Lyft and Uber said they will cease operations in Minneapolis after the city’s council voted Thursday to override a mayoral veto and require that ride-hailing services increase driver wages to the equivalent of the local minimum wage of $15.57 an hour.

Lyft called the ordinance “deeply flawed,” saying in a statement that it supports a minimum earning standard for drivers but not the one passed by the council.

  • @hperrin
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    14210 months ago

    Good. Get the fuck outta here and let someone who can run a functioning company take your place. Functioning companies pay their workers enough to live on.

      • @Alk
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        1910 months ago

        Well at this point the old “taxi” model is (from the consumers perspective) basically the same as Uber. Use an app to get a ride, pay for the ride, (maybe) tip the driver. Call them whatever you want, but it just needs to be another Uber, but better.

      • Annoyed_🦀
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        1310 months ago

        Yes, taxi, the thing Uber and Lyft and many more company rebranded into something fancy like “Ride-hailing” or “ride-sharing”.

  • @[email protected]
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    8910 months ago

    They threatened the same with Seattle and surprise surprise they’re still here. They did pass the entire fee onto the consumer though, which sucks ass but at least gig workers are being paid.

    • @[email protected]
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      3210 months ago

      As a consumer visiting, I’d see that and think “Uber is too expensive now, I guess.” Then I’d not use them in other cities.

      I’m already avoiding them right now, though, so no changes here.

      • @[email protected]
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        410 months ago

        It just means you’re guaranteed a single $15.57 drive per hour if you haven’t had one the entire hour. That’s unlikely so it’ll probably be split up making it a little more expensive.

    • @[email protected]
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      10 months ago

      At least Seattle has a decent rail and bus system. In some smaller cities and rural areas, you are fucked AND Uber/Lyft is expensive af (if available)

    • @TurboDiesel
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      1510 months ago

      They did the same thing for UberEats in NYC. “New York Courier Fee” of $2 on every order with the explainer text “Due to new requirements put in place by the City of New York, workers are guaranteed a minimum hourly pay rate while they are delivering orders to customers. Customers will now see an additional fee on all delivery orders to help cover this pay rate. Tipping remains optional.”

      • @PriorityMotif
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        910 months ago

        Reminds me of when my employer put a separate line item for “Obama care cost increase” on my paycheck

    • magnetosphere
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      10 months ago

      Yup. If they refuse to pay minimum wage, they’re exploiting your citizens who drive for them. Let them leave.

      • @[email protected]
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        10 months ago

        Minimum wage is still exploitation given that the drivers provide all their own equipment, cover their own costs, and get no sick leave or holiday pay. Typically, self-employment is paid at an hourly rate 2.5x the salaried rate because of all the extra costs the employer is not covering.

        Minimum wage for ‘self-employed’ gig workers should be $35-40. Pass that law.

  • @[email protected]
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    3510 months ago

    If your business cannot exist with paying employees appropriate wages then that is a failure in the business and the business does not deserve to exist. That’s what these capitalists love, right? Oh they’re only upset when the system works against THEM, that’s right.

  • @rockSlayer
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    3310 months ago

    Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

  • @[email protected]
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    3110 months ago

    Call their bluff. There’s a lot of money for this kind of service in the metro. Big rideshare is just trying to maintain the status quo.

  • @foggy
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    10 months ago

    How the fuck is Lyft still a company?

    They don’t deliver food, how did they survive the pandemic?

    How many dumb billionaire venture capitalists put way too many eggs in that basket?

    Something tells me that would be an easy stock to short.

      • edric
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        1310 months ago

        Yeah, on the rare occasion where I need to take a ride-share, I go for Lyft over Uber just because they are the lesser evil, not because they are better.

        • Flying Squid
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          510 months ago

          Fun thing- the drivers in this town have both Uber and Lyft stickers on their cars.

          • edric
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            110 months ago

            Never said they weren’t evil. All I said is that if those are the only options I have, I choose one over the other.

        • @fustigation769curtain
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          -210 months ago

          What a clown take.

          You should go for whoever gives you the better deal, lol.

      • @fustigation769curtain
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        -910 months ago

        Really? I recall a South Park episode showing the exact opposite, lol.

        Also, all of my friends use Uber EXCEPT one who uses Lyft because their job gives them a better deal.

        • @Dkarma
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          810 months ago

          Stob believing South Park you doughnut.

          Jesus Christ ppl think South Park is news now???

          We’re fucked

          • @fustigation769curtain
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            10 months ago

            What do you mean “news”?

            We’re talking about the company’s reputation.

            you doughnut.

            So sad when people like you think you’re smart.

    • @thantik
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      2010 months ago

      I know a lot of people who simply just use both Uber and Lyft; and refer to them both as “Uber”.

      • @[email protected]
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        710 months ago

        Yeah. And “dumb venture capitalists” describes Uber more than Lyft. They’re way more overextended.

        Food delivery? You want to compete against GrubHub, Doordash, Postmates, and local restaurant delivery drivers? It’s a losing business.

      • 𝕱𝖎𝖗𝖊𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖈𝖍
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        10 months ago

        Having two options means you get to compare prices. Most drivers work for both anyways. Also, I don’t use Uber for anything other than car rides.

    • @phoneymouse
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      510 months ago

      It’s lost 80% of its value in the past few years. I think you’ve maybe missed the boat on shorting.

  • arglebargle
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    2610 months ago

    Everytime I read anything about lyft and uber I can’t help but wonder what would happen if the drivers could get organized and form a non profit coop.

    Get a new name, app, insurance, a board that runs the day to day operations.

    Would it even be profitable then? At least it might be equitable.

    • @[email protected]
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      910 months ago

      They’re not technically a non-profit, but there is a co-op doing exactly this named, very creatively, The Drivers Cooperative. They’re only in Colorado and New York (and I think specifically NYC) right now, but it’s exciting to see that happening.

  • Franklin
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    1610 months ago

    Good fucking riddance

    • Franklin
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      1410 months ago

      I really hope they follow it with plans for expansion to the public transit system

      • ditty
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        510 months ago

        The MPLS Met Council has been working on expanding the city’s light rail system for many years and have encountered nothing but problems along the way. Once they complete the southwest line, they’ll be millions over budget and still need to reign in the blatant crimes and obnoxious behaviors that plague the current light rail lines. I fully support public transit and reducing car traffic, but I do not currently ride the light rail because it is not safe to do so atm.

        • Franklin
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          210 months ago

          Yeah I will say that while I’m in full support of light rail just like you it is one of the most difficult projects a city can undertake and there are a lot of ways it can overrun on cost and compromise too much to be effective

    • geogle
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      310 months ago

      A new grassroots amalgam will take their place. Enter Luber.

      • Franklin
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        10 months ago

        Sounds like an app for cab based hookups.

  • @[email protected]
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    1410 months ago

    I don’t use either service very often, but the last time I tried, I ended up taking a taxi as it was cheaper. This was at the airport.

    Again, rarely use these types of services period. But I’ve also never had a taxi not show up and almost make me miss my flight. Happened to me with Uber.

    • @aidan
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      -110 months ago

      Uber or Bolt(an Uber clone) I’ve found to be good for avoiding getting scammed.

      • @[email protected]
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        310 months ago

        The good news is they all have apps so it’s easy to check which one’s cheapest. I’m not sure any of them are scamming outside of the dynamic pricing that Uber and Lyft do

        • @aidan
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          010 months ago

          I’m saying local taxis will scam a lot, especially foreigners. Using Uber/Bolt you can avoid that

    • @stoly
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      510 months ago

      They’ll do what Uber Eats/Door Dash does and charge the customer for it.

    • @LifeOfChance
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      210 months ago

      They would just charge WAY more to compensate then take 20% of the drivers tips

  • @Kalysta
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    1210 months ago

    What?? You mean licensed taxis with unions and accountability will suddenly get business again?