UBER AND LYFT DRIVERS WENT OUT ON STRIKE: DO YOU CARE? They want higher wages and benefits. They're complaining about the costs of insurance and gas and vehicle maintenance. So some of them refused to come to work. Did it make any difference? Or do we just love cheap rides at any cost? Tom's dad was a union guy. His reaction may surprise you!
What do you think? Write Tom directly: tom@blowmeuptom.com.
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My Opinion on Uber and Lyft
Uber has been manipulative with their advertising to young people with false advertising with how much they make, making young naïve people think it is a "get rich quick" scheme. That's why people did it. Even I started driving for Uber back in 2016 (and still drive for Lyft once in a while) with a car I didn't pay for. I actually earned a lot of money driving for them. However, thinking about the hidden costs driving for them discourages me. The biggest issue with these ridesharing services is how they don't advertise the full story. They don't reveal hidden costs which makes driving for these ridesharing services pays you less than minimum wage. Luckily for me I did not pay for the car and I don't need the money I earn from these companies, but for a person who wants to do this for a living, they do not pay well for this. I agree that people should just quit, and I think every Uber and Lyft driver should quit, which would force these companies to adjust the pricing to get people to come back. Unfortunately due to asynchronous individuals, this happening is going to be very hard.
I agree that quitting and finding another job is the best option to choose, but quitting these ridesharing services is not easy. People drive for these companies because it is so easy to sign up and start earning. Doing something else is hard for an average person to do. It involves more unpaid time and extra work. Taking classes for example involve discipline and unpaid time. Most people end up earning a livable wage when they are old. This is what is causing everyone my age to become lazy and discouraged. Personally, I do not want this lifestyle, because I have big ambitions in life, but most people want to do a simple job which isn't difficult and get paid enough to live a simple lifestyle. I think they can only find this in socialist countries.
Now about these Uber and Lyft drivers being independent contractors, they shouldn't. They set the wages, the drivers don't. They deactivate drivers accounts, stopping them from working for them. They take a cut for each ride the driver gives to the rider. They are basically being a company, and the rider is an employee. Because of this, the riders should not be qualified to be independent contractors, and should get the same benefits as a minimum wage worker.
I personally feel, that Uber and Lyft should be replaced by independent drivers, using their personal car as a Taxi service, and should be community controlled. This would solve the problem entirely, but Uber and Lyft would be at stake if someone actually starts a community run ridesharing service, just like what Uber and Lyft did to Yellow Taxi business.