Uber Uprising? Drivers Rally Outside SF Headquarters, Make Demands
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— Dozens of drivers for Uber held a noisy rally outside the San Francisco headquarters of the on-demand ride service - to make some demands of their own.
Drivers at Monday's rally on Market Street said they feel exploited, don't earn enough money and are taken for granted by the company that doesn't give them enough respect. Uber is already under increasing criticism from city and state regulators including the Public Utilities Commission.
Ramzi Reguii heads the Uber Driver's Network, and takes issue with a recent statement by Uber's co-founder, about moving to a fleet of driverless cars in the future.
"The reason Uber is expensive is because of the dude in the car. Once we get rid of the dude in the car, Uber will be cheaper," he read. "That statement is very disturbing."
The drivers also said Uber takes too big a cut and keeps lowering its prices to undercut the competition. Uber spokesperson Lane Kasselman said the drivers should not worry about taxis driven by robots.
"It's decades and decades and decades away from being a reality. Today we're more focused on what do they need today? What do they need today to do their job and how can we assist with that so they can provide great service to the residents of San Francisco and continue to earn a great wage," he said.
Kasselman finished by saying Uber does respect its drivers, because without them, there is no Uber.