New report shows drivers making less than $15 per hour

A new report from the group pushing to allow rideshare drivers to unionize shows that Uber and Lyft workers are making less than the state’s minimum wage.

According to the report by Drivers Demand Justice, after accounting for time spent waiting and vehicle maintenance costs, drivers in Massachusetts earn less than the $15 per hour minimum established in state law.

“Ridehail drivers in Massachusetts grapple with a harsh reality – promised earnings often fall significantly short of actual compensation. Drivers routinely discover their earnings to be substantially lower than expected, largely attributed to unaccounted-for work time and the substantial burden of work-related expenses. Analysis of ridehail data shows that the net earnings for a majority of drivers in the industry fall below the state’s minimum wage,” the report reads.

The “median Massachusetts ridehail driver” makes just $12.82 an hour and a full three out of five drivers earn less than the minimum wage, the group says.

“Almost half (48.9%) of the typical driver’s gross ridehail earnings are wiped out by driving expenses,” the report reads, in part.

Read the full story at BostonHerald.com