Welcome to Independent Driver

The last thing I want is to be an employee. Anbody that thinks they will do better as an employee has never worked as an employee. I do very well, but I treat my Uber as a "BUSINESS" If you do not, then your just giving some rides to make a few bucks. Frankly. If you don't like doing rideshare as an independant you should try a fast food chain as an employee!

tl;dr I worry that driver opportunity, half of what makes Uber innovative, will become capped if drivers are considered employees. My concern is that the appeal of Uber to drivers is primarily the ability to work a seemingly uncapped (for argument's sake) number of hours in a week; if they want to earn more by working more, they are able to. As employees, I fear that the driver that has worked 40 hours in the week will not be given the same opportunity compared to the driver that has worked 30 hours in the week, as overtime costs will differentiate the two labor costs by an extreme amount. The end result will be that we have many 40 hr workers who would like to earn more (and work more hours), but cannot. I see this as especially problematic given the high cost of living in California. I may be incorrect in some of the points above and welcome and feedback counter to it. I'm hoping for a solution that meets many needs, just like the original idea of Uber.

I have been an Uber driver for 5 years and it has saved my family. I know this sounds dramatic but it is true. I live in Southern California and the cost of living can be quite high even when you live a modest lifestyle. I have a full time job and so does my husband yet what we make still does not cover all of our expenses. Yes we could probably find ways to cut back on our spending even more but I like having the ability to go to a movie a couple of times a month or eat out when we feel like it. Uber has been the way in which we "fill the gap" and why it works for me is I have the ability to work when I want, where I want and for how long I want. This gives me the opportunity to be able to pay my bills yet still have the flexibility to be there for dinner at night, or school functions for my kid, or what ever else I need to do. What other job gives you that kind of flexibility? What other job allows you that much control over the amount of time and effort you want to put into it. I DO NOT WANT TO BE AN EMPLOYEE, period. It frustrates me to no end that a very small, I emphasize VERY SMALL, but vocal minority may have the ability to take away the thing that allows me to take care of my family. No one is forcing anyone to work for Uber. Uber is not cheating anyone because they are upfront when you sign up what the Terms of Service are. Uber allows you access to the platform, you sign on when you want to drive, you sign off when you don't. You get paid $X amount per mile and $X amount per minute and Uber will take X% in exchange for access to the platform.... it is that simple. If you do not like the terms of this agreement then DON'T DRIVE for Uber. Go find a job that pays what you think you should be paid in the way in which you think you should be paid. It is a free country, you have the ability to go and do that... no one is strapping you into your car and holding your family hostage and saying "Drive for Uber or we will hurt your family." You as a driver freely choose to do this and you can stop anytime you don't like the agreement. and go do something else. Uber does not owe you a living wage.... let me repeat... Uber does not owe you a living wage. You are responsible for your own destiny and your own choices. I work 3 jobs so I can take care of my family. STOP trying to take away my ability to choose what works for me. Do I wish that Uber paid a little more, sure. I wish my full time job paid a little more per hour but you don't see me walking into HR and demanding that they pay me $X per hour or I am going to sue them in court. I freely chose to drive for Uber knowing that they don't reimburse for gas, car maintenance, wear and tear on the vehicle. So did every other driver out there complaining. If Uber is legislatively forced to treat its independent contractors as employees it will have consequences that these short sighted individuals are going to complain about at least as much if not more. I want to keep my flexibility and independence. I DO NOT WANT TO BE AN EMPLOYEE.

My top ten reasons for "NEVER" becoming an employee. Here is the foundation for my top ten reasons. I was an "employee" for 42 years. 1. You have no choice in any primary aspect of your job, no autonomy, you do what THEY want. 2. You make what THEY want to pay you. Don't kid yourself, it will not be close to what you think, yes I know what you are thinking I WONT HAVE ANY EXPENSES, that is a false narrative. It is not true (for a separate conversation). 3. You will drive when and where THEY want you to. Yes anytime anywhere. 4. You will never get overtime. THEY will have plenty of "employees" if you don't like it. 5. You will only be "on the clock" for about 35 hours a week. 6. You will recieve a REVIEW of your performce probally at least twice a year. Remember you work for THEM and there will be expectations for you to perform at certain levels, and if you do not them you may be FIRED! 7. You will pay taxes every paycheck. And you will not be able to deduct the end of year rideshare expenses because that is now part of your NORMAL job since you are an employee. 8. There is a possibilty you may even be supplied with a basic cheap, no options white car. This becomes a tax incentive for the company. 9. There will be a dress code that will be required. Well, you will get to deduct those expenses on your taxes. 10. Insurance will be available with a high front end amount you have to meet before you can even recieve benefits which will only be paid at 20%. And the premiums will be high. This is reality, this is the truth that individuls who want to be employees do not undetstand. The real question is WHY!

Independent driver is the freedom to open the balance between work and family into the huge industry of the transportation

This what's makes me live easy and feed my children this is the only work I have .please don't take this away from us .flexibility.

My name is Julie I live and work in San Diego California and I am a Diamond rated driver. I have medical bills and I am going to Classes I am also a Songwriter. I have been working as an independent contractor with Uber for 4 1/2 years now I could not be happier. To even suggest that flexibility might be taken away is just really a bad idea for those who have depended on and made Uber a Full time job and A means For financial security. I feel security in my job as a business. I have successfully secured loans and other commitments based on my full time Uber Independent Contractor Work. I am totally in committed to my work and my family also depends on this. I also love my job as an Uber driver. I have strategies and I have and disciplined work ethic. Please do not take away our job Status and make us into Employees as as this would not work Well for myself and many many others.

Flexibility matters to me it changed my life in a big way I can drive at anytime when I am not busy it put food on my table and it helps me a lot of ways I am able to do much with Uber’s flexibility

being independent matters a lot, I organize the help in my home and also the schedule of my regular employment.

For me, this job has always been a supplementary position in addition to my regular career. A way to pay for rising costs, particularly healthcare in California. The fact that it’s very convenient to turn the app on and off without any ride quotas to do this job on your time is absolutely priceless. There is money to be made and it’s a great way to interact with the community and get people to and from safely. I do not intend to continue as an employee if I don’t have those same flexibilities. It wouldn’t fit into my schedule at all if I’m told when and where I’d be driving each day. Not only will this decision hurt majority of drivers, but it would also be a huge disservice to consumers as well. If this were to kill the rideshare business, you’d see a major increase in DUIs and alcohol related crashes. Think long and hard about this one.

Independence is the whole point of being an Uber driver. I will always support a company that supports MY interests. The State and Federal govt. already tax us too much and give us NOTHING in return! California has tax alone pays all the government salaries. Stop trying to FORCE. Us to be even more held down. I pay very high income taxes. I get few exemptions and California can’t even keep the roads in good condition. The holes have cost me many tires in the past few years and the State certainly won’t reimburse for my losses! Stay away from my RIGHT TO WORK the way I want to. !!!!

The Uber concept has revolutionized the ride-sharing idea; as a user I support the efforts that takes to move me safely from point a to point in short notice. As an independent driver I do what they've done for me; the ability of a flex schedule is innovative and the life blood of the ride share concept; as driver's we know there are other benefits that Uber folks make available from education tuition to money saving promotions via the gobank. Our legislators are basically trying ways to increase our states revenue on our work and effort, I feel they as legislators should work on saving the state from higher expenditures, we need to have an ecological focus as to how we drive our states intake and outgive economically speaking; there are ways to save on waste rather than just figuring ways of hicking fees to worker and businesses incomes. I feel we each need to respect our freedoms between citizens and more so between legislators and the citizenry which pay their way; fair is fair and what I've seen with Uber is that in the time they've employed this ride-share concept into a truly working model it's been marking success to it's business model and it's concerned 360°, I feel that our governor and his staff should congratulate rather than work on curtailing this wonderfully affordable service. in real time now the average taco bell(as all fast-food service)employees can make it to work 'on time' affordably, safely and efficiently 24x7 Uber makes that possible, not municipal bus service, or light rail. I'm all for the freedom respecting our individual possibilities to earn money with out having to meet criterias that part-time of full employment may or may not require. in conclusion just like to shout out to not discriminate on the gig workers of america, we love our "just freedom" to earn our money on our own time as we find it. thank you california legislators and govenor

Law makers are claiming that they are looking out for the best interest of the drivers. If this is the case then let the drivers vote on this.

I have 7 kids and the flexibility of choosing when I work is invaluable to my ability to be there for my kids as they grow up .

I support keeping drivers as independent contractors and I also support drivers getting medical benefits. This is more complicated than just saying I support the current situation. We(drivers) have to work 12 hrs a day to make $200-300 a day and usually $50-70 a day goes to gas. Then if you take out the taxes that’s another 1/3 of your daily earnings. Now for my situation I am leasing a car through Fair that costs $213 or $118 or it’s free if I drive enough to get both bonuses. In order to get all the bonuses offered for the lease I have to drive full time which contradicts Uber’s format as a side gig. So you can tell that there is no way I could afford to pay for my own medical insurance, pay my rent, buy gas, food etc., at this current pay and conditions. If drivers are working a certain amount of hours they should be offered insurance. And the offers Uber currently have for this and gas are not realistic. I earned over $900 last week and after gas and the cost for the lease I had around $500 left. Now in California that’s enough to pay rent, utilities, phone, and maybe one or two other bills. Yes food was not mentioned. Uber is making billions off its drivers and still taking 30-45% of each rides cost. I’ve talked to riders and they all have said they wouldn’t mind paying more for the service if the cost is increased. The higher rating, amount of rides and hours worked could be factors in who gets paid more, gets medical insurance etc. I know independent workers don’t receive benefits before today. I think this is a time for new rules. Rules that benefit worker and employer. So many companies are making millions off the backs of their minimum wage employees. Employees that keep those companies alive. No easy answer

I'm 67 and no longer wish to be told when I can or cannot earn money.

I love flexibility that's why I love Uber

I have a full time job and I drive uber in my days off. If the law is implemented I will loose my extra income from uber driving. There are thousands of us.

Governor Newsome, I'm a registered Democrat but before anything, I'm American and the American values are dear to me, such as my indepndency. By signing the AB5 into law, you will push many voters from the "center" to the "right." California lawmakers including Assembly Woman, Ms. Lorena Gonzalez, need opposition before they turn the great state of California into a socialist third world country. We the voters, we the people in Center, will not allow that and we will remember this in 2020 elections. There is no balance of power in your Government, we will send Republicans to your Senate and State Assembly to create the much needed balance which is the very basic factor in a democracy. I'm driving my own car at my own schedule that works for me the best. Uber is my partner and you have absolutely no right to come between us and regulate us. I will continue my Independent contractor status regardless of what you decide. Please reject AB5, you would make many Democrats in the center which are the majority to believe in you and your capability to govern from the center. Again, Uber and I are businness partners and will not allow you to interfer in our business. We have done nothing wrong except not accepting the imported socialist agenda and I personally along with my partner Uber will fight it to the bitter end. You're turning a lifelong Democrat into a Republican which makes me very sad. Please reconsider your actions you're hurting countless independent contractors and consumers. Please Governor, I voted for you, don't make me regret it. We are Americans and the freedom and indepndency are our very basic rights. Thank you for your consideration.

To dear lawmakers please don’t take away our flexibility because most of drivers are students they do Uber because we have flexibility but if we don’t have flexibility then millions of drivers stay back from their college cause we can’t find other job like Uber that whenever we want to work we work

To be able to spend time with my daughter and family and work when I can is priceless more than I can put into words. Still working a 40hr work week or more cause I want and being independent has changed my life.

Yes. I strongly support driver independence and flexibility of time.

Flexibility is why we all joined Uber. The flexibility to create our own schedule, the flexibility to earn what we want to earn.

Please leave it the way it is. Drivers will not understand until the day they are not independent & not until then will the realize what they’ll miss. Most are part time drivers I believe & most drivers complain. Get a real Job & stop complaining. LEAVE US INDEPENDENT! Truly Scott