Earla Phillips has been a rideshare driver for nearly 10 years and says she has never made less money than she is right now.
“It has been really difficult,” she said. “There’s not enough work to go around, and the work that is offered to us is very low paying.”
Phillips drives with both Uber and Lyft and says the algorithms used by the two companies mean some rides only pay out $2 or $3. The low pay, coupled with the high price of gas, means she is rejecting more rides than she accepts.
“At one point I was 85 per cent,” she says of her acceptance rate. “Now, it fluctuates between the high teens and 20-somethings. Mine’s at 29 per cent right now.”
Phillips says she simply cannot afford to take low-paying rides when it costs nearly $60 to fill up the tank of her Kia Forte.
“(On Tuesday) I went out from about 11:00 am until 6:30 at night and I made less than $70,” she said. “And that is between the two apps.”
Lyft did not respond to our request to comment. In a statement, Uber said they are giving drivers “increased cash back at the pump” when they use their Uber Pro Card to fill up. “The intention is to provide relief for drivers and delivery people while rider and consumer prices remain stable and affordable,” said Laura Miller, the head of public policy and communications at Uber Canada.
But Phillips says it’s not enough, and she’s not the only driver struggling. Some are outright quitting while others are losing their cars because they can’t afford to keep them.
“There are drivers that are having their cars repossessed,” she said. “There are drivers that are going to food banks. I’m one of them, because I’m not making enough money.”
According to a 2024 report published by the City of Toronto, rideshare drivers earned a median hourly wage of $5.97 in the first four months of that year. That number accounts for all of the time spent on the road such as waiting for a call or driving to a pickup. It also includes the costs of providing their own vehicle. The median hourly wage was $33.18 per hour for “engaged time,” which is the time spent driving a customer to their destination.
Phillips says things have been tough since new algorithms were put in place that changed the way ride pay outs are calculated. Costs for things like insurance and car maintenance have also gone up. But the soaring price of gas has exacerbated these issues.
“This is a service that people rely on, a service that people value,” she said. “But the companies don’t value us. We take all the liability, we take all the expense on our shoulders, and they continue to lower pay.”
