Lyft CEO David Risher often talks about his personal optimistic experiences driving for the rideshare service.
Take certainly one of Risher’s newest LinkedIn posts, which particulars driving Lyft riders round Napa Valley on a Sunday in early summer time. The CEO says he made about $28 an hour, together with ideas, from three rides in a 90-minute interval. The $28 didn’t embrace his bills, comparable to fuel.
“Clearly I drive to study, to not earn, and your mileage might fluctuate,” he wrote. “However I got here away with much more appreciation for the driving expertise.”
However one Pennsylvania-based Lyft driver instructed Enterprise Insider that the truth is way completely different than what Risher describes. The motive force requested to not be recognized by identify on this article, citing worry of getting his account deactivated by Lyft. BI has verified his work for Lyft and different particulars.
Throughout one current week driving in Pennsylvania, the motive force instructed BI that he accomplished eight rides over about three hours and drove 85 miles. After accounting for his bills, he estimates that he earned a complete of $35 in pre-tax revenue for his work.
“They are not even paying us minimal wage after these bills are taken off of that,” the motive force mentioned. “However they’re portraying on the market that we’re making $20 or $30 an hour, and that isn’t true.”
“It is misrepresentation,” the motive force mentioned about Risher’s newest publish.
Lyft drivers — and lots of different gig employees, comparable to those that ship for companies like DoorDash and Instacart — aren’t compensated in most locations for the time spent driving to a location to choose somebody up. Nor are they paid for time spent ready for the app to serve them a trip supply.
Except you might have the nice luck that Risher did in Napa lining up practically back-to-back-to-back rides, that unpaid time can eat deep into the cash drivers earn whereas finishing a job, the Lyft driver instructed BI.
In some smaller Pennsylvania cities, for instance, “the site visitors is so congested that you just choose someone up for a $3 trip, and it will take you 20 minutes to get there.”
“You subtract your mileage, and also you’re within the gap,” he added.
“We all know that driving in rural areas of the nation is not the identical as in comparison with driving in among the busiest cities like New York or San Francisco — every has their very own traits,” a Lyft spokesperson instructed BI.
The spokesperson additionally pointed to a Might announcement, wherein Lyft mentioned that drivers would obtain a minimum of 70% of the fares that riders pay every week.
Gig employees throughout the board have confronted decrease pay for his or her work lately because of a higher variety of contractors competing for orders.
Uber and Lyft employees say they’re often provided rides that pay $3 or much less every.
This month, the Pennsylvania driver mentioned a brand new problem hit his incomes potential: A Lyft assist consultant instructed him through chat that he was out of the blue unable to simply accept rides within the county subsequent to the place he often works. The motive force shared screenshots of the chat with BI. Lyft didn’t reply to a query from BI in regards to the coverage.
Thus far, that is led to fewer trip affords and fewer revenue, the motive force mentioned. Beforehand, he labored throughout county strains in Pennsylvania to take probably the most profitable rides.
“I’ve to work 12 hours now to make what I used to make in eight hours,” he instructed BI.
Do you’re employed for Lyft, Uber, DoorDash, or one other gig rideshare or supply service and have a narrative concept to share? Attain out to this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com.
