For why an app: it's faster, lower friction, and you don't need to rely on human beings staffing a call center. Also you get things like ride tracking, etc. See

For why an app: it's faster, lower friction, and you don't need to rely on human beings staffing a call center. Also you get things like ride tracking, etc. Seems pretty obvious that app-based is better TBH. For Seattle specifically, it looks like the council passed a minimum wage for ride-sharing drivers in 2019 and for app-based delivery drivers in 2022. https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2022/06/01/seattle-sets-minimum-wage-app-based-delivery-drivers https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2022/06/01/seattle-sets-... So that looks like it's working as intended, although I agree that the city should have acted much faster on this.