So far this week~~~~> Uber is charging passengers 2-3 times the normal rate but drivers are not seeing any of this extra money, Rideshare drivers have become mask enforcement police, Sectoral Bargaining Bill failed in NYC, 5 hardest destinations to get a Rideshare driver, Lyft violates ADA now in courts, only Rideshare passengers willing to pay more will get a car quickly, Uber blunder by Uber…. see articles below:
- Washington Post: Uber passengers paying astronomical fares amid a labor shortage may think the extra money is going to their stressed and overworked drivers. But drivers are not being compensated based on what customers pay. Instead, they are paid for their time and distance — with added, predetermined surge bonuses controlled by Uber…. [read full article]
- HUCK: Bruce*, an Uber driver from London, was on a night shift in the city when he was assaulted by a passenger. As is typical of working during the later hours when passengers are more likely to have had a few drinks, he’d already asked several people to put their mask on in his vehicle. But at around 2am, a man who Bruce had been driving home took his mask off. “I told him repeatedly to leave the car, but he wasn’t listening to me,” he recounts. “He kept shouting and calling me names. I was trying to get my phone to record the conversation when I felt a hard blow to the head. After he kicked me I was really scared…. [read full article]
- VICE: The sectoral bargaining bill, which was to be tabled by New York state senator Diane Savino, was painted by advocates as allowing workers to collectively bargain for a deal that determines working conditions across an industry or sector. However, labor advocates saw it as ultimately enshrining the gig economy’s business model in law. Support collapsed once a draft copy was leaked, with a number of labor groups, politicians, and public figures condemning the deal as it offered limited collective bargaining rights without reclassification to employees. New York State legislature is also set to convene on Thursday…. [read full article]
- Washington Post: As tough as it is to get around using ride-hailing apps, it has been just as competitive to get a rental car this year. After the pandemic tanked the rental-car demand, companies sold hundreds of thousands of their vehicles to get by. Now, travelers are finding it very difficult or very expensive to find a car to rent…. [read full article]
- Matador Network: You’re in a hurry, and you’ve ordered an Uber to get you to your destination — only, it says that your driver is here, but you cannot, for the life of you, find them. Uber feels for you and has come up with some new features to help make your life a lot easier. Uber has figured out that it can be pretty tricky to get picked up at some destinations. After doing some research, Uber discovered its five hardest destinations for riders to be picked up…. [read full article]
- KQED: A trial to determine if Lyft violates the Americans With Disabilities Act concluded in San Francisco on Tuesday. A pending decision by Judge William Alsup may soon determine if the ride-hail company will be compelled to provide service for those who use powered wheelchairs. The Berkeley and New York-based Disability Rights Advocates group filed the class-action complaint in US Northern District Court against Lyft in 2019, alleging it ran afoul of the ADA by failing to ensure service for those who require special wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) to get around…. [read full article]
- The Points Guy: The feature Uber riders probably want most right now is a return to pre-pandemic pricing. In many markets, fares have jumped considerably over the last few months — personally, I’ve been giving most of my ride-share business to Lyft, which consistently wins the pricing battle each time I comparison shop before I request a pickup. At least in part, that’s an issue of supply and demand — in some cases, there are more riders than drivers, and the app automatically adjusts pricing up so the riders who are willing to pay higher prices get matched with a car…. [read full article]
- VICE: The blunder was clearly unintentional, but also a cruel reminder of the employment benefits—healthcare, paid sick leave, overtime pay, the right to unionize—that the company has refused to provide to its workforce for years. Many gig economy workers rely on government assistance for healthcare or go uninsured…. [read full article
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