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Uber attracts driver-partners from
a wide range of backgrounds
59% were working at least one full-time job before
they came to Uber. Just 8% were unemployed.
36% of driver-partners werent even looking for a job
before signing up with Uber. Most of those looking
for a job had been looking for less than 2 months.
Among Uber driver-partners who previously
drove taxis, 88% no longer drive with another taxi
company.
Half drove for a living at some point in their lives.
T here is great age and racial diversity.
Driver-partners are mostly male, though the
percent of females is higher than typically seen in
the transportation industry.
78% ARE SATISFIED WITH THEIR EXPERIENCE DRIVING ON THE UBER PLATFORM
Uber is significantly improving driver-partners financial situations
71% report their income is better since signing up with Uber.
Perhaps even more importantly in this age of wage stagnation, 57% expect their income to increase now that
they use Uber compared to just 38% who saw incomes rise in their previous jobs.
Among those who also still drive directly for a taxi, ride-sharing or black car company, 49% make more when on
the Uber platform and 29% make about the same.
Ultimately, Uber is
what driver-partners
need it to be.
We divided driver-partners
into four distinct segments:
12%
73% of driver-partners would rather
have a job where you choose your
own schedule and are your own
boss, than a steady 9-to-5 job with
some benefits and a set salary.
76% of driver-partners say earning
more income is a major reason to use
Uber.
63% use Uber to have more flexibility
so they can balance work and family.
18%
NEW REGULARS
No previous prodriving experience
and now driving uberX
>30 hrs/week
CROSSOVERS
uberX driver-partners
who previously drove
taxis or black cars
52%
18%
PART-TIMERS
No previous prodriving experience,
and now driving uberX
<30 hrs/week
THE PROS
Currently drive
UberBLACK
New York, NY
Los Angeles, CA
Washington, DC
Denver, CO
www.bsgco.com
Driver Segments
18 %
THE PROS
Currently drive
UberBLACK
18 %
CROSSOVERS
uberX driver-partners who
previously drove taxis or black cars
BASIC
DEMOS
DIFFERENTIATING
ATTRIBUTES
Nearly all male
Middle of the pack
on age: 66% 30-49
66% less than
college education;
34% college or
higher
55% drive more
than 30 hrs/week
on platform
Longest-serving
cohort: 61% been
with Uber >6 months
F
amily men: 6 in
10 have kids, 1 in
4 support parent/
spouses parent
Nearly all male
Skew older: 38%
over 50
60% less than
college education;
40% college or
higher
10% veterans
New-ish arrivals:
70% have been with
Uber <6 months
. F
amily men: 6 in
10 have kids, 1 in
5 support parent/
spouses parent
1 in 5 worked in Arts
& Entertainment
before Uber
9% veterans
1 in 5 worked as a
delivery person
More likely than
others to say:
1) they drive to
maintain steady
income because
other sources
unstable, and 2) like
meeting/talking with
new people
12%
NEW REGULARS
No previous pro-driving experience
& now driving uberX >30 hrs/week
Skew older: 39%
over 50
Just 26% have kids
42% less than
college education;
58% college or
higher
52%
PART-TIMERS
No previous pro-driving experience
& now driving uberX <30 hrs/week
MOTIVATIONS
44% <12 hrs/week 35% 12-19 hrs/week 21% 20-29 hrs/week
Youngest cohort:
60% under 40
Most female cohort,
at 21% female
47% less than college
education; 53%
college or higher
New York, NY
Los Angeles, CA
Tend to be shortterm: 6 in 10 came on
in past 3 months
75% have other jobs
besides Uber
Most common
previous industries:
health care (10%),
hospitality (12%),
business services
(12%)
Washington, DC
Denver, CO
More likely to have
been actively looking
for a part-time job,
and thats what
they found
8% were students
when started
driving uberX
4 0% drive to pay
for a specific thing
(car, vacation,
student loan)
www.bsgco.com
Life Before Uber
Uber attracts many full-timers
and even many who werent looking for a job
49% working 1 full-time job
10% working multiple jobs,
at least one full-time
not actively looking
26% working 1 or more part-time jobs
7% student
2% stay-at-home parent
were actively looking
3% retired
8% unemployed
AMONG THOSE LOOKING...
Uber fills in the gaps:
1 in 5 of those who were
previously working were
employed in a temporary job,
like an entertainment production
or a construction gig.
Were looking for a new job for:
Less than 2 months.................................. 50%
3 to 6 months............................................ 25%
6 months or more..................................... 24%
Driver-partners come from a variety of backgrounds
Nearly half
drove for a living at some point
in life, some in more than 1 way
14%
Taxi
20%
10%
15%
Black car, limo or other
for-hire car service
Another ridesharing platform
Delivery service
(non-passenger)
Industry before Uber:
Job category before Uber:
19%
TRANSPORTATION
HOSPITALITY
MANUFACTURING
HEALTH CARE
White-collar
professional
or managerial
22%
Other
10%
BUSINESS
30%
9%
26%
8%
Service
sector
14%
Blue collar
worker
7%
New York, NY
8%
Los Angeles, CA
Washington, DC
Denver, CO
www.bsgco.com
White-collar
administrative
or clerical
Their Bottom Line
Driver-partners and Income
Driver-partners report that Uber boosts their income, financial security...
71% BETTER
...And on average,
driver-partners make
$19 per hour.
61% BETTER
17% SAME
28% SAME
11% WORSE
$19
11% WORSE
FINANCIAL
SECURITY
INCOME
average hourly earnings
Major reasons they
work with Uber
They finally feel some chance of getting ahead
THEN
said their income increased in the
few years before signing up with Uber
18% say declined, 43% say same
76%
NOW
38%
57%
say earning more
income to better
support myself or my
family
expect their income to increase
now that they are driving with Uber
14% say declined, 30% say same
51%
say maintaining a
steady income because
your other sources of
income are unstable or
unpredictable
Uber rarely the sole source of income
25%
36%
25%
41%
21%
30%
50%
12%
63%
39%
33%
Your only personal source
of income
49%
A significant source of
personal income
say to have more
flexibility in my
schedule and balance
work with my life and
family
38%
A supplement but not
a significant source of
personal income
Uber is what they need it to be
62%
of people who lease/
finance their car use Uber
to help with car payments
45%
of parents use Uber
income to pay for childrelated expenses
28%
of people under 30
use Uber to pay
student loans
Driver-partners spend Uber income on:
Monthly bills....................................... 71%
Saving for emergencies.................... 23%
Car payments.................................... 49%
Paying medical bills........................... 20%
House payments............................... 31%
Student loan...................................... 19%
Treats for yourself/family................ 27%
Saving for a big purchase................. 9%
Expenses for your children............. 25%
Saving for retirement....................... 9%
New York, NY
Los Angeles, CA
Washington, DC
Denver, CO
www.bsgco.com
When Professional Drivers Go Uber
Among people who drove
taxis before Uber,
Many past
transportation
industry workers
choose to switch
completely over
to Uber
88%
now drive with the Uber
platform instead of another
taxi company
Uber Partners Who
Previously Drove Taxis
Among Uber driver-partners who came
from the taxi world...
(small sample size (N=93)
so results are directional only)
Among people who drove
black cars before Uber,
74%
59%
now drive with the Uber
platform instead of another
black car company
say their income has increased
since joining Uber (24% say it
has stayed the same)
And
51%
63%
Greater income,
personal safety
big motivators for
many pros to drive
with Uber
believe their income will
increase each year
a reason to drive w/ Uber
while only
36%
were seeing income rise
before Uber
64%
a reason to drive w/ Uber
71%
say being their own boss was
a major reason to join Uber
73%
Average $/hour (on Uber)
say they have more control
over their schedule now
$23
$27
Drove taxis before Uber
Drove black cars before Uber
New York, NY
Los Angeles, CA
Washington, DC
15%
Denver, CO
of all Uber driverpartners also
previously worked for
a delivery service
and they
are among the most
satisfied with Uber.
www.bsgco.com
How Uber Works For Driver-Partners
Driver-partners would rather have:
73%
27%
A job where you choose your own
schedule and be your own boss
A steady 9-to-5 job with some
benefits and a set salary
42% of women who work with Uber say the
need for part-time or flexible scheduling is
a major reason they drive with Uber
32% say to earn money while looking
for a full-time job is a major reason they
drive with Uber
Income isnt the only thing thats gotten better
Driver-partners are remarkably
satisfied especially New Regulars
and Part-Timers
Control over your schedule
74%
SATISFIED WITH EXPERIENCE
DRIVING ON UBER PLATFORM?
Income
71%
78%
TOTAL
Flexibility in work-life balance
70%
72%
Sense of financial security
61%
69%
Quality of life
58%
88%
Sense of confidence
56%
81%
Total Better
About Same
Total Worse
New York, NY
Los Angeles, CA
Washington, DC
Denver, CO
www.bsgco.com
Driver Basics: The Demographics
7%
Ethnicity: A very diverse group
18%
7%
of driverpartners are
veterans
Black/African American
15%
of driver-partners
are currently
students
Asian or Pacific Islander
16%
Age: Spread across the spectrum
Hispanic/Latino
37%
30%
White/Caucasian
6%
Some other ethnic background
26%
24%
19%
7%
Prefer not to answer
Driver-partners and their familes
50%
46%
25%
18-29
are
married
40-49
50+
Education
have
children
financially supporting
parents/others relatives
Gender
86%
30-39
28%
14%
New York, NY
Los Angeles, CA
no college
degree
Washington, DC
24%
AA degree or
trade school
Denver, CO
48%
college or
advanced degree
www.bsgco.com
Amy Levin, Partner
alevin@bsgco.com
Los Angeles
530 Wilshire Boulevard
Suite 203
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310.775.2601
New York
777 3rd Avenue
33rd Floor
New York, NY 10017
212.702.8777
Methodology
This research was conducted by Benenson Strategy
Group. The interviews took place from December
16th through 22nd, 2014 and included 601
interviews with current Uber driver-partners from
20 markets where Uber operates.
All interviews were conducted over the internet.
The markets polled included Atlanta, Austin,
Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver,
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New
Jersey, New York City, Orange County, Philadelphia,
Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and
Washington, D.C.
Washington, DC
1901 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20006
202.339.6060
Denver
720 South Colorado Boulevard
Suite 500N
Quotas and weights were used to ensure the
sample is representative of the actual Uber driver
population based on the service they use (uberX,
UberBLACK etc.), income earned through Uber,
average hours worked each week and tenure with
Uber. Respondents were given a financial incentive
and guaranteed anonymity to further encourage
representative participation.
Denver, CO 80246
303.928.8400
info@bsgco.com
www.bsgco.com
The margin of error for the entire data set is 4.0%
at the 95% confidence level. Due to rounding,
answer choices may not add up to 100%.
