8 ms·

Some Uber drivers make so little, they have to live in their cars

10 points by palidanx 9y ago

zeroxfe 9y ago
What I don't understand is why the free market doesn't correct for this. If Uber drivers make less than what they need, they'd stop driving for Uber, causing some kind of price correction, no? (BTW, I'm no fan of Uber, but I don't understand how Uber is to blame here.)
- dkonofalski 9y ago
  Uber isn't the one to blame here. The whole story is ridiculous.
- frgtpsswrdlame 9y ago
  Why do you think the "free market" would correct for "what they need"? The free market doesn't care about what anyone needs.
  - sharemywin 9y ago
    the market isn't free. Uber and Lyft are basically the only game in town for below minimum wage.
- bmh_ca 9y ago
  Uber is clearly the best option these people believe they have. Knowledge is not perfect, and efficiency is not instant.
  - sharemywin 9y ago
    because there is very little wage competition below minimum wage.
  - zeroxfe 9y ago
    Yes, I agree, and I see that these cases are clearly outliers -- nevertheless, it doesn't seem reasonable to blame Uber for this.
    - sharemywin 9y ago
      They're exploiting loopholes(and that's a generous stretch) in employment laws.
    - bmh_ca 9y ago
      I agree that this is not Uber's fault. I was only tackling the "why the free market doesn't correct" aspect. On that point: The free market is not obligated to correct for the lack of demand for humans.
- buckbova 9y ago
  The argument they're making is at one point the drivers were making more money and could afford to buy a new vehicle or whatever. Then because of fare reductions and therefore reductions in pay they're now saddled with debt and can't afford housing.
  - jcslzr 9y ago
    that sounds like 80% of the population, not only Uber drivers
- sharemywin 9y ago
  Uber doesn't offer a job, they are considered a contactors. As a contractor you can't collect unemployment, you don't get minimum wage and you're responsible for collecting your own taxes. It's not much different than MLM schemes they offer the world, but in the end most false promises.
dkonofalski 9y ago
This is sensationalist nonsense and should be voted down immediately. No one is forcing these people to keep their jobs for Uber and them having to live in their cars has nothing to do with Uber. It has to do with them not making a sustainable income living in one of the most expensive parts of the United States. Take your car, drive is somewhere cheaper and look for a job in an area you can afford to live. Don't shift the blame to Uber.
- microwavecamera 9y ago
  Uber was misleading drivers with deceptive advertising regarding how much drivers would make. How couldn't you blame Uber? http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/19/technology/uber-settles-driver-lawsuit/index.html http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/19/technology/uber-settles-driv... https://www.forbes.com/sites/janetwburns/2017/01/23/uber-must-pay-20m-for-luring-drivers-with-inflated-wage-stats/#6bf20dbf191d https://www.forbes.com/sites/janetwburns/2017/01/23/uber-mus...
  - dkonofalski 9y ago
    ...because no one is forcing these people to continue working for Uber? This article makes it seem like these people have to live in their cars because they're somehow bound to Uber. If they can't get another job, then Uber is income that they wouldn't otherwise have. I don't see how that's Uber's fault.
    - microwavecamera 9y ago
      So it's alright that companies lie and it's the employees fault for not knowing they were being lied too? Brilliant. Another thought, if Uber wasn't completely incompetent in managing it's finances and didn't hemorrhage money like a rich cocaine addict in Bolivia, they could probably afford to pay fair wages.
      - dkonofalski 9y ago
        Umm... they are not Uber employees. They're Uber contractors. I'm not saying that Uber is a saintly company with only good intentions. I'm saying that it's misguided and silly to blame Uber for the fact that this person has to live in his car. Without Uber, he would be getting no income whatsoever and would be living in his car anyways. At the very least, he could drive to another city while Ubering and picking up fares and improve his situation. Blaming Uber is not only wrong but doesn't actually fix his situation at all.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
undersuit 9y ago
I gotta say that maybe part of the problem is the two guys they mentioned with car payments are paying more in a month than I pay for my rent in Montana.
petraeus 9y ago
Anyone driving for Uber is really dumb, these people simply take the cake.

10 points by palidanx 9y ago

What I don't understand is why the free market doesn't correct for this. If Uber drivers make less than what they need, they'd stop driving for Uber, causing some kind of price correction, no? (BTW, I'm no fan of Uber, but I don't understand how Uber is to blame here.)

dkonofalski 9y ago
Uber isn't the one to blame here. The whole story is ridiculous.
frgtpsswrdlame 9y ago
Why do you think the "free market" would correct for "what they need"? The free market doesn't care about what anyone needs.
- sharemywin 9y ago
  the market isn't free. Uber and Lyft are basically the only game in town for below minimum wage.
bmh_ca 9y ago
Uber is clearly the best option these people believe they have. Knowledge is not perfect, and efficiency is not instant.
- sharemywin 9y ago
  because there is very little wage competition below minimum wage.
- zeroxfe 9y ago
  Yes, I agree, and I see that these cases are clearly outliers -- nevertheless, it doesn't seem reasonable to blame Uber for this.
  - sharemywin 9y ago
    They're exploiting loopholes(and that's a generous stretch) in employment laws.
  - bmh_ca 9y ago
    I agree that this is not Uber's fault. I was only tackling the "why the free market doesn't correct" aspect. On that point: The free market is not obligated to correct for the lack of demand for humans.
buckbova 9y ago
The argument they're making is at one point the drivers were making more money and could afford to buy a new vehicle or whatever. Then because of fare reductions and therefore reductions in pay they're now saddled with debt and can't afford housing.
- jcslzr 9y ago
  that sounds like 80% of the population, not only Uber drivers
sharemywin 9y ago
Uber doesn't offer a job, they are considered a contactors. As a contractor you can't collect unemployment, you don't get minimum wage and you're responsible for collecting your own taxes. It's not much different than MLM schemes they offer the world, but in the end most false promises.

dkonofalski 9y ago

This is sensationalist nonsense and should be voted down immediately. No one is forcing these people to keep their jobs for Uber and them having to live in their cars has nothing to do with Uber. It has to do with them not making a sustainable income living in one of the most expensive parts of the United States. Take your car, drive is somewhere cheaper and look for a job in an area you can afford to live. Don't shift the blame to Uber.

microwavecamera 9y ago
Uber was misleading drivers with deceptive advertising regarding how much drivers would make. How couldn't you blame Uber? http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/19/technology/uber-settles-driver-lawsuit/index.html http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/19/technology/uber-settles-driv... https://www.forbes.com/sites/janetwburns/2017/01/23/uber-must-pay-20m-for-luring-drivers-with-inflated-wage-stats/#6bf20dbf191d https://www.forbes.com/sites/janetwburns/2017/01/23/uber-mus...
- dkonofalski 9y ago
  ...because no one is forcing these people to continue working for Uber? This article makes it seem like these people have to live in their cars because they're somehow bound to Uber. If they can't get another job, then Uber is income that they wouldn't otherwise have. I don't see how that's Uber's fault.
  - microwavecamera 9y ago
    So it's alright that companies lie and it's the employees fault for not knowing they were being lied too? Brilliant. Another thought, if Uber wasn't completely incompetent in managing it's finances and didn't hemorrhage money like a rich cocaine addict in Bolivia, they could probably afford to pay fair wages.
    - dkonofalski 9y ago
      Umm... they are not Uber employees. They're Uber contractors. I'm not saying that Uber is a saintly company with only good intentions. I'm saying that it's misguided and silly to blame Uber for the fact that this person has to live in his car. Without Uber, he would be getting no income whatsoever and would be living in his car anyways. At the very least, he could drive to another city while Ubering and picking up fares and improve his situation. Blaming Uber is not only wrong but doesn't actually fix his situation at all.

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

undersuit 9y ago

I gotta say that maybe part of the problem is the two guys they mentioned with car payments are paying more in a month than I pay for my rent in Montana.

petraeus 9y ago

Anyone driving for Uber is really dumb, these people simply take the cake.