The GIG Economy Podcast

We would love to hear your feedback! Follow Steve at ridesharerodeo.com We trade holiday greetings and dive straight into autonomous vehicle hype versus reality, then tackle flooded delivery markets, “Dash Now for all,” and a bold proposal to cap active drivers to improve earnings and reduce data waste. A Boulder case study shows restaurants reclaiming ordering while still using DoorDash drivers,...

We would love to hear your feedback! Ep 282 News Links We go solo and cover a wild delivery sabotage caught on camera, the real risks couriers face, Instacart’s shifting prices, and the future of gig work with AI and city rules. We finish with tipping fights in NYC and why the community keeps drivers sane and safer. • Larry out for family emergency, community support updates • Ring-caught pepper s...

We would love to hear your feedback! Ep 281 News Links Two hosts dig into the latest gig economy twists: Uber’s targeted ads built on trip insights, DoorDash account takeovers draining restaurant payouts, porch pirates using Wi‑Fi jammers, and the messy realities behind driverless rides. We weigh security fixes, fair pay, and where AI helps or hurts. • Uber ads tied to anonymised trip insights and...

We would love to hear your feedback! We tear into the hidden math of gig work, from bonuses that look great on paper to car notes that choke your margins. A spill, a triple batch, a Lyft perk change, and a Waymo near a felony stop all point to the same lesson: treat this like a business or the job will run you. • stocking cleanup gear for fast recovery in the car • using stackable bonuses to lift...

We would love to hear your feedback! A year-end mix of gig-life highs and lows: walking deliveries in dense cities, the line between speed and sanitation, a CEO clip that aged oddly, and the ripple effects of buy-now-pay-later on DoorDash. We add real life too—sick days, frozen shoulders, and how to keep working without burning out. • viability of on‑foot delivery in dense markets • why bathroom h...

We would love to hear your feedback! Ep 278 News Links A viral claim collapses, a van gets swiped in broad daylight, and a driverless car freezes in an alley—welcome to a week where gig work shows its sharp edges. We open with a wild “clip of the week” from a Spark delivery, then unpack the fallout from the DoorDash creator whose videos led to felony charges after she filmed a customer nude and po...

We would love to hear your feedback! We weigh real driver safety against political theater as a proposed English-only bill meets the reality of rides that rarely need chatter, then pivot to practical wins like Spark’s flashing shelf tags and the hard limits of Amazon Flex “flexibility.” Along the way, we unpack women-only ride options, a Waymo smashed after a big game, and a straw bale delivery th...

We would love to hear your feedback! We share wins and misses from a slow Spark week and a solid Amazon Flex route, then dig into Halloween ride trends, rain-soaked nights, and why visibility changes how we work. Waymo’s expansion, Uber’s AI microtasks, and Lyft’s late-night campus discounts set the stage for a bigger question: how fast should robotaxis move and who pays when code crashes. Ep 276...

We would love to hear your feedback! Two hosts dig into Lyft’s new driver controls, Uber’s $4K EV push, Waymo’s school bus probe, and Amazon’s smart glasses while swapping road stories and safety tips. We weigh DoorDash’s SNAP fee waivers, restaurant policies that shift costs to drivers, and how to plan a profitable Halloween weekend. • Telegram as our main community space for drivers • A memorabl...

We would love to hear your feedback! We dig into DoorDash’s partnership with Waymo and Uber’s new tip guarantee while weighing what automation, policy tweaks, and platform rules mean for working drivers. Along the way, we break down viral delivery controversies and why doing the right thing still matters most. News Ep 274 • DoorDash and Waymo autonomous delivery pilot in Phoenix • DashPass $10 Way...

We would love to hear your feedback! Two hosts dig into a volatile week for gig workers: Lyft’s tipping transparency test and retreat, baffling low-pay offers, Waymo crowding, and a pilot for AI police patrols. We trade driver stories, weigh the ethics of automation, and share what actually helps you earn. Gig News Ep 273 • Lyft testing tip history visibility and quick reversal • tipping culture f...

We would love to hear your feedback! News Links for Ep 272 Two hosts dig into what’s changing the gig economy now: a courtroom win for Uber, DoorDash’s push toward shopper loyalty, and autonomy that still fumbles at the edges. We share on-the-road tactics for better pay, safer rides, and stacking income with tools that actually help. • DoorDash introduces favorite your shopper and why loyalty comp...

We would love to hear your feedback! We trade Halloween jokes for real talk on gig work: why community intel beats guesswork, how a $19.4M Lyft settlement signals policy shifts, and what happens when driverless cars miss school bus laws. We unpack delivery safety, surge traps, and SNAP-to-doorstep trade-offs with practical, calm advice. Ep 271 News • Amazon Flex mileage, block pay, and EV versus g...

We would love to hear your feedback! We share real earnings, test a new Amazon Flex site, debate DoorDash metrics, and push on safety after an Uber assault lawsuit. We also unpack Lyft’s tip info, laugh at a robot dodging a fire truck, and consider who might own future robotaxi fleets. News Links for EP 270 • Patreon updates and community shoutouts • Telegram group: voice notes, app tips, weekly c...

We would love to hear your feedback! We explore major developments in the rideshare and delivery world, examining how legal challenges and technological innovation are reshaping transportation. Ep 269 News • Department of Justice suing Uber for alleged discrimination against disabled riders, including those with service animals and stowable wheelchairs • Lyft CEO announces $200 million in insuranc...

We would love to hear your feedback! We dive into wild stories from the gig economy, including package thefts, an Uber Eats driver turning in a drug package, and a bear stealing an Amazon delivery off someone's porch. Ep 268 News Links • Uber Eats driver in Texas sniffs out a suspicious package, discovers meth hidden in baby wipes, and helps police catch the buyer • Two package thieves fight...

We would love to hear your feedback! The California agreement allowing Uber and Lyft drivers to unionize marks a significant shift in the gig economy landscape, coinciding with reduced insurance requirements from $1 million to $300,000 per driver. • California's new deal works alongside Prop 22, allowing drivers to organize while maintaining independent contractor status • Spark issued unexpe...

We would love to hear your feedback! EP 266 News Links Ever wondered what happens when a gig worker has to jump a fence during an Amazon delivery? Or how Nashville became home to some of the highest airport rideshare fees in America? The Gig Economy Podcast dives deep into these stories and more as we explore the increasingly chaotic landscape facing today's drivers. When Nashville Internatio...

We would love to hear your feedback! The gig economy landscape is rapidly transforming with technological advancements and policy changes affecting both drivers and customers alike. Ep 265 News Links • Waymo autonomous vehicles are gaining popularity in Atlanta, where riders cancel multiple human drivers to secure a driverless experience • Amazon is eliminating backdoor and side door deliveries by...

We would love to hear your feedback! The gig economy landscape continues to evolve with DoorDash reaching a $100 billion valuation and expanding globally through strategic acquisitions. • DoorDash overcharged a California bakery by applying a 30% commission instead of the contracted 13% for eight years, resulting in over $100,000 in excess charges • Disturbing videos show children as young as 10 d...

We would love to hear your feedback! We dive into the alarming story of a DoorDash driver whose car was vandalized by a customer who tracked her to her home address. The incident raises serious questions about driver safety and privacy in the gig economy. • Discussing best practices for DoorDash drivers when marking arrivals at restaurants and waiting for orders • Analyzing a viral news story abou...

We would love to hear your feedback! The gig economy continues to evolve with new features, challenges, and opportunities for drivers navigating rideshare and delivery platforms. We discuss market-specific strategies and ways to adapt when conditions change. NEWS LINKS EP 263 • Lyft introduces "favorite driver" feature, but only for scheduled rides, limiting its usefulness for most drive...

We would love to hear your feedback! In this episode of The Shift Hustle Show , we dive headfirst into Uber's confusing "Advantage" and "Exclusive" modes—what they actually mean (or don’t ), and whether they’re worth chasing. Spoiler: cherry pickers, you might already be winning. Plus, we explore Sniffspot , the “Airbnb for dogs,” where you can turn your backyard into a mo...

We would love to hear your feedback! We explore Lyft's new favorite driver feature and discuss how it only works for scheduled rides, limiting its usefulness for many drivers. Ep 262 News Links • Lyft's new favorite driver feature only works for scheduled rides • Amazon Flex provides varied experiences, with some blocks containing very few packages • Returning to rideshare work feels goo...

We would love to hear your feedback! We explore various gig work options to combat the summer slowdown, focusing on Skip Cart, Amazon Flex, DoorDash shopping, and the emergence of portable benefits legislation across multiple states. • Skip Cart is a last-mile delivery service handling food, groceries, retail, pharmaceuticals, and electronics • Skip Cart integrates with Shopify and frequently feat...