Uber/Lyft STRIKE disruption May 8-10

[JimMIA]

Just a quick heads-up that there might be some disruption of Uber and Lyft service toward the end of next week -- May 8 to May 10...maybe a little longer.

Uber's IPO (first offering of stock for public purchase) is scheduled for Friday, May 10 and there is a movement on social media for drivers to strike during that period.

The impetus for the proposed strike is the continuation of driver pay cuts by both Uber and Lyft, while raising rider fares.

For example, Uber recently cut Los Angeles area driver pay 25% and Lyft cut many Orlando area drivers pay more than 20% (effective today, actually).

Both companies have also stopped paying drivers extra when they charge riders surge pricing. They may charge you double or triple, but pay the drivers little or nothing. This morning one of our Miami drivers posted a screenshot where Uber charged a rider $30 extra and only paid him $1.25 extra.

It's hard to say how successful anything like this will be, because organizing Uber/Lyft drivers is worse than herding cats.

There is a lot of chatter; how much of that gets translated into actually staying offline is anybody's guess. But it is at least possible that WDW visitors will have some difficulty getting rides during that period.

 

[MrKnight]

Thankfully we have WDW Transportation , IMO best and easiest way to get around WDW.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I found an article that indicates "Philly will join in the shutdown, but they’ll be accompanied by riders in Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego and Minneapolis, along with LA and D.C." but when this was reported on my local news last week, Boston was included. Nothing in Florida yet, but still at least a week to go.

 

[SteveH]

If they keep this up it will be ripe for new company to step in. The market will decide. Drivers have a choice not to drive for one or either of them.

 

[georgina]

Thanks for the heads-up, OP.

Thankfully we have WDW Transportation , IMO best and easiest way to get around WDW.

Yes, that is good for you. Not everyone going to Orlando is going to Disney World, however.

 

[JimMIA]

If they keep this up it will be ripe for new company to step in. The market will decide. Drivers have a choice not to drive for one or either of them.

Well, I think the market has already spoken.

As a driver, I enjoy driving and interacting with my riders. I also have the advantage of being retired, with a good retirement income, so I only drive part-time and I don't need the money. But the MBA in me just doesn't see a business model that works.

Uber is 10 years old, has never come close to making a profit, and only one weak competitor has entered the market. Other possible competitors have considered, but nobody's in -- and that tells me something. I don't think the real threat to Uber and Lyft is another rideshare competitor -- it's autonomous vehicles, and some of the companies developing self-driving cars will compete with Uber/Lyft in some aspect of their businesses.

But the fundamental problem Uber and Lyft face is that they have disrupted an industry that never made much money in the first place. The taxi industry only survived all these years because they were able to maintain monopolies and drastically limit supply. Add enough supply of drivers to fully service the market, and all the profit goes away.

From the driver perspective, I can drive less, not drive for one company or the other, or drive XL only -- but most drivers don't have that luxury.

Especially in Miami and Orlando, we have thousands of drivers who have come from Puerto Rico (displaced by hurricanes) or Venezuela (political and economic wasteland) and drive for one of the companies because they literally cannot do anything else. They rent cars through one of the companies, and they are locked into driving long hours each week for that company only.

Then Lyft cuts their pay 20%. What are they going to do -- go back to Venezuela?

I don't think so. They will be forced to drive even longer hours -- which is exactly what Lyft wants, and exactly why Lyft cut their pay. They're locked in and they have nowhere to go.

 

[jec6613]

Most drivers aren't like you, unfortunately JimMIA.

I thought Copenhagen had a good system set up when they kicked out Uber though. A centralized city-wide app discount system for registered hacks (or whatever the Danish equivalent of a hack driver is). It ensured that fairly paid drivers who would make a living and keep accessibility standards would be allowed to drive.

When I visit NYC I use exclusively medallioned taxis, but as I live quite a distance away nowadays I use Uber out here since Taxi dispatch can be an hour or more (and Lyft isn't much better).

 

[JimMIA]

Just wanted to bump this up as a reminder for tomorrow and Friday.

I've been surprised by several things with this strike thing. One is that it has generated much more discussion among drivers than I anticipated. I expected a few loudmouth activists making noise on social media, but there has actually been pretty widespread support. There are a lot more drivers keeping the app OFF on May 8 and May 10 than I expected.

Another surprise is the amount of media coverage the idea has received. Especially the last two days, there has been a steady stream of news stories sympathetic to drivers.

For WDW specifically, from what I see on the local Orlando forum of a popular driver social media site, there will likely be a significant number of Orlando drivers "striking." How much actual disruption that creates at WDW is unknown because these things always tend to be bigger in theory and anticipation than they are in real life.

We'll see.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Locsl (Boston) news ran a story. There's an Über office up here, they showed a few people protesting but also noted that there were several drivers at the airport this morning. Strike running midnight to midnight.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Is there anyone who knows if lyft has shut down in Florida Melbourne area to be exact

 

[kaytieeldr]

Open the Lyft app and start to request a ride. If no cars are showing as available nearby, then maybe. Melbourne wasnt on JimMIA's list, though.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Open the Lyft app and start to request a ride. If no cars are showing as available nearby, then maybe. Melbourne wasnt on JimMIA's list, though.

I just did for fun and one is 5min away but I feel bad for everyone that is impacted

 

[JimMIA]

Is there anyone who knows if lyft has shut down in Florida Melbourne area to be exact

I'm sure neither Uber nor Lyft is shut down anywhere. If you need a ride, I'm sure you'll be able to get one.

 

[bumbershoot]

I’d only heard about Uber. And it was from a friend who drives for both. But then he’s in Los Angeles.

Thankfully we have WDW Transportation , IMO best and easiest way to get around WDW.

Ugh. Disagree.

They rent cars through one of the companies

Wow, Florida allows that? Can’t do that in WA.

 

[amberpi]

Another who totally disagrees that WDW transport is better than Uber. I have to wonder if that person has used the service across the resort as it saves a metric butt ton of time and you get SO much closer to your destination (except maybe MK).

I feel for the Uber drivers, but as someone who is dependent on Uber for transportation when my DH is busy; this sure does stink. Lots of people in the disabled community rely on these services for transport (like me!) and I'm grateful every day that it's available and let my driver's know that.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I feel for the Uber drivers, but as someone who is dependent on Uber for transportation when my DH is busy; this sure does stink.

You understand this was a one day strike, correct? And that there was no official strike in your city?

 

[JimMIA]

I’d only heard about Uber. And it was from a friend who drives for both. But then he’s in Los Angeles.

Most drivers drive for both, and I think those who turned their apps off probably turned off both. If I were to drive Lyft only here in Miami, it would just be as a joke.

Wow, Florida allows that? Can’t do that in WA.

It's not direct from the companies. I believe both use Hertz.

In Orlando, from the info I've seen directly from their drivers, they pay about $1,000-$1,100 per month for a Toyota Corolla or similar car. If they do 85 rides per week (EVERY week), that comes down to about $450 per month.

However, instead of being paid $0.53 per mile, rental drivers are only paid $0.36 per mile. Maintenance and insurance for the car is included, but drivers still obviously have to pay for gas, car washes, etc. One driver estimated gas cost at 11 cents per mile (I haven't done the math, but that sounds reasonable to me). So those rental drivers are actually driving for about half-pay, plus paying $450 per month.

AND if they drive more than 750 miles in any month with their app off (Publix, taking the kids to school, etc), they get charged for those off-app miles.

Sounds like a dream job, right?

 

[JimMIA]

You understand this was a one day strike, correct? And that there was no official strike in your city?

LOL. There was no "official" strike anywhere. In a few places where they have unions (NYC, London, Australia), there were organized events, but for the other 99.9% of the drivers, it was an individual thing.

I don't normally drive on Wednesdays, but yesterday I turned both apps on at 7 AM. Within 10 minutes, I had ignored two Uber ride requests, two Lyft ride requests (with their crybaby Nastygrams, lol), and turned both apps off. I haven't turned either app back on.

I only drive part-time, usually a couple of weekends per month. So Friday, I will go through that same procedure again in the morning and turn both apps off for the rest of the day.

 

[JimMIA]

I feel for the Uber drivers, but as someone who is dependent on Uber for transportation when my DH is busy; this sure does stink. Lots of people in the disabled community rely on these services for transport (like me!)

I know it's inconvenient for you, but if your community doesn't provide accessible transportation services, shame on your community!

Taxpayer-funded accessible transportation would be a MUCH more worthwhile use of public funds than many of things your politicians spend YOUR money on.

and I'm grateful every day that it's available and let my driver's know that.

Hopefully you express your gratitude in cash...

 

[amberpi]

I know it's inconvenient for you, but if your community doesn't provide accessible transportation services, shame on your community!

Taxpayer-funded accessible transportation would be a MUCH more worthwhile use of public funds than many of things your politicians spend YOUR money on.
Hopefully you express your gratitude in cash...

We don't have great mass transit here or I'd happily use it.

If I didn't match my dollars with my words, why bother?