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Rideshare drivers protest “unfair” wages
More than 100 Uber and Lyft drivers at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport turned off their apps for several hours to make a difference on a busy holiday day. All in the hope that rideshare companies would notice and increase their wages.
ATLANTA — Dozens of Uber and Lyft drivers turned off their apps at the Atlanta airport during one of the busiest holiday travel seasons. The rideshare drivers told FOX 5 Atlanta they are fed up with unfair wages from the companies they work for.
Drivers began the closure at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at 4 p.m., the start of the so-called peak travel times.
The idea was to make it difficult for those who need a ride from the airport. They hoped this would make companies realize that drivers need better wages.
“As long as we protest, passengers will continue to be stranded and maybe that will have an impact,” said a driver.
Drivers told FOX 5 that in some cases they received less than 50% of the fare, sometimes even less than 30% of it.
“I went for a ride the other day and she said she paid $102 for a 40-minute ride. “I got $25, and that’s because I had a $5 bonus!” said Lyft driver Debora Williams. “It’s just ridiculous.”
FOX 5 reached out to Uber and Lyft for a breakdown of how drivers are paid at the airport.
“Earnings in Atlanta exceed $30 per hour when drivers actively work on the platform,” an Uber spokeswoman told FOX 5. “Drivers also receive advance fare and destination information before accepting a ride, and have full authority to decide which trips are worth their time.”
A spokesperson for Lyft told FOX 5 that their drivers' pay in Atlanta is broken down into three pillars:
- Advance payment: This is the fare that drivers receive for each trip they take. You can view the fare before accepting it. The prepayment is based on a number of factors, including the estimated time and distance for the ride, your travel to the pickup point, the demand for rides in your area, and other market factors.
- Tips: You keep 100% of the tips passengers give you. We built tipping into the Lyft app to make it easier for riders to say thank you and because we know it's important to our drivers. Passengers can tip during and after the ride or set an automatic tip so they never forget.
- Bonuses: Lyft offers a variety of bonuses to increase your earnings. Bonuses are most often offered at the busiest times and locations. You can see what's available in your Lyft Driver app or learn more about driver bonuses here.
“Lyft takes drivers’ concerns very seriously and regularly looks for ways to improve their experience on the platform,” a Lyft spokesperson said. “Last year in Georgia and across the country, we launched Upfront Pay, which shows drivers driving information and their earnings before accepting a ride. We also provide drivers with a weekly salary statement that shows a breakdown of their earnings and the total amount drivers are paid.”
The protest lasted for hours as more and more drivers rallied to the cause.
However, FOX 5 Atlanta checked in with passengers in the Atlanta airport rideshare zone. Many of them said they had no problem ordering an Uber or Lyft.
“Tonight it was absolutely no problem. We did one in three minutes,” Olivia Alexander said.
The protesting drivers said they are planning another boycott and will continue to do so until the companies hear them.