Nowadays, there are so many options when it comes to how to get from point A to point B. It is no longer necessary to own a car if you don’t want to. Besides walking, biking, public transportation and taxis, ride sharing companies like Uber and Lyft have really changed the game.
In fact, we hardly hear any of our friends talk about taking a taxi anymore. It’s always “I’ll get an Uber.” We even have friends who drive for Uber and Lyft as a side job to earn a little extra spending money.
While being a rideshare driver for a company like Uber or Lyft certainly has advantages, like flexibility and being able to work wherever you are and whenever you want, there are other disadvantages.
Many rideshare drivers are unhappy with their pay. One rideshare driver showed that he only gets about half of the total cost for a passenger’s ride. With all the fees that these companies add, there isn’t a whole lot left over.
Henock Wonderse, who has driven for Uber since 2012, told The Washington Post,
The wages are so unpredictable and so low, it’s very difficult to make a living. We want better pay, and we hope the passengers join us to get that message across.
Meanwhile, Uber said via statement,
Drivers are at the heart of our service — we can’t succeed without them — and thousands of people come into work at Uber every day focused on how to make their experience better, on and off the road. Whether it’s more consistent earnings, stronger insurance protections or fully-funded four-year degrees for drivers or their families, we’ll continue working to improve the experience for and with drivers.
In an effort to get better pay, drivers for Uber, Lyft and other rideshare companies banned together to go on strike. They also encouraged riders to take other forms of transportation. These strikes took place across the country in cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and New York City.
The idea for the strike started in Los Angeles, but it was not limited to just the United States. Drivers in other countries planned to join the strike as well.
Watch the video below to hear from Uber and Lyft drivers about why the strike was important to them.
Did you know that there was a rideshare strike on Wednesday? Did it impact your commute? Do you use services like Uber and Lyft on a regular basis? Do you think these drivers should deserve to get a bigger cut of the total cost for a ride? If you’re a driver for Uber, Lyft or another rideshare company, did you strike on Wednesday?