Full-time ride-hailing service drivers working for Transportation Network Providers (TNPs) like Uber, Lyft and Via earned a gross average of $1,077 per week but faced expenses of $427 per week, netting an average of $650 per week during a 12-week period, an independent study conducted by Crowe LLP, a Chicago-based firm, said.
The study said that only 0.25% to 6.05% of TNP chauffeurs worked full-time during the study period. On average, part-time drivers made much more per hour of driving time, the study said.
Taxi drivers who worked full-time did much better than TNP drivers, netting $1,948 per week after expenses on average. However, similarly to TNPs, only .0.5% to 6.1% of taxi drivers worked full-time, the study said. "Full time" is defined in the study as directly interacting with passengers for at least 30 hours a week.
The City of Chicago's Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP), which commissioned the study, said it is dedicated to making transportation accessible for everyone and ensuring the safety and reliability of public passenger vehicles (PPVs) in Chicago.
"By providing point-to-point, relatively on-demand transportation options for Chicago residents, workers, and visitors, PPVs represent an important source of consumer transportation choices," the study said. " PPVs also provide a relatively flexible earnings opportunity for chauffeurs and are a revenue source for City operations. All of these factors make PPVs an important contributor to the Chicago economy.”
"Transportation Network Providers (TNPs) provide and maintain a digital platform (smartphone application or app) to connect passengers with chauffeurs and vehicles for compensation. TNPs are commonly referred to as 'ride share' or 'ride hail' companies and, in some jurisdictions, as Transportation Network Companies (TNCs),” according to the study.
When only trip time is considered, the study said 65.30% of full-time Uber, Lyft and Via drivers made a net $18.90-$27.90 per hour after deducting expenses, and 22.6% of full-time Uber, Lyft and Via drivers earned more than $28.90 per hour. Combining these two figures, about 87.9% of full-time Uber, Lyft and Via drivers made at least $18.90 per trip hour after expenses. "Note that these calculations only represent average estimated earnings while a chauffeur is on trips with passengers; the calculations do not account for time spent waiting for passengers without earning money," the study said.
"Less than 0.5% of full-time TNP chauffeurs earned less than $20 per hour of trip time. 9.1% of full-time TNP chauffeurs earned between $21-30 per hour of trip time," the study found.
Crowe distinguished trip time as the "total time driving passengers" versus "session time," the "total time logged in the TNP application."
Part-time chauffeurs had higher percentages of earning between $51 and $60 per hour before expenses than full-time chauffeurs. This could be attributed to part-time chauffeurs strategically choosing to drive during high-demand hours, such as major events, peak commuting times, and weekends to maximize their earnings per hour, the study said.
The study recommended that the city expand data collection, review and possibly lower fees for drivers, and review and possibly reduce regulatory burdens.
Uber Eats delivery drivers are on a list of 33 highest-paying gig-economy jobs, according to The Ways to Wealth. The flexibility of an Uber Eats driver being able to work whenever one wants and the immediate pay-out from each delivery put this gig economy job high on the list. Being an Uber driver was also mentioned on the list. The requirements to sign up include uploading a valid driver's license, insurance information and a headshot. The article also says these gig jobs are simple to get, requiring few qualifications. According to user-generated app reviews, Uber Eats delivery driver and Uber driver both rated 4.6 out of a possible maximum score of five.
Ride-hailing and taxi driving were mentioned in a list of the 10 best gig economy jobs, according to Oberlo. Minimum requirements like a having smartphone and car, plus the flexibility of earning money on the side, place ride-hailing jobs like Uber, Lyft and Via on the list.