The GIG Economy Podcast

61:35

Uber Wants AI To Run The Ride While Drivers Take The...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2026/05/11

We would love to hear your feedback! Uber’s newest AI features promise easier booking and more add-ons, but we keep asking how it changes driver pay, rider behaviour, and accountability when things go wrong. We also compare side hustles like BabyQuip and laundry apps by running the numbers and calling out the hidden costs that don’t show up in the ads. • weekend rideshare stories, drunk passengers, hourly targets and what “good money” looks like • BabyQuip explained, startup fee,...

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57:19

When Algorithms Decide What You’re Worth | Ep 299

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2026/05/04

We would love to hear your feedback! We trade real driver stories from busy nights on the road, then dig into how policy, algorithms, and safety risks shape what gig workers actually earn. We debate Seattle’s pay law, Uber’s upfront pricing backlash in Hawaii, and what it means when platforms push narratives that don’t match driver experience. • Road stories that show the weird and human side of rideshare • Seattle minimum pay study results for app-based delivery workers • Platform pushback ...

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60:55

Uber Eats Wants Your Returns And Drivers Want Answers...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2026/04/27

We would love to hear your feedback! We bounce through the latest gig economy news and call out how apps keep expanding into “everything” while drivers are left to do the math on pay, fees, and risk. We also hit the real-world safety side of delivery work and the weird tech trends showing up in cars and autonomous driving. • Uber Eats is launching retail item returns, and how the fees might work • How platform ecosystems keep people spending inside one app • A hit and run v...

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65:41

From EV Incentives To Melted Ice Cream… Gig Work Gets...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2026/04/20

We would love to hear your feedback! That moment when you order ice cream at 9:15 and it shows up at 11:10 tells you almost everything about modern delivery. We kick things off with stories from the road that remind you how weird rideshare can get, then we unpack what happens when apps stack doubles and triples and the customer pays the price while the driver takes the blame. From there we get practical about electric vehicles for gig work. Uber’s EV grant is expanding nationwide, and we tal...

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60:41

Uber Lawsuits, Driver Pay Drama & The Robot Takeover...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2026/04/06

We would love to hear your feedback! A third grader opens our day with the most unhinged April Fools line imaginable, and somehow that’s still not the weirdest part of the night. We geek out over the NASA launch, then snap right back into the gig economy grind: weekend runs, a surprisingly good Lowe’s delivery, and the little moments that make DoorDash and rideshare life feel like a constant improv show. Then the mood shifts to the stuff that actually matters for working drivers and riders. ...

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61:26

Uber Just Made a Deal… This Could Change Everything...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2026/03/30

We would love to hear your feedback! Robotaxis, rising costs, and shaky app promises are colliding fast, and we’re starting to see what that means for drivers who count on rideshare and delivery money. We break down Uber’s latest autonomous moves, the arrival-time lawsuit, and the everyday strategies that keep gig work from turning into a financial trap. • Uber’s Rivian robotaxi plan and why it matters for drivers • the coming squeeze as automation grows and layoffs push more peop...

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62:35

This DoorDash Order Shouldn’t Exist. Drivers Are Fed...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2026/03/23

We would love to hear your feedback! A million-dollar GoFundMe for a DoorDash driver. Champagne requests inside an Uber. Robotaxis that stall out so often cities invent a new emergency category. That’s the gig economy right now, and we’re not pretending it’s normal. We start with what drivers are actually seeing on the ground, then get into Uber Elite, a new premium rideshare tier pitched above Uber Black with meet-and-greet airport pickup and luxury “extras.” We talk through what coun...

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61:48

Uber’s Next Big Move Could Make Drivers Pay To Work |...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2026/03/16

We would love to hear your feedback! Uber drivers are already doing brutal math on every request, so what happens if the platform starts charging us a subscription just to work? We react to reports that Uber is exploring a driver subscription model, compare it to other approaches in rideshare, and talk through the real-world questions: who it helps, who it hurts, and why part-time drivers could get squeezed if the tiers are wrong. Then we get into the future that keeps showing up in our feed...

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62:20

Why Uber Eats Tips Changed And What Drivers Should Do...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2026/03/09

We would love to hear your feedback! Ep 292 News Links Two drivers swap snow-soaked stories that expose how stacking, distance, and clunky app UX turn hot food cold and good intent into fixes on the fly. We break down Uber Eats’ no-edit tip change, Walmart Spark’s settlement confusion, robots blocking ambulances, and Uber’s parking play with SpotHero. • triple stack delays and food temperature trade-offs • message vs notes on DoorDash and misdrop recovery • Uber Eats removes in-app tip edits...

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65:42

We Confront Uber’s Safety Failings, Test New Side...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2026/03/02

We would love to hear your feedback! We trade late-night rideshare stories with real safety lessons, then dig into Uber’s background check controversy, the pace of misconduct reports, and what policy changes could actually protect people. We also explore Uber’s EV charging push, a new trash-day gig app, Life360’s family integration, Waymo’s assertive maneuvers, and DoorDash’s retail surge. • fast-driving Uber and Lyft rides, phone mount risks, rating and reporting choices • lifetime bans for...

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63:33

When The App Is Wrong And Support Won’t Listen, What...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2026/02/23

We would love to hear your feedback! A pizza goes to the right address—until the app decides it didn’t. That’s where our night begins: inside a double-order mix-up that flips a completed delivery into a fresh task 10 miles away, and a support chat that insists the driver is at fault. We unpack what really happened, why third-party systems like Toast can scramble instructions mid-route, and how to protect your tips, ratings, and sanity when the software gets it wrong. From there we hit the me...

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64:04

Why Holding Apps Liable Could Finally Change Safety |...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2026/02/16

We would love to hear your feedback! News Links for Ep 289 A tipping point is here for the gig economy, and we felt it the moment two verdicts landed: Uber facing an $858.5M judgment in a sexual assault case under “apparent authority,” and Instacart ordered to pay nearly $16M after a fatal crash. We unpack what these rulings actually mean—where platform liability starts, where driver accountability remains, and how this could finally force safety to become a real product priority instead of a...

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63:57

What Gig Drivers Should Do When A Ride Cancels...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2026/02/09

We would love to hear your feedback! News Links from Ep 288 We dig into the week’s wild mix: snow closures and NTI days, shrinking gig hours, the end of Dovetail screenshots, Spark incentives that don’t always land, and a sober look at autonomy after Waymo’s low-speed child impact and an impatient merge around a semi. Safety, strategy, and sanity lead the way. • school shutdowns, NTI days, local differences • dovetail payouts ending and data value • spark curbside incentives vs real earnings...

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60:21

I’m Not Walking in 15 Inches For A No-Tip Order | Ep 287

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2026/02/02

We would love to hear your feedback! Ep 287 News Links Two friends tackle a frozen week of gig work—how storms stall demand, why some apps shut down, and where the money still flows—then zoom out to taxes, tips, and the fight for transparency. We also dig into AV stumbles, teen ride safety, and Amazon’s shifting retail play. • ice storm impacts on scheduling and safety • spark incentives and whether cold boosts earnings • 1099 tip reporting inconsistencies across apps • NYC’s 10% tip prompt ...

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60:14

An Uber Trial Could Reshape Rideshare Safety Across...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2026/01/26

We would love to hear your feedback! Two hosts dig into a week of wild gig-economy stories: a convicted murder tied to a scam, a federal Uber SA trial with explosive internal messages, delivery partnerships that shift the market, and autonomy failures that expose design gaps. We weigh real fixes, from portable background checks to camera standards, and call out bad driver behavior, cash-ride risks, and privacy myths. • scam-driven shooting of an Uber Eats driver and how to prevent repeats • ...

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56:57

Dry January, Drier Tips Also did You Know That Men...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2026/01/19

We would love to hear your feedback! Ep 285 News Links We chase a slow January across rideshare, delivery, and shopping, then dig into AI hoaxes, rising energy costs from data centers, and where autonomy helps or harms. Laws, kiosks, drones, and tipping rules collide with real driver pay and trust. • dry January reducing orders and routes • multi‑app strategies to survive slow demand • AI misinformation and fake whistleblower fallout • data centers raising electricity costs and bills • Calif...

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60:12

DoorDash “Desperation Score” Claims, Uber vs Lyft...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2026/01/12

We would love to hear your feedback! Ep 284 News Links We break down a wild start to 2026: rumors of a DoorDash “desperation score,” shifting incentives across Uber, Lyft, and Spark, and the thin line between algorithmic efficiency and exploitation. From a Waymo red-light fail to McDonald’s weighing bags, we push on safety, trust, and what drivers can actually control. • Uber quest math vs Lyft drought on bonuses • Spark incentives influencing supply on holidays • Long-trip deadhead realitie...

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74:02

Half-Million-Dollar Car, Two-Dollar DoorDash Order,...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2025/12/29

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, hinting at a new pathway for fair pricing and better tips. • Waymo’s recalls, school bus failure...

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65:13

Gig Economy Chaos: Viral Delivery Drama, AI Pricing,...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2025/12/22

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 spray incident and platform accountability • Practical safety tactics for deliveries and ride pic...

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60:03

Uber Ad Targeting, Package Scams, DoorDash Hack &...

The GIG Economy Podcast ·

2025/12/15

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 rising rider prices • DoorDash merchant hacks via email credential theft and weak 2FA • Package...

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