Gig Economy

GIG ECONOMY

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Gig platforms, backed by billions in venture capital money, operated at a loss for years while putting many union taxi companies out of business. Over the past several years, COJWJ has worked with Colorado Independent Drivers United, which has been organizing app based drivers in the Denver area. Given concerns about gig companies’ willingness to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in places like California and Massachusetts to pass policies protecting their bottom line, COJWJ undertook a study to better quantify drivers’ experiences for policymakers and the general public. The study focuses on three app based platforms: Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash. After dividing Denver into 9 zones based on geography and distribution of restaurants, survey collection was evenly distributed across each zone for each app based platform. Surveyors asked drivers a series of questions about demographics, economics, safety, and other workplace issues. A total of 362 surveys were collected in January and February of 2022.