May 29, 2021
A New York Times article on efforts to create a cooperative for an Uber-like service reported without comment the claim by Uber that its drivers in the city have a median wage of $37.44 an hour. It is important to note that this is a gross figure. It does not subtract expenses like gas, insurance, and depreciation on the driver’s car.
If we assume that these expenses average 60 cents a mile (roughly the federal government figure) and that a driver covers 20 miles in an hour, they would average $12 an hour. That would make the net pay $25.44 an hour. (Uber does have the mileage data, but apparently did not choose to release it.) It is also not clear if Uber’s calculation is based on the time drivers actually spend driving with a passenger or the time where they have their app activated. If it is the former, then their true hourly pay would be considerably less.
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