
Uber and Lyft vs. the Drivers
Uber and Lyft vs. the Drivers
As so many of us use these companies more and more, including myself, I was very curious how the actual drivers feel about their experience of not only dealing with passengers but their experiences with both of these companies when it came to pay, support and any issues they’ve had.
As a Passenger: I can give my point of view as a passenger who has ridden with both Uber and Lyft drivers. When it comes to cost, the difference from these companies and the cab companies I’ve used is unbelievable. For example, there is a bar that a few of us frequent to watch sports, shoot darts, play pool and of course consume alcohol. It’s a fair distance from my home, so often times I would take a cab home. The average cab ride with tip was around $85. As I stated, it is a bit of a drive but the feeling of getting home safe and not worrying about a DUI makes it worth it. A few years back, my friend and I were at this same bar for the NFL playoffs. We had a great time as usual (except for the game result) and also as usual when the guys get together, we consumed alcohol. My friend had started using Uber and said he would call for one and we would go back to my house. When we arrived I asked “How much was the ride?” He answered “$28 bucks.” I was beside myself. I was paying $85 for cabs for the same distance that was $28 with Uber! I immediately started to think of some of the experiences I had riding in cabs. Some cabs were filthy, drivers trying to take long routes to my destination, etc. My last cab ride experience I had a driver that spent the entire trip on his cell arguing with someone in a language I did not understand. As far as my Uber or Lyft experiences as a passenger, I have no complaints. Perhaps I’ve been fortunate but I can honestly say every driver has always been polite and courteous. The vehicles for the most part were clean and most of the drivers can carry on a conversation. The were only two times were I did ride with Uber where those drivers could not speak English, I mean at all. They told me “No hablo Ingles”, so those were rides where there was no interaction between myself and the driver. Had I been somewhere unfamiliar and wanted information, attempting to communicate would have been futile, but since I was traveling to my home from the airport it wasn’t much of an issue. Going back to cost, when I would travel, I realized I spent more for parking my car for several days at the airport than the Uber ride cost me. Another factor was I always seemed to be running from my car to the terminal with my bags and ticket in hand. With Uber and Lyft, they will drop me off right at my gate thus removing the unwanted stress, dealing with the lines for baggage check and security is another issue.
The Drivers: I know my experiences with these companies, but what I was curious about was, what’s the driver’s experience? Why do they drive for these companies? Are they pleased with the earnings, company support etc? I sat down with two drivers that say they are signed up with both Uber and Lyft and asked them to tell me their stories. The first driver is Dan. Dan is self employed as a handyman. The second is Tony who is employed at a retail store.
My first question was, why do you drive for Uber and or Lyft?
Dan: “As a handyman, I do fairly well, when I’m busy, but there are times when I’m in between projects and also, business sometimes slows down during the summer, at least for me. I’m also single(divorced) and have no kids so sitting around the house alone is not appealing. I also worked in heavy construction for many years in the past which has taken a toll on my body, so sitting in my air conditioned car and meeting and interacting with people is great for me at this stage of my life”.
Tony: “I work at a national retail store in receiving. I unload the trucks late at night and stack the shelves, etc. Excluding the holiday season, I never get forty hours a week. I don’t make enough income at that job and I have wanted to find another part time job, unfortunately I never know what my schedule is from week to week. My days off are always different so committing to another job is almost impossible. Uber gives me the flexibility to drive when I want”.
I asked both gentlemen if they were making the amount of money that both of these companies say you can earn. They both laughed.
Dan: “I’m no kid, I know better than to believe those advertisements. I never expected to make twenty or thirty dollars an hour, it would be nice but has never happened for me”.
Tony: I was truly expecting to make considerably more than I do. We are in a tourist destination with beaches, cruise ships, casinos, race tracks etc. and great weather all year long. I believe there are too many drivers and the share of the ride we get compared to what the customer pays is ridiculous and most people don’t tip”.
I realized of the two gentlemen, Tony had much more to offer my curiosity than Dan. Both were great people but their expectations, their ages and situations were very different. So I decided to focus on Tony going forward.
I asked Tony why he believed there were to many drivers on the road. He had a quick answer that surprised me.
Tony: “I would drive to populated areas with hotels by the beach. I would even park outside the casinos. Sometimes I would get a request and sometimes I would sit for half an hour or longer with nothing and drive to another location and sit again and wait. I decided to try local international airport. I thought for sure I would get ride requests there. Uber and Lyft drivers have to wait at a staging area outside the airport along the runway, where they are put in queue. They receive ride requests by turn, first one there gets first request, second one gets next, etc. This staging area is loaded with Uber and Lyft drivers. There Is a large tent where drivers are sitting around playing dominoes, cards, smoking and eating and just talking. When I looked at my phone, the app said I was 176th in line for a pick up! I had no idea how long it would take for that number to dwindle down. I waited for about twenty minutes, it was now at 174. I knew I couldn’t wait there so I left”.
I was shocked to hear what he had just told me. I then asked him about tipping. If people tipped and if so, how often.
Tony: “It amazes me how people will pay so much more for a cab ride and gladly tip the driver. They’ll tip their bartender and waitress without giving it a thought, but won’t tip an Uber driver who is paying for their own gas, maintenance and so on. What people also don’t realize is the time we put into cleaning our cars, I’ve cleaned puke, makeup stains, spilled drinks and food. I offer free bottled water and where I live it’s hot and most people accept the water immediately, sometimes you may get a thanks. I’ve also loaded luggage into my car while the passengers slide into the back seat and relax. I had two ladies I took to the cruise ship port, approximately a thirty minute drive, they opened my car door when I pulled up and sat in the back while I was loading up their bags into my car, I gave them a nice ride, played the radio station they requested and set the a/c to their desired temperature. When we arrived at the drop off at the port, there was no porter close by so they asked me to load up the cart which I did, the porter than arrived and they gave him a twenty dollar bill, gave me nothing , just walked away and not even a thank you. I think people believe the drivers are making good money based on the fare they are paying, but we are not getting paid anywhere near the amount they are being charged”.
That struck my curiosity. The comment he made of what drivers actually earn. So I had an idea. I told Tony I would drive down the street and park at a strip mall, I would put in for a ride request and hopefully he would get the call being as he was so close. And he did receive the request and picked me up. My destination was just a couple of miles away, if that. We were headed back to where we were doing this interview. We quickly arrived and he tapped his phone to complete the ride. I looked at my phone , I was charged $6.85. No complaint on my part for the fare. I then asked Tony, what he was paid for that ride. His answer floored me!
Tony: “So let me show you what I’m getting paid for that trip”.
He showed me his phone. I was charged $6.85 he got paid $2.89. Considerably less than half!
Tony: “See, I think this is the problem. You pick up a rider, they’re charged let’s say $20 and they think I just made that amount when in reality I made no where near what they paid. I use my car, my time, I cover fuel, maintenance not to mention wear and tear and depreciation of my vehicle. I wish more people would realize this fact”.
This was an eye opener for me. I admit, riding with Uber and Lyft is much more preferable than a cab for me, but I have a much different view of these two companies. It was shocking to see the percentage of the fare the driver received. Amazing also is the fact that Uber has burned through billions of dollars since it was founded in 2009. One thing is obvious, they can’t blame the drivers, perhaps the parties responsible for their losses in the billions lies right where it usually does, at the top.
By Joe Belem

