POLITICO
Rideshare drivers have gotten four pay rises while essential city employees struggle to keep up
By Josh Gold, Senior Director, Public Policy & Communications, Uber | November 6, 2024
A new study reveals that New York City’s Uber drivers are earning significantly more than many of the city’s frontline workers. According to data collected by HR&A Advisors, full-time drivers working 32 hours a week average $35.86 per hour. This translates to an annual income of $52,900 after operational expenses.
These findings come at a time when rideshare drivers have gotten five rate increases since 2020 from the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC). Meanwhile, city employees who perform critical roles — including EMTs and sanitation workers — have experienced stagnant wages. Starting salaries for EMTs and sanitation workers remain below $44,000, leaving many trapped in the growing affordability crisis that is consuming the working class in New York.
The regulatory environment for rideshare drivers in New York has given them a leg up over essential city workers because the TLC tightly controls minimum pay rates and the number of licenses. This structure has led to increased driver earnings, while essential city workers remain left behind as rideshare drivers continue to see income growth.
City leaders, including Mayor Adams and TLC Commissioner David Do, have made plenty of comments on earnings for rideshare drivers, yet largely ignored this disparity between the pay of Uber drivers and city employees — those whose checks come directly from Mayor Adams. This contradiction shows how City Hall has not woken up to the urgent need for broader pay equity in public service.
As debates continue, one thing is clear: New York may end up setting a precedent as the first major city to let core public sector jobs slip far below the earnings of gig workers.
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