It has been over a year since the ride sharing app Uber has arrived in London.
Since its founding in 2009, Uber has revolutionized transportation with smart phone technology – but that change comes with a price.
Many full time taxi drivers are now being displaced in place of part time precarious work.
In September, the London Taxi Association said it would withhold over $300,000 in licencing fees to the city, until council took meaningful steps to regulate Uber drivers.
David is a Fanshawe student who drives for Uber part time. He talks about his experiences as a driver, how much the average driver makes, and whether or not driving for Uber is a viable full time job.
Uber Facts:
- Uber was founded in 2009, and is currently valued at nearly $41 billion.
- The company started as a map on a smartphone, which connected a driver with a passenger based on GPS.
- To be an Uber driver, you must have a valid background check from the police, a newer four-door car, and you pass an interview. This is equivalent to what is required of taxi drivers.
- Both passengers and drivers are rated after each trip on a scale from 1 to 5. If the driver gets an average of less than 4.2, he or she is called in for a meeting with Uber management and is at risk of being cut out of the service.
