Want to Make More on Uber and Lyft? It Pays to be Young

Matt McFarland writes on cnn.com: “Want to make more money? Generally, getting older does the trick. But something curious is playing out in the ridesharing world. A new survey finds that the younger an Uber or Lyft driver is, the more they report making. Drivers over the age of 61 reported making the least amount per hour, $14.57. The highest earners were people between 18 and 30, who pulled in $17.98 an hour. The survey was conducted by Harry Campbell, who runs a popular ridesharing blog, The Rideshare Guy. He surveyed 1,150 drivers who subscribe to his email list. Uber and Lyft don’t pay different rates depending on a driver’s age. The gap in earnings emerges based on how many rides a driver can pack in an hour, and if they are benefiting from surge pricing and bonuses. For example, ridesharing companies sometimes offer incentives if a driver picks up passengers in a popular neighborhood during a certain timeframe. Driving on Friday and Saturday evenings is especially lucrative, according to Campbell, but some older drivers may not want to work such a late shift. Younger drivers generally have an easier time mastering the technology aspect of the job, as well as the physical demands.” (cnn.com)