Big Take Podcast

How a Summer of ‘Lockouts’ Hurt NYC Rideshare Drivers

Uber and Lyft promised to give drivers flexibility. But this summer, app “lockouts” limited drivers to save the companies millions.

Demonstrators protest outside Uber offices in New York, on June 26. — Demonstrators protest outside Uber offices in New York, on June 26.
Photographer: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg

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By Sarah Holder and Thomas Lu

October 11, 2024 at 8:03 PM UTC

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Uber and Lyft promised to give drivers independence and the flexibility to work whenever they wanted. But this summer in New York City, these ride share companies started restricting when their drivers could go online. A new Bloomberg investigation found that driver lockouts were designed to save the companies millions in minimum wage payments — and ultimately cost drivers in the process.