Uber Drivers

by Andrew Overstreet
Uber, a relatively new ride sharing service has made a splash in the market and
has been doing quite well. But what do people actually think of this new service? This
paper is a survey interview to determine, what its like to be a driver for uber and if its
better than driving for another service. The purpose of this study is to determine if people
who work for uber enjoy it, why they do it and how often are working for uber.

Background:
The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 82% of independent contractors in the U.S.
prefer their work arrangement to a traditional 9-to-5 gig.
Technology are creating more opportunities that no one could have known would
exist, ten or twenty years ago. I believe these new jobs are challenging that traditional 9-5
job and creating a new work as you go environment where people can make money as
they need. I collected a good amount of this research from Benenson Strategy Group and
came up with my analysis. As well as many other research resources to come up with my
analysis.
So first Who's driving for Uber
49% of uber drives have previous driving experience, 51% of uber drivers have
never had driving experience, so this tells me that its pretty split between people
swtiching from other driving services to uber as well as new employees.
Demographically 86% men, 14% women, as well 25% are over 50 and 19% of drivers
are under 30. So this shows us that most Uber drives are men between 30 and 50.

Why work for Uber?

Other statistics show that 48% of uber drives are frequently working, using the
service as a full time income or a consistent way to supplement their income. 74% of
drivers who work for uber say they use the service to maintain a steady income. While on
the other side 52% of Uber drives are working part time just seeking a flexible earning
opportunity. Why Uber? Why do these drivers from other services or jobs switch? 87% of
uber drivers said that they wanted to be their own boss, and 85% also said that Uber
helped them to create a better work-life balance. 71% of uber drivers say that their
income is better since signing with uber. So far employees seem happy with the pay and
Uber is not sparing expense in the last quarter of 2014 alone Uber paided $650 million to
their drivers in the U.S.

Resources

"Uber, Airbnb and Consequences of the Sharing Economy:

Research Roundup." Http://journalistsresource.org. 29 Jan.
2015. Web.
"Ride On! Mobility Business Models for Sharing Economy."
Organization and Environment 27.3 (2014): 279-96.
Sagepub. Web.
<http://oae.sagepub.com.proxy.library.vcu.edu/content/27/3/
279.full.pdf html>.
Hustle Behind The Wheel: What It's Like To Be An Uber
Driver. Perf. Karl Theobald, Isaac Alfandary, Claire Callahan
Goodman.
Http://www.lexisnexis.com.proxy.library.vcu.edu/hottopics/lna
cademic/?sterms=PUBLICATION(All Things
Considered)&verb=sr&csi=8398, 2014. Film.