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How Some Rideshare Drivers Earn More in a Time of Decline
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Business Insider wrote an article stating we’re all making less. That’s not a surprise. It is a trend. Now, with upfront pricing, Uber and Lyft have found yet another way to charge more for their rides while paying drivers less, thereby increasing their “take rate.”
However, the article is only half right. Yes, many drivers earn less today than they did two years ago. But not all. Some of us are earning more.
That statistic is “on average.” It does not represent individuals. The real question is: How are you doing? Are you above average or below average? This article will provide a guide to being on the right side of that line.
Nobody gets lucky in this gig. We got smarter. The truth is, the rules of the game changed. Many drivers didn’t change with them. If you don’t adapt, you fall behind. If you do, you get ahead.
In many ways, driving is more fun now than ever before. How you drive is now a bigger determinant than it ever was when everyone was paid the same. When everyone was getting 80%, then it didn’t matter which rides you accepted. They all paid the same. Now, you have to be ultra selective or you won’t make a fraction of what you are worth.
Background
The Business Insider article highlights a concerning trend. From 2024 to 2025, earnings declined for many gig workers who partner with companies such as Uber, Lyft, and Instacart.
Inflation rose. Mileage rates shrank. Platforms took more. But the mistake is thinking everyone lost.
The article doesn’t ask why some drivers still earn a good income. I will. The system favors the alert, the disciplined, the patient. The lazy driver feeds the smart one. That’s how it is now. And that’s how you win.
“Gig workers' average monthly earnings fell more than 10% in a year.”
Remember, 'on average' does not mean 'you and me'. We have a choice in the matter.
Stop Accepting Bad Rides
Most drivers accept whatever shows up. That’s their mistake. Every bad ride they take leaves a good ride for you. Don’t take junk. Wait for gold. Be cold. Be selective. Let the app chase you. This is a hard lesson to learn.
Most of us grow up wanting to please our bosses. They ask us to do something, and we do it. We like to present our work and get a nice “way to go!” Therefore, when Uber and Lyft tell us, and manipulate us, to accept every ride that we get pinged, it can be challenging to decline. However, you must learn to do so.
I did a study of 100 rides last year. The earnings per hour ranged from $10 per hour to $60 per hour. You have to ask yourself a question: Do you want to please your rideshare overlords, or do you want to make money to feed your family and provide luxury and comfort?
Neil Young once sang, “Don’t let it bring you down. It’s only castles burning.” The system will burn up your time if you let it. But you don’t have to. Stand firm. Decline more. Get more.
Mindset Is Everything
This is a mental game. You must believe the money is still out there because it is. I can drive Saturday and Sunday and make $30 an hour in Sacramento, California. That is how much I used to make driving full-time in San Francisco.
Don’t lament the past. Instead, embrace the future. If you think you're stuck, you are. If you think you're free, you drive like it. The app isn’t your boss. You are.
“You can go your own way,” Fleetwood Mac told us. And that’s the truth. The ride doesn’t own you. The offer doesn’t command you. You choose. You steer. That’s how a winner thinks.
Find the Sweet Spots
High-paying rides are real. You just have to know when and where to find them. Early morning airport runs. Friday night surges. Post-concert crowds. You trade comfort for cash. But the money’s there.
Tom Petty got it right — “The waiting is the hardest part.” But wait, be smart. Watch the map. Know the hotspots. Then strike when it matters. That’s how you win the rideshare game.
Work the Edges
Don’t chase the herd—work off-peak hours. Drive early. Drive late. Make money while others sleep. Then sleep when others work. When you’re with your family, it won’t matter what time you earned the money. Just that you did.
Steve Miller sang, “Time keeps on slippin’ slippin’ slippin’ into the future.” If you don’t use your time wisely, it slips away. But if you flip the script, you get time and money. That’s the dream.
Drive Like A Smart Trader Trades
This is no different from trading in the stock market. Most lose—a few win. You learn to read the market. You study the flow. You know when to enter and when to stay out. Once you get that edge, never give it back.
“Money, it’s a gas. Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash,” Pink Floyd advised. Driving without a plan is gambling. Driving with a plan is like smart trading. You either learn the difference or you feed the ones who did.
Key Takeaways
Most drivers are losing because they haven’t changed.
Long gone are the days when every ride paid you 80% of the fare.
Long gone are the days when you were guaranteed a fixed rate for time and distance.
Long gone are the days when you could earn 2X to 10X on rides with multiplier surge.
Those days are over. It’s a new day. The few that are winning — we learned the new game. We don’t accept every ride. We know our value. We work when it pays.
The Business Insider article is only half the story. The other half is us. And we’re still earning. If you want to win in today’s market, be one of the few who do it right. Be safe out there.
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