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508 Posts
Gig workers, yes, but independent contractors, no. The only choice we have in the matter is whether we want to work to earn money or not. No work, no money.
I will admit that it felt a whole lot more like we were in control when Proposition 22 first passed. But slowly, over time, Uber has pretty much moved us back to where we were before the whole AB5/Prop 22 thing happened. The only visible difference that remains is that we can see upfront details. But even that is limited to 5 rights of refusal before we are basically back where we were before AB5 was even a dream.
For drivers to be even closer to Independent Contractors, we should AT LEAST have the ability to:
1. Set our own prices as we did at one time.
2. View upfront pickup/destination details for all rides with no exception or 5/10 rule.
3. Have unlimited use of destination filters as it was until recently.
These are the big three that I would stand firm on, as we all should.
In exchange, Uber/Lyft should be allowed to figure out and charge drivers how much it would cost them to remain in business and profitable as technology companies as they pursue their dreams of one day operating a whole fleet of Robotaxi's. Until then, they are stuck with human operators of their technologies. And we drivers should be willing to pay them an upfront monthly subscription fee according to their costs to utilize their technology.
Should they(Uber/Lyft) have any say over who can utilize their software? Most certainly. And I can't imagine we don't all agree that the current level of safety measures and minimum standards in place isn't beneficial for the overall network performance. Let them bake this into their minimum operating cost structure.
Regarding pay. At one time, Uber's agreement with drivers was that they would take only 20% of the total fare. That changed at some point before I started driving in 2016. At that time, it was 25%. It was simple and transparent.
At some point, the fee and cost structure became much more complicated and loaded with all manner of additional fees that were, as they would say, charged directly to the riders, that was aside from the fare and, as such, not subject to driver share. Things like convenience fees, safety fees, marketplace fees, region or city fees, airport surcharges, etc.
Now some may want to argue that AB5 would have solved this. No. It would have made us employees plain and simple. Something the vast majority of drivers did and do not want to be. Proposition 22, in turn, gave us a momentary taste of what Uber/Lyft should have been from the beginning. Simply technology companies offering up software for a fee.
Some will want to argue that the ability to set our own prices will be a race to the bottom. It will not just like it was not after Proposition 22 passed. On the contrary, Uber chose to take that feature away because we drivers were continuing to push the price up, resulting in some riders being priced out of the rideshare model.
Uber/Lyft need to let the market forces drive demand for their services if they wish to remain technology companies versus the public transportation industry providers that are now acting as.
The service drivers provide needs to remain private, and the use of their software needs to remain in the control of the providers of that private service, the independent contractor drivers.
Let this document be a declaration of independence for all drivers that want to be independent and private contractors providing safe and efficient rides made possible by the technologies made available by Uber/Lyft until the inevitability of driverless vehicles is a reality. At which point Uber and Lyft can then set their own rates as true public transportation network companies.
I will admit that it felt a whole lot more like we were in control when Proposition 22 first passed. But slowly, over time, Uber has pretty much moved us back to where we were before the whole AB5/Prop 22 thing happened. The only visible difference that remains is that we can see upfront details. But even that is limited to 5 rights of refusal before we are basically back where we were before AB5 was even a dream.
For drivers to be even closer to Independent Contractors, we should AT LEAST have the ability to:
1. Set our own prices as we did at one time.
2. View upfront pickup/destination details for all rides with no exception or 5/10 rule.
3. Have unlimited use of destination filters as it was until recently.
These are the big three that I would stand firm on, as we all should.
In exchange, Uber/Lyft should be allowed to figure out and charge drivers how much it would cost them to remain in business and profitable as technology companies as they pursue their dreams of one day operating a whole fleet of Robotaxi's. Until then, they are stuck with human operators of their technologies. And we drivers should be willing to pay them an upfront monthly subscription fee according to their costs to utilize their technology.
Should they(Uber/Lyft) have any say over who can utilize their software? Most certainly. And I can't imagine we don't all agree that the current level of safety measures and minimum standards in place isn't beneficial for the overall network performance. Let them bake this into their minimum operating cost structure.
Regarding pay. At one time, Uber's agreement with drivers was that they would take only 20% of the total fare. That changed at some point before I started driving in 2016. At that time, it was 25%. It was simple and transparent.
At some point, the fee and cost structure became much more complicated and loaded with all manner of additional fees that were, as they would say, charged directly to the riders, that was aside from the fare and, as such, not subject to driver share. Things like convenience fees, safety fees, marketplace fees, region or city fees, airport surcharges, etc.
Now some may want to argue that AB5 would have solved this. No. It would have made us employees plain and simple. Something the vast majority of drivers did and do not want to be. Proposition 22, in turn, gave us a momentary taste of what Uber/Lyft should have been from the beginning. Simply technology companies offering up software for a fee.
Some will want to argue that the ability to set our own prices will be a race to the bottom. It will not just like it was not after Proposition 22 passed. On the contrary, Uber chose to take that feature away because we drivers were continuing to push the price up, resulting in some riders being priced out of the rideshare model.
Uber/Lyft need to let the market forces drive demand for their services if they wish to remain technology companies versus the public transportation industry providers that are now acting as.
The service drivers provide needs to remain private, and the use of their software needs to remain in the control of the providers of that private service, the independent contractor drivers.
Let this document be a declaration of independence for all drivers that want to be independent and private contractors providing safe and efficient rides made possible by the technologies made available by Uber/Lyft until the inevitability of driverless vehicles is a reality. At which point Uber and Lyft can then set their own rates as true public transportation network companies.
