Why You Might Soon Be Paid Like an Uber Driver--Even If You're Not One

Benjamin Valdez, a rideshare driver with Uber and Lyft in the Los Angeles area, used to drive seven days a week when the gig was more lucrative--but he says he makes far less per ride these days. When Valdez started driving, around nine years ago, he told me that he could earn anywhere from 60 to 85 to drive from West Hollywood to downtown Los Angeles at peak surge, a roughly 6-to-10-mile trip depending on the specific route. Now, if "the stars align," he can earn between 25 and 35 for the same trip. "It's gotten harder and harder to make money," he said. In recent years, rideshare drivers like Valdez have experienced shrinking incomes as the companies continue to increase their cut from each ride.