We Put 7 Uber Drivers in One Room. What We Found Will Shock You.

We put 7 Uber & Lyft drivers in one room and had them open their apps.

We found Uber paying different drivers different amounts for the same ride. Lyft too.

It’s proof corporations are using secret algorithms to pay workers less. And all of our jobs could be next.
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We report on the abuses and wrongdoing of corporate power, and we seek to hold accountable the ultra-rich who have too much power over America’s political and economic systems.

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[SamBroadway]

I was a cab driver for 30 years in Galveston Texas... They had successfully banned Uber and Lyft or any rideshare program from coming on to our Island for over 10 years. When they lobbied the government of Texas with 17 million in donations Uber arrived with extremely cheap fares. They eliminated the taxis within a year because drivers could not compete or make a reasonable living any longer. Once the taxis were gone it was amazing how quickly the price of rideshare became more expensive than the traditional regulated taxis

[MartinIrizarry]

I recently took a Lyft from Downtown Houston to the airport. The ride was 45 min at no rush hour.
Lyft cost was $42, i asked the driver how much he his revenue was. He said $19. He also said that before uber/lyft, he was making $45 for the same ride, but now he was making less than 50%. Lyft didn't provide the rider the breakdown of the cost to show how much it is taxes, fees and driver cost. This disclosure should bee mandatory.

[lifenbeta]

As a driver, what bothers me is that Lyft continually says they only take 21%. I know that’s a lie because I ask riders what they paid and usually I’m getting 50% of the rate

[evstafievcoach]

Ex Uber driver here. This is why I no longer drive for Uber/Lyft, its a scam! The great lesson for me to become truly independent by starting my own business! Thanks Uber!

[AddyAdderson]

I was just visiting Europe. We called an Uber driver using the Uber ap. He was top-notch and easily earned a 5 star rating from us. At the end of the ride, he handed me a business card and told me to call him if I wanted the return ride the next day. I called him the next day and he happily took us back to our original destination. Same guy, same new car, same quality - but this time, Uber was not involved. Poor Uber.

[ggris]

As an ex-Uber & Lyft driver, these are NOT the way to make extra money. Unless you can travel back in time to being one of the first drivers OR the pandemic. Otherwise, you are being ROBBED! FIND ANOTHER WAY!

[youngaries]

As reluctant users, my husband and I get different prices for Uber rides when we're standing right next to each other, have the same rating, same tiered benefits, etc. They should investigate this too.

[riflebird]

This has been done to American truckers for the past 50 years. I’m glad this conversation is coming up.

[dvdv]

Monopolies ruin everything they touch. It doesn't matter what industry they operate in.

[dvdv]

“This country has socialism for the rich, rugged individualism for the poor." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Still as true as ever today.

[marinaferreira]

As a former driver, I have seen first hand the average dollar per mile fall drastically over time while at the same time expenses like gas, insurance and repairs have been increasing steadily. It got to a point where I was simply at times paying to drive people to their destinations. It was demoralizing. I no longer drive for Uber or Lyft. These companies are exploiting drivers for their own massive profits.

[ericivory]

Drivers have to organize. Use social media and other channels of communication to organize. Planned "strikes." No airport rides on Monday etc. We all need the money so we can't afford to not drive for a whole week but if we organize and continue to hit them all at the same time the riders will complain and hopefully join the fight as well.They will eventually have to come to the table. This channel has some power, use it.

[baronhelius]

I drove for Lyft and Uber for close to five years but gave it up a year ago. Upfront pricing was the death knell for me. It just wasn’t economically feasible anymore. The costs of gas, the beating it put on my car, my time, etc. Not to mention the safety issues. Unlike passengers, us drivers have no idea who’s getting into our back seat!? Often the names are made up and people share accounts . I show up to pick up Linda and some 6’5 guy with a beard shows up. Lyft started making deals with medical insurance companies for us to practically do medical transport! All of a sudden somebody who just got out of the hospital with seeping wounds, broken legs or worse tries getting in the car. For $6 im supposed to deal with blood, wheelchairs, vomit, people who just had surgery!? Im supposed to help them into and out of a wheelchair and then wheel them into their house?? I am not a qualified medical person nor is my vehicle equipped for this stuff. But thats the greed of these rideshare companies. While they rake in the $$ from the comfort of their air conditioned offices us drivers are in the trenches.

[DetroitMetroRetro]

Independent journalism is the life blood of America

[buddylee]

I believe these Food Delivery apps are doing the same thing to us drivers.

[jamesriches]

My wife and I were recently in Chicago and got several Ubers while we were there.

My Uber account is years old but my wife made her account during our trip.

Multiple times during the trip, we’d both pull up the same ride to our destination and using the exact same options we got different prices every time.

Interestingly, my wife’s was cheaper every time.

[Anonymoususer-kzxi]

The elephant in the room here exists with literally EVERY corporation’s practices: they are NEVER fined an amount great enough to stop abusing their employees and customers or for that matter breaking the law. They ALWAYS choose to violate their responsibilities because the laughable “fine” they will incur is a COST OF DOING BUSINESS. Profits outweigh all else without enforcement.

[AndrewMott]

As a Uber eats driver, the algorithm actually dictates my pay. If I decline a bunch of orders, I’ll get punished. If I come back from a week or so break, it’ll give me delivery after delivery, just to get me back in. A few days later, barely any orders.

It’s not a job, it can’t replace a job.

[costafilh]

*DO THE SAME FOR PASSENGERS!*

I bet the difference is even bigger! Sometimes I wait only 5 minutes, and then I try again, the price is 20% lower. This is crazy. It has nothing to do with demand, demand did not decrease 20% in 5 minutes, it has everything to do with abuse and lack of transparency.

[LeviClay]

I would consider that it’s happened not because the app is discriminating against drivers based on their identity or economic status. I would imagine that as drivers are offered rides which they can accept or decline, over time they can work out what each driver is happy to accept.

I work in music, there are some guys I work with who undercut everyone else, and because I know that, when I work with them, I offer them less that I offer someone else… because im running a business and they’re happy.