Pay Cuts Have Portland Uber Drivers Upset, Considering a Change
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Uber announced it would cut pay rates for drivers across the country earlier this year. The rates took effect in February.
“A lot of drivers are not happy and a lot of us are now driving for lyft more,” Dan Uphoff, an Uber and Lyft driver in Portland, told GoLocal. He said that Lyft, another app that offers essentially the same service as Uber, has been yielding better returns on time for drivers. “Lyft has been doing a 50% off rides promotions during the weeks, ends on weekends, then back on on monday, yet still pays us our normal wages. A lot of customers I’ve had do not like the fact that uber is screwing over drivers.”
Were the Cuts Necessary?
Uphoff said that while he understand why cuts were needed in larger cities like New York or Los Angeles, the same does not apply to Portland. He said that based on his experience, customers in the Rose City were satisfied with the prices before rate cuts.
“They say it is to up business, but it does nothing of the sort,” Uphoff said. “It does not bring in new riders, as there is a already established base. They have littered the streets with way too many drivers, and have now made it harder to make any money for the trips that we do do.”
Anders Young, a rideshare driver that has driven for both Uber and Lyft, told GoLocal that he believes the cuts were inevitable. Young also said he thinks that Lyft pressured Uber to drop their rates sooner than planned.
“It's what they do in every market so it's really not a surprise when it happened,” Young said. “It was probably done sooner than they normally would have done it because Lyft had been running 50% off for their riders for the past month and just absorbing the costs so their drivers didn't have to suffer for it.”
Lyft Better for Drivers
Many drivers in a Facebook group for Lyft and Uber drivers in the Portland area have made posts since the rate cuts promising that this will mark the end of their days driving for Uber.
Uphoff said that he believes that Uber’s ations could mean the ridesharing company loses their best drivers to competitors.
“If Uber does not put rates back, they will lose their quality drivers,” Uphoff said. “People like me that work hard and have a good attitude. Instead you will get drivers that don't know the city, run beat up cars that barely pass inspection, and are scary drivers. Those will be the only people willing to drive for .90 cents per mile.”
Young agreed.
“I obviously can't speak for everyone, but from what I am able to see, people are talking about striking, but probably not following through, or not turning it on at all and driving for LYFT only,” Young said. ‘They are seeing their minimum fares drop significantly to the point of where they don't feel it's even worth their time, gas, and vehicle depreciation.”
Uphoff said he believes the cuts will have particularly bad outcomes in socially-conscious cities such as Portland.
“I now have the Lyft app on more than the Uber app,” he said. “It used to be Uber was the money maker, but now Lyft is starting to overtake Uber in portland. The people of Portland seem to care that people make a livable wage. Uber cutting our pay has upset a lot of people that I talk to. My passengers all agree, they would rather pay a little more, and have good service.”
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