marginal usage was about 16-20 cents per mile.

I'll point out a few things that I haven't seen mentioned yet: drivers are incentivized to maximize their reported costs in order to save on taxes, so I'm not sure I trust the net amounts cited in the study. The denominator of that fraction is also suspect. You and I might count the hours from when you get in your car to when you park for the night. As far as your insurance company and Uber are concerned, the clock starts and stops when the passenger is in your car. It's unclear what metric was used in this study.

The intangibles also make the $/hr data point lose some of its meaning. I personally graded papers and read for pleasure between fares or when the passenger asked me to wait outside while he got Chipotle. Almost every other driver I knew would do likewise. If I had to take an asshole passenger, I could just go home afterwards without asking anyone for permission. I certainly can't do that with my day job.

EnjoyIt

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #76 on: February 07, 2019, 12:20:28 PM »
Yesterday I ordered from Uber Eats.  I know, not very mustachian, but considering the circumstances it was on the lower end of spending choices.

Anyways, the driver came by bicycle.  He must be the most mustachian Uber driver ever.  No gas, with minimal wear and tear.  He says he rides about 20 miles a day and gets his exercise in.  The guy gets paid to be healthy. How awesome is that?

If you are on this forum and are reading this, kudos to you man.

runbikerun

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #77 on: February 08, 2019, 02:10:46 AM »
There's a company in Europe called Deliveroo which I believe does much the same thing as Uber Eats does in the US. I'm on a few cycling subs on Reddit, and there are a handful of hardcore cyclists who use Deliveroo to get paid for doing interval training for hours at a time. It looks like a very attractive way to spend working hours, but there's no growth in it, so I'll stick with cycling to work and making money at a desk.

Cassie

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #78 on: February 08, 2019, 05:25:18 PM »
Wouldn’t the food be cold if it is delivered by bike?

EnjoyIt

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #79 on: February 08, 2019, 09:57:37 PM »
Wouldn’t the food be cold if it is delivered by bike?

Nope, food was kept in a soft cooler type device that kept it nice and warm.

chasesfish

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Re: Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37
« Reply #80 on: February 09, 2019, 05:53:18 AM »
I wanted to jump in on this thread.  I live in Dallas-Fort Worth, which is a huge market for Uber/Lyft.  We had basically no taxi service.  There were a few taxies with inflated fares that services the airports.  High airport pricing.  Downtown parking was up there too.  This transportation market doesn't really support full-time taxi drivers.

However, this is a huge part time market.  Since Uber/Lyft showed up, the airport lots have dropped in price and a TON of people drive before and after work.  I'll talk to morning Uber drivers and they'll say "Yeah, my job starts at 9 downtown, so I can do 2-3 airport runs than go to the office".   Lots of evening drivers too with events.  When I would have to go downtown for meetings, it was cheaper on my company for me to put an Uber on the company than mileage/parking with my own car.

Almost driver I talk to is retired and drives either morning/evening, or is a normal working person who wants to put their car to use for 2-3 hours.  It has provided tons of service to a market that just couldn't support full-time taxis. 

This is also about car utilization.   We have a 2002 with 100,000 miles that has about the same annual repair cost as the 2007 with 211,000 miles.  Cars break with both age and usage and most cars can support 20,000 miles a year on them for 12+ years and Uber/Lyft (and now Turo) are ways to put that asset to use before it depreciates away.