LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Rideshare drivers say they are caught between spiking gas prices and falling pay, with some questioning whether the job remains sustainable.
In March, the average cost of gas in Nevada was $3.57 a gallon, according to AAA. Today, it’s $5.09 in Nevada.
Drivers are calling for the state to require a gas surcharge and set a minimum per-mile rate. Neither has ever been mandated.
Maurice, an Uber driver for nearly a decade, said fuel is his biggest expense.
“Basically, right now, to fill up my gas tank is about $75 every time I fill it up,” Maurice said. “And I fill it up about four times a week.”
He said that without protections in place, profits are disappearing.
“If you do ten of those rides, you’re only making $37.80, and it’s basically taking you three or four hours to make $37.80, which is absolutely not fair,” Maurice said.
Leanne, a driver who spoke to FOX5 in March, now only drives during concerts and conventions.
This week, Maurice and other drivers took their concerns to the Nevada Transportation Authority, asking for a gas surcharge and minimum pay standards.
MORE ON FOX5: Nevada gas prices climb above $4 a gallon, leaving rideshare drivers sidelined
“When Uber first started, they were only taking 25% of the fare and giving the drivers 75%. Now, it’s absolutely reversed the other way, which doesn’t make any sense,” Maurice said.
Drivers said Uber recently lowered minimum fares to around $4, while many now take home less than 50 percent of each ride. They also said the company is not offering fuel surcharges.
In March 2022, Uber offered a temporary surcharge in response to record-high gas prices following the war in Ukraine. That lasted two months. The company has also implemented surcharges in select countries in response to the conflict in Iran. The U.S. was not included.
The NTA said they can hear these concerns, but do not have the authority to set rates. That would have to come from the state Legislature.
“We pay for our fuel. We pay for our oil changes. We pay for everything,” Maurice said.
Uber did not respond to a request for comment.
The NTA does not regulate TNC drivers, only TNC companies pursuant to Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 706A.
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