‘I only want to better my life,’ says Uber driver who took home only $17k last year – despite making $109,000 in fares | 6503BIK | 2024-05-02 12:08:01
'I only want to better my life,' says Uber driver who took home only $17k last year – despite making $109,000 in fares | 6503BIK | 2024-05-02 12:08:01
AN Uber driver has asked a question as someone who drives for the company as a main source of income: why is he making less than in previous years?
Uber drivers are voicing concerns about the decrease in overall income as a full-time driver.
George, a full-time Uber driver using a pseudonym in Cleveland, Ohio, noticed that despite grossing $109,000 last year, he only took home 16% of that amount.
For those without a calculator, that's only $17,000 for the entire year.
He'd been driving with Uber as his main source of income since 2017 and explained that he was once happy with the amount he made per year.
After this year's net profit, however, he feels like he's stuck between a rock and a hard place.
"I used to sing the praises of Uber and recommend doing Uber to people looking for a business opportunity and one where a decent income can be made," he told Business Insider.
"But no longer."
According to documents he sent to the outlet, a large percentage of the funds reduced from his yield were due to the associated costs of driving his personal vehicle every day.
That includes gas, general maintenance, insurance, and other miscellaneous costs.
Compared to his earnings from 2021, an additional three percent of his gross income was retracted.
In 2022, he said that after careful calculations, he figured out that he was earning up to $40 per hour after expenses during busier times, making the 30 to 55-hour work weeks worth the trouble.
<!-- End of Brightcove Player --> Gridwise published a study that found a typical Uber driver's wage evened out to be about $29 an hour in 2022, reducing to $23 on average in 2023.
In 2023, George only made around $17 an hour.
"Now I'd have to drive around 10 to 12 hours per day, six days a week, if I wanted to make a large sum like I was able to years ago, by working maybe 30 to 40 hours a week," he said.
In other major cities, like Minneapolis, Minnesota, drivers made an average of just $14 per hour after expenses were factored in, causing a revolt that nearly caused Uber to pull services from the city.
Uber told the outlet that a "vast majority" of drivers were happy with their pay, claiming that many drivers were making about $33 per hour before expenses.
Many Uber drivers like George were upset by the larger cut in overall pay, with many saying that the company is reducing driver wages due to increased insurance premiums, rising costs in gas per gallon, and driver competition.
</div> </div> George is one of many full-time drivers who feel their lack of education and physical capabilities make it impossible to find a different job that pays like Uber used to.
"I would only be able to earn, say, up to $20 an hour at a brick-and-mortar job, which would leave me in pretty much the same boat, so that's not a solution," he said.
"I don't have a degree, so my vocation pool is limited."
His bad hip which leaves him in chronic pain after light exercise would make standing, lifting, pushing, or pulling extremely difficult, too.
He's considered becoming a truck driver, but training and licensing could cost him thousands in out-of-pocket costs and unpaid training.
"There are a number of frustrations because I only want to better my life," he said.
"But because of the situation as it is, I continue to run into a brick wall."
George isn't imagining things, either – a recent study found that the cost of being a driver – gas, insurance, cell phone bill, snacks, vehicle maintenance, and other costs – have increased while total earnings have decreased.
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