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People who work for ride-sharing companies are employees because their only way to make money is by making money for the company. Taxi companies frequently use

People who work for ride-sharing companies are employees because their only way to make money is by making money for the company. Taxi companies frequently use the independent contractor model for their businesses. All of the larger taxi companies in Phoenix lease their cab out for a flat rate, and they don't care if the driver uses the vehicle to work the company's fares. All the old taxi drivers that I know have private clients - customers who call them directly for transportation. Uber-X drivers can't legally build up a private clientele unless they also have commercial insurance and have paid the state's fee for vehicles-for-hire. But that doesn't mean they don't give out cards anyways

ars 10y ago
> People who work for ride-sharing companies are employees because their only way to make money is by making money for the company. That is not how the law defines employee. It has to do with the employer providing tools, and setting schedule. > Uber-X drivers can't legally build up a private clientele unless they also have commercial insurance and have paid the state's fee for vehicles-for-hire. And? What does that have to do with Uber? Just because they can't use their car to make money without Uber doesn't mean they are an employee of Uber - it just means Uber provides them some business leads.
dnautics 10y ago
> People who work for ride-sharing companies are employees because their only way to make money is by making money for the company. As a lyft driver, I also made money from uber. I also made money contract coding, sometimes even doing work while in my car pulled over during off time. If anything the taxi model is more exploitative, reminiscent of the 'company town' era when the employee rented their living space and tools from the company.
- toomuchtodo 10y ago
  Can I ask how much you make an hour from ridesharing after your expenses (fuel, maintenance, depreciation, insurance) are factored in?
  - dnautics 10y ago
    I have stopped driving as of July... While in San Francisco, I made about $1500/wk pre-expense, probably somewhere around $1300 post-expense on a 50 hour week. I don't count depreciation since my car was what I consider a sunk cost. Anecdotally from my driver friends it is not as lucrative anymore, mostly due to driver saturation and loss of primetime. I would say if 50% of my rides were not on primetime, I would consider to have failed for the day.
    - teslabox 10y ago
      >>> If anything the taxi model is more exploitative, reminiscent of the 'company town' era when the employee rented their living space and tools from the company. > I have stopped driving as of July... ... because you got tired of being exploited by the venture capitalists?
      - dnautics 10y ago
        No, contract coding paid as much for half the time, giving me more time to work on my nonprofit.

ars 10y ago

> People who work for ride-sharing companies are employees because their only way to make money is by making money for the company. That is not how the law defines employee. It has to do with the employer providing tools, and setting schedule. > Uber-X drivers can't legally build up a private clientele unless they also have commercial insurance and have paid the state's fee for vehicles-for-hire. And? What does that have to do with Uber? Just because they can't use their car to make money without Uber doesn't mean they are an employee of Uber - it just means Uber provides them some business leads.

dnautics 10y ago

> People who work for ride-sharing companies are employees because their only way to make money is by making money for the company. As a lyft driver, I also made money from uber. I also made money contract coding, sometimes even doing work while in my car pulled over during off time. If anything the taxi model is more exploitative, reminiscent of the 'company town' era when the employee rented their living space and tools from the company.

toomuchtodo 10y ago
Can I ask how much you make an hour from ridesharing after your expenses (fuel, maintenance, depreciation, insurance) are factored in?
- dnautics 10y ago
  I have stopped driving as of July... While in San Francisco, I made about $1500/wk pre-expense, probably somewhere around $1300 post-expense on a 50 hour week. I don't count depreciation since my car was what I consider a sunk cost. Anecdotally from my driver friends it is not as lucrative anymore, mostly due to driver saturation and loss of primetime. I would say if 50% of my rides were not on primetime, I would consider to have failed for the day.
  - teslabox 10y ago
    >>> If anything the taxi model is more exploitative, reminiscent of the 'company town' era when the employee rented their living space and tools from the company. > I have stopped driving as of July... ... because you got tired of being exploited by the venture capitalists?
    - dnautics 10y ago
      No, contract coding paid as much for half the time, giving me more time to work on my nonprofit.