Uber business model promotes flexibility, doesn’t need change
Choices. Good ones. Bad ones. More of them. Our society thrives on the ability to make choices. Last summer, I made a choice that seemed inconsequential at the time. I didn’t realize when I made it that this one choice would provide so many others.
It started in 2014 when I found myself lacking choices. I had to quit my job because of medical issues. My doctor’s orders limited me to a parttime job with flexible hours. While skeptical at first, I heeded a friend’s advice to try driving with Uber. Since then, I have earned money 2,300 times at the tap of a button. I haven’t looked back since.
Starting off, I only drove a few hours a week. I enjoyed the money and the flexibility, and I found that the more I drove, the more I enjoyed it.
But there’s a handful of drivers who want to force Uber to do business differently. These changes would fundamentally change our partnership with Uber, and I oppose these efforts.
Prior to partnering with Uber, I worked a minimum of 60 hours a week. My life consisted of sixday workweeks. Outside of the office, it was normal for me to continue work from home. I worked like this for close to 10 years. Uber provides an alternative option to earn extra money. Drivers can set their own hours and change them at any time. We decide where, when and for how long we to want to drive. If I need to run to a doctor’s appointment or visit my grandchildren in Virginia, I don’t have to ask permission to leave work or offer an explanation to my boss. Last year, I took eight vacations. This is unheard of in my previous jobs.
When I’m free, I typically drive in the mornings and afternoons. I particularly enjoy meeting the visitors and business travelers headed to and from the airport. During January, when business slowed down, I had the control to adjust my schedule and drive during busier periods on nights and weekends. Uber empowers me to work as little or as much as I want so I can make as little or as much as I need.
Being able to turn the Uber app on and off is one of the many benefits, but the opportunity to achieve financial independence without sacrificing my personal freedom is even better.
Last year, my husband and I decided to lower our debt-to-income ratio. Knowing how easy and flexible it is to make extra income, my husband started driving with Uber 12 hours a week (outside of his full-time job). It’s been a year, and we are now 40 percent of the way to reaching our goal. This has not only given us better financial peace of mind, it’s strengthened our marriage as we strive to reach a common goal. It’s pretty amazing! We have also experienced the power of what is possible when we both commit to something together.
In my previous jobs, I didn’t have the opportunity to make more money. I know I am not alone. Many Americans share my story.
Uber offers a way for people to improve their financial situation almost immediately. It is essentially a pay raise on demand. This is why millions around the globe have chosen to partner with Uber. People across the city are looking for a way to get ahead, and Uber’s flexible model makes it possible.
I choose to be an independent contractor over an employee so I can determine when I work and for how long. In fact, if I didn’t have this flexibility, I wouldn’t be able to partner with Uber. Having the ability to choose this flexible earning opportunity is invaluable to me, and I am grateful that this option is available. I believe my right to make this choice should be preserved.
“Being able to turn the Uber app on and off is one of the many benefits, but the opportunity to achieve financial independence without sacrificing my personal freedom is even better.”