Uber And Lyft Drivers Launch Bold Holiday Protest, Bringing Atlanta Airport To A Standstill

The drivers, in a bid to disrupt holiday travel, turned off their apps at 4 p.m. and remained parked at the airport for several hours, refusing to accept fares.

One of the drivers, speaking to FOX Atlanta, stated, As long as we protest, passengers will continue to be stranded, and maybe that will make an impact. The protest was reportedly aimed at the rideshare companies, with drivers demanding higher wages. Fox Business reported that drivers claim they are earning less than half of the fare per ride, with some alleging it's less than 30 percent.

Debora Williams, a Lyft driver, shared her experience with FOX Atlanta, I did a ride the other day, and she said she paid $102 for a 40-minute ride. I got $25, and thats because I had a $5 bonus!

In response to the protest, FOX 5 reached out to both Uber and Lyft for a detailed explanation of their pay structure for airport rides. An Uber spokeswoman responded, Earnings in Atlanta are more than $30 an hour when drivers are actively working on the platform. Drivers also receive fare and destination information upfront before they accept a trip and are fully empowered to decide what trips are worth their time.

December 25, 2023

Lyft, on the other hand, stated that their drivers receive upfront pay, tips, and bonuses. A spokesperson for Lyft said, Lyft takes the concerns of drivers very seriously and are regularly exploring ways to improve their experience on the platform. Last year, we introduced Upfront Pay in Georgia and across the country, which shows drivers ride information and what theyll earn before accepting a ride. We also provide drivers a weekly pay summary that shows a breakdown of their earnings and the total amount riders paid.

Lyft drivers can view the upfront pay before accepting a ride and receive 100 percent of their tips. Bonuses, which are typically based on busy times and locations, are displayed on the Lyft Driver app.