Gag Me on the “Gig Economy.” A note to UberX and Lyft Riders:
Isn’t it great that UberX and Lyft rides cost you less than half what they did just a year ago? Here's a breakdown of the typical UberX/Lyft ride for a little insight on this deal: drivers receive no pay for a three to five mile drive taking an average of 10 to 12 minutes to get to rider’s pickup point. Add no compensation for a five to ten minute wait for the rider, friends and sometimes, pets, to load into the car. (With Lyft, a nominal wait charge begins upon arrival to the pick up location.) The mileage charges commence when the car starts moving. Using a four-mile drive taking about 10 to 12 minutes as an example, the rider pays about a $4.00 fare for this ride. The driver earns 75%, or $3.00 for approximately 30 minutes on the clock, minus gas, insurance, depreciation, the cost of bottled water, car washes, interior shampoos, the purchase of extra phone chargers, and more. Many riders are pretty cool people. Very pleasant, and often interesting. This ca