7 ms·

I don't follow the argument that the driver can't affect profit and loss. Every driver can decide when and where to drive, and these two factors have a consider

I don't follow the argument that the driver can't affect profit and loss. Every driver can decide when and where to drive, and these two factors have a considerable impact on the income.

CPLX 11y ago
Yes and shift workers can take more shifts, or fewer shifts, in many situations. That doesn't make them entrepreneurs. There's a distinction between income and profit from a business, and simply deciding to work more or less often isn't an entrepreneurial activity.
- pbreit 11y ago
  But with Uber/Lyft, there's a lot more ingenuity involved in deciding when, where and how to work. It's not just a simple question of working longer hours.
  - justincormack 11y ago
    I dont think that a factory making piecework pricing more complicated would change the legal employment situation though.
    - pbreit 11y ago
      Factory workers typically have shift requirements. Uber drivers don't even have to work at all.
      - CPLX 11y ago
        It's essentially the difference between hourly work and piece work. Making things into piece work and trying to get out of labor laws is an old trick that the authorities have thought of already.
        pbreit 11y ago
        Piece work is completely legitimate, you just have to make sure minimum wages are obtained.
        CPLX 11y ago
        A minimum wage arrangement, by definition, is an attribute of an employee/employer relationship.
mikeryan 11y ago
Every driver can decide when and where to drive, and these two factors have a considerable impact on the income. This is a factor in total revenue but not a factor in marginal profits.
- dnautics 11y ago
  As a Lyft driver it is a huge factor in marginal profits, especially with primetime/surge
  - mikeryan 11y ago
    But Lyft is controlling that pricing not the Driver.
tomjen3 11y ago
Aren't the drivers rated? That would mean the drivers can, by driving badly or be rude, negatively affect their income. At the same time a really good driver might be able to make bit more.
- s73v3r 11y ago
  Same thing with a waiter/waitress.
  - tomjen3 11y ago
    Where can I see the raitings of a waiter before I get seated? What restaurant will let me choose which waiter serves me? I argue that because I don't get a choice of waiter, their actions have relative little consequence apart from the current transaction - I am not much more likely to come back because I may not get that same waiter - and customers have very limited information. Not so with Uber.
    - CPLX 11y ago
      You can choose from a list of drivers with ratings on Uber? I can't.

I don't follow the argument that the driver can't affect profit and loss. Every driver can decide when and where to drive, and these two factors have a considerable impact on the income.

CPLX 11y ago

Yes and shift workers can take more shifts, or fewer shifts, in many situations. That doesn't make them entrepreneurs. There's a distinction between income and profit from a business, and simply deciding to work more or less often isn't an entrepreneurial activity.

pbreit 11y ago
But with Uber/Lyft, there's a lot more ingenuity involved in deciding when, where and how to work. It's not just a simple question of working longer hours.
- justincormack 11y ago
  I dont think that a factory making piecework pricing more complicated would change the legal employment situation though.
  - pbreit 11y ago
    Factory workers typically have shift requirements. Uber drivers don't even have to work at all.
    - CPLX 11y ago
      It's essentially the difference between hourly work and piece work. Making things into piece work and trying to get out of labor laws is an old trick that the authorities have thought of already.
      - pbreit 11y ago
        Piece work is completely legitimate, you just have to make sure minimum wages are obtained.
        CPLX 11y ago
        A minimum wage arrangement, by definition, is an attribute of an employee/employer relationship.

mikeryan 11y ago

Every driver can decide when and where to drive, and these two factors have a considerable impact on the income. This is a factor in total revenue but not a factor in marginal profits.

dnautics 11y ago
As a Lyft driver it is a huge factor in marginal profits, especially with primetime/surge
- mikeryan 11y ago
  But Lyft is controlling that pricing not the Driver.

tomjen3 11y ago

Aren't the drivers rated? That would mean the drivers can, by driving badly or be rude, negatively affect their income. At the same time a really good driver might be able to make bit more.

s73v3r 11y ago
Same thing with a waiter/waitress.
- tomjen3 11y ago
  Where can I see the raitings of a waiter before I get seated? What restaurant will let me choose which waiter serves me? I argue that because I don't get a choice of waiter, their actions have relative little consequence apart from the current transaction - I am not much more likely to come back because I may not get that same waiter - and customers have very limited information. Not so with Uber.
  - CPLX 11y ago
    You can choose from a list of drivers with ratings on Uber? I can't.