[IMAGECAPTIONPHOTO: Some Uber drivers make their cars their homes according to new report. (Photo via Flickr/John Tester Guerrilla)[/IMAGECAPTION]
We take Uber service and the drivers who provide the innovative mode of ground transportation for granted. A new report highlights the unique hardships of some drivers who find themselves sleeping in grocery store parking lots just to stay in the black.
Bloomberg's Eric Newcomer and Olivia Zaleski bring travelers a healthy dose of perspective in a report that sheds a light on the extremes some Uber drivers go to just to make sure they are making money on their shift.
We so often get off the plane and jump into our Uber or Lyft ride without contemplating what the industry has cultivated by way of this otherwise innovative ground transportation solution.
Rather than take the classic taxi and all its headaches, travelers have increasingly decided to choose ride-hailing apps for their respective commutes.
It's so easy to step in, thumb through your social media and completely ignore what is going on in the driver's seat.
But here we meet people like 42-year-old German Tugas who decides to hunker down in a San Francisco Safeway parking lot for the night instead of going home.
We read about people like Walter Laquian Howard who often chooses to lay his head in his car at the "Uber Terminal" - a Chicago solution that basically means a bunch of drivers parked at a local 7-11 for the night.
As the report finds, wages for those driving for Uber have fallen in recent months, meaning some drivers in outlying cities have had to commute into larger metropolitan areas just to get in on what are lucrative fares.
The problem arises with the prospect of getting home, something that eats up now valuable fuel and miles on the car.
And so Newcomer and Zaleski run into exhausted but not irate drivers, some of whom choose local hostels and motels to sleep between the late-night shift and the early-morning commute.
But, it's important to note, some interviewed are quick to show appreciation for the opportunity.
The aforementioned Tugus states: "I signed up for this because I am my boss. I kind of own the business. I have the freedom and that's a beautiful thing."
The driver continues, issuing a bit of caution mixed with gratitude: "This job is not for everyone. Don't get it twisted. These labor advocates, they don't know what it's like to be a driver. They think we're not being treated right, but I'm happy. If I didn't like it, I would do something else."
But for some who live in areas that wouldn't normally offer the fares that make driving Uber a worthwhile endeavor, some have taken unorthodox measures to ensure their livelihood.
Bloomberg reports Sacramento's Andre Williams recently splurged on 11 nights at a motel.
The report explains the trade-off: "His tab added up to $980, but he said it's worth it because he'll make up to four times that in a week, working 14 hours a day. Uber regularly rewards drivers who complete 120 trips in a week with cash bonuses of up to $500."
As for Uber, it has promised to be more driver-centric in 2017. Nundu Janakiram, its head of driver experience, tells Bloomberg on the specifics offered in the report: "I personally haven't spoken to a driver that's slept in their car. From my perspective, I think we have such a wide range of drivers, people on our platform, almost nothing I learn about any individual surprises me anymore."
As we have reported in the past, Uber still maintains a tip-free experience for patrons. However, it's hard not to pepper the ride with gratuity after hearing about these kinds of experiences.
Regardless, Uber will have to do something about its falling wages soon. Drivers may enjoy flexibility, but soon the experience will lose its luster when, in this case, you are forced to bring the office home.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
