Drivers protest, companies step up and the facts about minimum wage. LegalRideshare breaks it down.
Drivers step up in Kentucky. Spectrum News reported:
Around 60 drivers went on strike starting at the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. They said they chose the location because they don't make enough on rides from the airport to downtown hotels.
Solomon Tamene has been driving for Uber and Lyft for six-and-a-half years, but he went on strike for the first time Monday.
Lyft recently announced drivers will earn 70% or more of rider payments each week. If they don't, they will be paid the difference.
“They say drivers make 70%,” Tamene said. “I'll show you; I have my evidence. Drivers say they make 70%, but we never make 70%.”
With Uber planning to leave, other rideshare companies are stepping up. KARE 11 reported:
Rideshare companies Uber and Lyft said they will leave Minneapolis on May 1 if a new ordinance, passed by the city council, takes effect.
But several companies said they are ready to come in if Uber and Lyft make good on their promise.Steve Wright, founder and CEO of Wridz, said their rideshare company can now be found in 20 cities across the country. But they started in Austin, Texas after Uber and Lyft left the city in 2016 under different circumstances. A new Texas law then eventually superseded the Austin ordinance, leading to Uber and Lyft returning a year later.
Joshua Sear, founder and CEO of Empower, said their main market is in the Washington, D.C., metro area. But they also provide service to drivers in Winston-Salem/Greensboro, North Carolina and are beta testing the service in New York City.
To date, no new company has submitted an application for a TNC license. Once the city of Minneapolis receives a license application from a TNC, it takes approximately two to six weeks for approval. Hill said any new companies will need to follow the city's permit and licensing process.
With a win in Minnesota for the drivers, reporters break down the facts. Minnesota Reformer adds:
1. Minnesota has more than 10,000 app-based drivers
2. Uber and Lyft drivers earned an average of $30.27 per hour
3. The state report was written by two labor-friendly economists
4. The Minneapolis City Council approved the ordinance before they saw the state report
6. Higher prices could impact drivers' overall income
13. Other companies will struggle to scale up if Uber and Lyft leave
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