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To Make A Living, Some Uber Drivers Sleep In Their Cars

A sticker with the Uber logo is displayed in the window of a car on June 12, 2014 in San Francisco, Calif. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
A sticker with the Uber logo is displayed in the window of a car on June 12, 2014 in San Francisco, Calif. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The ride-hailing app Uber promises its drivers independence and an opportunity to earn a living with a flexible side gig. But a new report by Bloomberg finds most of Uber’s revenue comes from drivers who are working 35 hours a week for the company.

As more drivers sign up, competition is driving down wages. Some drivers even commute long distances from home and sleep in their cars so they can stay close to high-demand areas.

Here & Now‘s Robin Young talks with Olivia Zaleski ( @OliviaZaleski), who reported the story for Bloomberg along with Eric Newcomer, about the shifting economics of driving for the largest employer in the gig economy.

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.