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Why does flexible work matter?

Uber is committed to providing a reliable and open marketplace for mobility and work. Everyone who drives on our platform has the ability to choose where and when they want to work.

Committed to open access

Our marketplace was built on the principle of open access so that everyone has the opportunity to earn.

Driver choice

Anyone who has a driver's license and passes a background screening can access flexible work through the Uber app with no shifts or set schedules. Unlike a 9-to-5 job, people can come and go during the day as they please.* In the US, more than 50% of drivers drive fewer than 10 hours per week. The app’s door is always open.

*Subject to a limit on total online hours.

Earnings and rider demand

In an open marketplace, driver earnings are largely a function of rider demand. Earnings potential is highest when and where it’s busy, like downtown on a Friday night or during rush hour. Certain times are slower than others, but drivers may choose to drive during busier times with higher earning potential.

Connecting prices and earnings

Higher rider prices don’t necessarily lead to higher driver earnings. Research has shown that earnings increases that result from higher per-mile and per-minute rates are short-lived. Why? Supply and demand. With higher prices, the supply of drivers goes up, which can result in fewer rides per driver. When marketplaces experience these adjustments, hourly average earnings typically return to previous levels in about 8 weeks.

Expanding access to work

Delivering reliability and expanding access are 2 of our core principles. More than 75 million riders around the world use Uber, and demand continues to grow. One way we meet that demand is by providing more people the opportunity to earn by driving on our platform. An open marketplace also means anyone who qualifies to work can access work when they need it.

Technology and an open marketplace

Earnings are a function of market demand. We use technology to help drivers make choices about where and when to find that demand, using Uber’s Driver app. When they are on the road and between trips, drivers get real-time updates about rider demand and surge pricing.

Learn more about the open marketplace

Take a closer look at the elements that help Uber maintain an open marketplace. We’re constantly looking for new ways to make mobility and work more reliable, to offer balance to both riders and drivers.

An open marketplace presents additional challenges. It requires new systems to maintain marketplace health in real time and new methods to measure the marketplace impact of new products and features.

Marketplace health

Marketplace health means keeping the network balanced, so riders and drivers can depend on it for mobility and work.

New product pilots

Uber pilots new products and features before they’re widely released to implement changes that serve both riders and drivers, as intended, out in the real world.

Some of the features described on this page do not apply or are not available in California and in markets outside of the US. As we work to improve the marketplace, we may test functionality and pricing in ways not described on this page.

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