Rideshare drivers strike at airports across the U.S. for better pay

This Valentine’s Day, rideshare drivers across the country are striking at airports and demanding better pay.

In Jacksonville, one Lyft driver said he is also supporting the strike and not driving Wednesday.

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“The drivers are standing up today because there needs to be a voice out there and it needs to be heard,” said Don, a part-time Lyft driver.

Don started as a part-time rideshare driver in 2022. He said it’s not the same as it used to be.

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“Right now, if you were to go from the airport to the Hyatt Hotel, downtown, you’re going to get paid anywhere from $9 to $11. That used to be a $14 to $17 ride,” Don said.

The biggest difference he’s seen is the pay rate for drivers. Wednesday, Don was one of more than a thousand drivers nationwide, pushing for better pay.

“At the end of the day, they’re not driving just to own a car,” Don said. “They got to feed their family, some of them, some of them pay their bills this way.”

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Don said Wednesday morning when he checked the rideshare apps, he saw more than 30 driver cancellations at Jacksonville International Airport.

Justice for App Workers organized a Valentine’s Day strike. The organization said across the country they are not taking rides to or from any airport on Valentine’s Day.

A spokesperson for Lyft told Action News Jax, that traditionally, these events have not had a meaningful impact on wait times or service levels.

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Lyft also sent Action News Jax this statement:

“We are constantly working to improve the driver experience, which is why just this month we released a series of new offers and commitments aimed at increasing driver pay and transparency. This includes a new earnings commitment and an improved deactivation appeals process. Now, drivers will always make at least 70% of the weekly rider fares after external fees. It’s all part of our new customer-obsessed focus on drivers.”

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And Action News Jax also received a statement from Uber:

“These types of events have rarely had any impact on trips, prices or driver availability, and we expect the same tomorrow. That’s because the vast majority of drivers are satisfied - earnings remain strong, and as of last quarter, drivers in the U.S. were making about $33 per utilized hour. We also continue to act on driver feedback, adding new safety features to the app and improving our account deactivation processes.”

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